The Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program (C-STEP)  C-STEP OverviewThe Carolina Student Transfer Excellence Program (C-STEP) is a partnership between Craven Community College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill made possible by a grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The goal of C-STEP is to identify high-achieving, low-to moderate-income students who would not otherwise attend a selective college or university; to enroll these students in the Associate in Arts/Science program at one of the partnering community colleges; to mentor these students through successful completion of an Associate degree (AA/AS); to transfer these students, as juniors, to UNC-Chapel Hill; and to support their successful completion of a baccalaureate degree. Entry into the program is competitive and is based on both demonstrated financial need and academic excellence. Statistics show that transfer students from North Carolina Community Colleges perform better, on average as juniors, than those who enter the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as freshmen. C-STEP is not a scholarship program nor is it part of the general process routinely followed by students applying to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as college freshmen or traditional community college students applying to UNC-CH as College-University transfer students. Rather, C-STEP identifies talented low-to-moderate-income students as early as high school and facilitates their eventual admission and transfer to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as juniors, if they earn an appropriate associate's degree at Craven Community College and complete C-STEP and UNC-CH participation and admissions requirements. While using funds from Federal Student Financial Aid to pay for tuition and books at the community college, C-STEP students are provided exemplary advising, mentoring, and support during their transition and subsequent enrollment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This collaborative effort will ensure that Craven Community College C-STEP students feel "firmly planted" at Carolina almost immediately after transferring there. These students will be academically prepared and fully engaged in the campus community — and both are strong indicators of student success. Helpful Links and Contacts
CCC C-STEP CoordinatorSherry L. Forrest, Director of Educational PartnershipsBusiness-Information Technology Building, Suite 116 Craven Community College 800 College Court New Bern, NC 28562 forrests@cravencc.edu or (252) 638-7382 CCC C-STEP AdvisorTanya McGheeChair of Math & Science Craven Community College 800 College Court New Bern, NC 28562 mcgheet@cravencc.edu or (252) 638-7345 Student Testimonial My admission into the program gave me hope and confidence for the future. Around the time I was at Durham Tech, I was dealing with the difficulties of a lower socio-economic status and I was certainly concerned about the direction of my future on many levels. The opportunity to go to UNC-Chapel Hill has changed and enriched my life in a lot of ways, and I know that it will open a lot of doors for me in the future. At Carolina, I received a terrific degree in a field I am truly interested in, and I was afforded many other opportunities in extracurriculars, social events, and sporting events. The C-STEP program really helped change my life for the better. I am very grateful and appreciative for the opportunity, and it is not one I will ever forget. Dave Williams An important consideration for many students interested in transferring to a four-year University is how to pay for their education. Once enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the university attempts to meet 100 percent of every admitted C-STEP student's demonstrated financial need through grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs. In addition, qualified C-STEP students will be eligible to apply to be Carolina Covenant Scholars (http://www.unc.edu/carolinacovenant/), a landmark program that enables students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to graduate with minimal debt from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The following criteria apply to C-STEP applicants:
Recruitment for participation in C-STEP is underway, and we are currently searching for potential candidates. If you are interested in applying for the C-STEP program at Craven Community College, please complete and submit the attached CCC C-STEP Interest Form. Interested students should frequently visit the Craven Community College C-STEP Web-Page. More information will be posted as it becomes available. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Craven Community College C-STEP Coordinator, Sherry L. Forrest, Director of Educational Partnerships at forrests@cravencc.edu or (252) 638-7382. *CCC would like to express appreciation to Durham Technical Community College for providing the original source for this content. Additional InformationSpring 2012 Craven Community College Graduates and CCC Students Graduating by Spring 2013 - (pdf) High School and Craven Community College Students Graduating June 2013 or Later - (pdf) Craven Community College C-STEP Interest Form - (doc) C-STEP Interest Form High School Students - (doc) Craven Community College General C-STEP Flyer - (pdf) Graduating C-STEP Students Final Semester Check-List - (doc) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Transfer InformationApplying as a Transfer Student Academic Advising Guide for Transfer Students (2011-2012 Academic Year) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Advising Worksheets Undergraduate Bulletin (2011-2012) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Transfer Course Equivalencies The Carolina Curriculum - (pdf) |
