CHARLOTTE, NC  - UNC Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College are teaming up to give students more educational opportunities. The 49er Next program makes transferring to UNC Charlotte easier for students at CPCC. 

As long as students at CPCC earn an associates degree, they'll get help from a team of advisers to help them transfer to UNC Charlotte. 

As part of the program, CPCC students also get access to financial planning help, they can use UNC Charlotte's campus, and they'll receive discounted lightrail passes all while completeing  their education at CPCC. 

The goal is to make sure students have as many opportunities as they can to get a great education and get a great job. 

Elli Pineda is a first-generation college student, and says being part of the 49er Next program is opening new doors for him. 

"You’re in a program that is focused to help you transfer. So they’re going to help you make sure the classes you’re taking are the correct classes that you need, they’re also going to be making sure that you’re doing great in your classes," he says. "They’re checking up on you, they want to make sure when you transfer it isn’t going to be overwhelming on you.”

The program was officially launched in August with 111 students in the pilot class.