FSU’s rural outreach gets a boost

A staff report

For many students in rural areas of the state, the dream of going to college can seem elusive. Costs feel prohibitive; scholarships seem unattainable.

Too often, reality constrains hopes and dreams.

Fortunately, the NC Promise Tuition Plan, a state-funded college scholarship program, is poised to change that. The program will dramatically increase opportunities for rural and other students to attend Fayetteville State University. The tagline on the NC Promise website— “Where dreams and reality meet”— captures program possibilities and potential.

Dreaming of a new reality

Created in 2016 by the NC General Assembly, the NC Promise Tuition Plan delivers on the state’s commitment to college affordability. At participating universities, the state subsidizes a significant portion of tuition costs. In-state students pay just $500 per semester in tuition; outof-state students pay $2,500.

Patrick Ingram, '18, left, and Sydney Harris, '22

Photography by Cindy Burnham.

Initially, NC Promise launched at three UNC System schools: Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Western Carolina University. Now, thanks to a new appropriation in the state budget, FSU will become the fourth NC Promise school in N.C. The program represents a boon to recruitment and enrollment objectives at FSU. FSU’s location in the Sandhills region and its proximity to the state line will also provide inherent advantages for recruiting rural students, noted Dr. Monica Terrell Leach, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at FSU.

Honoring FSU’s legacy while looking to the future

As a result, FSU stakeholders can look forward to a more diversified student enrollment and a revitalized campus community. Yet the program’s implementation will honor and build on FSU’s enduring legacy as an HBCU, as FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison has noted.

“FSU is embarking on an exciting journey that is in alignment with our rich history, while breathing new life into university culture,” Dr. Leach affirmed. Ultimately, NC Promise and its effect on campus diversity will position FSU—and FSU graduates— for greater impact. Competitive organizations are seeking to diversify their portfolios and people; both reflect an increasingly global marketplace, Dr. Leach said.

“FSU is no different,” she added. “For our students to have the best learning opportunities, we must provide an environment with people who have diverse thoughts, cultures, and experiences.”

Such diversity also helps ensure students graduate from FSU ready for work—and for transforming professional dreams into realworld opportunities. “The demand for professionals from diverse backgrounds is increasing across all disciplines,” Dr. Leach said. “We have a responsibility to ensure that our students leave our institution prepared to make a positive impact and meet those demands.”

Dr. Monica Terrell Leach, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at FSU.

For our students to have the best learning opportunities, we must provide an environment with people who have diverse thoughts, cultures, and experiences.

– Dr. Monica Terrell Leach, Provost and Chief Academic Officer