ECU’s industrial technology program expands westward

East Carolina University expanded its reach westward to support students in Cleveland County with a bilateral agreement signing on Jan. 28 in ECU’s Science and Technology Building.

The signing cemented a partnership with Cleveland Community College, located about 40 miles west of Charlotte, that guarantees admission to the university’s Bachelor of Science in industrial technology (BSIT) program for qualified Cleveland graduates.

Dr. Stephanie George, interim dean of the ECU College of Engineering and Technology, speaks during the ceremony.

“We’re especially excited to forge stronger connections with community colleges in the western part of the state,” said Stephanie George, dean of ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology. “This really demonstrates our partnership and our commitment to the entire state, not just the region that we’re in.

“And one of the greatest strengths of this BSIT program is that students can complete the degree entirely online, allowing them to stay in their communities and to stay in their jobs as they work on continuing their education.”

That point appealed to Dr. Jason Hurst, president of Cleveland Community College.

“This is going to mean so much to the students that we serve,” Hurst said. “We love our graduates to stay home, and I know that the employers that are in our community are going to love the fact that our students can stay home should they choose to do that. This is a wonderful opportunity.”

ECU’s BSIT program offers seven concentrations — architecture design technology; bioprocess manufacturing; distribution and logistics; industrial management; industrial engineering technology; information and cybersecurity technology; and mechanical design technology. Five of those concentrations can be completed fully online, allowing students with jobs and families to complete their four-year degrees on a schedule that’s right for them.

Cleveland graduates with an Associate in Applied Science degree in one of 10 technical or business fields with at least a 2.0 GPA are eligible for guaranteed admission, with up to 75 credit hours transferred. The programs include: air conditioning, heating and refrigeration technology; automation engineering technology; business administration – operations management; business administration – general; electrical systems technology; industrial systems technology; information technology – cybersecurity; information technology – network technician; mission critical operations – information tech; and mission critical operations – operations tech.

“The BSIT program was designed to turn the Associate in Applied Science degree into a powerful springboard to move students on to that four-year degree and even beyond, and also to open doors for working adults and technical professionals,” George said. “Here in this college, about 40% of our students are transfer students, so I think this exemplifies our willingness and our enthusiasm for building bridges instead of barriers, making connections and offering pathways for students.”

Dr. Allen Guidry, associate provost of learner operations at ECU, speaks during the ceremony.

Dr. Allen Guidry, ECU’s associate provost for learner operations, said the university’s commitment to transfer students is seen through seamless onboarding processes and coordinated support throughout a student’s journey to a degree.

“They’re a part of the ECU community,” he said. “We take student success seriously. It’s one of our core commitments, to be a national leader in student success. So when you sign this, you know with confidence that not only are they coming to a great program that cares for them, embraces them and values them, but that the university feels the very same way. So, we’re really thankful for and excited to put pen to paper.”

Hurst said Cleveland also has student success at its core, and he thanked university leadership for its efforts in the shared mission.

“I can’t tell you how appreciative we are to ECU for this partnership,” he said. “It just really says so much about the trust that you have in the work that we do and the work that we are doing, and so we greatly appreciate that. … We are excited about this partnership and can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”

ECU has signed similar BSIT agreements with community colleges in Pitt, Martin, Cumberland, Lenoir, Henderson, Transylvania and Wilson counties within the last year. ECU offers a slew of other transfer options for community college students throughout the state, including Pirate Promise, which guarantees ECU admission to associate degree graduates who have been accepted into the program.