ENMU dual enrollment for ag draws 800

Staff writer

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When Steven Chumbley started teaching at Eastern New Mexico University in 2009, the agriculture department’s dual enrollment program consisted of 200 students in a school year.

The dual enrollment program, which allows high school students to earn credit for college courses, now draws 800 students from across the state per semester.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work to expand the program,” Chumbley said. “A big reason for the expansion is working with teachers and administrators to help to expand the program.”

Students from 35 school districts across the state are enrolled in agriculture classes ranging from animal science to agriculture power and machinery.

In Roosevelt County, high school students at Dora, Elida and Portales can take agriculture courses. Depending on the course, students can either take tests online and do lab work in their high schools, or get the college experience of taking classes on Eastern’s campus.

Thomas Tafoya, the guidance counselor at Portales High School, said taking dual enrollment courses helps high school students get acclimated to the college experience.

“These courses are great because students get a very realistic idea of what to expect when taking college courses,” Tafoya said. “Also we have seen that those who are successful taking these courses during high school are also successful when they get to college. So they get a heads up, they know what to expect, and in some cases they’re saving time and money.”

Chumbley plans to expand the program with the help of grant money.

“We received a USDA (Department of Agriculture) grant to help the program,” Chumbley said. “And with that we want to add three new agriculture courses, which would put us at eight courses.

“Right now 40 percent of school districts in the state are using the program and I want to get that number up to 50 percent.”