Full Immersion

By Kim Wunner, February 4, 2026

How Ithaca College and TST BOCES Are Redefining Early College Access Through New Visions

Students from the New Visions program learning anatomy from IC faculty in their classroom in the Center for Health Sciences. Photo Submitted.

On any given weekday morning, a group of high school seniors can be found walking confidently through Ithaca College’s Center for Health Sciences—grabbing lunch at the café, heading into labs, and settling into college-level classrooms alongside faculty and students who are already immersed in their professional paths. They don’t look out of place. That’s the point.

Launched this academic year as the newest New Visions program, a rigorous, full-year opportunity for high school students to complete their senior year on college campuses. This is the first New Visions to be fully housed on Ithaca College’s campus—representing a bold investment in early career exploration, community collaboration, and experiential learning. For the students enrolled, it’s not a glimpse of what’s possible. It’s a full immersion.

Christina Moylan is the dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance (HSHP). She describes the goal of the initiative as “working to redefine the college experience by blurring the traditional lines between high school and college, particularly by integrating students into campus life at an earlier stage.” She then explains, “While it is common for high school students to access college coursework, offering them the tangible experience of being on campus—while still under the supervision and guidance of their high school teacher—adds a valuable new dimension to their academic journey.”

A Program Built for Purpose-Driven Students

sense of the field they want to pursue. They may not know their exact career path yet—but they know enough to want to know more: More depth. More challenge. More exposure to the real world as it relates to their interest area.

Students apply through a competitive process that includes recommendations, essays, and interviews—mirroring the expectations they’ll encounter in college admissions and beyond. Those selected commit to spending four hours a day, five days a week, on Ithaca College’s campus, earning four high school credits and up to eight college credits.

But the true value of the program extends far beyond transcripts.

“This isn’t a place to coast through senior year,” says program instructor Christine Becraft. “This is for students who are ready to invest in themselves—to spend time doing something they care deeply about.”

“My favorite thing about this program is the access to real life experiences. I feel like these experiences on campus give me an opportunity to explore future careers and the idea of what I want to actually do in college.”

Austin H., a New Visions high school senior

Learning That Looks Like the Real World

Housed within Ithaca College’s School of Health Sciences and Human Performance (HSHP), the program gives students direct access to facilities, labs, and learning environments that most don’t encounter until well into college—or later.

Students take college-level coursework including Introduction to Kinesiology and Medical Terminology, along with cardio and strength conditioning classes that also fulfill physical education requirements. Along the way, they step into anatomy labs, attend physical therapy lectures, observe graduate-level coursework, and engage with faculty across disciplines including occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, and athletic training.

The result is an education that’s not hypothetical—it’s hands-on, exploratory, and grounded in lived experience.

One of the program’s core goals, according to Becraft is helping students confirm what they do<\/em> want to pursue while also opening their eyes to possibilities they may never have considered.

“Some students walk into a lab and immediately know, ‘Yes, this is it,’” she says. “Others walk out realizing they’ve just saved themselves years—and thousands of dollars—by discovering what isn’t right for them. Both outcomes are wins.”

“My favorite thing about this program is the access to real life experiences. I feel like these experiences on campus give me an opportunity to explore future careers and the idea of what I want to actually do in college,” says Austin H., one of the New Visions high school seniors."

Confidence That Carries Forward

High School seniors with Nathan Frakes, IC's Biomechanics and Simulation Lab Manager, for a class in the Anatomage Lab.

Perhaps the most powerful impact of the program isn’t academic—it’s personal.

By spending an entire senior year embedded in a college environment, students arrive at higher education with something many of their peers lack: comfort. They’ve already navigated lecture halls, interacted with professors, collaborated with older students, and learned how to advocate for themselves in unfamiliar spaces.

“They’ve already done the awkward part,” Becraft explains. “Walking into a room where they don’t know anyone. Asking questions. Figuring out expectations. When they arrive on campus next fall, they’re not intimidated—they’re ready.”

That confidence translates directly into success. Students are better prepared to manage their time, engage with coursework, and make informed decisions about their majors and careers from day one.

Gianna C., a senior from Lansing High School, was accepted to Ithaca College and via New Visions, met a friend, Abby who was also accepted at IC that she will be rooming with.

A True Community Partnership

Students experiencing ropes and obstacle courses to build the team and understand body movement.

The New Visions program at Ithaca College builds on the strong career and technical education offerings of TST BOCES’— a regional school in Tompkins County, New York focusing on vocational skills for adult and youth students—while expanding what’s possible through higher education collaboration. As Dean Moylan puts it, “The School of HSHP shares a common vision with TST-BOCES to inspire growth in young people and help them find their path in life. Our institutions are united by a commitment to serving students in our region who aspire to join the healthcare workforce of tomorrow, and we are incredibly pleased that this partnership enables students to jump-start developing practical, workforce‑ready skills to pursue an array of allied health, nursing, and medical careers.”

Students currently enrolled represent multiple school districts across the region—from Ithaca and Lansing to Dryden, Newfield, and beyond—bringing together diverse perspectives and forming new peer networks in the process. Many arrive having spent their entire academic lives within a single school community; here, they build new connections that mirror the collaborative, interdisciplinary environments they’ll encounter in college and the workplace.

Gianna C., a senior from Lansing High School, became interested in New Visions after working with physical therapists to address a knee injury she had incurred from years of playing volleyball. “All the people who worked with me made me feel seen. By listening to me, they were able try different therapies to help me get better.” Gianna wants to do that for other people. She has been accepted to Ithaca College and via New Visions, met a friend, Abby T., who was also accepted at IC that she will be rooming with.

Abby T. is attending New Visions from Dryden High School. She knew she wanted to be a physical therapist and the thought the program would confirm that interest, which it has. She says the program helped her narrow down options.

The partnership itself grew organically, sparked by conversations between Ithaca College faculty and regional educators who recognized a natural alignment between the college’s health sciences strengths and the evolving focus of the program.

“This really was a lock-and-key moment,” Becraft says. “Once the pieces came together, it made perfect sense.”

An Investment with Lasting Impact

Already, the outcomes are clear. Several students from the inaugural cohort have committed to Ithaca College for next year, with others weighing final decisions—bringing with them college credits, deep field knowledge, and a level of readiness that sets them apart.

For Ithaca College, the program reinforces a longstanding commitment to experiential learning, access, and community engagement. For TST BOCES, it expands pathways for students whose ambitions extend beyond traditional classrooms. And for the students themselves, it offers something invaluable: clarity, momentum, and the confidence to move forward with purpose.

As Ithaca College continues to strengthen its role as an educational partner across the region, the New Visions program stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when institutions say yes to collaboration, to innovation, and to students who are ready to begin.

Immerse Yourself

Does this experience sound like one you are raising your hand for? Check out the New Visions Program.

Kinesiology, Anatomy and Cardio, Oh My!

The School of Health Sciences and Human Performance offers degrees in health and wellness that are leading its students into careers that combine passions to make life healthier.