Pictured left to right are LCC students Jasmine Jones, Maheylah Colie, Dr. Jarrett Whelan, instructor, Brian Martinez-Gonzalez, and Ginger Harper.

Lenoir Community College (LCC) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) have partnered to provide a new initiative. This initiative is intended to open pathways to undergraduate research for community college students prior to transferring to a four-year institution.

LCC is one of three community college partners, which include Craven Community College and Cape Fear Community College, selected for the Community College Undergraduate Research Experience (CCURE) pilot program because of its existing engagement with the Community College Collaborative. The initiative builds partnerships with community college leaders to develop strong future leaders for North Carolina’s community colleges. 

Community College instructors are partnered with first-year research experience (FRYE) instructors from UNCW. This allows collaboration between the instructors and the ability to connect them for mentorship opportunities.

“This partnership has opened doors for our students to experience an in-depth research project with a qualified LCC instructor, while also receiving college credit with a four-year institution,” said Dr. Timothy Maddox, Dean of Arts and Sciences.  “Being dually enrolled as both an LCC and UNCW student has provided this group of students with an opportunity of a lifetime.”

LCC students were enrolled in a section of HON 191 at UNCW taught by LCC’s Natural Sciences Program Chair, Dr. Jarrett Whelan. The eight-week course helps students learn how to conduct research through online academic databases, as well as how to find grants for undergraduate and graduate research. Students have access to Canvas, UNCW’s Learning Management System, and UNCW online resources, including its online library and databases, to assist in their work and provide them more of the university experience.

Each participating college designed its class according to the discipline of the instructor. The program began in March and has four LCC students enrolled. Whelan said students are engaging in lab-based research experiences that included testing soil samples. “They are working to isolate and identify antibiotic producing soil microbes with the hopes of discovering novel therapeutics,” Whelan said. “It is an opportunity for students to learn through discovery, do relevant work, practice critical thinking and collaboration, and communicate the research with a group of their peers.”

“Most undergraduate students are not exposed to, or even aware of the types of research that occur in higher education,” he said. “CCURE provides Lenoir Community College students with a hands-on research experience that will allow them to engage in the process of creating new knowledge through scientific discovery.”

On Wednesday, May 5, students will participate in a virtual showcase and recognition event for all CCURE participants to share their work.

There will also be digital posters added to the website that was just launched. They will be added over the next week. This can be found here: https://uncw.edu/appliedlearning/ccure/