MARS HILL — Graduates of South Piedmont Community College who want to take the next step by earning a bachelor's degree now have a direct pathway to do so at Mars Hill University. Mars Hill University President Tony Floyd and South Piedmont Community College President Maria Pharr signed paperwork creating the Mountain Lion Promise during an event on the South Piedmont campus in Monroe.

The Mountain Lion Promise: A Direct-Entry Admissions Program guarantees qualified South Piedmont graduates will be admitted to Mars Hill University. The program provides a streamlined process for South Piedmont's associate degree graduates to enroll at Mars Hill. It's designed to help students navigate the intricacies of admissions criteria, determine which community college credits will transfer to the four-year institution, fulfill general education requirements, and address other issues which can arise when transferring.

"The Mountain Lion Promise Program is an exciting step forward in welcoming students of Anson and Union counties to Mars Hill, with a clear pathway for graduates of South Piedmont Community College to earn their bachelor's degrees," said Mars Hill's President Floyd.

"We often say at South Piedmont that our students can start here and go anywhere - and this agreement has given our graduates a wonderful opportunity to make 'anywhere' Mars Hill University," said South Piedmont's President Pharr.

South Piedmont students will need to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, earn an associate degree in a college transfer program or in an applied program for which there is an articulation agreement with Mars Hill, and enroll at Mars Hill within one academic year after receiving their associate degree.

Also at the signing event, Presidents Floyd and Pharr signed a separate articulation agreement that guarantees graduates of South Piedmont's Human Services program admission to Mars Hill's Bachelor of Social Work program.

"We are very excited to have this opportunity to partner with South Piedmont and their Human Services program. South Piedmont Human Services students will bring skills and a strong foundation to the BSW program at Mars Hill," said Beth Vogler, chair of Mars Hill's Department of Social Work.

Students interested in the Mountain Lion Promise may contact Carolyn Kuzell, associate director of admissions at Mars Hill University, at CKuzell@mhuledu or 828-689-1589; or contact an advisor at South Piedmont at [email protected] or 704-290-5213.