Four make history with NC State

Forget the Beatles. Craven Community College has a history-making “Fab Four” of its own.

Four men — Joshua Corbett, Jonathan Denn, Cliff Guthrie and Jordan Lewis — are scheduled to graduate this May from NC State University’s bachelor of science in engineering (BSE) program based at Craven’s Havelock-Cherry Point Campus.

When they do, they will become the first four students in the program to complete their NC State degrees in mechanical engineering systems entirely in Craven County.

It hasn’t been an easy path for the four part-time students: It has taken Corbett and Lewis six years to complete the program. For Denn and Guthrie, it’s taken eight years.

But through it all, the four have remained dedicated to reaching their goals. They’ve successfully balanced the program’s demanding curriculum with study time, work and family commitments.

“The commitment for these guys to finish is unbelievable,” said Dr. Bill Fortney, NC State’s eastern regional director for distance engineering programs. “My hat is definitely off to them.”

Craven and NC State have partnered to bring two engineering-curriculum options to area adults. The partnership with NC State is part of the college’s continuing efforts to create learning pathways for students.

Students can choose the 2+2 engineering option, which enables them to take their first two years of high-level mathematics and other courses at Craven, and then transfer to NC State in Raleigh to finish their engineering degrees.

Students also have the option of earning their bachelor’s degrees from NC State without leaving Craven County. The classes are offered at the Havelock-Cherry Point Campus via interactive video or on site by NC State faculty members.

The second option, which can be taken as either a full-time or part-time student, allows individuals to remain in the area and complete their degrees close to home.

The goal of both options is enable the area to “grow its own” engineers, most of whom will be prepared to work at Fleet Readiness Center East at Cherry Point.

FRC East employs more than 500 engineers, and it can be difficult to recruit qualified prospects, said Mark Meno, acting head of the research and engineering group there. The NC State-Craven program is specifically tailored to meet the need for qualified engineers to work on the aircraft repaired at FRC East.

“It’s really been a success story,” Meno said.

All four graduating students said it was critical for them to be able to stay in the area to complete their degrees. They range in age from 25 to 35, and they all have work and family commitments that prevent them from enrolling in Raleigh.

All four are from Craven and Carteret counties, and each returned to school after working in different fields.

“I searched NC State’s website and found the program was right here,” said Guthrie. “I realized I could do this.”

All four are already working on base through a partnership with FRC East, and the men are looking forward to long careers in engineering there.

But first, they will graduate with their peers in Raleigh in May. All four say they plan to participate in the graduation ceremony there.

“I’ve never seen the campus,” Corbett said with a laugh.

Media Contact:
Sandy Wall
Public Information Officer
Craven Community College
(252) 638-7210
walls@cravencc.edu