Our Mission

The mission of the ECU/NC State Collaborative is to bring university resources to eastern North Carolina, empower local communities through education and support student success and regional economic well-being. It aims to partner with community colleges to ensure smooth transfers for students, create teacher pipelines in rural areas and foster collaboration between students, faculty and community partners to meet regional challenges.

History

Each year, the North Carolina Department of Commerce evaluates the economic well-being of all 100 counties across the state, assigning Tier designations based on levels of economic distress. The 40 most distressed counties are classified as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

Located just 60 miles east of Raleigh-Durham, Rocky Mount is situated within a Tier 1 county — one of many in eastern North Carolina facing significant economic challenges at the time.

Recognizing the need to expand advanced educational opportunities in the region, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1239 in May 2004. The legislation was designed to extend advanced educational access to eastern North Carolina through the creation of the Gateway Technology Center.

A pivotal moment came when North Carolina Wesleyan College generously donated land for the project. By 2006, that land became home to the Gateway Technology Center — an innovative partnership uniting local businesses, private and public universities, community colleges, and K–12 school systems.

It was within this collaborative environment that the ECU / NC State Collaborative was established, creating new pathways for higher education, workforce development and regional economic growth in eastern North Carolina.