Early in high school, Abby Becker knew she wanted to accelerate her education faster than most. All it took was a history teacher at Panama Central mentioning that a former student had earned an associate degree before graduating from high school.
“Almost immediately,” Becker said, “I was looking at ways to pursue higher education while in high school.”
Now 19, Becker graduated earlier this month from Slippery Rock University with a degree in mathematics and has accepted a position as an actuarial analyst at Erie Insurance, a Fortune 500 company based in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Her accelerated path to a bachelor’s degree began with SUNY Jamestown Community College and its College Connections program, which offers college courses in local high school and BOCES classrooms across the Southern Tier region.
Becker began with a JCC public speaking course as a 10th grader. Soon, she was taking multiple college classes at a time at Panama and on the Jamestown Campus through the EARN grant program that allows high school students to enroll at a significantly reduced rate.
at Panama Central School.
“I started a course in public speaking, taught by Helen Keefe, and I quickly appreciated an increased workload,” Becker said. “I still think that class has given me the ability to stand out when presenting or giving a speech and has made me well-spoken.”
Becker, who describes herself as a “chronic overachiever,” said she had “so many obligations to balance in high school.”
As a senior at Panama, she competed in cross country and track and field. She participated in High School Bowl, Student Government, National Honor Society, Students Against Destructive Decisions, Science Olympiad and Women in Leadership.
Becker also worked part time for 20 hours a week, all while pursuing her high school diploma and associate degree from JCC, both of which she earned in 2024.
She credits JCC and the College Connections program for making the journey a little easier.
“College Connections classes were a comfortable transition to a higher workload while in high school,” she said. “They were taught by teachers that I knew well and was comfortable with. I was able to learn how to balance a challenging workload while working with teachers who I knew I could rely on. It taught me the value of demanding work, and I knew it would pay off when I transferred the credits to another institution.”
Becker chose Slippery Rock University because of the instructor-to-student ratio she valued at JCC.
Calculus III, taught by professor Stephanie Zwyghuizen, was Becker’s first on-campus class.
“I was so fortunate to attend classes on campus at JCC,” she said. “I can only describe it as taking away the safety net. I knew I could manage the workload, as I had been taking college classes, but I was excited to be in a college setting. I quickly learned that you had to be motivated on your own. I felt positive pressure to do well and make a good first impression with my professors, so I worked harder than when I was in high school classes.”
Becker described associate Mathematics professor Erin Zeiders-Weber as “incredibly helpful when I was a shy, eager student taking my first class independently at JCC.” She added that Zeiders-Weber and Zwyghuizen “have been some of my favorite professors that I have had, even now after transferring to Slippery Rock University. As incredibly intelligent women, they explained daunting concepts in plain English and gave me the tools to succeed. They both played a key role in solidifying my decision to pursue mathematics.”
In April, Becker received the Syed Ali-Zaidi Award for Academic Excellence, presented annually to a senior in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education who demonstrates exceptional academic achievement and leadership. She is the second Slippery Rock student to receive the honor and the first since 2014.
Becker’s education is not over yet. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in actuarial science through an online program at Boston University.
Her advice for students considering college classes or pursuing a degree while still in high school?
“I would tell them to bet on yourself,” she said. “I almost didn’t pursue math because I was worried that I would fail. I am so lucky to have people in my life who pushed me to keep going because they believed in me before I was able to. Keep working and do not be afraid to struggle. Keep raising the bar and success will follow.”