Wayne Community College and the University of North Carolina Wilmington have partnered to create a new program to enhance student success by assisting current WCC students with their enrollment into UNCW.
The university’s first Pathway to Excellence Program provides any qualifying WCC student completing an associate of arts, associate of science, or associate of engineering degree guaranteed admission to UNCW. The program also provides interested WCC students onsite and personalized assistance with the application process.
“UNCW will provide a Transfer Student Success Advisor who will spend dedicated time at the Wayne Community College campus in Goldsboro, NC, to meet with students from the time they are interested in UNCW to create a plan of transfer,” said Sherry Hazelwood, associate director of transfer admissions at UNCW.
To further assist student transition, UNCW will host an event for WCC students to visit UNCW’s campus and learn more about the Wilmington community. WCC students who want to attend UNCW will also have the opportunity to apply through a spring event on their campus where application fees will be waived as part of the Pathway to Excellence Program.
While this is UNCW’s first defined Pathway to Excellence Program with a community college, the university has similar partnerships statewide. In an ongoing effort to provide seamless transfer experiences to students, University College and the Office of Admissions have worked collaboratively to establish three new UNCW positions housed on community college campuses, and it was while working closely with North Carolina community college partners that UNCW discovered a continued increase in interest from Wayne Community College students. The proximity of the two schools offered an opportunity to deepen their existing relationship.
UNCW currently receives about 20 applications to transfer each fall from Wayne Community College. With the implementation of this program, Hazelwood hopes to see that increase. “We anticipate that as more people learn of the program and take advantage of the services offered, students would be more prepared for application to the university and have a better knowledge of the campus by the time they are applying,” she said.
“Wayne Community College is pleased to be leading the way in the Pathway to Excellence Program. It is a partnership that truly benefits our students,” said Dr. Thomas A. Walker, Jr., WCC’s president. “The Transfer Student Success Advisor on our campus and activities on UNCW’s campus, as well as the application fee waiver, will smooth many bumps in students’ journeys. This is the ultimate in seamless transition to continued education at UNCW.”
The Pathway to Excellence Program is an effort to foster collaborative partnerships and better prepare students for post-graduate success, both key priorities of the university’s Strategic Plan. The program is also part of the university’s ongoing effort to increase enrollment opportunities for students in rural communities. To qualify for admission, students must meet specific GPA and coursework standards. The program is scheduled to begin June 21, 2018.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 12,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industries, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 70 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.