ENGELHARD — Beaufort County Community College is making a college education more accessible to residents of Hyde County.

As part of a collaborative project between BCCC, Hyde County officials and Beaufort-Hyde-Martin Regional Library, four rooms will be utilized at the Davis Center in Engelhard for classes and public library resources.

Stacey Gerard, vice president of continuing education at BCCC, said the college will offer college- and career-readiness classes, a computer lab for career-readiness certification and Nurse Aide I and II courses — operations that will take up three out of four open rooms at the Davis Center. The classes will be offered for the upcoming fall semester, she said.

“It’s very similar to what we did in Washington County,” Gerard said, referring to BCCC’s new center in Roper. Kris Noble, Hyde County economic development planner, and Bill Rich, county manager, approached the college about employing the same system in their county, she said.

“After we met with them, we went down, (and) we took a look at this facility,” Gerard said.

The fourth room is being put to use by BHM Library, and is scheduled to be up and running around May, according to Gerard. That room will also have computers for patrons to use.

She said setting up the classes took a little longer because BCCC has to have the Nurse Aide lab approved and move in classroom furniture. The only cost shouldered by the college, however, will be for instructional materials and the instructors.

“They’re allowing us to use the building, and they’re taking care of any capital cost,” Gerard said.

She said this is ultimately a way for BCCC to reach out to more residents and offer them the opportunity for more education.

“We’re just hoping to, you know, have classes and programs that are more accessible to the citizens in Hyde County,” Gerard said.