Young Guaranteed Admission to ECU to Pursue Teaching Degree

March 23, 2026 - Ever since Lakesha Young was a senior in high school, she wanted to go to East Carolina University, but her life went in a different direction. However, at age 35 and married with five children, she is getting a second chance to attend ECU thanks to the Guaranteed Admission program Pirate Promise.

Young is currently a student at Richmond Community College working toward an Associate in Arts - Teacher Prep degree. She is on track to graduate this May, but she has already been invited to join the Pirate Nation with Pirate Promise. This transfer program is for students who are in their first year of coursework at a community college. It allows them to attend special events, receive advising assistance including a dedicated transfer coach, and guarantee admission to ECU for the 2026 Fall Semester once she has completed her associate degree.

“I’m very grateful to have this opportunity to attend now. ECU has a wonderful education department,” Young said. “They also have great advisors that help you prepare for your transition. Pirate Promise is just a wonderful program all around!”

Young will be entering the Birth through Kindergarten Education bachelor’s degree program at ECU. Her career plan is to go into the field of Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, which helps children with autism and other developmental conditions learn new skills and manage behaviors by breaking them down into small steps and using positive reinforcement.

“I want to own a private school for children with Autism and then eventually have an early intervention department,” Young said.

Young’s career plan requires her to obtain an advanced degree, but she said guaranteed admissions programs like Pirate Promise provide encouragement for students to continue their education.

“Guaranteed admission would motivate anyone who wants to transfer to a four-year college to continue their education instead of stopping at an associate degree,” Young said.

RichmondCC has guaranteed admission partnerships with 12 North Carolina universities. To learn more about these seamless transfer pathways, contact the Career & Transfer Advising Center located at both campuses or by calling (910) 410-1700.