Chemeketa Voices

Life in the Express Lane:
Davida Mallette

While some students are attracted to the wide variety of course offerings at Chemeketa Community College, there are those who are overwhelmed at the prospect of having to choose.

Davida Mallette, 19, was one of the latter.

“I was in high school and I was trying to take a statistics and a chemistry class, but the schedule was so tight that I could only take one in a classroom and another online. You also have to take an art class, but there are so many to choose from, I would get hung up,” she said.

When she heard about Transfer Express, Mallette felt like the answer to her problems had arrived.

“It felt like it was designed for me,” she said.

Transfer Express allows students enrolled in the program to complete their first year of college in seven terms by taking courses every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Classes will never be cancelled and, if a problem arises, Transfer Express students have a dedicated counselor, Karen Stevens, to help guide them over the bumps in the road.

Transfer Express was developed from specific feedback Chemeketa officials received from students.

“Students would end up with evening classes on Mondays and Wednesdays one term and then have to rearrange their work and babysitter schedules to make room for Tuesday and Thursday courses when the next term began,” said Meg McGill, program director.

In addition to providing Mallette with a consistent schedule, Transfer Express took the stress out of her daily campus life.

“I don’t have to worry about getting from class to class. I can take it easy because I always know exactly where I need to be and when to be there,” she said.

Each term, up to 25 students can enroll in the program and new “express lanes” begin each and every term.

Once complete, Transfer Express students may transfer all 48 credits to any public four-year university in the state or continue on at Chemeketa and earn an associate’s degree. Either way, each student receives three free credits that can be used for additional classes at Chemeketa.

For Mallette, whose father works for Chemeketa, Transfer Express allowed her to continue her education at the only place she could imagine doing so.                                                                                                   

 “I’d been around Chemeketa my whole life and I didn’t want to go somewhere else to start my college career,” she said.

To learn more about the Transfer Express program and entering the program winter term contact Karen Stevens at 503.399.6561 or TransferExpress@chemeketa.edu. You may also view a PDF of the offerings.

By Eric A. Howald. Have a great Chemeketa story? Send us an e-mail.

Updated October 25, 2007 by Marketing and Student Recruitment.