Jax State Dual Enrollment Student Greenlee Orman Becomes First to Earn Jax MIX Microcredential

by Dr. Benjamin Gross

Jacksonville, AL (01/27/2025) — Life often follows a set path, but Greenlee Orman decided to take a different route, one that put her ahead of the curve.

Orman, a dual enrollment student at Jacksonville State University, has yet to graduate high school. However, this didn't stop her from becoming the first person to earn a Jax MIX Microcredential.

"A lot of people were shocked," Orman said. "I'm very giddy about this. It's a pretty great feeling."

Orman's excitement comes partially from defying expectations. The student from Ohatchee, Alabama, completed all the requirements for the Media Literacy Microcredential in the Fall 2024 semester. She received this recognition in December, earning a college credential before her high school diploma.

This credential is noted on her transcript, which she can share on her resume. In addition, Orman earned a digital badge on the Credentials platform, which she can easily share on other networks, such as LinkedIn.

While Orman sees the benefit of earning a Jax MIX Microcredential for employers, she also found the experience to be meaningful for her academic and social well-being. In this way, she thinks the inclusion of dual enrollment students in Jax MIX, the university's signature general education program, makes Jax State an attractive option for other dual enrollment students.

"I'm excited how Greenlee has shown that Jax MIX and its microcredentials welcome dual enrollment students," Dr. Benjamin Gross, Jax MIX Director, said. "The program invites all undergraduates to see how general education helps develop them as human beings before they focus on their career-specific knowledge and skills."

Students begin to earn microcredentials by completing courses within Jax MIX. This makes Jax MIX the first program in the nation to embed general education as part of microcredentials.

Academically, Greenlee said Jax MIX and the Media Literacy Microcredential helped give meaning to general education. Like many students, Orman initially didn't see the need for general education. She wanted to jump to her upper-level accounting courses.

"A lot of people are like, 'English, math, science, history; I've done these,'" Orman said. "These microcredentials change the meaning of that because you're incorporating these subjects together and you're learning how to apply them. It changes school into an experience."

Socially, the Media Literacy Microcredential opened the campus to Orman. In addition to the coursework, Jax MIX microcredentials require students to attend three events, submit a work product, and compose a reflection that corresponds to the Jax MIX Microcredentials they are pursuing.

Orman said attending the events was her favorite part of earning the Media Literacy Microcredential. The Jax MIX events allowed her to experience campus in a manner that most dual enrollment programs lack.

"I like that I got to pick what I wanted to go and see," Orman said. "The events didn't just teach me how to connect my career to my major or my major to my career, but I could see the skills that I have and put them into play. You get that human interaction that you need."

Others took note of Orman's ability to see how things interconnect. Jax MIX offers microcredentials in Community Engagement, Environmental Stewardship, Ethical Leadership, Global Connections, and Media Literacy. To earn any of these, students need to demonstrate how all components of the microcredential speak to each other.

"Greenlee's ability to fuse her coursework, event attendance, and work product-and to articulate how they connect-superbly demonstrate her mastery of media literacy," said Dr. Marija Reiff, Jax MIX's Microcredential Coordinator. "Greenlee is a motivated student whose intellect and dedication made her well-positioned to become Jax MIX's first recipient of a microcredential."

To learn more about how to control your general education experience in Jax MIX, visit its website or contact its office. Current dual enrollment students can track their progress in earning a Jax MIX Microcredential by visiting Credentials or by contacting their academic advisor.

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