The UNC System’s ed tech services organization is now powering 11 degree programs after one year in the market, with more programs in the pipeline
RALEIGH, N.C. – Five hundred and fifty-eight students are now enrolled in 11 degree programs specifically designed for working adults across three UNC System institutions.
These online degree programs, offered at North Carolina Central, East Carolina, and Appalachian State universities, were designed and launched in partnership with Project Kitty Hawk, an affiliated entity of the UNC System that offers education technology services to help institutions attract and serve working adults.
“To see 558 students enrolled in PKH-powered programs just under a year after the first program launched is a testament to the vision and hard work of the teams at NC Central, ECU, App State, and Project Kitty Hawk,” said Peter Hans, president of the UNC System. “I’ve repeatedly said that it is our moral obligation to better serve adult learners. The UNC System is now making good on that obligation and educating hundreds of new students who previously lacked access to the high-quality education our universities provide.”
Project Kitty Hawk was funded by the General Assembly in the 2021 state budget and founded in 2022 as the UNC System sought to expand access to the hundreds of thousands of working adults in North Carolina through online degree programs in high-demand fields such as healthcare, information technology and business. These degree programs offer the kind of flexibility and support that adult learners need—students are paired with a student success coach, can access tech support 24/7 and can start classes when it’s convenient for them. Programs start at five different times throughout the year.
As a result, enrollment in these programs has been continually growing and attracting interest across the state. The inaugural PKH-powered program, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) launched at NC Central on Oct. 11, 2023, allows registered nurses (RNs) to earn their bachelor’s degree and advance their careers. The program recently jumped over 200 spots in U.S. News & World Report’s national rankings of the best RN to BSN programs in the nation.
Momentum continues to build around Project Kitty Hawk partnerships. The second fall term start, which begins in mid-October, is projected to add approximately 100 students to these degree programs. In addition to the 11 programs currently educating students, three PKH-powered programs are slated to launch in January at App State in accounting, criminal justice and organizational leadership and learning.
In addition to the students served in the PKH-powered degree programs, more than 2,800 students have been brought back to the UNC System through the PKH Re-Enrollment Program, a two-year effort to recruit students who started but did not complete a degree at a UNC institution.