WSFS grant helping fund DCAD dual-credit program at Cab Calloway

A $6,500 grant from WSFS Bank is helping to pay instructional costs of the dual-credit program recently launched by Delaware College of Art and Design at Cab Calloway School of the Arts.

Dual-credit – or dual-enrollment – programs allow high school students to take courses that count toward both their high school diplomas and their future college degrees. This saves students money on higher education expenses and helps them complete their associate’s or bachelor’s programs on time or even early.

DCAD, the Mid-Atlantic’s only two-year professional art and design college, offers associate of fine arts degree programs in animation, fine arts, graphic design, illustration and photography on its downtown Wilmington campus. Also located in Wilmington, Cab is a magnet middle and high school for performing and visual arts students administrated by the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

DCAD is offering “Figure Drawing” and “Animation I” at Cab for the 2018-19 school. Both classes are instructed by DCAD faculty member Aki Torii, who along with teaching and evaluating the students is providing mentorship and coaching as they produce pieces for their college application portfolios. Credits earned through the DCAD courses count toward degree programs at DCAD as well as at many other colleges and universities throughout the United States.

WSFS officials Vernita L. Dorsey, senior vice president, director of community strategy, and Terri Hasson, director of community reinvestment, recently gathered with DCAD and Cab representatives to celebrate the bank’s donation with a ceremonial check presentation. Joining them and Torii for the event were DCAD President Jean Dahlgren, DCAD Dean Katy Ro, Cab Assistant Dean Joe Hocking, Red Clay secondary education director Sam Golder and Red Clay Superintendent Mervin Daugherty.

Also participating were Emma Harkin, who is the only student of the 10 enrolled in the program this term who is taking both DCAD courses, and Meredith Little, who is taking “Animation I.” Emma previously attended DCAD’s Pre-College Studio Week during the summer of 2017 and, like many Cab Calloway students over the last 20 years, plans to earn an associate’s degree at DCAD before transferring into a baccalaureate program.

"DCAD is thrilled not only to be accelerating these students on their path to becoming artists and designers, but to be providing access to classes normally unavailable to them,” Dahlgren said. “We’re also so grateful to WSFS Bank for partnering with DCAD so that we can offer these benefits and experiences to the dedicated and talented students at Cab Calloway School.”

Dahlgren also noted that DCAD is seeking to develop dual-credit programs with other high schools in the area.