Transfer Day

Event highlights ease at which students can transfer to ECU

Overlooking Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Dr. Allen Guidry channeled a raucous Saturday afternoon football crowd into Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT) and Technology Systems Transfer Day at East Carolina University’s Harvey Hall.

Dr. Allen Guidry, associate provost of learner operations at ECU, speaks during the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology and Technology Systems Transfer Day.

“I feel like today is a celebration,” said Guidry, associate provost of learner operations. “It’s a celebration of the college and the department. It’s a celebration of our community college partners, and it’s certainly a celebration of our students who we have helped realize their life goals. But I think it’s important to bring out at an event like this that this is also a celebration of partnership in higher education. Transfer students are an important part of our student population at ECU, and I think that’s why so many of you are committed to try to help those pathways and those pipelines for students to make it here.”

The Department of Technology Systems, part of ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology, hosted more than 150 instructors, administrators and students from 38 community colleges across the state. The event provided attendees with information about technology transfer programs and concentrations, transfer information specific to ECU, online and face-to-face instructional options and student support information.

DeAnthonie Taylor, a biotechnology student at Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, plans to transfer to ECU as part of the BSIT program.

“I picked ECU because I think it’s a great school,” he said. “My dad went here; some of my cousins went here; and I just want to carry on the Pirate tradition.”

The BSIT program is a degree completion curriculum designed for students who have a qualified Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in an industrial or technical related field. BSIT students can get their bachelor’s degrees in one of seven concentrations in just two years, providing opportunities for career advancement.

Taylor said his BSIT concentration would be in bioprocess manufacturing. He plans on continuing his education beyond a bachelor’s degree so he can reach his career goals.

“I maybe want to start my own company,” Taylor said. “I want to become an industry titan in the biopharmaceutical industry.”

The day’s program included sessions on each undergraduate degree in the Department of Technology Systems — design, distribution and logistics, industrial engineering technology and information and cybersecurity technology. Graduate degrees in information and cybersecurity technology, occupational safetyand technology management were also mentioned. The department stresses not only technological expertise, but also soft skills such as communication and leadership, scholarship opportunities and experiential learning through research and attendance at national conferences.

Jill Collins, left, and Amanda Waters, center, gather information at a display table.

Jill Collins, an academic advisor at Beaufort County Community College, attended the event with her colleague, Amanda Waters.

“Since we’re both academic advisors, we oversee specific academic programs at Beaufort County Community College that really work well with what ECU offers,” Collins said. “We wanted to get a little bit more information so we would know how to better advise our students and funnel them to ECU.”

For Waters, the event was of particular significance.

“I’m a new academic advisor, so as much information as I can learn to pass on to my students the better,” she said.

Collins said she recently had a conversation with one of her electrical engineering students about transferable degree options and plans to bring the information she learned during the event to him.

“I thought maybe he would be better with the associate in science, but after this, I’m thinking maybe he has other options, so this was really helpful,” she said. “I’m going to go meet with him again, and this just gives me more options to share with him.”

Dr. Harry Ploehn, dean of the College of Engineering and Technology (CET), told attendees that 44% of the college’s students are transfers and adult learners who began their educational journeys in community colleges. He said CET’s focus is on developing relationships with students that drive engagement and thus success, creating real value in their degrees. 

“We deliver the ABCs of educational value — academic program excellence, beyond-the-classroom experiential learning and career exploration and development,” Ploehn said.

He appreciated all those who attended and the commitment of community colleges to support ECU’s mission of student success and regional transformation.

“We have a collaboration, and we have a relationship that’s of tremendous value for both of us. It’s a collaboration we want to sustain and grow in new ways,” Ploehn said. “This event is about building, growing and strengthening that relationship and collaboration. Thank you as we continue to develop our relationship. Together, we’re going to be successful, and our students are going to be successful in the things that we achieve because of the foundation, the relationships and the engagement that we have.”

Guidry highlighted ECU’s efforts on transfer credit evaluation and concluded his remarks by stressing the university’s commitment to partnering with community colleges through such programs as Pirate Promise and 2+2 — all with the goal of helping students.

“I think events like this are an important part of furthering partnerships,” Guidry said. “It’s important that we gather in ways to talk about real opportunities to smooth pathways for students. It’s important that we push each other to be better. The changes that have been made have come because you have come to us and asked if we could help. We want to be responsive and work with our partners to be able to do that. And it’s important that we use our collaborative approach to change the lives of the students we serve.”

Dr. Page Varnell, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Technology Systems, talks about the information and cybersecurity program during the event.