Nash County Public Schools (NCPS), Nash Community College (NCC), and North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) are pleased to announce the signing of the Nash County Education Network agreement. The agreement was signed this morning at NCWU by Dr. Evan D. Duff, President of North Carolina Wesleyan University; Dr. Lew K. Hunnicutt, President of Nash Community College; and Dr. Steven Ellis, Superintendent of Nash County Public Schools.
This collaborative initiative is designed to support local talent by offering an affordable educational pathway from high school to a bachelor’s degree within Nash County. Tuition will be capped at $20,000 in total for completion of both an NCC associates degree and an NCWU bachelor’s degree. These students will also be offered access to academic advising and financial aid counseling by NCWU prior to enrollment at NCWU. The Nash County Education Network exemplifies community cooperation and a commitment to keeping our most promising individuals close to home. Addressing the misconception that higher education at Wesleyan is financially inaccessible, Dr. Duff remarked, “We need to educate them here, so they’ll stay here,” highlighting the strategy to make education attainable for Nash County’s students.
The network not only emphasizes affordability but also cultivates a “live here, learn here, work here” ethos that benefits the entire community. Students can now seamlessly transition from K-12 at NCPS to completing their associate degree at NCC and then transfer to NC Wesleyan to complete their four-year degree. These exclusive opportunities are tailored for Nash County students who complete their associate degree at Nash Community College, reinforcing the strategic educational journey from local classrooms at NCPS to the business world, including internships and job placements. “We are creating more than a pathway; we’re preparing for a future where education and industry intersect, leading to a thriving local economy,” Hunnicutt stated. Dr. Ellis added, “This pathway will have a profound impact on our public school system and our students’ futures. It opens doors to higher education and career opportunities that were once out of reach for many.”
For further information about the Nash County Education Network, please contact Heather Louise Finch, NCPS, at hlfinch@ncpschools.net and Kenyon “K.J.” Askew, Jr., NCC, at klaskew736@nashcc.edu.
About the Nash County Education Network:
The Nash County Education Network (NCEN) is a transfer program for Nash County Public School graduates who plan to continue their education at NCC, with the educational goal of fulfilling their undergraduate degree at NCWU. This pathway is formally spring 2024 to ensure that graduates from both NCPS and NCC are automatically eligible for admission to one of NCWU’s undergraduate degree programs. Tuition will be capped at $20,000 in total for completion of both an NCC associate degree and an NCWU bachelor’s degree*. These students will also be offered access to academic advising and financial aid counseling by NCWU prior to enrollment at NCWU. Participants in the NCEN will also be offered access to any events on NCWU’s main campus in Rocky Mount, NC, at no cost.
