Engineering students in Lenoir County, North Carolina, now have a mapped route from a two-year associate degree to a four-year engineering degree without leaving home. East Carolina University and Lenoir Community College signed a bilateral transfer agreement this week that lets Lenoir graduates with an Associate in Science in engineering move into ECU's Bachelor of Science in engineering, ECU announced on November 12, 2026.

The signing took place in Kinston at the Senator Jim Perry Aviation Center for Excellence, Lenoir Community College's aviation building at the North Carolina Global TransPark. ECU faculty will teach classes in that building, and combined with ECU's online offerings, a student could complete the ECU engineering degree without leaving the county.

What the agreement covers

A bilateral agreement is a two-school contract that spells out which community college courses transfer and how they apply to a specific bachelor's degree. North Carolina already has statewide transfer agreements; individual bilateral agreements fill in pathways for particular programs and colleges. This one connects Lenoir's Associate in Science engineering track directly to ECU's engineering degree.

ECU's Bachelor of Science in engineering offers six concentrations:

  • Biomedical engineering
  • Biochemical engineering
  • Civil and environmental engineering
  • Electrical engineering
  • Industrial and systems engineering
  • Mechanical engineering

The first two students, and scholarships to match

The first two students to use the pathway are Lenoir students Cody Brown and Kylie Miller. Each receives a $5,000 scholarship from Lenoir Community College, and ECU is matching with a scholarship of $2,500 per semester. Brown plans to transfer to ECU in fall 2027.

Capstones next door to industry

The Global TransPark is home to aerospace and aviation employers including Airbus and the Fleet Readiness Center East, both near Lenoir's aviation center. Under the partnership, ECU engineering students can complete their senior capstone projects at the Aviation Center for Excellence or with companies located at the TransPark.

Lenoir Community College president Rusty Hunt noted at the signing that average annual salaries at the TransPark run about $90,000, roughly double the average of about $45,000 for the rest of Lenoir County.

Who signed

The agreement was signed by Teresa Ryan, chair of ECU's Department of Engineering; Phil Lewis, dean of ECU's College of Engineering and Technology; Rusty Hunt, president of Lenoir Community College; and Timothy Maddox-Fisher, Lenoir's senior vice president of instruction and student services.

Why transfer agreements matter when choosing a program

A student who starts at a community college can lose time and money on courses that do not count toward the eventual bachelor's degree. A written agreement between the two schools sets out in advance which courses apply for the program it covers. Before enrolling in any associate degree with plans to transfer, it is worth asking three questions: Is there a signed agreement with the four-year school I want? Which bachelor's degree does it lead to? And which courses, in which order, does it require?

How to get started

  • Current and prospective Lenoir students: ask Lenoir Community College's advising office about the Associate in Science engineering track and the ECU agreement.
  • ECU's side: the university's transfer office lists its bilateral and statewide agreements with North Carolina community colleges, and the Department of Engineering lists its concentrations.
  • Timing: the first students under the agreement are planning fall 2027 transfers.

Sources