JAMESTOWN — GTCC is among a group of North Carolina community colleges that will share a $495,000 grant to help more students earn degrees.

Completion by Design is a program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help low-income students graduate from college. GTCC, Central Piedmont Community College, Davidson County Community College, Martin Community College and Wake Tech will share the money. It will be used to enhance and develop initiatives that will retain students and quickly move them through a certificate, diploma or degree program.

College leaders who attended a news conference Thursday said they expected the initiatives developed using the grant will be replicated throughout the state's 58 community colleges.