Officials from Beaufort County Community College and the University of Mount Olive joined together on Thursday afternoon to sign an articulation agreement related to an associate’s degree in applied sciences at the community college.

The agreement means that students who earn an associate’s degree in agricultural business can now transfer their credits to the University of Mount Olive and complete a four-year degree in agriculture.

Dr. Crystal Ange, vice president of academics at Beaufort County Community College, said the school began the process of developing a partnership with Mount Olive last fall after hearing feedback from students studying agricultural business and the students’ families.

She said anyone who wanted to complete a four-year degree had to transfer to North Carolina State University, despite there being an agriculture program with the University of Mount Olive, which has a branch location in Washington.

“It’s taken us a good year to get to this point,” Ange said.

Dr. Barbara Kornegay, vice president of enrollment at the university, said the agricultural business degree creates “a nice, natural crosswalk” to the four-year agriculture degree at Mount Olive.

She said one of the university’s main objectives is helping community college students finish their degrees, and building stronger connections with the community college helps make the transition smoother for the students.

“Our first cohort was of 15 students, which was huge,” Ange said, referring to the new agricultural business track leading to transfers for the bachelor’s degree. “(Billy Ray Askew has) been awesome recruiting and retaining.”

She said one of the advantages of the agreement is students can finish their education without having to leave Beaufort County, cutting the cost of having to find housing away from home and allowing them to remain close to family.

During the 2014 to 2015 school year, the cost for in-state students taking between one and 15 credit hours is $72 per semester hour. For out-of-state students taking between one and 15 credit hours the cost is $264 per hour.

Kornegay said there are spots open for transfers into the four-year agriculture degree, and the school is enrolling students now.