Looking back over the past year, without question, The University of North Carolina at Pembroke had a milestone year. UNC Pembroke is a top choice for more students than ever before; our academic programs are flourishing; the support of alumni and friends is strong; and our vibrant campus offers a truly exceptional place where students can focus on a high-quality education. And as we look to the year ahead, we remain focused on moving UNCP forward to meet the needs of Southeastern North Carolina and beyond for generations to come.
If 2018 was a milestone year, then 2019 is sure to be a transformational one. As we experience unprecedented growth, UNC Pembroke will need to adjust from what we have been to what we will become. We are constructing new buildings and modernizing existing ones. We are evolving our student services with the new and innovative Brave Central that houses admissions, financial aid, the registrar and cashier’s office. We are elevating academic support functions like the Mary Livermore Library, the Center for Student Success and the University College to better support the needs of today’s students. We are leveraging new technology to deliver enhanced instruction to students in our classrooms on campus and online. We are moving boldly into our future — a future that ensures your university serves as not only as an educational and cultural resource but as an economic engine for Southeastern North Carolina.
Transformation is marked by change, and change requires new solutions and new answers, which will chart the future of UNC Pembroke. From Day 1, my decisions as chancellor have been guided by three questions: Is it good for our students? Is it the best opportunity for the university? Does it prepare UNC Pembroke for the future? We will continue to be driven by those questions as we advance our mission of changing lives through education.
Over the coming year, we will work to add new programs and strengthen existing ones while seeking ways to leverage the strength of North Carolina’s public higher education system to offer creative solutions and partnerships for educating tomorrow’s workforce.
Partnerships like the new agreement with East Carolina University’s Department of Public Health to provide a pipeline for UNCP students to continue their graduate education in public health programs at ECU. The agreement follows the successful launch of other such collaborations offering students pathways to veterinary medicine at N.C. State and Tuskegee and a 3+2 dual-degree engineering program with N.C. State. We will also continue building bridges to UNC Pembroke like our BraveStep Program. This co-admission partnership with our regional community colleges is designed to prepare students for the challenges of a four-year institution, ensuring their successful transition and ultimate degree completion.
UNCP has enjoyed unprecedented success in our existing health-care programs. And the demand is only growing. We know there is a need in our region, and we know we can meet it with our newly established College of Health Sciences. The new college will strengthen Southeastern North Carolina by addressing the health care workforce demands in nursing, occupational therapy, counseling, and other programs in the years ahead.
And while we are enriching academic opportunities for students, we will also be enhancing the physical footprint of our campus. This fall we anticipate the completion of the $5 million North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Prospect Road project, which will improve safety for students, faculty and staff. This year we will begin construction of a $37.5 million state-of-the-art new School of Business building and the renovation of West Hall to centralize and modernize our campus IT and online education.
Since 1887, UNC Pembroke has been an institution of access, offering hope for a brighter future. And never before has that been truer than today. Fall 2018 saw our enrollment swell to a record-breaking 7,137 students — a trend we expect to continue in the coming years as a result of the visionary NC Promise Tuition Plan. NC Promise is tangible and real evidence of the investment of our state’s legislative leadership in UNCP and their commitment to making a university education accessible and affordable for all North Carolinians.
More students than ever before are taking advantage of a UNCP education. We are seeing a significant increase in interest for fall 2019. May 1, 2019, is the date we will stop taking applications. Our local students have long been the heart and soul of our campus and we are committed to continue serving our home community. I strongly encourage those who have not already done so to complete their admissions application as soon as possible.
With your support, UNC Pembroke is writing a new chapter in the history of our institution — one that will be defined by providing unprecedented access to a high-quality education and serving as an engine for positive change in Southeastern North Carolina. To build upon our strong foundation, we must take advantage of the opportunities before us, be modern and innovative in our approach, and remain focused on preparing our students for successful futures.
Go BRAVES!
