Lenoir-Rhyne University partners with Gaston, Cleveland community colleges

Staff reports
·5 min read

Lenoir-Rhyne University has partnered with 14 community colleges, including ones in Gaston and Cleveland counties, to expand transfer student access and make a four-year degree more affordable. Called Bear Bound, the program builds on existing efforts to make Lenoir-Rhyne a viable option for community college students who transfer after completing their associate degree.

“This initiative came from our 2019 strategic plan and is another effort by LR to be responsive to the needs of the students and families in the region we serve. We are fortunate to have outstanding community colleges in our region and wanted to enhance pathways and remove the obstacles transfer students often face,” said Fred Whitt, president of Lenoir-Rhyne, and a native of Gaston County.

Lenoir-Rhyne President Fred Whitt speaks about a new agreement between the four-year college based in Hickory and community colleges like the ones in Gaston and Cleveland counties.
Lenoir-Rhyne President Fred Whitt speaks about a new agreement between the four-year college based in Hickory and community colleges like the ones in Gaston and Cleveland counties.

“I am grateful for our partner community colleges and excited to position LR as the private university partner of choice for community college transfer students in North Carolina.”

The college in Hickory has revised its administrative structure, hired new personnel in key areas — including academic affairs and admissions — and reset tuition to one of the lowest rates among private schools in North Carolina.In addition, LR will implement the following benefits for students at partner community colleges as of fall 2023:

  • Transparent and seamless transfer of credits for community college students in general education. Lenoir-Rhyne will now accept general education core requirements completed at community colleges. This means students will not have to take additional general education courses to satisfy Lenoir-Rhyne’s requirements.

  • Lower tuition for all students. Lenoir-Rhyne has reduced tuition by $13,000, from $43,000 to $30,000.

  • Financial aid packaging that improves accessibility for community college graduates to attend Lenoir-Rhyne. Community college transfer students are now eligible for the Lenoir-Rhyne Promise, which reduces tuition for eligible students by $15,000 before other financial aid is applied. Additional aid can further lower tuition. For example, a student from North Carolina who transfers to Lenoir-Rhyne after receiving their associate degree from a partner community college and is eligible for the full Pell Grant award of $9,000 would see their tuition cut to $6,000. As a result, their four-year degree could cost as little as $12,000.

  • Campus housing for community college students. Lenoir-Rhyne now offers housing for students enrolled at local community colleges, hosting between 10 and 12 such students per semester over the previous two years.

  • Expedited pathways for students in professional programs. Lenoir-Rhyne is dedicated to working with each institution to develop a clear roadmap for students pursuing these programs. For example, a high school student who completes an associate degree from a community college may apply for direct entry into Lenoir-Rhyne professional programs, such as nursing, elementary or secondary education, accounting, information technology and more.

  • Seamless and cost-effective pathways for working community college nursing graduates. Any RN with an associate degree will be eligible to enroll in Lenoir-Rhyne's RN to BSN program. The program of eight courses (24 credits) can be completed in 12 months by enrolling in two courses each semester. A reduced, fixed tuition for the program will make this pathway more accessible for working adults.

  • Co-admission and joint advising models that enhance our pathways. Lenoir-Rhyne is working to implement co-admission agreements with community colleges and to explore joint advising opportunities.

Whitt outlined these details at a launch event last week on the Lenoir-Rhyne campus, noting the deeply rooted connection LR has with Hickory and the surrounding area. "In this community, it’s never about the ‘me.' It’s about the ‘we.’ We’re better when we work together."

Community College Partners

In addition to Catawba Valley Community College, the community colleges that have signed partnership agreements with Lenoir-Rhyne include:

  • Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institute

  • Blue Ridge Community College

  • Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

  • Cleveland Community College

  • Gaston College

  • Haywood Community College

  • Isothermal Community College

  • McDowell Technical Community College

  • Mitchell Community College

  • Southwestern Community College

  • Tri-County Community College

  • Western Piedmont Community College

  • Wilkes Community College

Bill McBrayer, vice chair of the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, himself an alumnus of both Lenoir-Rhyne and Isothermal Community College, underlined whom these agreements serve. “Students want a transparent and seamless transfer experience because if they hit one roadblock, they might say ‘forget it.’ This partnership is a strong example for other colleges and universities to follow throughout the state.”

Hope Williams, president of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, concluded the event with her congratulations to the participants. “The future is closely aligned with these partnerships and the work we do together,” she said. “The Bear Bound initiative will provide community college students in the region a seamless and affordable pathway to a four-year degree from an outstanding private, non-profit university that has served this part of the state for more than 130 years.”

About Lenoir-Rhyne University

Founded in 1891, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a co-educational, private liberal arts institution with 55 undergraduate degree programs and 20 graduate degree programs. Lenoir-Rhyne enrolls more than 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students. Lenoir-Rhyne’s main campus is in Hickory, where both undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered. The university also offers graduate degree programs on its campuses in Asheville and Columbia, South Carolina.

The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary is also in Columbia. Lenoir-Rhyne is affiliated with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and welcomes students from all religious backgrounds.

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This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Lenoir-Rhyne University partners with Gaston Community College