Lancaster and Bowles tour Camp Lejeune, meet with officials and students
CAMPE LEJEUNE - Partnership is the key to success for North Carolina’s higher education students. The North Carolina Community College System and the University of North Carolina have an association that began years ago and has strengthened recently. That strong partnership was never more apparent than during a visit to Camp Lejeune last week (June 28) by NCCCS President Martin Lancaster and UNC President Erskine Bowles.
The two system leaders toured the base and participated in an afternoon discussion of education opportunities for Marines provided by Coastal Carolina Community College and UNC Wilmington. Coastal President Ron Lingle and UNC-W Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo also participated in the conversation that centered on the 12-year association.
The
day-long visit featured military demonstrations and testimonials
from Marines stationed at the Jacksonville, N.C. base as well as
tours of the partnered UNCW-CCCC facilities on the base. The
demonstration included a tour of a mock European village, for which
Lancaster was instrumental in obtaining funding during his time in
Congress, where Marines are taught various search and combat
procedures.
Following the tour and demonstration of military operations, Bowles and Lancaster sat down with UNCW/CCCC school officials and a handful of
Firearm demonstration
students to talk about how
their education systems could improve their
response to the educational needs of the Marines and their
families. The session began with explanations of the various
programs available to the military and their families.
Most prominent during the discussion is the ability to obtain an associate’s degree through Coastal and continue for a baccalaureate from UNC-Wilmington without even going to the campus. Studies through UNC-W can be completed locally at Camp Lejeune at the extension center on base, on site at Coastal, or online.
This “2+2” program was the brainchild of Rep. Robert Grady, who represents the area. The Jacksonville Republican says he felt certain the two education
systems could work together to provide an even greater Lancaster and Bowles listen to student
opportunity for his constituents. That the military, which
is so important to his home community, benefits from this arrangement is a wonderful outcome.
“I felt it was important that everything that can be done to provide an education is done," said Grady. “So many students, civilian and military, find education success through this partnership.”
Coastal President Ron Lingle called the partnership a “force multiplier for the economic growth of North Carolina.”
“Seamless education is critically important,” said Bowles. He pushed the participants to tell him what his university and his office could do to improve the services.
“It’s not all resources, some of it is culture,” said Lancaster. He praised the cooperative culture that exists between the two education institutions. He then encouraged the students in the room to share their stories.
Two Marines and a Marine wife told how they have been able to succeed by taking advantage of the education opportunities offered at Coastal and UNC-W. Each felt the process worked smoothly, but suggested classes might be offered at even more convenient times. The students stressed the program offered at the base is a model that should be duplicated for all military.
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