(The Center Square) – Presley Holland Freeman is a North Carolina mother with two young children and a full-time preschool teacher.
She wanted to complete an undergraduate degree in psychology so she could go on to become a school counselor. But that goal was challenging with two toddlers, a husband who also works full time and an hour commute each way from her Selma home to the campus at East Carolina University in Greenville.
A program offered by the University of North Carolina System designed specifically for those who work full time jobs, made it possible for Freeman to finish her degree in two years, which included transfer credits from her previous college work. The program, Project Kitty Hawk, allows students the option of earning a degree remotely while still working full time in their day jobs.
Freeman graduated in December. She attended the graduation in person on campus.
“Graduating and walking across the stage is such an accomplishment,” Freeman told TCS. “Without Project Kitty Hawk, I truly wouldn’t have been able to.”
Project Kitty Hawk, launched in 2023, had 2,000 students by the fall of 2025.
It offers “Flight Path” degree programs through UNC System insitutions that are designed specifically for working adults.
The typical Kitty Hawk student is older than the traditional college student, works full time and is looking to complete a bachelor’s degree, Andrew Kelly, president and CEO of Project Kitty Hawk, told TCS.
“We specialize in building pathways to high quality degree and credential programs at UNC System universities,” Kelly said. “The programs themselves are delivered entirely online and span a number of different fields, many of which are directly related to critical work force needs of the state.”
Students can choose from among 15 different degree programs including one offering a master’s in business degree. There are health care related degree programs, including registered nursing and health administration.
There are also degree programs in technology fields such as cybersecurity.
When the Legislature created Project Kitty Hawk, it provided startup funding but required the degree programs to be self-supporting, paid for by student tuition.
“They charge essentially a market-driven tuition rate,” Kelly said. “They charge a little bit more per credit hour than you would find in an on-campus program but of course you don’t have to pick up and move and live on campus and pay for a dining plan and have all the student fees.”
Also, students can continue to work while earning their degrees, Kelly said.
While taxpayers are not paying for the degree programs, the students will likely earn more once they receive their degrees, increasing tax revenue for the state. Without Project Kitty Hawk, many of those students would probably enroll in online degree programs in other states, Kelly said.
“Those are tuition dollars that are going somewhere else,” he said.
North Carolina has a “world class” university systme, Kelly added.
“Wny not create the capability to reach far more working adults than we have historically?” he asked.
