The Jacot Family In addition to sharing the same last name, all three of the Jacot siblings, Brittany, Andrew and Robert, share something else – a critical jump-start on their college educations that began while they were still in high school. During their junior and senior years at Perquimans County High School, the Jacot siblings took part in College of The Albemarle’s (COA) Career and College Promise program, a dual enrollment program that allowed them to start taking college classes while still in high school. As a distance learning facilitator at the school, their mother, Rose Jacot, knew well the benefits of the dual enrollment program. So when her oldest child, Brittany, was able to participate in the program, Rose pushed her to try it. By the time Brittany graduated from high school in 2006, she had earned 21 college credits from COA. With so many credits, Brittany was able to graduate from East Carolina University (ECU) in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications, with a double concentration in Public Relations and Journalism. “It was great,” Rose Jacot said. “Brittany was able to get two majors. Her advisor at ECU was amazed because she already had so many college credits.”
Next in line, Robert, took 24 credits at COA while still in high school, and the youngest brother, Andrew, earned 21 college credits by the time he graduated in 2010. Both brothers earned their Associate of Arts degrees before transferring to Elizabeth City State University. There, Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Science with a concentration in Aviation Management. Andrew earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, with a double concentration in Computer and Electronics. In November 2014, Robert completed USCG Officer Candidate School in New London and was commissioned as an officer. He credits much of his success with earning college credits while he was still in high school. “I was almost like a sophomore when I got to college,” Robert said. “COA prepared me for a fouryear university.” Andrew followed a similar career path as Robert, graduating from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Officer Candidate School in New London, Connecticut, and receiving his commission in November 2015.
“I was very grateful I got my education at COA in the first two years because if I had waited, I would have wasted a lot more time and money,” said Andrew. Unlike her brothers, Brittany’s career path has brought her back to Elizabeth City. She now works as the Associate Campus Director of the satellite campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a national and international aeronautical university, located at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City. Brittany oversees 200 students and serves as a student advisor, and manages the campus’ scheduling and budgeting. It is a position that keeps her busy, but it is also a job that she enjoys. “I love it,” she said. “I love working with higher education. There’s always something going on – a challenge.” Brittany credits her time as a high school student taking classes at COA with helping her find her interests early on. “COA helped me decide that was the path that I wanted to take,” Brittany said, referring to her interest in communications work. “It made me look more into the major. So when I went to ECU, I stayed on that.” Looking back on her children’s time as high school students, taking college classes at COA, Rose said the local community college was exactly what her children needed. “And I think it made their transition to a four-year college university much easier. It was just such an advantage,” Rose said.
8 ALL IN THE FAMILY