Lenoir-Rhyne University announced a partnership with 14 regional community colleges that will reduce barriers for students looking to transfer to the university.
President Fred Whitt joined with presidents and representatives of 13 of the 14 colleges at LR on Wednesday to sign the contracts formalizing the agreement known as the Bear Bound Partnership.
Whitt told the crowd that students who graduated from the community colleges can come to Lenoir-Rhyne without having to worry about general education requirements, something he said could save the students 20 credit hours.
He also said the university will be opening up its Lenoir-Rhyne Promise scholarship which allows students with higher GPAs to reduce their tuition by half.
With the scholarship program, the overall reduction in tuition from $43,000 to $30,000 and additional Pell Grant funds, some students who completed community college and then transferred to Lenoir-Rhyne could obtain a four-year degree for as little as $12,000.
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Regarding the partnership, Whitt said: “It’s not about what we want to do. It’s how do we meet (students and families) where they are and how do we partner in collaboration — not in competition — with our local community colleges in the region? And what we want to do collectively is provide those clear, affordable pathways to those who want to complete a four-year degree.”
Leaders in the community college system heralded the partnership, with Catawba Valley Community College President Garrett Hinshaw saying it would provide opportunities for more than 50,000 students.
Bill McBrayer, a Hickory resident who serves as the vice chair of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, said the partnership helps to remove obstacles that might otherwise interfere with students pursuing higher education.
“You know, if they don’t have easy access to a community college or a four-year institution, if they have one little roadblock, they might just say, ‘Forget it. It’s not worth it. It’s too much trouble. I’m out of here,’” McBrayer said.