North Central State College president touts transformational educational opportunities

In the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers stated “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

When they talked about the “pursuit of happiness,” many believe Thomas Jefferson meant living a meaningful life that makes a person feel their life is worth living.

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At North Central State College, we believe that the pursuit of a purpose of meaningful life is founded upon our mission that “we exist for the citizens of our region to attain the knowledge and skills to succeed in their chosen path.” We think that living a purpose-driven life means doing what you are good at and what the world needs. Hence our transformational opportunity in investing and delivering on “time,” “talent” and “treasure.”

The “time” transformational opportunity is founded on alleviating the concerns of students and parents of the opportunity cost that is lost with the availability of so many jobs that are going unfilled due to decreases in demographics and birth rates. NC State is offering dual enrollment through the College Credit Plus program. Students are able to start college-level courses in high school, through pathways and certificates that help them get the jobs they desire after graduating from high school and NC State simultaneously. Students who go through the College Now dual-enrollment program during their high school junior and senior years finish their associate degree around a month before they finish high school, all tuition-free. The college is further delivering on that by accommodating the needs of students with flexible learning options like in-person, online and hybrid classes with eight-week and 16-week terms.

The “talent” transformational opportunity is founded on alleviating the concerns of regional employers for the workforce with the knowledge, skills and abilities to do the work in an environment with constantly changing economy and technology. This is true considering that the regional educational attainment (education post-high school) is below that of the state by more than 20%, and less than half of Delaware County, which has the highest family median income with 68% educational attainment. We are delivering on that in courses, certificates, associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees and through strong partnerships with business, industry and community organizations, especially in the highest in-demand jobs in manufacturing and health care.

The “treasure” transformational opportunity is founded on alleviating the concerns of parents and students of the rising cost of higher education. North Central State College has one of the lowest tuition rates in the region and offers free tuition for many constituents:

1. High school and career center students who take dual-enrollment courses (around three courses, with 8 to 9 credit hours, that meet both high school and college requirements) can finish their associate degree at the college tuition-free, up to 64 credit hours. This program is called Tuition Freedom Scholarship and has proven, since 2015, to be very valuable to three-quarters of our students who use no loans for their education. Their return on that educational investment is very high (413%) when dividing their average income after graduation by the average tuition they would have paid for the associate degree. Furthermore, the college is delivering many courses as open education resources with free textbooks online.
2. The college just unveiled two types of Tuition Freedom Scholarships for our Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology, and for some certificates for adults.a. Students starting in the College Now program, finishing their associate degree (up to 64 credits) before they finish high school, can continue with the college and finish their engineering bachelor's degree in just two years tuition-free (up to 120 credits).b. Adult students 25 or older can finish a certificate (16 to 30 credit hours) tuition-free.

These are very strong commitments that address the time and financial concerns in our community.

It is because of these values and commitments that NC State is choosing to be exceptional in adding value and raising educational attainment in our region and providing a culture of leadership, care and belonging. This is critical for our students to get in-demand jobs, in a fast-moving economic and technological environment, with better salary and benefits that make for a better standard of living, a better quality of life and a healthier and more prosperous community.

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Raising educational attainment is not just about technical skills, professional skills and experiential learning; it is about being a more educated and skilled citizen, one with

• more engagement and participation in our community;i
• improved health and life expectancy;
• more social cohesion and appreciation of diversity;
• less dependence on drugs with reduced crime rates;
• decreased reliance on government financial support;
• a better job with higher salary and benefits;
• increased employment, consumption and tax revenues;
• increased charitable giving and community service, and
• a higher standard of living and better quality of life for themselves, and for the entire community.

These commitments have proven to be valuable to North Central State College with a strong track record of success:

1. We have been approved to offer two bachelor’s degrees: A Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
2. We have clean financial audits and a strong financial standing.
3. We have received millions of dollars in grants.
4. We have been recognized by local chambers and social agencies for serving the community.
5. Our board and president won the 2024 American Association of Community Colleges Exemplary CEO/Board Relationship award.
6. Over the past decade, we have received several awards from the Association of Community College Trustees.
7. Our board, president, faculty and staff are often invited to present at national, state and local conferences.
8. We have received special recognition from Achieving the Dream as a Leader College of Distinction.
9. We have been fully accredited for 10 years by the Higher Learning Commission.

NC State is changing lives and transforming communities. We are your transformational partner working together to prepare our communities for the future. Please join us and pass on the good news.

Dr. Dorey Diab is the president of North Central State College.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: North Central State College president touts transformational educational opportunities