Cape Fear Community College has long been known for its technical education and workforce development programs. We are so proud of these programs and the vital role they play in our community — they prepare students for great careers and provide a highly skilled workforce to support local economic development. This is particularly important today, with the increasing skills gap that is occurring across the United States. We have worked closely with business and industry to develop new programs that address the needs of local employers, so that CFCC graduates can find careers that are both fulfilling and financially rewarding.
 
People may be less familiar with the opportunities CFCC offers through its University Transfer programs. These programs let students complete the first two years of a four-year baccalaureate degree at CFCC before transferring to a university. CFCC’s University Transfer programs include tracks for students who wish to earn four-year degrees in fields such as Business, Education, Fine and Performing Arts, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Engineering.
 
Students who dream of attending a four-year university can do just that by starting at CFCC. Credits earned in our University Transfer programs will transfer to any school in the University of North Carolina system. Those credits will also transfer to many private schools in North Carolina and beyond. CFCC helps students select the right courses for their intended transfer university through academic advising and structured pathways.   
 
Attending a community college for the first two years of a four-year degree is a wise choice for students and their families. Students who start their four-year degree at CFCC can save thousands and avoid crippling student loan debt. In addition to the significant cost savings, our smaller classes offer a lower student-to-instructor ratio allowing for more individual attention. Moreover, we have resources in place to help students get to the next step in their academic journey — from a committed faculty who truly care about student success, to counselors and advisors who help them decide their career path, to tutors who help students succeed in their courses.
 
High school students can also begin earning university transfer credit at CFCC through the Career and College Promise program. This program lets eligible high school juniors and seniors enroll in a university transfer pathway and take tuition-free courses that articulate for full credit at all UNC institutions as well as many private universities in the state. This program is a smart, affordable way for local high school students to get a head start on their four-year university degree plans.
 
Additionally, CFCC is taking steps to make it even easier for our students to transition to a university through new collaborations with our university partners. Recently, CFCC expanded its articulation agreement with UNC-Wilmington. For example, CFCC students can now dually enroll at both CFCC and UNCW through the new SEA-Path program. SEA-Path students will have access to UNCW resources in addition to those at CFCC, and UNCW is supporting these students with scholarships towards up to three classes in their program of choice.
 
We have also partnered with East Carolina University to offer CFCC students the “Pirate Promise,” which guarantees admission to ECU for CFCC students who successfully complete a university transfer program. These are just two of the many agreements we have in place with our university partners. We are committed to pursuing more of these agreements in order for students starting here to be successful at the university level.
 
I’d like to emphasize that our university transfer programs are not just for students right out of high school. They are also for people who want to build upon existing skills and move to the next level in their career aspirations. CFCC can help these students by guiding them toward a degree or additional training that may lead to a promotion or even to their dream job. We want our graduates to find their passion, increase their earning potential, and enhance their overall quality of life.
 
We appreciate the partnerships we have been able to build with universities throughout the state. North Carolina’s longstanding commitment to excellence in higher education is evident at all 58 community colleges and 16 universities. These partnerships are essential to providing higher education and training opportunities to the communities we serve.
 
To learn more about our University Transfer program and our partnerships with universities across the state, visit cfcc.edu/universitytransfer.

Jim Morton became President of Cape Fear Community College in April 2018. Prior to becoming President, Mr. Morton served as Executive Vice President and as Vice President of Business and Financial Services at CFCC. Cape Fear Community College is the 6th largest community college of the 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System.