May 2, 2006

NC State Holds Engineering Open House in Rocky Mount

“We are pleased with the excellent attendance at the open house,” said Jerome Lavelle, assistant dean for academic affairs at NC State. “The enthusiasm of the students and industry representatives underscores the need for these programs in the Rocky Mount area. We welcome the opportunity to fill this education need in this part of the state.”

The open house marked the beginning of a new initiative to bring access to engineering degree programs to the Rocky Mount area. The College of Engineering at NC State, in partnership with East Carolina University, Edgecombe Community College, Halifax Community College, Nash Community College and Wilson Technical Community College, will offer an undergraduate pre-engineering program at the Gateway Technology Center at Wesleyan College. As part of the program, the first undergraduate, pre-engineering transfer course, Engineering 101 – An Introduction to Engineering, will be offered beginning May 23. Students attending the open house registered for this first class.

“We are very excited about the partnerships that can be developed with local community colleges, high schools and companies to provide engineering education opportunities,” said Lavelle. “The Gateway Technology Center provides a tremendous high tech and modern platform to offer engineering education to students in this region.”

In addition to the undergraduate course, the College of Engineering will offer graduate degrees in engineering and computer science via distance education to area students. The program allows working adults to take courses online to obtain a graduate degree.

The College of Engineering at NC State is recognized as one of the best values for distance education delivery in the nation. Across the state, adults are able to work toward a master’s degree in engineering or computer science from NC State without living in Raleigh. The addition of the Rocky Mount site will give local businesses and industries the ability to hire employees with better skills and allow existing employees access to higher education opportunities.

For more information about the graduate engineering and pre-engineering transfer programs, contact Dr. Linda D. Krute, director of the Engineering Online program at NC State, (919) 515-5440 or (877) 254-0058, linda_krute@ncsu.edu, or visit http://engineeringonline.ncsu.edu.

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Technical contact:
Dr. Linda Krute, (919) 515-5440, linda_krute@ncsu.edu

Media contact:
Jennifer Weston, (919) 515-3848, weston@ncsu.edu

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