Duke University has joined a new initiative aimed at making a four-year degree more easily attainable for high-achieving community college students.
Duke joins more than three dozen other public and private four-year institutions as part of the American Honors program. University members encourage transfer candidates who successfully complete the initiative’s honors curriculum.
Some other notable universities taking part in the program include Georgia Tech, Swarthmore, Wellesley and Middlebury. Duke is the only North Carolina-based member.
“Increasing access to higher education is a major institutional and personal priority of mine,” said Steve Nowicki, Duke’s vice provost for undergraduate education. “I’m pleased Duke is joining a national initiative designed to help identify graduates from rigorous community college programs as potential transfer applicants."
Christoph Guttentag, Duke’s dean of undergraduate admissions, said, “In the past we’ve been able to admit only a small number of transfer students from community colleges. We’re encouraged that programs like American Honors will give an opportunity for outstanding students who’ve taken this path to continue their education at Duke and other exceptional universities.”
The honors curriculum is available at just seven community colleges so far, with more to come, according to the American Honors website. The seven member community colleges include: Mercer County Community College and Union County College in New Jersey, Pierce College in Washington, Navarro College in Texas, Jackson College in Michigan, Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana, and the Community Colleges of Spokane, in Washington.
For more information about the program, go to https://americanhonors.org/.