Chiara Grady (Cartersville High '14) has been invited to address the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia about her experience as a Move on When Ready student in KSU's Dual Enrollment Honors Program.  Chiara will be part of a small group of students representing several Georgia colleges and universities who will address the Regents at their May 21st board meeting.  The students will share the benefits they've gained from participating in dual enrollment under the Accel, Move on When Ready, and the technical colleges' HOPE Grant   

Chiara Grady has completed two years of full-time college coursework under the Move on When Ready program, earning 51 credits.

programs.  The Regents are the governing body of the University System of Georgia.

  "Starting dual enrollment as a

high school junior has allowed me to basically have a two-year scholarship.  My parents have saved thousands of dollars which I can put towards my education, and this will allow me to start earning advanced degrees earlier than if I would have stayed in high school."

  Although Chiara was a full-time KSU student, she stayed connected to her high school  through clubs and social events, and attended its homecoming, prom, and football games. She also became involved at KSU, joining a national service sorority, serving as a Relay for Life team captain to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, and joining the equestrian team for a semester. 

  Chiara plans to continue at KSU and pursue a double major in marketing and management.    

Phillip Williams' preparations for a medical career include more than two years of shadowing a general surgeon and participating in a medical mission trip to Guatemala.

While many high school students falsely believe that they cannot gain experience in their field of interest before they receive a college degree, Phillip wasted no time in finding opportunities in the medical field.  As a high school senior, Phillip already has over two years of experience in shadowing a general surgeon.  "I've always looked for opportunities to get into the hospital and experience that environment from a doctor's point of view.  It has been a great experience to be in the operating room and see everything that goes on, and I've learned a lot about that career path."

     Phillip found out about the Healthcare Explorer program through visiting hospital websites. He participated in programs through several hospitals including Northside Hospital, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, and St. Joseph's Hospital. These competitive programs, open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, offer students classes and hands-on experience in a variety of concentrations, including robotic surgery, cardiology, radiology, and sports medicine. "Some programs take place over the summer, and some during the school year," Phillip explained.

     Phillip did not limit his search for opportunities for medical experience to the United States, however. "Probably the most exciting medical experience I have had is a medical mission trip to Guatemala last year," Phillip recalled. "We provided free medical clinics to people in rural villages while working with a Christian medical ministry there." Not only was this an excellent experience for Phillip, but it also played well into his ultimate goal of working as a surgeon overseas.

     Following his graduation from high school this May, Phillip plans to continue his education at Kennesaw State University with a major in biology. "While taking KSU classes, I also plan to complete my Emergency Medical Services certification," Phillip added, explaining that this would provide more job options in the future. After graduating from KSU, Phillip will continue on to medical school.

     Phillip credits the Dual Enrollment Honors Program for helping him achieve his goals by allowing him to get ahead in his college credits and preparing him for his future years of schooling. He will have completed 23 credit hours, including Chemistry and Calculus, with a near perfect GPA.  He added that "Taking high school and college classes simultaneously forces you to develop better time management and responsibility.  Most careers in the medical field require years of serious schooling, and without time management, you won't make it."

     In addition to his academics, he has been involved in a number of extra-curricular activities including three years of cross country, two years of JROTC, BETA club and Eta Sigma Alpha honors society. Phillip has also served for three years on the journalism staff for the King's Academy school newspaper, The Verve, and is currently the editor-in-chief. "Being involved at your school is something everyone should do," Phillip commented. "It's good to have a balance of different things that you do."

     Phillip continues to pursue this career path with the hope of ultimately joining a practice or starting his own. "I also plan on being involved in medical missions and using my talents to help others, whether it is local or overseas volunteer work."

     Noah has presented his research on the United States Navy's biofuels program at the Georgia Tech Research and Innovation Conference, and was an invited presenter at Georgetown University's 16th Annual Transatlantic Policy Symposium to present his research on the Ukraine crisis and Russia-EU relations. This summer, he will be working at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), focusing on the effect of power grid reliability in the United States and Caribbean on adoption of solar-and-battery electric generation systems for electricity consumers. Noah graduates in December 2014 and hopes to work as an analyst for a private or public firm dealing with alternative energy and energy security.  He is the son of DEHP Academic Advisor Stacey Solomon and Michael Solomon.