Wilkes Community College (WCC) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) have signed an agreement for the establishment of the Pathway to Excellence program. The Pathway to Excellence (PTE) program is a partnership between UNCW and WCC that provides a pathway for guaranteed admission to UNCW for students completing an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Engineering with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in transferrable, college-level coursework from WCC.
“We are excited about enhancing the connections between Wilkes Community College and UNCW,” Chancellor Jose V. Sartarelli said. “Thanks to the Pathway to Excellence program, we look forward to welcoming even more of WCC’s outstanding students to the Seahawk community.”
In addition to guaranteed admission to UNCW, high achieving WCC transfer students will be given priority consideration for a Transfer Merit Scholarship. Students in the program will have access to a UNCW Transfer Student Success Coordinator that will meet with them on the WCC campus during each semester. The coordinator will work in collaboration with WCC Advisors to create a successful path of transfer for students.
“I was more than a little surprised and impressed when Chancellor Sartarelli reached out to arrange a meeting with me to discuss this new Pathway to Excellence program, which will guarantee admission to UNC-Wilmington for our students who complete their associate degrees at Wilkes Community College,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, Wilkes Community College President. “Our students who transfer to four-year institutions are very successful when they get there—we just have to get more students who are in that transfer pipeline to go on to a university to finish their bachelors’ degrees, and this program will help us reach that goal!”
WCC VP of Instruction, Dr. Yolanda Wilson stated, “We are incredibly grateful for this transfer partnership with UNC-Wilmington and the opportunities this Pathway to Excellence program will afford our students. Creating a seamless transition between our institutions is only strengthened by their willingness to apply application fee waivers for our students planning to transfer and reflects their desire to remove any unnecessary barriers that may prevent that from happening.”
For more information about the Pathway to Excellence program, you may contact Dr. Sheneele Wagoner, WCC advisor at sfwagoner364@wilkescc.edu or 336-838-6195.