ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA – This month, leaders from North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) and Edgecombe County Sheriff, Cleveland Atkinson, Jr., signed a partnership agreement offering educational opportunities to employees of the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO). The partnership allows employees and their immediate families to develop practical skills that they can apply to their careers through certificate, undergraduate and graduate degree programs at NCWU.
“The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office serves a pivotal role in helping to ensure the safety of our Twin Counties. At NCWU, we value their service and are proud to be able to offer these deputies the resources to increase their skillset and pursue their educational goals,” stated Michael Drew, VP of Enrollment.
This partnership allows NC Wesleyan to offer a one-time $250 University Award of enrollment in certificate classes to each ECSO employee, and their immediate family member(s), during their last semester of enrollment. North Carolina Wesleyan University has certificate programs in Executive Leadership, Healthcare Administration and Human Resource Management that can be completed in as little as 16 weeks.
For those who are interested in pursuing their bachelor’s degree, NCWU will offer a $1,000 University Award at the end of the first semester of enrollment in undergraduate classes. Additionally, a second award of $1,000 will be presented at the end of their last semester, for a total University Award amount of $2,000.
Employees enrolling in NC Wesleyan’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) or Master of Criminal Justice (MSCJ) degree programs will receive a $500 University Award at the end of their first semester of enrollment in graduate classes. In addition, NCWU will award a second amount of $500 at the end of their last semester, for a total University Award amount of $1,000
Edgecombe County Sheriff, Cleveland Atkinson, Jr. noted: “This is an awesome partnership and provides ways to make us better. It is an honor for the Sheriff’s office to partner with NC Wesleyan University and I firmly believe that more education will train our department to better serve Edgecombe County.”
Mutually benefitting all parties, this partnership allows ECSO employees to receive special rates to attend NCWU. In return, the department will market this opportunity and NC Wesleyan’s programs to all of their employees. In addition, ECSO will afford NC Wesleyan University an opportunity to educate their employees through email, on-site opportunities, flyers, brochures and the posting of other promotional materials. ECSO employees must remain employed with the agency in order for the employee and/or their immediate family member(s) to remain eligible for this award.
About North Carolina Wesleyan University
North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a small, private Methodist-affiliated institution with a liberal arts-based core curriculum that prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning and responsible participation in their communities. NCWU offers liberal arts, professional and graduate degree programs for traditional, transfer and working-adult students. The skills cultivated by faculty and built into the curriculum include critical thinking and reflection, communication, collaboration, and information technology. North Carolina Wesleyan University delivers education that is personal, practical and purpose-driven. Personal…through mentoring and the connections that are provided. Practical…by helping students develop lifelong skills. Purpose-driven…by helping them fulfill their purpose in life. With students from all over the United States and more than 40 different countries, the University has immense cultural diversity. To learn more, visit ncwu.edu and follow on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram.
