Bladen C.C., Methodist partnership a boost to students

DUBLIN — The route to a degree from Methodist University for the graduates of Bladen Community College has been helped financially and academically.

An agreement was signed by leaders of each institution that eases the burden of transferring credits. Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, president of Methodist, and Dr. Amanda Lee, president of Bladen Community College, applied their penmanship in a virtual ceremony rather than in person due to the coronavirus.

Both leaders are in their third years, Wearden having started his Jan. 1 and Lee on Feb. 1.

“I’m really excited about this and how it’s just one more example of the ways our two colleges working together,” Lee said in a joint news release.

The partnership allows the Bladen graduates to apply at Methodist with no application fees, and their guaranteed acceptance if holding a 2.0 grade point average or higher with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science degree. In addition, joint financial aid and academic advising will be available to students, and Bladen students can dual enroll into Methodist for two classes (up to eight credits) while completing their associate degree.

The tuition rate for that dual enrollment would be the rate applied at Bladen Community College. They would also have access to Methodist campus events, its Davis Memorial Library, and the computers and library databases.

“This agreement provides a very unique opportunity for our students,” Lee said. “As well as the guarantee of tuition, we are so thankful Methodist University is willing to support our students financially. I believe continuing the small class size, along with the large variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, will play a huge part in their success.”

She was joined in the ceremony by Jeff Kornegay, the college’s executive vice president and chief academic officer.

Wearden was joined in Fayetteville by Dr. Suzanne Blum Malley, the university provost, and Dr. Beth Carter, the associate vice president of Academic Affairs.

“This type of agreement has been one of my top priorities since starting as president of MU two years ago,” Wearden said. “There are many things Bladen Community and Methodist University have in common, but the most fundamental is the deep belief in the transformative power of higher education. This is a great opportunity for Bladen Community College and Methodist University.”

Methodist enrools about 2,000 students annually representing several states and often more than 70 countries. It has 80 undergraduate and graduate programs, either through campus or the internet. It participates in NCAA Division III athletics.