ALBEMARLE — Pfeiffer University announced in early March that they were going to give Stanly Community College graduates with a 2.5 GPA or higher a tuition discount, allowing them to stay local as they finish their associates and begin work towards their bachelors. will no longer have to look too far from home to find a place to transfer their credits after graduation. The community college signed an agreement in early March with nearby Pfeiffer University
“Students in traditional programs who have at least a 2.5 GPA will automatically receive a $20,000 per year Transfer Scholarship, while online students with at least a 2.5 GPA will receive a 20% tuition discount,” John Bowman, SCC’s head of university transfers, said of the agreement.
Emily Carella, Pfeiffer’s vice president for enrollment management, said, “This agreement is going to make it affordable for students in our county to get a degree without leaving the county. It’s a real win for our area.”
Pfeiffer also made clear that those entering from SCC as juniors can enter specific tracks to graduate with certain degrees. They laid out 14 degrees where an associates from SCC can get them on a track for a certain major at Pfeiffer. An example of the efficiency offered by this new path is those graduating from SCC with an associates in accounting and finance will be on track to complete a bachelors at Pfeiffer in accounting.
“If they hold the appropriate associate’s degree, and if they complete the courses that are on our degree plan during their junior and senior years, we promise them that they will finish with a four-year degree from Pfeiffer,” said Dr. Daniel S. Mynatt, Pfeiffer’s provost and VP of academic affairs, said on the 14 degree programs.
In SCC’s press release on the agreement, SCC president Dr. John Enamait noted that while only 20% of community college students graduate nationally, 56% of SCC students graduated.
“This is the highest rate we’ve ever realized, so we really are seeing great strides in student success thanks to our faculty and staff,” Enamait said. “However, just as important as seeing students succeed while they are here with us, we care about what happens to them after they graduate. This is what I find so tremendous about today’s signing. Providing area students the opportunity to receive all of their higher education degrees without ever leaving the county is quite impactful and the already-strong partnership between our two institutions is needed for our residents.”
Additional details include that for online students in the RN to BSN pathway who have a 2.5 or higher GPA tuition will be only $189 per credit hour. For elementary education students, however, they will need to maintain a 2.75 GPA to receive the $20,000 per year transfer scholarship. Any students receiving this scholarship will also be given a waiver from the requirement to live on campus.
Pfeiffer signed a similar agreement in December with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.