Two of the most successful institutions of higher learning – not just in Fayetteville, but in all of North Carolina – have joined forces to create a seamless path for students to advance their education and open doors for their futures.
Two of the most successful institutions of higher learning – not just in Fayetteville, but in all of North Carolina – have joined forces to create a seamless path for students to advance their education and open doors for their futures.
In a ceremony on Thursday, the presidents of Methodist University and Fayetteville Technical Community College signed a Memorandum of Understanding that creates a seamless path for students to transfer from FTCC and pursue their four-year degree at MU. FTCC offers two-year associate degrees and certificates that can lead to the Bachelors – or perhaps eventually graduate degrees – that are offered at Methodist.
The signing, at Methodist’s Matthews Ministry Center, was facilitated by MU Provost Suzanne Blum Malley, Ph.D., and featured administrators from both institutions – including MU President Stanley T. Wearden, Ph.D., and Dr. J. Larry Keen, the president of FTCC.
“We all understand the transformational power of education to change lives, to put people on a trajectory they may have never thought was possible,” Wearden said. “Some of Methodist’s very best students come from community colleges which are integral to the future of higher education, both to North Carolina and to the nation at large. I’m excited about what we’re doing with this agreement and the future for our institutions and the students.”
Both Wearden and Keen praised their academic and institutional planning teams for their hard work and careful attention to transfer detail and curriculum that is making the transition from FTCC to Methodist so smooth. Both schools plan to work together for many years for the benefit of their students.
“What we are doing is extraordinarily important to our institutions, but more importantly for our students,” Keen said. “None of us can do it alone, it’s when we come together collaboratively that we’re able to truly impact the lives of the students.”
The new agreement opens doors, relieves burdens, and provides aid to students. Students from nearly 30 FTCC programs can now take up to two Methodist campus courses – up to eight hours or eight credits and all at the community college rate – while completing their associate’s degree.
The partnership with FTCC is part of a larger strategy that Methodist University has implemented to offer students smooth transitions from community college to the four-year, bachelor degrees offered at MU. Although MU accepts transfer credits from all accredited institutions of higher learning, MU has created Memorandums of Understanding with a number of community colleges in North Carolina within the past year: FTCC, Bladen, Central Carolina, Robeson, Sandhills, and Sampson.
“These partnerships will help put a bachelor’s degree within reach for many of our community college graduates,” said Dr. Beth Carter, MU’s Vice Provost for Online and Extended Learning. “Students are guaranteed admission at MU upon completion of their Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, and Associate of General Education degrees. As long as a student earns a minimum 2.0 grade-point average from one of the six community colleges, they will be guaranteed admission into Methodist University.”
For more information about transferring college credits to Methodist University, visit MU’s Transfer Partners page.