Spotlight On: Robin Gary Cummings, Chancellor, University of North Carolina Pembroke
July 2024 — In an interview with Invest:, Robin Gary Cummings, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), highlighted the university’s pivotal role as an economic engine in southeastern North Carolina. He discussed the establishment of the College of Health Sciences and the Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Optometry programs, emphasizing efforts to improve regional healthcare and meet increasing workforce demands.
What is the impact of UNC Pembroke on the region?
UNCP serves as the anchor economic institution for southeastern North Carolina driving our region’s economy forward impacting education, healthcare, business, and beyond. When the university was established in 1887, it was with the goal of creating access to education for the people of this community. Now, with nearly 8,000 students from 30 countries and 25 states, our mission of access hasn’t changed. UNCP is a school focused on affordability, and accessibility and grounded in the success of students.
Many of our students are from within our service region, are the first in their families to attend college and come from low-income or rural households. UNCP is unique in its approach to education, providing a high-quality experience in an environment that supports the individual student. This sets graduates up for successful and rewarding careers as they find mentors in the classroom and on campus where they are pushed to succeed.
UNCP’s approach to education combined with the state-supported NC Promise tuition plan — where in-state students’ tuition is capped at $500 per semester — the benefits of a UNCP education for an individual or a family are powerful, and the regional economy also benefits in really impactful ways. Local students can obtain a degree with little or no debt, so they aren’t economically forced to leave this area to find higher paying jobs somewhere else to pay back student loans. With NC Promise, students have the option to stay and work to improve their region, and their home, by going into a workforce where their expertise is highly needed. We see that many of our graduates, in fact, do choose to stay and work in this region, which is why UNCP is focused on identifying workforce shortages within the region to work toward filling these roles. We are educating a diverse workforce for in-demand fields like cybersecurity, computer science, and business, and with the observed need for healthcare professionals, the health sciences have become a major focus.
How has the healthcare focus evolved at UNC Pembroke?
As a trained cardiothoracic surgeon and as someone who grew up in this county, the health of this region is close to my heart. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks every county in the US according to the health status of its population. UNC Pembroke’s home county of Robeson, significantly rural, is recognized as having some of the worst population health statistics in the state. These health outcomes prompted our legislators to support a comprehensive health study looking at the needs of our region. The findings showed southeastern North Carolinians have significantly less access to healthcare providers in nearly every measurable health profession and that the establishment of a College of Health Sciences at UNCP and implementation of healthcare programs had great promise to make a difference for those who call southeast North Carolina home.
Since the release of the study, and with the continued support of our state leaders, we’ve made strides to address our region’s shortages by expanding our degree offerings in health sciences to educate professionals prepared to join the workforce. We established a College of Health Sciences in 2018, housing our nursing, social work, and kinesiology programs. In January 2024, we added the university’s first doctoral program, a Doctor of Nursing Practice, and in fall 2024, we will welcome our first Master of Science in Occupational Therapy cohort. The university recently received approval to begin offering a new Master of Healthcare Administration to launch in fall 2025 and to establish the state’s first public Doctor of Optometry program, which will launch in fall 2027. There isn’t a school of optometry in Virginia, South Carolina, or Georgia and there are 13 counties in North Carolina without a single optometrist. Currently, 40 students leave North Carolina each year to attend one of the 24 optometry schools across the country. We expect to attract our fair share of in-state students as well as students from neighboring states like Virginia and South Carolina.
What support have you received for health initiatives?
Expanding our health programs has been a strategic focus that has garnered support from state officials due to our shared vision of improving the quality of life in our region. In addition to the $100 thousand health study, the state legislature has provided $20 million for the start-up costs associated with new healthcare programs at the university, about $12 million of which will support the new optometry program. The state also has earmarked $91 million for the construction of a future health professions building on the UNC Pembroke campus which will house the optometry program and other planned programs such as nurse practitioner, speech pathology, dietetics, and nutrition. We’re working with architects and expect a groundbreaking in the next year, and the building to open in 2028. The support of our state’s leaders has made and will continue to make a difference as UNCP assumes a critical role as a key economic and education engine, driving much-needed change in southeastern North Carolina and beyond. We are thankful many share our vision for the future.
How have student demographics evolved in the region?
UNC Pembroke was established 137 years ago by seven American Indian men specifically to educate teachers who would then teach in their communities. It was a bold move, especially so soon after the Civil War. Today, UNC Pembroke has grown to nearly 8,000 students and is recognized as one of the most racially diverse campuses in the South, with about 15% American Indian, 30% African American, 40% white, and a growing Hispanic and international population.
We are adapting to demographic shifts, such as the national decline in the number of 18-year-olds attending college. This change affects smaller schools like ours more than larger institutions, so we are focusing on diversifying our student body by increasing our programmatic offerings for adult learners and growing our international, out-of-state, and online enrollment. Students will tell you they value the naturally diverse campus community of UNCP and the perspectives it brings to their classrooms. Another population we’re focused on serving, particularly with our close proximity to Fort Liberty, is military students. Currently, 15% of our student population is military affiliated. We have an established Academic and Military Outreach office to ensure this specialized group of students has the support they need to be academically successful and obtain their degrees.
What strategies is UNCP employing to retain graduates within the local area?
Our primary strategy is the “Grow Your Own” concept, which means recruiting students from southeastern North Carolina with the idea that they are more likely to stay and work in their home region after graduation. For example, in recent years, studies show 70% of our nursing students and 80% of our social work graduates stay in southeast North Carolina to practice after graduation. UNCP’s affordability and accessibility are critical in enabling local students to get their degrees and often return to live, work, and serve in their communities. The “grow your own” concept is also contributing outside of healthcare professions as we work with our local community colleges and K-12 systems. For instance, a local K-12 system approached us to increase the number of teachers in their county. Starting this fall, we will recruit from their county, have students get their associate degree at a local community college, and then transfer to UNC Pembroke. This pathway, which is fully funded, requires them to teach in their home county for a year or two after graduation.
In addition, we are focusing on strengthening our ties with regional employers and expanding internship and job placement programs. Through our on-campus Career Center, we’ve established an agreement with state agencies to create pathways with for students to pursue internships or entry-level jobs at graduation. Our Center emphasizes career readiness, offering services like resume workshops, mock interviews, and networking events.
How did the biomanufacturing training session align with the university’s broader goals?
We teamed up with North Carolina Central University (NCCU through the Biotechnology Research and Information Technology Education (BRITE) Institute for this important effort. As the only historically American Indian university involved in the HBCU/HAIU coalition, UNCP was the first to start – in January of this year. The demand was significant, and the program had a waiting list for enrollment. These courses are free, and the training is completed within two weeks. Those who successfully complete the program leave with a certification that allows them to get a job in bio-manufacturing either here or in Raleigh. Hopefully, some will go on to a two-year community college or come to UNC Pembroke. Even if they don’t, they have a qualification in hand to get a good-paying job. The median household income in Robeson County is $38,500, so a job paying $50,000 a year can change lives and give families new opportunities.
Similar to our biotechnology training partnership, UNCP has partnered with NC State University and its Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein to increase internship opportunities and contribute toward diversifying the workforce of the industry field by bringing it to rural communities.
What role does technology play in enhancing student learning and engagement?
Technology impacts everything and helps connect us globally. One positive outcome from COVID-19 was that we were able to upgrade all our classrooms with advanced technology and increase the use of online learning. Every classroom on this campus is now equipped for synchronous learning, allowing us to broadcast and synchronize classroom sessions with online students.
Students today learn differently, and technology helps us to expand and enhance the way we teach. For example, students in our health programs can use virtual dissection tables to study the human form and practice procedures. We have a nursing simulation lab that uses cutting-edge simulation technology to provide a realistic and immersive environment for students to practice and refine their skills, enhance their clinical knowledge, and, ultimately, improve patient care.
New fields of study like our four-year cybersecurity program are also a result of the continuing growth of technology. Likewise, campus resources are advancing to ensure students have the opportunities and resources to set them ahead in their chosen career path, such as our immersive Cyber Lab and state-of-the-art trading room in the Thomas College of Business and Economics.
Student engagement also includes the overall campus experience and the resources available to students outside of academics. Technology has also influenced campus life. We now have a competitive e-sports program, which has received great interest among our student body.
What is the importance of partnerships with other institutions for UNCP?
From day one, the need to collaborate has been a high priority. Having partnerships in place contributes to the opportunities to which our students have access. We’ve developed ‘Pathways to Success’ where students who graduate from UNCP have access to highly competitive programs and fields. These pathways include an early assurance agreement with ECU’s Brody School of Medicine. Students who come in as freshmen saying they want to be doctors go through a rigorous vetting process. After passing our interview process, two students per year are designated as Brody Scholars, which means a full ride at UNC Pembroke. They are assured a position at Brody School of Medicine if they maintain the appropriate GPA and meet all the requirements. Similarly, we have early assurance agreements with ECU’s School of Dental Medicine, UNC Chapel-Hill’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and with NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, we have a 3+2 engineering program with NC State, where students spend three years here and two years there, graduating with degrees from both institutions. We are continually looking for opportunities to collaborate that will create pathways for our students to pursue professional programs upon competition of their undergraduate studies.
Just as important as the partnerships that take our students into professional programs after graduation are the pathways that lead students to UNCP. Through our strong relationships with our regional community colleges, we’ve developed partnerships that allow students to start at their local community college and transfer into UNCP to complete four-year degrees in teaching, business, and cybersecurity.
What do you envision for UNCP over the rest of this decade?
As I prepare to begin my tenth academic year as Chancellor, a decade is an interesting perspective to consider. Knowing the university’s work over the last few years, it’s clear that UNCP’s road to 2030 will be exciting and ambitious. We are positioning ourselves well, with an emphasis on academic excellence. We will continue to expand programs in in-demand fields in health sciences, computer science, cybersecurity, and business, and the launch of an optometry school will be significant. And we will continue to identify areas of need, like agriculture. We’re in the early stages of establishing an agricultural program, due to the growth in plant crops and animal farming within our region.
With the strong support of the UNC System Board of Governors and our legislators, with over $200 million invested in this campus in the last eight to nine years, there’s a lot going on at UNCP and we look forward to continued growth. It’s an exciting time to be part of BraveNation, and to see the possibilities that lie ahead. Through the growth we’ve experienced, and that to come, our faculty and staff have remained, and will remain, steadfast in their dedication to student success. That success looks uniquely different for each of our students, but we emphasize the importance of finding their “why” in life and knowing whatever their goals may be, they can achieve them here at UNCP.
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