North Carolina Central University News November 23, 2015 NCCU News: New NCCU End Zone Program to Assist Returning Students North Carolina Central University<http://www.nccu.edu/index.cfm> will kick off the End Zone Initiative <http://www.nccu.edu/endzone> in spring 2016, a new Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral and Social Sciences aimed at helping students to return and complete their undergraduate degrees. The program was approved by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors at its Oct. 29, 2015, meeting and will feature interdisciplinary studies designed to prepare students for the diverse challenges of the modern workplace. Currently, there are approximately 1.5 million students, across the UNC system institutions, who have "stopped out" or left school without earning a degree. It is part of the University of North Carolina System's strategic goals to find better ways of helping those students return to class and graduate. "We are thrilled that North Carolina Central University provides yet another gateway to opportunity for those whose pathway to finishing higher education was interrupted but now choose to complete their degrees," said Dr. Debra O. Parker, Dean, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. To earn the degree, students will complete 124 hours of coursework, including 30 hours drawn from any of the nine core disciplines: social work, psychology, political science, human sciences, criminal justice, public health education, physical education and recreation and sociology. Additionally, students will earn a concentration in any discipline. The degree prepares graduates for a variety of occupations through skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, data analysis, problem solving, interpersonal skills, flexibility, and strong oral and written communications. Data from 2014 on www.NCWorks.gov<http://www.ncworks.gov/> indicates that customer-service, problem solving, interpersonal skills and flexibility were the top four job skills listed for all job openings advertised online in North Carolina. For more information, send inquiries to endzone@nccu.edu<mailto:endzone@nccu.edu> or visit www.nccu.edu/endzone<http://www.nccu.edu/endzone>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance/ 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.