Students hoping to sharpen their writing and grammar skills before entering college in the fall will have that opportunity at the first Meridian Community College Summer Bridge Program.

The program is a free, intensive, two-week academic English program offered through various patrons and the MCC Foundation in honor of Anne Sanford, a former Meridian High School English teacher.

Meridian Community College President Dr. Scott Elliott said, when MCC alumnus David Quave pledged $1 million to the college’s Foundation, his only stipulation was that the money be used to directly benefit students.

“I am proud of our English faculty, led by Lisa Rhodes, for coming up with this innovative approach to assist students in becoming college-ready,” Elliott said in an email. “I know it’s going to be a program that honors Mr. Quave’s intentions for his generous gift to the college. This bridge program is essentially a very focused educational ‘boot camp’ designed to help students get over the hump, so to speak, in the basic skills they may need to remediate.”

Lisa Rhodes, division chair for language and literature at MCC said, 44 people have signed up for the program, leaving only a few spots available.

“We can accept applicants up to the day of, but right now our seating is limited,” Rhodes said. “We will have a waiting list and if any spots become available we will call. Students must also attend both weeks to bridge into a higher course.”

Rhodes said the program is designed to access and sharpen skills necessary for English Composition 1 at MCC. Capturing students who are right on the line is the objective, she said.

“The program is designed to help students that tested below on the required ACT score to get into English Comp 1 course in the fall,” Rhodes said. “A student has to have a 17 or higher on their sub score in English on their ACT to be admitted to Comp 1.

“If they score below a 17 they are placed into our Intermediate English Course which is a part of developmental education.”

There are benefits of the program, Rhodes said.

“The students who successfully pass will be able to go straight into Comp 1 without having to take Intermediate English,” Rhodes said. “They get to skip an entire semester of a course that costs money, time and is not a transferable course. The Summer Bridge Program hopefully will be something that will save a lot of time and money for these students, and will put them right where they want to be in the fall.”

The program has the potential to greatly benefit participants because they will have the opportunity to progress directly into for-credit classes, rather than having to start their college experience in the developmental track, Elliott said.

“That represents a significant savings of time and money for the student. Lisa Rhodes is an award-winning teacher, and along with another talented member of our faculty, Robert Fowler, I have no doubt that they are going to produce some very favorable outcomes,” Elliott said in an email. “For the first year, the program has already drawn more students than we anticipated, and I look for it to become even more popular as a fast-track college readiness methodology into the future.”

Dates for the program are Aug. 1-4 and Aug. 8-11. Classes are scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon, each day, Monday through Thursday. Participants will be responsible for their own transportation. There will be a break with snacks and drinks provided.

“This is a wonderful program, and we are so excited about it,” Rhodes said. “Next year we are expecting it to be huge.”

Those seeking more information on the program, including dates and times for this year’s sessions, can visit go to www.meridiancc.edu/summerbridge or email englishbridge@meridiancc.edu.