More than a million North Carolinians have attended college without completing their degrees, according to a report from the National Student Clearinghouse. The University of North Carolina (UNC) System is taking steps to address this by expanding its collaboration with ReUp Education, an organization dedicated to reenrolling students who leave college prematurely.
Since 2023, ReUp has assisted over 4,200 former students in returning to UNC System schools, with more than 600 of them successfully graduating. The expanded partnership will now include coaching services aimed at helping students remain on track for graduation. Ten universities within the UNC System will participate: Appalachian State University; East Carolina University; Fayetteville State University; University of North Carolina Asheville; University of North Carolina at Charlotte; University of North Carolina at Greensboro; University of North Carolina at Pembroke; University of North Carolina Wilmington; Western Carolina University; and Winston-Salem State University.
“We believe that every North Carolinian deserves the chance to achieve their goals in life,” stated UNC System President Peter Hans. “We want to make the process as easy and personalized as possible. I look forward to welcoming many more students back.”
Dr. Shun Robertson, senior vice president for strategy and policy at the UNC System, added, “Engaging and supporting adult learners is central to our mission of expanding access and opportunity through higher education. We know that education unlocks enormous potential both for individuals and for our state, and this expanded partnership will help grow North Carolina’s workforce and increase economic opportunity in our communities.”
This initiative aligns with a national trend where college stop-outs have decreased while reenrollments have increased across the United States. This shift is partly due to states implementing similar strategies in response to declining enrollment among traditional college-age individuals aged 18-to-24.
The report highlights that nationally, 43.1 million people have left college without obtaining a degree, nearly 38 million of whom are working-age adults under 65.
