UW-Green Bay’s Rising Phoenix Program Expands to Mishicot School District
Mishicot, Wis.—The Rising Phoenix Early College High School Program is a collaboration with Mishicot High School, providing students the opportunity to get a head start on earning college credits while academically and personally preparing for college.
Rising Phoenix-Mishicot is the second Rising Phoenix partnership and is modeled after the inaugural cohort of 25 students with the Manitowoc Public School District that launched in Fall 2020. The program was created with the goals of reducing college debt, closing the achievement gap and providing rigorous learning opportunities for students in Northeast Wisconsin communities.
“As a University on the rise, we are proud to expand the Rising Phoenix program with the School District of Mishicot,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “We are pleased with the achievement of our first Rising Phoenix Program in Manitowoc and look forward to growing our partnership with the students, teachers and administration in Mishicot.”
Current Mishicot High School sophomores and juniors will have the opportunity to apply for the Rising Phoenix Program and will enroll during their junior and senior years of high school. When admitted to the program, students will be concurrently enrolled at Mishicot High School and UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus. Rising Phoenix courses are selected to meet Wisconsin high school graduation requirements and the UW-Green Bay Associate of Arts and Sciences (AAS) degree. Courses will be offered at Mishicot High School, online and UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus, providing students flexible options to take courses and participate in extra-curricular activities at the high school and on the university campus. These opportunities allow for students to experience college coursework in the familiar environment of their high school and to learn alongside other college students at a college campus.
The goal for participating students is to earn both their high school diploma and get a significant head start on their college degree. Students enrolling in the program as high school juniors will have the opportunity to earn an AAS degree by the time they graduate from Mishicot High School. Students who complete an AAS degree will have the first two years of a bachelor’s degree completed. The accomplishment will apply whether students decide to continue at UW-Green Bay, transfer to a different college or university or enter the workforce upon graduation with an earned college credential. Students’ tuition and textbook costs will be shared between families and the School District of Mishicot.
Mishicot Superintendent Paul Orlich
Mishicot Superintendent Paul J. Orlich stated, “Mishicot has long prided itself in being a regional leader in the number of college credits its students have the opportunity to earn while in high school. This collaborative effort with UW-Green Bay will further expand these opportunities while enhancing our work in preparing every student to be career and college ready.”
Student support and coaching are the main priorities and advantages of the program. Every student enrolled will work consistently with UW-Green Bay’s Rising Phoenix student success coach, who will:
- Assist students through the admissions process
- Facilitate academic advising
- Provide social and emotional support
- Serve as a transition specialist upon graduation (college applications, scholarships, FAFSA and financial aid assistance).
“The goals of the Rising Phoenix program align well with Mishicot’s goal that all students will grow academically through participation in a rigorous and relevant curriculum,” Orlich said. “Additionally, the partnership increases student access to college level instruction in a manner which can save families thousands of dollars in tuition.”
To learn more about the program, visit the Rising Phoenix website.
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs to more than 8,700 students with campus locations in Green Bay, Marinette, Manitowoc and Sheboygan. Established in 1965 on the border of Green Bay, the University and its campuses are centers of cultural enrichment, innovation and learning. The Green Bay campus is home to one of the Midwest’s most prolific performing arts centers, a nationally recognized 4,000-seat student recreation center, D-I athletics, an award-winning nine-hole golf course and a five-mile recreational trail and arboretum, which is free and open to the public. This four-campus University transforms lives and communities through student-focused teaching and research, innovative learning opportunities, powerful connections and a problem-solving approach to education. UW-Green Bay’s main campus is centrally located, close to both the Door County resort area and the dynamic economies of Northeast Wisconsin, the Fox Valley region and the I-43 corridor. UW-Green Bay offers in-demand programs in science, engineering and technology; business; health, education and social welfare; and arts, humanities and social sciences. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
About UW-Green Bay’s Division of Continuing Education and Community Engagement
The Division of Continuing Education and Community Engagement focuses its mission on creating educational opportunity and access for all ages, encompassing K-12 student programs, personal and professional development and customized training to meet the needs of a progressive economy. The division develops, collaborates and executes responsive solutions for diverse communities statewide, all of which reflect a deep commitment to inclusion, social justice and civic responsibility.
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