Whom We Serve
The mission of BCC is to fulfill the educational and cultural needs of the county. Therefore, it is critical to have a vision of the county and the direction of its growth in order to create an effective QEP. The 2000 US Census reported that Brunswick County had increased its population by 43.5%, outpacing the majority of NC counties. We have, moreover, one of the largest older populations in the state. The educational outlook for the county shows that 78.3% of the population has a high school diploma or higher, 6.5% have an associate degree, 16.1% have attained a bachelor degree or higher, and 5.22% have dropped out of high school. The county unemployment rate is low at 4.6%, and the average personal income is $24, 095. Since 1990, the county has had 70 plant announcements, creating 3,500 new jobs, and anticipates the construction of a new international sea port in the Southport area. (Eastern North Carolina Regional Index, 2006)

Who We Are
Like the county we serve, BCC is also experiencing a time of growth, both in enrollment and infrastructure. We have successfully met the needs of our dynamic community, and to that end, we met all of the 2007 North Carolina Community College System’s Critical Success Factors, with the exception of the passing rates of BCC students on licensure and certification examinations.

“Students in [learning communities] reported an increased sense of responsibility to participate in the learning experience, and an awareness of their responsibility for both their learning and the learning of others.”
--Vincent Tinto

The GOALS (Growing on All Levels Successfully) Program:

In order to meet the specific needs of BCC students and fulfill our goal of transferring “student success skills” to our students, the QEP Committee has devised the GOALS Program, a first-year, two-semester program in which a cohort, and eventually cohorts, of A.A./A.S. students would enroll in an interdisciplinary cluster of three courses that would assist these students in realizing their goals as students, individuals, and community members. Through this initiative, it is the committee’s aim to expose an expanding number of incoming BCC students to a curriculum that would cover topics such as physical and psychological well-being, critical thinking, effective written communication, and service learning projects as well as provide opportunities for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.