ARLINGTON, Texas–Jim Minge, president and CEO of Texas Trust Credit Union, accompanied three of the inaugural graduates from Arlington Collegiate High School during an appearance on the Good Morning Texas TV show.
The students, Mayra Olvera, Elias Perez, and EmeliYanez, shared their experience in the early college program and how it helped them achieve their associate degree – at no cost – and prepare them for the future. Minge joined the students on Good Morning Texas to publicly congratulate the entire class and recognize their achievements.
The graduates are part of an innovative partnership between the Arlington Independent School District and Tarrant County College in which students earned college level credit for course work taken during their four years of high school.
Texas Trust partnered with the collegiate high school when it launched in 2014. The credit union promised a $1,000 gift to each student who successfully graduated from the dual-honor program. The credit union honored that promise, giving out $87,000 to the graduates at a party for the students and their families at the Texas Trust headquarters.
“It is an extraordinary accomplishment for these students to be able to leave high school with an associate degree,” said Minge. “Many of these students are the first generation to attend college, something that was unattainable for their parents. We look forward to what they will go on to achieve and hope their college experience will pay dividends to our city and business community in the future.”