JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — President Barack Obama is expected to highlight a new Missouri program that fast-tracks students to college degrees when he visits the University of Central Missouri.

Obama is to speak Wednesday afternoon at the Warrensburg campus. He is to be accompanied by students from the “innovation campus” program run jointly by the university, the Lee’s Summit School District and Metropolitan Community College.

About 30 students will be participating in the program this coming school year. They will earn community college credits while in high school.

Then those credits will help their efforts toward earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Missouri within the next two years. They’re also participating in internships at local businesses.

Gov. Jay Nixon has encouraged the adoption of similar programs at other schools around Missouri.