The leaders from three higher education institutions in Guilford County came together Jan.14, to sign a joint resolution in support of the $2 billion Connect NC Bond.

Chancellors Harold L. Martin Sr. of North Carolina A&T State University (N.C. A&T) and Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), along with President Randy Parker of Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) signed the resolution at GTCC’s Donald W. Cameron Campus in Colfax.  

The $2 billion Connect NC Bond is an investment in the future for North Carolinians and the communities where they live, work and play. In the past 15 years, the state’s population has grown by 2 million becoming the ninth most populous state in the country. As the population has grown, so has the need to strengthen the state’s infrastructure.

This strategic investment in North Carolina’s public infrastructure – state parks, agriculture, safety, water and sewer, higher education – will cultivate a stronger economy, improve quality of life, enhance the safety of our food and our citizens, and provide improved facilities for education and training.

If approved by North Carolina voters on March 15, the Connect NC Bond would make a significant investment in higher education statewide, including $980 million for the UNC System and $350 million for the North Carolina Community College System to address targeted construction and needed repairs and renovations. Below is a description of how each local institution will use the funding to enhance opportunities for citizens, business and industry, and the community in the Piedmont Triad.

GTCC would use the $9.5 million bond funds for enhancements to Medlin Campus Center, a more than 40-year-old facility on the Jamestown Campus. The Medlin Campus Center will be upgraded to a state-of-the-art Student Center that supports student success and completion. The renovations will result in improved student experience and more efficient operations. Since the facility was originally built in 1974, the number of enrolled curriculum students has grown from 4,556 to 11,525 in fall 2015. GTCC created $528.7 million in added economic value during the fiscal year 2012-2013; that’s equivalent to creating 9,447 new jobs.

As the top producer of African American engineers on the undergraduate level, N.C. A&T would use $90 million in bond funds to construct the Engineering Research and Innovation Complex (ERIC)—a state-of-the-art, interdisciplinary, multifunctional facility for academics, research and community engagement. The ERIC will provide the space and resources to attract some of the world’s most highly motivated and high-achieving STEM students and faculty to A&T and the Piedmont Triad. This facility has the potential to help the university increase the $656.2 million and nearly $1 billion economic impact it has had on the region and the state of North Carolina.

UNCG would use the allocated $105 million in bond funds for a new Nursing and STEM instruction building to increase the number of graduates in science and healthcare fields and to ensure the highest quality pre-service clinical preparation for good paying high-demand careers. With biology labs at UNCG currently operating at 160 percent of the recommended utilization and the School of Nursing turning away a growing number of qualified students each year, the proposed construction responds to immediate and future needs of the state and employers by providing needed modern flexible lab and classroom space for nursing, biology, chemistry and the health sciences. 

How much of a difference can $204.5 million make? Collectively, these improvements are needed to prepare students for careers in vital fields—such as nursing and engineering—that are growing in our state. Education and training are at the heart of these institutions, but state-of-the-art facilities are needed to maintain the edge it needs to provide Guilford County and North Carolina citizens with the facilities, education and training to achieve their career goals and live, work and play in the state.  

In its national ranking of the Best Online Programs released Jan. 13, U.S. News & World Report ranked two of North Carolina A&T State University’s online programs among the best in the nation.

The multi-platform news and information publisher ranked the online graduate program in information technology No. 28 out of 48 and the online graduate program in education No. 153 out of 267.

“I applaud the efforts of A&T faculty and staff who created and implemented the quality programs resulting in these rankings,” said Provost Joe B. Whitehead. “We continue to strive to create learning opportunities beyond the traditional classroom setting that provide our students with the flexibility and diversity of experiences that appeal to a more digital generation.”

For the fifth consecutive year, U.S. News has collected data from distance education programs from colleges and universities throughout the United States. Online programs for undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, engineering, nursing, computer information technology, criminal justice and masters of business administration at more than 1,000 colleges and universities have been ranked on various criteria.

A&T Online is home to more than 20 certificate and degree programs on the undergraduate and graduate levels. A&T offers the same academically rigorous programs to online students as those offered to students who take courses on campus.

For additional information, visit A&T Online.

The North Carolina A&T State University community, TRiO program administrators and extended constituents will commemorate the life and legacy of distinguished alumnus Dr. Ronald E. McNair, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, in the Alumni-Foundation Events Center.

The 30th Annual Memorial Day program will feature a number of community leaders, special invited guests and McNair Scholars. Chancellor Emeritus Edward B. Fort will deliver the keynote address.

After graduating from N.C. A&T with a degree in physics, McNair continued his educational pursuits and earned a Ph.D. in laser physics from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1978, he was selected as a mission specialist astronaut for the NASA space shuttle program and made history being among the first African American astronauts. McNair’s second mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger proved to be his final mission after the shuttle experienced a fatal malfunction upon takeoff.  

The tremendous level of academic success that McNair experienced in his lifetime underscores his numerous posthumous acclamations, honors and awards. A&T’s McNair Scholars exhibit the same scholarly standard and pursue lofty educational and professional goals despite their disadvantaged background.

During the celebration, select McNair Scholars will discuss how the program has enhanced their educational abilities and aspirations. In addition, A&T alumni and friends who knew McNair will share their personal experiences and a memorial wreath will be placed near McNair Hall. 

For more information call 336-285-2705 or send inquiries to bhaynes@ncat.edu.