MONROE – South Piedmont Community College and Wingate University have signed four agreements aimed at increasing access to baccalaureate degree programs.
The Road2Wingate agreement allows students in their first semester of South Piedmont access to academic advising. Admission to Wingate is guaranteed once students earn an associate degree with at least a 2.5 grade point average. They are also eligible for the Gateway to Wingate Scholarship, which caps tuition cost at $2,500 per year.
Another agreement allows students who make at least a B on honors courses at South Piedmont and have a GPA of 3.4 or higher to apply up to six credit hours toward Wingate University honors requirements.
The institutions also signed articulation agreements in which early childhood education and psychology graduates at South Piedmont can transfer into programs at Wingate.
Travis Teague, who leads Wingate’s Office of External Academic Partnerships, said the new agreements will streamline the transfer process while maintaining the rigor of the university’s programs.
“It’s a win-win situation for South Piedmont and Wingate, but most importantly, it’s a win for the students,” Teague said.
Two dozen students, including business management major Dillon Hill, have taken advantage of the Gateway to Wingate Scholarship program since its inception late last summer.
“The reason I decided to continue my education past my associate degree is because I feel like in today’s world you need to have many factors to stand out,” Hill said. “Higher-paying jobs don’t just recommend bachelor’s degrees, they normally require them and sometimes more.”
After Hill graduates next year, he plans to find a job in human resources and pursue his MBA via Wingate’s evening classes.