Trailblazing Her Way to UAFS

Written By: Ian Silvester

Earning college credit while in high school has been something students have done for many years. Becoming the first from your high school to do so with enough credit to graduate with an associate’s degree at the same time isn’t as common. This is exactly what Addison Grove of Farmington, Ark., accomplished this spring. 

“There were a lot of people that really didn’t know what I had done, and they had no idea that you could do it,” she said. “I really hope I left a good mark for the upcoming seniors and juniors, and even sophomores, who are ready to do that.” 

Addison sought out the additional credit from Northwest Arkansas Community College online, where she juggled her normal course load at Farmington High School with a full schedule at NWACC, including summer classes, to become the first student from her school to earn an associate’s degree through concurrent classes. 

“I’ve always been rooted in academics. … It didn’t really seem difficult to me; it seemed like nature. And I’ve had this really big goal to get my Ph.D. by the time I’m 25, and I know that does seem difficult, but I wanted to be able to push myself to do it,” Addison said. 

This fall, she continued toward her goal by beginning classes at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith, following in the footsteps of her parents, who met while attending UAFS. 

Addison is majoring in psychology with a minor in criminal justice to build a foundation for her career as a federal crisis negotiator.

“It’s a difficult field, especially for women to get into, so I wanted to start early,” she said. “I want to reach that goal for myself and for the people who are standing behind me.” 

In the wake of Addison’s accomplishment, Farmington High School announced that it will begin offering more concurrent classes with NWACC, including hosting classes on the Farmington campus. 

“A lot of students say online isn’t necessarily their cup of tea; soon they can do them at the school, and they can do them without the hassle, which will be such an amazing gateway. While I am the first one, and that’s a crazy, amazing accomplishment, I definitely hope I’m not the last,” she said. “Just do it. You can be poor, you can be in a minority, you can be disabled, you can be in pain, you can be unfocused, or you can even be an anxious ball of stress, but you can do it.” 

• Tags:
• Psychology
• Concurrent Credit