Randolph CC students to have guaranteed admission to WCU
Shah Ardalan, president of Randolph Community College, and WCU Chancellor Kelli Brown signed a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions that guarantees admission to WCU for all Randolph graduates who satisfy certain requirements.
By Julia Duvall
On Thursday, Nov. 9, Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown and Shah Ardalan, president of Randolph Community College, signed a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions that guarantees admission to WCU for all Randolph graduates who satisfy certain requirements.
The memorandum will offer a direct pathway for students at Randolph to earn their four-year degree at WCU.
“Western Carolina University is proud to partner with Randolph Community College in streamlining the pathway for transfer students to further their education,” Brown said. “It is so critical for students to see that if they want to go to a four-year college, but went to a two-year college, they have a pathway for that four-year institution. As a community college graduate myself, I understand the importance of programs like this and the opportunity for accessible, high-quality education it provides students.”
Ardalan is excited to see the impact Randolph students will leave at WCU.
"We are very proud of our partnership with Western Carolina University and the launch of the Guaranteed Admissions through the Catamount Connection Program” he said. “Our shared vision for a seamless educational journey, with a strong emphasis on articulation and transferability, is the essence of academic collaboration. It is a testament to the values and goals that both institutions hold dear. I am filled with hope and optimism for what lies ahead. Together, we shall make a difference in the lives of our students and the communities we serve."
Students who are interested in participating must satisfy the following conditions:
- Be a currently enrolled student at Randolph CC in a degree-seeking capacity
- Submit WCU application for admission and records by WCU deadlines
- Submit application fee or waiver and fulfill all commitment action steps
- Be in good standing at Randolph and other institutions attended
- Demonstrate good citizenship and conduct
- Earn and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 at Randolph and a minimum GPA of 2.20 in their most recent term
- Earn an associate’s degree from Randolph in a college transfer program or in an applied program for which an articulation agreement exists
- Enroll at WCU within one academic year (within the next two regular terms [fall/spring semesters] of completion of the associate’s degree)
For more information about how to transfer to WCU, visit https://www.wcu.edu/apply/undergraduate-admissions/transfer-students/index.aspx.
