Campbell, Lenoir CC presidents sign Assured Admission Agreement

Lenoir Community College in Kinston became the 10th two-year institution in North Carolina to partner with Campbell University to provide a clear, supportive pathway for students looking to continue their education in Buies Creek.

Campbell President Dr. William M. Downs shook hands with Lenoir President Dr. Rusty Hunt as the two signed an Assured Admission Agreement on Sept. 1, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding that guarantees eligible Lenoir students admission to Campbell upon completion of their Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree.

The announcement is part of a greater Campbell University initiative to increase undergraduate enrollment, laid out in the five-year Strategic Plan unveiled by Downs this year. Campbell welcomed its largest incoming class of new students in seven years this fall.

"I visited [Lenoir Community College] in March, and I was just really impressed with everything you guys are doing out there," Downs told Hunt during a signing ceremony in the McLeod Admissions & Financial Aid Center. "I appreciated the hospitality, and we wanted to reciprocate that and build a vibrant partnership with you. … It's 81 miles from our campus to yours, and hopefully this shrinks that distance dramatically today."

Lenoir currently enrolls more than 2,500 students and offers degrees and certificates in 39 different fields. Popular programs include nursing, business and liberal arts. Through Campbell's Assured Admission program, Lenoir students who meet established requirements - including maintaining good academic standing and completing the application process - will benefit from early access to admissions, financial aid information and transition support services at Campbell.

Hunt and members of his staff toured Campbell's campus with Downs prior to the ceremony, visiting the chapel, performance center and student union; as well as the health sciences campus following the signing.

"We certainly appreciate the partnership that we've had with Campbell over the years, and certainly this will strengthen it even further," Hunt said. "I know our students are going to be successful once they get here."

Downs pointed out that one of Campbell's five recipients of the full-ride J.A. Campbell Scholarship this year was a graduate of Lenoir Community College. Taryn Barnett was a student at Lenoir Early College and earned two associate degrees in addition to her high school diploma at Lenoir CC. She was named the recipient of the college's Academic Excellence Award and was the first early college student to be nominated by LCC for the statewide Academic Excellence Award.