BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 14, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Barnes & Noble College (BNC), a Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) company and leading solutions provider for higher education, today announced it will partner with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T) to manage the N.C. A&T Bookstore, transitioning store operations in November.
Recognizing Barnes & Noble College’s outstanding product assortment, customer experience and support, N.C. A&T has chosen to end its relationship with its previous provider and partner again with BNC as its exclusive campus retail partner. BNC’s strategic vision and approach better align with N.C. A&T’s mission to deliver a high-quality and affordable education that will support student academic success and instill Aggie Pride.
Through this partnership, Barnes & Noble College will offer an expansive selection of affordable course materials, a seamless omnichannel retail experience and a dedicated store management team that will help facilitate the academic and collegiate journey for N.C. A&T students, faculty, alumni and families.
“We are excited to partner again with Barnes & Noble College,” said Angela Peterson, Associate Vice Chancellor of Campus Enterprises at N.C. A&T. “This collaboration will continue to enhance the bookstore experience for our students, faculty and staff. We look forward to a successful partnership that will drive academic excellence and student success.”
Through BNC’s First Day® Complete equitable access course material program, N.C. A&T students will have access to all required textbooks, lab manuals, access codes and digital materials in a convenient bundle before the first day of class at an average student savings of 35-50%, beginning with the Spring 2025 semester.
By delivering all course materials via one highly convenient concierge service, First Day Complete ensures all students have access to all their required course materials on or before the first day of class, allowing them to engage with course content from day one, making them better prepared and facilitating their academic success. The program offers academic freedom for faculty by allowing them to select the best course materials for their curriculum and leverage BNC’s deep relationships with more than 6,000 publishers, creating a one-stop, simplified experience.
“We’re honored to partner again with North Carolina A&T — a premier, tier-one research university with a national reputation in STEM education,” said Jonathan Shar, Chief Executive Officer, Barnes & Noble Education. “This reestablished partnership underscores our shared commitment to academic excellence and innovation in providing exceptional course material solutions and best-in-class retail services to the N.C. A&T community. We’re also excited to relaunch our First Day Complete affordable access course material program, which will improve affordability and enhance student academic preparedness and success.”
The N.C. A&T Bookstore will offer an expanded assortment of Aggie apparel, gifts, school supplies and more. Through BNC’s strategic alliance with leading collegiate licensed merchandiser Fanatics and Lids, BNC will deliver an unparalleled assortment of apparel and an exceptional retail experience for the N.C. A&T campus community. Merchandise will be available in-store and online through the bookstore website, and delivered with a dynamic and personalized experience for students, faculty, families, alumni and fans.
N.C. A&T is the largest and one of the top-ranked public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institutions in the country and one of 20 HBCU institutions that partner with Barnes & Noble College, including Howard University, Florida A&M, Grambling State University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Barnes & Noble College, a Barnes & Noble Education company, operates 657 campus stores and their unique school-branded e-commerce sites and serves nearly six million college students and faculty nationwide. For more information about Barnes & Noble College’s campus retail services and academic solutions, visit www.bncollege.com.
ABOUT BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC.
Barnes & Noble Education, Inc. (NYSE: BNED) is a leading solutions provider for the education industry, driving affordability, access and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide and ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Through its family of brands, BNED offers campus retail services, academic solutions, wholesale capabilities and more. BNED is a company serving all who work to elevate their lives through education, supporting students, faculty and institutions as they make tomorrow a better and smarter world. For more information, visit www.bned.com.
ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Established in 1891 as a land-grant institution, North Carolina A&T is America’s largest and top-rated historically black university (by Money magazine, “Best Colleges”), as well as its top-rated public historically black university (U.S. News & World Report, “Best Colleges 2021”). Serving a student body of nearly 13,000 in Greensboro, N.C., its presences include a main campus, a 500-acre university farm and operations at the Gateway Research Park and in the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. It is America’s top producer of African American engineers, agricultural scientists and recreational studies graduates, as well as math degree earners at the master’s level. For more information, visit www.ncat.ed.
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