Giving Students a Boost
Cleveland Community College is excited to announce its participation in the NC Community Colleges Boost program. This innovative initiative is aimed at accelerating students’ progress through college and into the workforce, aligning with the state’s economic development goals.
The Boost program is being launched with a historic grant of $35.6 million from Arnold Ventures, marking the largest private investment ever received by the North Carolina Community College System. Modeled after the City University of New York’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (CUNY ASAP), the Boost program has already proven successful in other states, where it has doubled graduation rates and reduced the time to degree completion.
“Being part of this transformative program is an incredible opportunity for Cleveland Community College and our students,” said Dr. Jason Hurst, president of CCC. “Through the Boost program, we will provide our students with the support and resources they need to succeed in completing their degrees faster, with minimal barriers, and gain the skills necessary for high-demand careers that will help drive North Carolina’s economy forward.”
The NC Community Colleges Boost program is set to serve students at CCC and 14 other participating colleges across North Carolina. The program works through a combination of timely and relevant supports, dedicated advising for students, and incentives to accelerate their education. Boost is a partnership between the State of North Carolina, North Carolina Community College System, the colleges, and students. It targets the professions that are essential to our state’s economic development and moves participants quickly through college into high-wage, in-demand careers.
“This program has increased graduation rates, reduced time to graduation, and lowered the cost per graduate across many individual colleges in several states,” said NCCCS President Dr. Jeff Cox. “Here in North Carolina, we have every reason to expect similar results. What makes this especially exciting is the opportunity to demonstrate success through our pilot and then scale it statewide—something few other states have done. We are fully committed to transparency and will track and report the program’s results regularly, ensuring policymakers can clearly see the return on investment. This is an exciting day for North Carolina businesses, companies looking to relocate to a state dedicated to world-class workforce development, and for the residents of North Carolina. We expect the North Carolina Community College System Boost program to make a significant, positive contribution to our state’s economic future.”
Cleveland Community College will begin enrolling students in the Boost program for the Fall 2025 semester.