College Strengthened by 2023 Achievements

The Aspen Institute recently named Edgecombe Community College as one of the top 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges.

The institutions selected stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success. Aspen honors colleges with outstanding achievement in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, equitable access to the college, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

Eligibility to apply for the Aspen Prize is just one of many accolades the college received in 2023.

2023 successes include:

• In January, the college partnered with the John M. Belk Endowment on NC Reconnect, an initiative that unites community colleges with partners from across the state to reengage adult learners. At the heart of NC Reconnect are the 380,000 North Carolinians ages 25-44 who have some college but no degree. A targeted marketing campaign and outreach efforts resulted in more than a hundred of these local adult learners reenrolling at ECC for the fall semester.
• ECC was named a Best Community College by Intelligent.com. a higher education resource guide. The college ranked #29 among the 66 educational institutions in North Carolina that offer two-year associate degree programs.
• In March, the college graduated its largest class of Basic Law Enforcement Training cadets in the program’s history. Twenty-one cadets graduated from the 12th Basic Academy of Basic Law Enforcement Training.
• ECC and University of Mount Olive officials announced a new transfer agreement that enables ECC agribusiness technology degree graduates to transfer to UMO to complete a B.A. or B.S. degree in agribusiness.
• Phi Theta Kappa, the student honor society, won fourteen regional awards at an awards ceremony held by the Phi Theta Kappa Carolinas Region.
• ECC and Pitt Community College signed an agreement that guarantees admissions to two Pitt students into ECC’s Surgical Technology program each year. Students will complete prerequisite courses at Pitt and transfer into the program at ECC. Pitt does not have a program in surgical technology.
• May graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing program scored 97 percent on the national licensure exam for registered nurses, besting the national pass rate by 10 percent.
• ECC and the University of North Carolina Wilmington renewed a partnership agreement that guarantees admission to UNCW for qualified ECC students. The UNCW PathWays program assures admission to UNCW for students who complete an associate in arts or associate in science degree at ECC.
• All 18 students who competed at the SkillsUSA state conference in April brought home an award. Three teams and two individuals placed first, winning gold medals in their competitions. In June, a team of ECC students won 2nd place in the national SkillsUSA competition. SkillsUSA offers a competition for students to demonstrate their career and technical skills.
• The student-led High Altitude Balloon Team won half of the awards presented at the North Carolina Space Grant High Altitude Balloon Competition in May. Eight awards were presented; the ECC team won four of the awards.
• ECC ranks #3 among community colleges nationwide for providing quality instruction at an affordable price, according to SmartAsset, an online site for financial information and advice. To determine the best community colleges in the country, SmartAsset analyzed data for 845 schools where students can earn an associate degree or technical training in two years.
• Thanks to a $50,000 state grant, ECC is upgrading its cybersecurity system with a server that focuses on identifying potential security breaches before they occur. The system is a major step forward in protecting the college’s data and assets from outside attacks.
• ECC’s Practical Nursing program ranks #4 in the state according to a national nursing advocacy organization. The top seven schools on the PracticalNursing.org list received a 100 percent score, and ECC was listed as 4th based on program size. In addition, for the 12th year in a row, graduates of the Practical Nursing program achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the national licensure exam.
• A National Science Foundation three-year grant of more than $306,000 is enabling industrial and technical trades instructors to advance manufacturing training to Industry 4.0 standards.

Edgecombe Community College provides top educational and training opportunities along with comprehensive support services to help students succeed. Spring semester classes begin Friday, January 5. Apply today at edgecombe.edu or contact admissions@edgecombe.edu.