Craven Community College partners with UNCW for new honors history class

CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Craven Community College (Craven CC) has partnered with the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) to provide a new history class.

Craven CC leaders say the class is called Introduction to Research and Discovery, taught by Kathryn Amerson, a Craven CC history instructor. The course is offered through UNCW’s Honors College.

The course helps students learn how to conduct research through online academic databases and find grants for undergraduate and graduate research. Students have access to Canvas, UNCW’s Learning Management System, and UNCW online resources, including their online library and databases, to assist in their work and give them more of a university experience.

The program began in early March and currently has 14 Craven CC students enrolled, the majority of which are Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members or in Craven CC’s honors program.

Craven CC is one of three community college partners, including Lenoir Community College and Cape Fear Community College. Each college was permitted to design its class according to the discipline of the instructor. Craven CC’s approach is history/humanities-based with a focus on ethical leadership.

“Through this course, Honors 191, UNCW is allowing community college students to earn university credit as they begin the process of scholarly research,” said Amerson. “When our students transfer to UNCW or elsewhere, they will have the advantage of immediately understanding how to navigate academic databases. The students are excited for this opportunity and seem to be enjoying the discovery of research tools.”

Amerson, who is also a PTK advisor, said she’s enthusiastic about being part of this new opportunity and hopes more students will benefit from it. Students will showcase their research process via Zoom on May 5. UNCW Honors College and community college partners will meet Craven CC honors students as they present academic research style poster board sessions.