Morgan Martin completed her first two years of college and earned her associate degree – all before graduating high school. Photo by Morgan Martin
Morgan Martin completed her first two years of college and earned her associate degree – all before graduating high school.
Martin, 17, of Norristown, graduated from Norristown Area High School on June 10, about a month after receiving her associate’s degree in Environmental Studies from Montgomery County Community College on May 14. According to the school district, she is the first known student in the district to earn her associate’s degree before her high school diploma.
“The day of my Montco graduation there were so many tears. It was a feeling I don’t think I’ll ever forget,” she said. “For me to be 17—and I’m the first in my family to ever graduate from college—it just gives me chills.”
Martin’s college journey will continue in fall 2026 when she transfers to Penn State University to pursue Environmental Engineering. Her dream job involves opening her own environmental engineering firm and working to provide funding to “improve communities that have been historically disinvested in and face environmental risks.”
Her love of the environment was born at an early age during camping and fishing trips with her grandfather.
“I’ve always been interested in the environment and how what we do impacts it,” she said. Of particular interest are the infrastructure disparities, long-term disinvestment and “redlining,” or deliberately placing environmental hazards such as factories and toxic waste facilities in marginalized communities. “I’m really interested in seeing how engineering can help address those inequalities.”
Beginning in her sophomore year of high school, Martin began taking college courses at the College through the federally funded Upward Bound program.
“Upward Bound is the reason why I have my degree I the first place,” she said, noting that its defunding in 2025 was “completely devastating.”
As a result, she sought and secured internal scholarships to cover the remaining costs of her college education.
“That program is why I have some of my lifelong friends now. I’m still in contact with some of the mentors from the program,” she noted. “I’ve never been in something that was so transcending and changed my life.”
In all, Martin took 19 classes at MCCC, while simultaneously taking the high school courses required to meet Norristown High School’s graduation requirements. She credits the Upward Bound program with keeping her education on track from a scheduling standpoint and providing a confidence boost along the way.
Initially, Martin sought to help ease her family’s financial burden of paying for college through Upward Bound. The program completely covered her educational costs with MCCC through spring 2025. At the outset, she did not imagine completing her degree while still in high school.
“I wanted to take as many gen ed classes as I could,” she recalled. “I ended up having enough time to choose a degree and pursue it.”
Despite a full high school and college curriculum, Morgan’s exceptional time management skills empowered her to pursue her environmental interests through MCCC’s Sustainability Club, as well as participate in a global water testing program and the Envirothon at her high school. Morgan also was a member of her high school’s Honor Society, the Computer Science Honor Society, and president of the school’s Black Student Union.
For other high school students considering MCCC’s Dual Enrollment Program, Morgan said go for it.
“If this is something that you truly can dedicate your time to and you feel passionate about it, don’t let anyone tell you it’s something you can’t do,” she urged. “Just keep pushing. If you can find that support system, truly lean into that.”
In the days leading to her high school graduation, Morgan reflected on continuing her college career at Penn State in the coming months. Taking only college courses should be easier.
“Not only is it giving me a headstart timewise, but conceptually, I think things are going to come a lot faster for me,” she said of her early college start. “Adapting to the college life is going to be so much easier. All of my general education requirements are done. Technically, I’m entering college as a junior.”