GODFREY – Samantha “Reyez” Hangsleben, an Edwardsville High School (EHS) senior, earned their associate degree from Lewis and Clark Community College on May 21 – weeks before their high school graduation on June 1.
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Hangsleben, who was adopted from Vietnam, participated in a cohort program between L&C and EHS during their junior year, which allowed them to take college courses while completing high school.
Initially motivated by the idea of earning an associate degree, Hangsleben quickly recognized that it would be a challenge.
“I calculated that I could only achieve this by taking extra classes,” they said.
As a result, they enrolled in summer and winter classes in addition to taking extra courses during the spring and fall semesters.
As chief photographer for their high school yearbook, Hangsleben balanced shooting events, teaching photography skills, and serving as an officer in the German Club and president of the German Honor Society. They also discovered the importance of verifying which classes counted toward their degree.
Active in Phi Theta Kappa and the Honors College at L&C, Hangsleben has earned numerous awards in photography and journalism, including first place in state for photo storytelling in 2025 and recognition from the Illinois Journalism Education Association. They were named Rotary Student of the Month for foreign language in 2024.
They credit their late father, who passed away in 2019, as a mentor.
“He always tried his best. I aspire to make him proud,” Hangsleben said.
Hangsleben recommends the cohort program because it saves money and time while offering a “home-like” college experience.
“You’re not just a number or a face in the crowd,” they said.
Hangsleben plans to pursue a degree in criminal justice with a focus on national security and eventually earn a master’s in emergency management. Their goal is to become a field agent responding to disasters and, later, a teacher.
N.O. Nelson Community Education Manager Tim Bell said that by combining dual credit courses at EHS with additional classes at L&C during their junior and/or senior years, students could earn an associate degree from Lewis and Clark upon graduating from high school.
The EHS Concurrent Enrollment program enables Edwardsville High School students to take L&C courses starting in their junior year. L&C faculty teach these courses at the N.O. Nelson Campus during the school day and will count toward students' high school requirements. Students will take a total of 24 credit hours in their junior and senior years to get a jump start on college at a fraction of the cost.
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