Richmond Community College Welcomes New UNC-P Chancellor

Richmond Community College recently hosted a drop-in for new University of North Carolina-Pembroke Chancellor Dr. Robin Gary Cummings to introduce him to local leaders and RichmondCC staff. A former surgeon and UNC-P board of trustees chairman, Cummings became the university’s chancellor in mid-July.

“My wife and I have had a great time getting to know everyone and learning all that is going on at UNC-P, including our strong relationship with Richmond Community College,” said Cummings.

UNC-P saw a record freshman enrollment of 1,232 students in the fall, with nearly 150 of those being transfers from Richmond Community College.

“We want all of your students,” said Cummings, while lauding the educational foundation that transfer students receive during their two years at RichmondCC.

In addition to its baccalaureate and master degree programs, UNC-P is looking to add doctorate programs in nursing and physical therapy, Cummings said. He noted that UNC-P’s nursing program has a 100 percent job placement rate.

“I believe part of our duty is to help steer students in directions where they know they’ll have a job once the graduate,” Cummings said.

Richmond Community College President Dr. Dale McInnis also expressed a desire to see graduates gainfully employed, pointing out counselors work closely with incoming students to develop career plans. The College has also introduced a plan that will offset the cost of college tuition and fees for local high school students wishing to attend RichmondCC. Under the RichmondCC Guarantee, students who complete two dual enrollment courses while in high school, graduate with a 3.0 grade point average or better and complete college scholarship and federal financial aid processes will receive two years of free college tuition and fees at RichmondCC.

“Students who take advantage of the RichmondCC Guarantee and transfer to a four-year college or university, such as UNC-P, will find themselves less encumbered by student debt and college loans,” McInnis said.

For more information about programs offered through RichmondCC and UNC-P partnerships, call (910) 410-1700.

PHOTO CUTLINE: Many employees of Richmond Community College are also graduates of the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. They, along with other college faculty and staff including RichmondCC President Dr. Dale McInnis, welcomed Dr. Robin Gary Cummings as the new UNC-P chancellor during a drop-in at the Cole Auditorium on Nov. 12.