60 for 60: Durham Tech creates pathways to four-year universities

In celebration of Durham Technical Community College’s 60th anniversary, the College is publishing 60 for 60 – a storytelling campaign that highlights the people, places, and events that have progressed and shaped the College’s six decades of impact. To view more 60 for 60 stories, visit www.durhamtech.edu/60for60. 

For four decades, Durham Tech has been the first college campus for future Eagles, Tar Heels, Wolfpackers, and many other four-year destinations for thousands of Durham and Orange County residents.

In recent years, Durham Tech has developed Guaranteed Admissions Pathways at several nearby universities to give students the security and comfort of knowing these institutions have a spot ready for them.

Durham Tech has also worked to build new articulation agreements to make transferring easier for students in specific programs and for private colleges.

But prior to the early 1980s, many community colleges didn’t have transfer programs to larger four-year institutions.

Durham Tech was one of the first to submit a request to the North Carolina General Assembly to add a Community Transfer program to its curriculum offerings, and in 1985, it was approved. 

College Transfer was a two-year course of study that led to an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree, which allowed students to transfer those credits to four-year universities that offered baccalaureate degrees. The name of the program was later changed to University Transfer.

At that time, the College Transfer program was a separate entity from Durham Tech and students had to apply directly to the program to be admitted.
 
Years later, President Phail Wynn chose Dr. Janyth Fredrickson as the department chair to restart the program. Fredrickson hired Dr. John Martin, Dr. Barbara Wolfe, Mary Marsha Cupitt, and Dr. Rohini Joshie to teach University Transfer courses.
  
The group wanted to create a strong, friendly, and nurturing program to prepare students for university standards. They worked alongside universities to ensure Durham Tech’s curriculum aligned with their courses.  

Cupitt began at the College in 1987 and helped to develop the Transfer Center, Transfer Connections, and assisted in the creation of the NC College Transfer Program Association. She also helped to create curriculum guides that helped students plan their Durham Tech coursework for their intended university and major.

“I came from NC State after 10 years to work at Durham Tech because students need you more at the community college level,” Cupitt said. “It was a pleasure working at Durham Tech. I enjoyed every minute of it and helping to meet the needs of our community.” 

When the program began, 14 colleges and universities accepted the transfer credit for courses, including Appalachian State University; Atlantic Christian College; Campbell University; East Carolina University; Elon College; Fayetteville State University; Mars Hill College; North Carolina A&T State University; North Carolina Central University; North Carolina Wesleyan College; St. Augustine’s College; Shaw University; UNC at Charlotte; and Winston-Salem University.  

Later, the UNC System and the NC Community College System partnered to establish unified agreements with community colleges to make transitions from community college into the UNC system easier.  

Some of the first University Transfer deans were Dr. Maria Fraser-Molina, Dr. Thomas Gould, and Dr. Tracy Mancini.

Lea Bingham, Assistant Dean for University Transfer, highlighted the strength of today’s university transfer program, the relationships that have formed with neighboring schools and university partnerships, and the other program additions.

“In the Transfer Center we have continued many of the programs Mary Marsha and others began. To our workshops for new transfer students, we have added news ones on How to Apply, Paying for the Bachelor’s Degree, FAFSA, Transfer Planning for All Immigration Statuses, and How to Apply for Homeschooled students,” said Bingham. 

According to Bingham, Durham Tech consistently has some of the highest Bachelor’s degree completion rates in the state. The College also has several Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships and NC State Goodnight Scholars each year.  
“We are working statewide to reduce equity gaps, so that all students who would like to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree do so at equal rates,” said Bingham. 

The University Transfer program has grown significantly since its inception. The program now offers eight different Associate degrees that students may complete and transfer to four-year institutions. The program also established partnerships with certain institutions, like NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to develop Guaranteed Admission Pathways for seamless transitions into baccalaureate programs for eligible students. 

DeCarlos Hickson, a Durham Tech alum who transferred to the University of North Carolina said that at Durham Tech he was able to take the classes that he needed at a low cost and in a smaller setting to allow him more one-on-one time with instructors which helped him to obtain a higher GPA.

“My transfer from Durham Tech to UNC Chapel Hill was seamless,” said Hickson. “Durham Tech makes the transition to the four-year University less daunting. The department had many staff members who helped guide me along my journey. I was prepared and I would recommend the University Transfer program to all students who want to purse a four-year degree.”

While at Durham Tech, Hickson participated in various extra curriculum activities, graduated with an Associate in Arts degree, and was an honors student in the Fine Arts department. 

He is a Television Academy Foundation (Emmys) Alum, who works in the animation industry for Moonbug Entertainment. 

“Some of our shows include CoComelon on Netflix, Blippi on Hulu, and Arpo on Amazon Kids plus,” said Hickson.

His goals include becoming a director of animation and winning his first Emmy for best animated children’s show.

Hickson is one of the many success stories of students who participate in the University Transfer program at Durham Tech. 

The College anticipates adding more university partnerships in upcoming years.

For more information, contact Desiree Towson, M.S., Communications and Public Relations Coordinator, at allisontowsond@durhamtech.edu.