Lenoir Community College (LCC) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Lenoir Community College is part of the North Carolina Community College System that was established in 1963, but the college itself got its start a few years earlier. It was chartered by the state board of education in 1958 and began operating in 1960 as the Lenoir County Industrial Educational Center. In 1963, it moved to its current location, an 18-acre main campus in Kinston, and held its first graduation that June.

The institution was granted community college status in 1964 and soon after received its first accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. During the 1970s, the campus expanded to encompass 90 acres, and the Greene County and Jones County centers were opened.

The Aviation Center was opened in 1989 at the Kinston Regional Jetport.

Over the next several years, the college continued to expand in both land area and academics, and by 2005, Lenoir Community College had 137 acres and four campuses.

The school is set to expand once more, as it prepares to add satellite campuses in La Grange and Pink Hill during the summer of 2011. The endeavor is a partnership between the college and town leaders and is part of the “Your College in Your Community” campaign.

When they aren’t attending one of Lenoir Community College’s soon-to-be six campuses, students can explore the school’s home base, Kinston. Racing enthusiasts can visit the Kinston Drag Strip, and baseball fans can cheer on the Kinston Indians, the Class A minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Those looking for a cultural experience can stroll the historic downtown streets or stop by the Arts Center, home of the Community Council for the Arts.

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Information Summary

Ranks 75th in North Carolina and 2126th overall. See the entire top 2,000 colleges and universities list
Overall Score (about)	61.6
Total Cost On-Campus Attendance	$4,358
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	9 : 1
Retention (full-time / part-time)	60% / 42%
Enrollment Total (all students)	2,693

Academics

One of the original institutions in North Carolina’s community college system, Lenoir Community College enrolls about 4,000 students. The school is still accredited to award associate degrees by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and strives for honesty, excellence, diversity and a sense of community on the way to achieving its mission of offering quality educational services that provide opportunities for both the college’s students and its community.

Lenoir Community College offers four types of associate degrees in dozens of programs of study, as well as diploma and certificate programs. The Arts and Sciences division aims to give students the first two years of a liberal arts education that will help them successfully transition to a four-year program. The 2+2 Engineering Program has a similar goal for engineering students, and thanks to an articulation agreement between the state’s community college system and the University of North Carolina system, transitions to four-year schools are usually uncomplicated processes.

Lenoir also features fields of study in the Business, Industry and Public Service program, as well as majors in health sciences and marketing. The college awards Associate of Applied Science degrees, diplomas and certificates in many areas of study, from accounting and computer engineering to graphic arts, and horticulture technology.

Providing students with courses of study that fit their lifestyles seems to be a priority, as Lenoir features day, evening and weekend classes at locations both on- and off-campus, along with distance learning for students who need even more flexibility. The school also has Fast Track programs targeted toward students who want to earn a degree but are unable to attend traditional classes. The programs can be completed in seven semesters or less, and students work with campus advisers who help them progress.

Most Popular Fields of Study

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Admissions

All applicants for admission to Lenoir Community College need to fill out an application form and submit official high school transcripts or high school equivalency certificates. Applicants who have attended other colleges should submit transcripts from those institutions as well. Those who present college transcripts showing that they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher are not required to submit high school transcripts unless they are applying to one of the Health Sciences programs; all transcripts are mandatory in that field.

Applicants must also take the computer placement assessment unless they qualify for a waiver. To waive the placement test, applicants must have submitted proof of qualifying SAT or ACT scores or have completed a college-level math or English course at or above the vocational or developmental level at an accredited college or university. To achieve a qualifying test score, applicants must have scored at least a 500 on the writing, math and verbal/reading sections of the SAT or a minimum of 22 on the math section and 20 on the English and reading sections of the ACT. Applicants may also qualify if they have submitted official COMPASS or Asset scores, which will be converted into an equivalent placement score. Applicants to the Health Sciences programs may need to take a pre-admission test.

International Students

International students must meet the same general requirements as any new student, and they must also submit an affidavit of financial support proving that they are able to fund their education. Applicants for whom English is a second language may be asked to submit scores from a language test such as TOEFL or IELTS. International students who are admitted to Lenoir will be required to purchase health insurance for the duration of their studies.

Transfer Students

Transfer students who meet the above admissions requirements and who can provide proof of eligibility to return to the last school they attended will be considered for admission. Those who were on suspension at their last school will be required to maintain a minimum grade-point average of 2.0, or they will be placed on academic probation.

Students who want to attend Lenoir without declaring a major or completing admissions requirements are classified as special credit students and generally may accrue up to 15 semester hours before being required to fulfill the admissions requirements. Special credit students who wish to enroll in an English or math course need to prove that they are adequately prepared for the course.

High school students may enroll at Lenoir, provided they meet several requirements, including being at least 16 years of age and earning the approval of their high school principal. Students seeking dual enrollment must take at least three courses at their high school and make progress toward graduation. College courses will earn college credits and may also earn high school credits, depending on the prior approval of the high school principal.

Financial Aid

Students admitted to Lenoir Community College have several avenues through which they can secure financial aid. The first is federal grant programs. To find out if they are qualified to receive federal aid such as Pell or other grants, students should submit a FAFSA form.

Scholarships, public and private loans, and student employment are other options for financial aid at Lenoir. The school’s LCC Foundation oversees the distribution of 171 scholarship funds set up by businesses and private citizens to aid Lenoir students in financing their educations. Scholarships awarded for the 2010-11 academic year included the Kinston Jaycees Scholarship, the Margaret Blount Harvey Early Childhood Education Scholarship, and numerous memorial scholarships. Awards may be presented based on academic merit or tailored to students of a specific major or activity.

Additionally, the school is eligible to enroll military personnel and veterans. Students who have served in the military, or their dependents, may be eligible for educational benefits.

Students with questions concerning financial assistance should contact the college’s financial aid office.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Students

Lenoir Community College has no on-campus housing or residence halls, so students must secure housing in Kinston or nearby areas. However, there are plenty of resources and organizations of which students can take advantage during their time at Lenoir. The Learning Resources Center includes an online library through which students can search Lenoir and other community colleges for books and videos. Heritage Place is a section of the resources center in which students will find extensive historical information on the local community and the state, including newspaper archives and census records.

Lenoir students with disabilities can contact student services for any of their special needs. An Americans with Disabilities Act counselor will help disabled students in securing support services like note taking or American Sign Language interpreting. The counselor can also obtain helpful materials which disabled students may need, such as closed circuit televisions or CD players on which students with visual impairments can play audio textbooks.

Those who want to be more involved in the Lenoir community can run for student government, write for the Javelin newsletter, or join one of the campus’s clubs. Clubs, such as the biomechanics and medical assisting clubs, focus largely on gathering together students of specific majors.

Student Enrollment Demographics

Athletics

Lenoir boasts the oldest ongoing sports program in the state’s community college system and has become a model for other community colleges that are trying to develop athletic programs of their own. In fact, former Lenoir Athletic Director Lind Hartsell stepped down in 2010 in order to begin and oversee an athletics department at Craven Community College.

The Lancers field two men’s sports, baseball and basketball, and two women’s sports, basketball and volleyball. They compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Seven Lancers baseball alumni moved on to play Major League Baseball for six different teams, including the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres. Lancers basketball alumnus Shawn Farmer, a 1992 graduate, went on to play professional basketball in Europe, and 2005 alumnus Robert McLaurin moved on to Clayton State University’s basketball team and earned honors as a Player of the Region and a second-team all-American.

Bibliography

Brown, Wesley. “LCC increasing presence throughout Lenoir County.” Kinston Free Press. 15 March 2011. Print.

City of Kinston – HOME. Web. 07 May 2011. <http://www.ci.kinston.nc.us/index.php?option=com_frontpage>.

Herman, Ryan. “Hartsell reflects on tenure at LCC.” Kinston Free Press. 1 July 2010. Print.

Lenoir Community College. Web. 07 May 2011. <http://www.lenoircc.edu/index.htm>.

“Lenoir Community College, Kinston, North Carolina – CollegeBound.net.” Find Info on College, University, Four Year Schools, Community Colleges, Career Schools, Scholarships, Financial Aid, College Admission – CollegeBound.net. Web. 07 May 2011. <http://www.collegebound.net/college-university/article/lenoir-community-college/2697/>.

Lenoir Community College