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Jason Chambers carries a lot of job titles at Tri-County Community College and Tri-County Early College in North Carolina’s far western corner — college liaison, instructor, dean of research and planning. But just don’t call him a middle man.
“The most important job for me has been fostering good relationships between the folks at the community college and the folks at the early college,” Chambers says. “If the principal needs a certain type of classroom, my job is to help her build the relationship with the right person on the community college campus so that she doesn’t need me as a middle man.”
It takes some diplomacy to get everyone comfortable, Chambers admits. But by creating events that bring faculty together from both the high school and community college, the two groups are able to collaborate in ways that benefit both schools. He sometimes brings community college faculty to the annual NC New Schools Summer Institute so they can better understand the early college mission. Anything he can do to bridge the two cultures becomes part of his job.
“You shouldn’t have two completely separate schools — the early college needs to be a division of studies in its college,” Chambers says. “A middle man wastes time and opportunity. There are no connections being made that way. You have to respect the college’s way of doing things, but have to make sure the college understands how they benefit from the early college being there, too.”
Being connected to the community college creates opportunities for high schools students that they wouldn’t have in a traditional high school. But Chambers says opportunities have opened for the community college as well. One example: The community college has added higher level math classes that aren’t required for associate degrees and says more community college students are opting to take those courses along with the early college students.
“This is a very innovative, honest effort not to reform, but to improve education,” Chambers says. “There’s more work to do, but it has the potential to improve both secondary and postsecondary education.”
It’s not just the adults on campus who make a difference. Chambers also credits the students for building a successful relationship with the community college. He tries to ensure that students are engaged in opportunities on campus and that their work is visible.
“Our early college students volunteer for Earth Day and in the college library, help with campus clean-up and provide music for graduation. They are truly involved on campus,” Chambers says. “We had a professor here who was really against the early college in the beginning and now he’s our biggest champion. I attribute that to our students — we’re encouraging them, but they’re our greatest asset.”
Staying connected with students is so important to Chambers that he teaches the two community college courses required for all early college students. In the fall, he teaches a study skills class to freshmen, preparing them to navigate the community college and understand the resources available to them. Then in the spring, he teaches juniors how to successfully transition from the early college and community college into a four-year university.
“These courses are a natural space for students to talk about problems, ask questions and learn about what’s going on at the college,” Chambers says. “We can work through real-life scenarios to show them that they are responsible for their education. Then they learn how to take control and solve their own problems.”
Chambers holds an associate degree from Young Harris College, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, and both master’s and doctoral degrees in education from Western Carolina University.
