Note: The Global Distinction Program has been put on hiatus for the 2023-24 academic year. It will be noted here when it becomes available again.

The Global Distinction program is an academic enrichment program that seeks to globalize the curriculum and increase faculty and student involvement in global activities, awareness, and dialogue. The program is a partnership between North Carolina community colleges and the World View program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Students develop global competencies and skills needed for today’s interconnected and interdependent world. By analyzing global issues and participating in intercultural activities, students will develop skills that are highly attractive to both employers and universities. Participants will receive specialized advising throughout the program to guide their experience.

Students who complete the program earn the title of Scholar of Global Distinction, which will appear on their transcripts and can be included on their resumes and college applications.

To graduate as a Scholar of Global Distinction, students must:

  • Complete at least 15 credit hours of globally intensive courses with a grade of A or B.
    • View the list of approved courses. Some courses are “inherently global” meaning their contents are considered global by nature. Examples are World Religions and foreign languages. Other courses are “globalized” by faculty who choose to incorporate global themes into the course content in various ways.
  • Participate in at least eight internationally-themed activities (i.e. speakers, films, performances).
    • Students will consult with a Global Distinction advisor to select events that will enrich their overall academic programs. A wide variety of globally-themed events regularly happen in our community and on campus. Global Distinction participants submit a written reflection on these cultural experiences.
  • Participate in 30 hours of intercultural experience, either through study abroad or an approved domestic program.
    • The Global Distinction program encourages students to deepen their academic understanding of the world by interacting directly with people from cultures they have studied. With the guidance of a Global Distinction advisor, the student selects a program, either overseas or closer to home, through which he or she can work directly with others of another culture.
  • Complete a capstone presentation related to their overall participation in the Global Distinction program.
    • As a final requirement for the program, Global Distinction students develop  presentations to showcase what they’ve learned through the program for the campus community.

Students enrolled in any two-year associate degree program are eligible to participate.