When high school students are encouraged by educators to enroll in Syracuse University courses through Project Advance, the impact goes far beyond earning college credits—it can change lives. JC Alejaldre, now a professor at Columbia University’s School of Public Health and a leader in hospital operations at NewYork-Presbyterian, attributes much of his academic and professional journey to the Syracuse courses (MAT 221-222) he took at Port Chester High School through SU Project Advance (SUPA).

Early Exposure to College-Level Work

Alejaldre says, “I took SU stats in high school. I was excited because statistics is foundational to any science curriculum—I knew I needed it. Having those credits let me start higher-level science classes sooner, which only deepened my love and passion for learning.”

Breaking Barriers and Providing Opportunity

For Alejaldre, the opportunity to take university courses through Project Advance was especially significant. Raised by a single mother, college seemed out of reach.

“College was something that not only couldn’t I grasp, but couldn’t afford,” he says. “SUPA put into reality for me that I could do college level work and invigorated my mom and I to really think about college as a possibility.”

Building Confidence and Self-Belief

Alejaldre says the benefits extended beyond the financial. SUPA gave him the confidence to see himself as a college student.

“It made college feel real for me,” he says. “I could do college-level work while still in high school. It was empowering, as a 16-year-old, to realize, ‘Wow, I can do this.’”

That confidence was especially vital when he faced discouragement. Alejaldre’s high school guidance counselor once said college was impossible for him.

“They looked at my mom’s taxes and told us we’d never afford college,” he says. “But I already knew I could succeed, because I had already done college work.”

Greater Flexibility and Discovering a Passion

Earning Syracuse University credits also gave Alejaldre more flexibility in college.

“In a strict pre-med curriculum, having statistics credits already gave me some breathing room,” he says. “That extra space let me take electives earlier—and that’s how I discovered public health, which changed my career.”

The Transformative Power of Early College Experience

Looking back, Alejaldre credits the University courses taken through Project Advance as a turning point in his life.

“It completely changed my high school experience and everything that followed,” he says. “The earlier you step in, the greater the impact. That was certainly true for me.”

He urges educators to view Syracuse courses as tools for empowerment.

“College courses in high school can transform the way you see the subject—and yourself,” Alejaldre says. “That sense of growth made me believe I can do this. I’ve done it before, and I can do it again.”

For students like Alejaldre, University courses are more than credits earned—they can change the course of a whole future.

Story by Sari Signorelli