News Archive | Pamlico Community College

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2024

Fourteen Men at PCI Earn AAS Degrees

August 29, 2024

Pamlico Community College instructors and administrators recently honored the perseverance and drive of 14 men who earned their associate degrees in Human Services Technology (HST) while housed at Pamlico Correctional Institution.

Family members and friends of the men – some of whom traveled from out of state – joined with PCI officials and others for the college’s special ceremony Aug. 29 at the Bayboro facility.

It was PCC’s second prison-based graduation ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic. A similar event took place with six HST graduates in May.

“Thank you for your persistence and to sticking with the program through all your trials and tribulations,” said Mary Grammer, the college’s coordinator of correctional education. “You should be very proud of yourselves.”

Thirteen of the graduates attended the ceremony, which took place in PCI’s visitation room. The missing graduate has been released from custody. Eleven of the 14 graduated with honors.

The 14 Summer 2024 honorees make up the most recent class of graduates in the college’s innovative Human Services Technology program, which was launched in August 2017. It’s designed to reduce recidivism among participants by teaching life skills such as anger management, avoiding substance abuse, maintaining family relationships, and other material.

Students who successfully complete the coursework earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in Human Services Technology (HST) from the college. Earning a college degree while incarcerated can give justice-involved individuals a critical advantage when seeking employment and going on with their lives after they’re released from prison, college leaders say.

Pamlico’s HST program is the first of its kind in North Carolina.

Graduate Mitchell Johnson said the program, combined with a renewed faith in God, had made him a better person.

“I’m a changed man,” he told the audience. “HST has helped me learn more about myself.”

Johnson held back tears as he acknowledged his parents, who had traveled from Bladen County for the event. He acknowledged they had done their best to raise him and his brother, but that he had mistakenly taken a dark path.

However, taking and passing all 23 courses in the college’s HST program had helped him to turn his life around, Johnson said.

“I wish this program was taught in all detention centers,” he said, thanking college and prison officials for their support and encouragement. “We are on our way to becoming positive members of society.”

Fellow graduate Paris Coleman also thanked college and prison officials for their support of the HST program. He singled out N.C. Sen. Norman Sanderson and former PCI Superintendent Faye Daniels for spearheading the HST initiative.

Coleman said he learned a lot about himself in the program, including why he struggled with anger and trust issues.

“There was a time when I didn’t think I’d see my 18^th birthday, much less earn a college degree,” the former Jersey City, N.J., man said.

By participating in the HST program, Coleman said he learned how to deal with his past, take control of his life and decisions, and to focus on positive action and service to others.

“Action behind words is how you stand on business,” he said, adding there were no shortcuts to success. “I want my legacy to inspire those in need of uplifting.”

In his keynote address, PCC Instructor Ronald Scott, who serves as chair of the HST program, told the graduates that he was proud of them and impressed by their resilience.

Noting the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and other obstacles, Scott saluted the graduates for their perseverance and confidence in themselves.

“Who you were when you started this program is not who you are now,” he said.

Scott told the men to understand that, once they are released, they would need to work harder and better than others because of their pasts.

“As you strive for excellence, rise above those who want to see you fail,” he said. “The world is yours to change. Go, and be a difference-maker.”

The 14 graduates are: Chandler Bible, Michael Caswell, Michael Chambers, Paris Coleman, Julius Davis, Willis Hodges, Elbert Horton, Ra’heem House, Hugh Johnson, Lonnie Johnson, Mitchell Johnson, Joshua Seagro, Keith Shropshire and Nicholas Tuccicaselli.

Pamlico Welcomes New Financial Aid Director

August 21, 2024

Pamlico Community College’s new Director of Financial Aid is ready to help new and returning students find the money they need to reach their educational goals and succeed.

Ashley J. Howell started her new job at the college on Aug. 12. The 25-year-old Beaufort County woman arrived just in time for Fall Registration, which is one of the busiest, most challenging times of the year at the college.

Fortunately for Pamlico students and her colleagues in Student Services, she is no stranger to the ins and outs of financial aid. Howell previously served as a financial aid counselor at Beaufort County Community College (BCCC) near Washington, and she is currently enrolled at East Carolina University, where she is working to complete her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

“I am excited to help students achieve their educational goals,” she said with a friendly smile.

Howell replaced former Director of Financial Aid Gretchen Steiger, who recently relocated to Florida with her children.

Vice President of Student Services Jamie D. Gibbs said Howell has been a great addition to the college staff.

“Ashley has hit the ground running,” he said. “She continues to provide the high level of customer service that has become expected here at Pamlico Community College.”

Howell grew up in Washington and graduated from Beaufort County Early College High School with both an Associate in Arts degree and an Associate in Science degree from BCCC.

Since graduation, she has stayed busy, first working in animal control and later in the BCCC financial aid office. Along the way, Howell attained a paralegal certification and is working on her real estate license.

Oh, and she also got married! She and her husband, Adam, have one son, Braxton.

For more information about the financial aid opportunities for students at Pamlico, please contact Howell at 252-249-1851, ext. 3026, or ahowell@pamlicocc.edu.

CCP Registration is Aug. 26-27 in Bayboro

August 19, 2024

Area high school juniors and seniors can get a tuition-free head start on a college degree or a great hands-on career by taking N.C. Career & College Promise (CCP) program courses through Pamlico Community College!

Registration for these courses is set for Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 26-27, at the college’s Mattocks Center in Bayboro, which is located next door to Pamlico County High School. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The courses, which are offered in both seated and online formats, are open to high school juniors and seniors who attend PCHS, Arapahoe Charter School, Pamlico Christian Academy or a home school.

The credits that high schoolers earn by passing the tuition-free courses at PCC can be applied to an Associate in Arts degree or an Associate in Science degree. The approved credits transfer to all public colleges and universities in North Carolina, and to many of the state’s private colleges and universities as well.

Additionally, CCP students can choose to explore hands-on career courses such as Cosmetology, Electrical Systems Technology and Welding while in high school, which can give them a head start on a great profession.

For more information about Career & College Promise courses, talk to your high school guidance counselor or contact Derek Godwin, PCC’s director of the CCP program, at dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu or 252-249-1851, ext. 3106.

Two Pamlico Men Study Environment in Iowa

July 22, 2024

The leader of Pamlico Community College’s Environmental Science Technology program and one of the program’s recent graduates traveled to Iowa recently to learn more about environmental issues and solutions and explore some of the career opportunities available in the field.

Instructor Zac Schnell and alumnus Russell Williams spent five days touring sites in and around Davenport, Iowa, a city of about 100,000 people along the Mississippi River.

The trip included visits to a limestone and shale mine, tours of habitat-restoration projects along the Mississippi River, and other stops.

It was organized by the Environment and Natural Resources Technology (EARTh) Institute at Central Carolina Community College and included environmental instructors and trainers from around the country.

“The trip itself was an absolute blast,” Williams said. “It was my first time doing anything like it and, admittedly, it was refreshing to accompany like-minded individuals on our visits.”

Pamlico’s Environmental Science Technology and Environmental Management Technology programs are the only community college programs of their kind in Eastern North Carolina. They are designed to prepare men and women for careers to help protect soil, water, and air quality.

Schnell and Williams said they and other Iowa trip participants learned a lot.

“There was a ton of topics that were covered, from why Iowa is so flat, the environmental impact that runoff from farms has, PFAS chemical exposure, as well as the effects various dams have had on the Mississippi River,” Williams said. “It was a great opportunity for networking and the sharing of information.”

He continued, “Zac, of course, made the entire experience even more entertaining. I’ve always known him to be an excellent leader within the classroom, but getting to see how he approached some of the topics discussed gave me a really good model for the type of teacher I’d like to be. I absolutely cannot express how thankful I am to have Zac as a mentor.”

Williams is working on his bachelor’s degree in middle-grade education through the distance education program at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). His teaching concentrations are in Science and Social Studies.

“Every science class that I took at PCC transferred over to UNCW, which has really reduced the amount of time I’ve had to spend there,” he said. “Throughout the program, I’ve gotten to do several field experiences at local middle schools as well as some one-on-one tutoring.”

Williams is on track to complete his bachelor’s degree later this year. His next goal is to pursue a master’s degree in Environmental Assessment, and he hopes to eventually teach at the community college level.

Schnell invites anyone interested in Environmental Science Technology and Environmental Management Technology to contact him at 252-249-1851, ext. 3115, or zschnell@pamlicocc.edu. Registration for the upcoming Fall 2024 semester is set for Aug. 6.

Zoom-based Course on Grant Writing Offered

July 15, 2024

Pamlico Community College can train men and women to secure the vital funding their organizations need to make a difference in the community and beyond.

The college will offer a virtual Grant Writing course beginning in August. It will be available in a Zoom-based format and will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Aug. 20 to Nov. 5.

Class times will be 7 to 8:30 p.m., and the cost will be $70.55. The instructor will be professional grant writer Monica Minus.

“It’s critical for non-profits and other community organizations to know how to secure funding from public and private sources,” said Lori Giles, the college’s chair for Continuing Education and Technical Programs. “This course is designed to equip men and women with the skills they need to create successful grant applications. It will be a helpful course for anyone interested in accessing funding for great community causes.”

Students who enroll in the course will develop effective grant-writing skills. They’ll also learn how to research funding opportunities, write narratives, and develop budgets to successfully manage their grants.

In years past, the Grant Writing course had been offered on Saturdays. Beginning last year, college officials started scheduling classes in the evenings to see if those hours better met the needs of participants.

“This semester’s Grant Writing course will be available during the workweek, which seems to be a better option for working adults,” Giles said, adding the course’s Zoom-based online format will save participants on transportation costs.

For more information or to register, call 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or email lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

Student of the Year Pursues Lifelong Goal

June 13, 2024

While the COVID-19 pandemic might have cost Angela Bateman a high-level job, it also provided her an opportunity to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

The Niagara Falls, N.Y., native was living in Cary, had recently turned 50, and had secured a new post as a vice president at a Raleigh-area firm when the virus hit, forcing schools and many businesses to close or move online.

Bateman, who has four children, decided at that point it would be best to homeschool her two youngest kids. That decision reignited a dormant passion for education and led her to enroll online at Pamlico Community College to chase a long-deferred dream.

“I got so much joy from it,” she said. “I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was little. It sounds like such a cliché, but it isn’t.”

Although she initially was hesitant to enroll in college because of her age, Bateman signed up for web-based classes and thrived.

She had become aware of Pamlico after helping her oldest son investigate and enroll in the college’s online Criminal Justice Technology program. He excelled at PCC, and his younger sister followed, enrolling in and passing several college-level courses online as a high schooler.

Bateman quickly overcame her own anxieties about becoming a non-traditional online student. She enrolled in the Partnership Teach program, a two-plus-two partnership between Pamlico and East Carolina University’s College of Education that’s designed for aspiring educators.

“The transition back to school, especially as a fully online student, was daunting but exhilarating,” she said. “Embracing this newfound enthusiasm, I overcame initial apprehensions about my age.”

Bateman successfully navigated challenging PCC courses in biology, precalculus, and others, all the while staying focused on her goal of becoming a classroom teacher. The hard work paid off, and she graduated from Pamlico in May with her Associate in Arts degree.

At the May 10 Commencement ceremony, she was presented with the college’s Academic Excellence Award and was recognized as the college’s 2024 Student of the Year. As the recipient of the Academic Excellence Award, she became Pamlico’s 2024 honoree in the N.C. Community College System’s “Great within the 58” list of high-achieving students.

Bateman credited the college’s small class sizes, supportive faculty members and staffers, and community-oriented atmosphere with helping her and her two oldest children succeed.

“It’s a wonderful college,” she said. “It’s small, but it was exactly what I needed.”

Bateman singled out Instructor Neil Callahan, who served as her academic advisor, for his help, support, and pep talks.

For his part, Callahan, who nominated Bateman for the Academic Excellence Award, said he was confident she would excel in her new career.

“Mrs. Bateman was a pleasure to teach,” Callahan said. “She was a great student with a great work ethic. This will serve her well.”

Bateman and her family now live in Wilmington. Now 53, she is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), where her two older children also are enrolled as students.

“We went from Pamlico and kind of migrated over to UNCW,” she said with a chuckle. Because she and her family now live in Wilmington, she chose to complete the final two years of her bachelor’s degree at UNCW rather than ECU.

Bateman hopes to become a kindergarten teacher after she completes her bachelor’s degree. She said she enjoys seeing children learn and grow.

“I hope to make a difference,” she said. “I hope to be that person for the child who doesn’t have a good homelife.”

Bateman also thanked Pamlico for helping her trade the corporate world for the classroom and thereby fulfill a childhood dream.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful place,” she said. “I would do it all over again.”

Day Camp Planned for Area Middle Schoolers

June 3, 2024

Pamlico Community College is inviting rising sixth–, seventh– and eighth-graders to take part in an informative, educational, and fun day camp in June focusing on the region’s beautiful natural surroundings.

The college’s Environmental Camp 2024 is set for June 24-27. It will be based at PCC’s Delamar Center but will include plenty of outdoor activities and field trips for participants.

Twenty (20) spots are available in the free day camp, which is designed to get middle school students excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Participants will receive lunch and snacks each day, as well as transportation to off-campus sites such as East Carolina University’s Queen Anne’s Revenge lab, Carrot Island near Beaufort, and the Lathan-Whitehurst Nature Park in Craven County.

A generous $5,000 grant from the STEM East Network is making it possible for the college to offer the day camp, which will take place daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’re going to be busy. We have a lot of exciting activities and trips planned for our four-day Environmental Camp,” said Derek Godwin, the college’s director of Career & College Promise and a key organizer of the event. “We hope to show the middle-schoolers how STEM concepts explain the wonders of our natural environment. We also want to let them know about the STEM-related career opportunities that could be available for them close to home.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the college had offered similar day camps for middle schoolers, including in 2018 and 2019. Pamlico has been able to restart the effort in large part because it has joined other area community colleges in the STEM East Network, which is a Greenville-based consortium of schools, colleges, employers, state and local governments, and others designed to enhance STEM learning opportunities that align with jobs available in Eastern North Carolina.

By participating in the STEM East Network, which is an initiative of the NC East Alliance, a regional economic development organization, Pamlico is part of a regionwide effort to expand learning opportunities for students and to grow the area’s skilled workforce.

“We are happy to be part of the STEM East Network, and all of us are grateful for the organization’s support of our day camp,” said PCC Acting President Michelle Willis-Krauss. “I encourage parents of rising sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders to check out this opportunity.”

Information about the day camp is available online by joining the camp’s Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pccsummercamp2024

Additional information is available by contacting Derek Godwin at 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, or dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu.

PCC Recognizes Top Employees for 2023-24

May 20, 2024

Pamlico Community College colleagues gathered for an End-of-Year Celebration in the Delamar Center on Monday, May 13, to honor the college’s top employees for 2023-24 and to enjoy a delicious potluck lunch.

Like last year, the presentation of the annual awards was the centerpiece of the event. It also provided an opportunity for colleagues to look back on the academic year, to get an update on the college’s operations, and enjoy each other’s company.

In previous years, most college awards for employees were presented at Commencement. In 2020 and 2021 during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentations were online.

The day’s first award – Instructor of the Year – went to Electrical Systems Technology Instructor Larry Monk. Interim President Michelle Willis-Krauss said Monk was a dependable and patient instructor who created a welcoming learning environment for students.

Members of Monk’s family were on hand to surprise him and to congratulate him on the award, which is voted on by students. He had received the college’s Alumnus of the Year Award last year.

The Pamlico Correctional Institution Instructor of the Year Award went to George Royal II, who works in the college’s Human Services Technology program. Willis-Krauss recalled how Royal, who was chosen for this year’s honor by his peers, wanted to notify his mother after he was interviewed and offered a job at the college.

Royal’s parents attended the May 13 event.

This year’s Adjunct Instructor of the Year Award went to part-time English Instructor Jimmy Lee, who was unable to attend the event. He also was honored as Adjunct Instructor of the Year in 2019.

This year’s Staff Member of the Year Award went to Christy Wicks, a computer technician. She was unable to attend the ceremony to accept the award, which was voted on by her colleagues at the college.

After enjoying the potluck meal, employees heard updates from Willis-Krauss and division leaders Jamie D. Gibbs, Lee Tillman, Nick Edwards, and Lori Giles. New employees also were introduced.

“Thank you, everyone, for the job you do here,” Willis-Krauss said as the event ended. “I really appreciate it.”

Six Men at PCI Earn PCC Associate Degrees

May 15, 2024

Pamlico Community College faculty and staffers recently celebrated the academic achievements and perseverance of six men who earned their associate degrees in Human Services Technology (HST) under very challenging circumstances.

The six – Nicholas Bannerman, Douglas Burris, Joshua Evens, Jeremy Hannah, Dwayne Robinson, and Matthew Schmieder – are housed at Pamlico Correctional Institution (PCI) in Bayboro. Despite their surroundings and the multiple complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues, the six men stuck with the college’s HST program completed the coursework and graduated with honors.

They were recognized at a special ceremony at the prison on May 10. It was the college’s first prison-based graduation since the pandemic.

“We celebrate the hard work of you six men,” said Mary Grammer, the college’s coordinator of correctional education at PCI, during the ceremony. “The sky is the limit from here. I see bright futures for all six of you.”

The six men make up the most recent class of graduates in the college’s innovative HST program, which was launched in August 2017. It’s designed to reduce recidivism among participants by teaching life skills such as anger management, avoiding substance abuse, maintaining family relationships, and other material.

The HST program, which is the first of its kind in North Carolina, has made a difference for Hannah.

“It has truly been a life support,” he said in remarks during the ceremony.

Evens, another graduate, said completing Pamlico’s program culminated a long road that took him from college dropout to drug addict to convicted felon to now a PCC graduate.

“Prison saved my life,” he said during the ceremony.

As a younger man, Evens had enrolled in college, where he was a procrastinator and a partier. He left school in 2009 with a load of debt, got into drugs and crime and eventually found himself incarcerated.

To pass the time, Evens focused on reading, finishing some of the same books he should have read as a student.

“I knew I had to make my time count rather than count my time,” he said, adding that he discovered a love for learning.

Evens heard about PCC’s HST program, got transferred to PCI so he could enroll in it and thrived. Even when COVID and other issues at the prison disrupted instruction, he and his classmates stuck with it.

Now he has earned a degree.

“Prison has accomplished its goal,” Evens said. “It has corrected me.”

Several graduates had family members at the ceremony. Milissa Ganey-Bannerman drove from Wilmington to show support for her son, Nicholas.

“He loves school,” she said. “He was my only child who cried if he couldn’t go to school.”

Also present were PCC instructors, PCI officials, and others.

Later in the ceremony, PCC Instructor Ronald Scott, who serves as chair of the HST program, told the six graduates that he was proud of them and moved by their experiences. He told them they had shown great resilience and said they should not doubt their abilities to accomplish great things moving forward.

“We all have a history. We all have a past,” Scott said. “On the other side of struggle is greatness. Don’t ever doubt yourself. Dream big. Don’t waste this journey. Don’t waste a thing.”

Pamlico Class of 2024 Enjoys Commencement

May 13, 2024

Accomplishments were celebrated and new adventures were started as Pamlico Community College celebrated its 57^th Commencement Exercises Friday, May 10, at the Delamar Center on the Grantsboro campus.

Despite the stormy weather outside, the mood inside the auditorium was joyous. Hundreds of family members, friends, community leaders and others were on hand to salute this year’s graduates and to congratulate them for their hard work and perseverance.

In her opening remarks, Interim President Michelle Willis-Krauss told the members of the Class of 2024 to stand up, turn around and thank their family members and friends in the audience for their support. She also had the prospective graduates thank the college’s faculty members for their efforts to help them succeed.

Nearly 50 of the 117 men and women who qualified for recognition over the last year in the college’s curriculum and Continuing Education programs took part in the ceremony. Overall, the Class of 2024 earned a combined 178 academic and Continuing Education credentials, including 31 associate degrees, 10 diplomas, 64 certificates and 73 Continuing Education recognitions.

The Class of 2024’s youngest graduate is 16, and its oldest graduate is 67.

Pamlico County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Johnson gave the Commencement address. A former agriculture and horticulture teacher, the superintendent compared the steps in a student’s academic career to the process of growing a tomato plant.

“We can learn a lot from a tomato plant,” he said.

Johnson told the graduates tomato plants begin as delicate seeds that must be started indoors under appropriate conditions. As the seeds grow into small plants, they must be transplanted into an outdoor environment where they can thrive.

Energy-draining suckers that develop on the plants must be removed so the specimens can focus on growing taller and developing fruit, Johnson said.

“You have shown discipline,” he said. “You have to put those first things first. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t able to do that.”

As they become larger, the plants need staking for support, Johnson said.

If everything goes well and the steps are followed, a tomato plant will grow tall and strong and will bear fruit, which will contribute to the dinner table.

Successful students have been through a similar process, Johnson said, adding that a countless number of people, including family members, educators and others, have played important roles in each student’s life.

“As you graduate tonight, I hope you think about those people,” he said.

Later in the ceremony, the college honored Angela Bateman as its Academic Excellence Award recipient and Student of the Year. She earned an Associate in Arts degree from Pamlico this year and is planning to enroll at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) to study education.

PCC Vice President of Student Services Jamie D. Gibbs presented Bateman with her awards, which included a plaque, a medallion, and a congratulatory letter from the state Community College System president.

Rebecca Baker, who was unable to attend the ceremony, was honored as the college’s Alumnus of the Year. A 2002 graduate of the college’s Electroneurodiagnostic Technology program, Baker now works as the leader in the Neurophysiology Lab at ECU Health Medical Center.

“It’s clear to those who work alongside her that her commitment to patient care and the well-being of her staff are her top priorities,” said PCC Vice President of Financial Services Lee Tillman, who announced Baker’s selection as Alumnus of the Year. “She is highly respected, loved, and valued by her staff and co-workers. She works hard to ensure that all the needs of the department are met each day.”

Following the award presentations, the graduates were called across the stage one by one to receive their credentials and to pose for a photo with Willis-Krauss.

PCC Chair of Continuing Education and Technical Programs Lori Giles announced the names. When the graduates had received their respective credentials, Willis-Krauss pronounced them graduated and instructed them to turn the tassels on their caps as the audience cheered.

PCC Trustee Vickie Moseley-Jones gave the welcome message at the ceremony, and pianist Paula Murray provided the music.

A reception with refreshments followed the ceremony.

Commencement Set for Friday at Delamar Center

May 6, 2024

Tassels will be turned, hugs will be given and futures will be launched when Pamlico Community College hosts its 2024 Commencement Exercises this Friday, May 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Ned Everett Delamar Center on the college’s Grantsboro campus.

One hundred seventeen men and women in the college’s curriculum and Continuing Education programs have qualified for recognition over the last year.

Those students have earned a combined 178 academic and Continuing Education credentials, including 31 associate degrees, 10 diplomas, 64 certificates, and 73 Continuing Education recognitions.

The Class of 2024’s youngest graduate is 16, and its oldest graduate is 67.

“Commencement is the most joyous day of the year for all of us at the college,” said PCC Interim President Michelle Willis-Krauss, who will preside over this year’s ceremony. “We look forward to celebrating our students and their accomplishments, and all of us will be saluting their families for the sacrifices they have made to help these students reach their educational goals.”

Pamlico County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Johnson will give the Commencement address. He has worked in public education for more than two decades, including serving as a teacher, school administrator, and system leader.

During the ceremony, the college’s Academic Excellence Award/Student of the Year winner will be announced. The college also will honor its Alumnus of the Year.

A reception with refreshments will follow the ceremony.

Instructor Discusses Uses of AI in Education

April 22, 2024

Public Radio East (PRE) reporter Ryan Shaffer recently interviewed Pamlico Community College Environmental Science Technology Instructor Zac Schnell on campus for an upcoming story on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom.

Schnell has been an advocate for the use of AI in education and other fields. In fact, he is scheduled to make several presentations about AI at conferences across the state in the next few weeks, including at events in Alamance, Buncombe, and Randolph counties.

The PRE segment is scheduled to air soon. For more information, visit the New Bern radio station’s website at https://www.publicradioeast.org/pre-news.

For more information about the college’s Environmental Science Technology program, please contact Schnell at 252-249-1851, ext. 3115, or zschnell@pamlicocc.edu.

Online Courses Set for Billing, Coding

April 15, 2024

Pamlico Community College again will be offering an innovative lineup of online courses in medical and dental billing, coding, auditing, and more that are designed for men and women who are interested in both working from home and being a part of the area’s growing health care sector.

Experienced Instructor Allyson S. Woolard, a Carteret County native who owns and operates a medical and dental billing, coding, auditing, and consulting company, will teach the courses, which have been designed for convenience.

Some of these classes are standalone, while others are parts of an online program and must be taken in a specific order. Students who take and pass multiple courses will be more versatile and will increase their employability.

Men and women who successfully complete their respective courses and/or programs will become qualified to work in the fast-growing field of medical and/or dental billing, coding, electronic medical records, and auditing. Additionally, successful students will be eligible to test through the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC) for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification, which is a valuable credential to have when seeking employment.

“We are thrilled Allyson Woolard is back to teach these online courses, which are perfect for people who are interested in potential stay-at-home jobs,” said Lori Giles, the college’s chair of Continuing Education and Technical Programs. “The jobs available could be ideal for stay-at-home parents and others. The healthcare sector needs trained coders, auditors, and administrative personnel, and we are pleased to help meet that need.”

The healthcare business increasingly relies on trained billers, coders, and auditors to make the payment process work between medical and dental providers, public and private insurance companies, and patients. Much of this work is outsourced to third parties, which has created a robust job market, particularly for men and women who want to work from home.

“A lot of billing and coding jobs are remote,” Woolard said. “The COVID-19 pandemic sent people home across many industries, but especially in billing and coding. Many of these jobs remain out of the office. There is a great need for trained employees in this industry, especially in dental billing and coding, where training is hard to find.”

Students who complete Pamlico’s medical billing and coding programs will be eligible to work with outpatient providers, including physicians’ offices, urgent care centers, and emergency rooms, and those who choose the dental billing and coding track would be well suited for any dental office, including dental specialty groups. The college is working to develop a Medical Coding course for inpatient facilities, as well.

Registration for these courses is open now. Each course costs $180.55, plus textbooks, and financial aid is available for qualified students.

Pamlico’s upcoming online lineup includes:

* Medical Terminology, which is set for April 29 to Aug. 16. Students who complete this course then can take Medical Billing, which will take place Aug. 19 to Dec. 13, and then Medical Coding, which is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2025, to April 25, 2025.

* Dental Terminology, which is set for May 15 to Aug. 19. Students who complete this course then can take Dental Billing and Coding, which is scheduled for Aug. 26 to Dec. 13.

* Electronic Health Records, a standalone course set for May 20 to Aug. 9.

* Medical Administrative Assistant, a standalone course set for June 3 to Sept. 20.

* Anatomy and Physiology for Medical Coding, a standalone course that is scheduled for Sept. 9 to Nov. 15.

* Medical Auditing, a standalone course scheduled to run from Sept. 16 through Jan. 17, 2025.

* Medical Legal Issues, a standalone course scheduled to run from Sept. 23 to Dec. 13.

* Medical Office Procedures, a standalone course that will be offered from Jan. 6, 2025, through April 25, 2025.

For more information about enrolling in these courses, please contact the college at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

Two Bayboro Programs Enjoy Easter, Spring

April 3, 2024

Students and instructors in the college’s Cosmetology and Esthetics programs recently celebrated Easter and Spring Break!

Students in both programs enjoyed an Easter egg hunt inside the Cosmetology Building in Bayboro to kick start the excitement for spring break, which was set for April 1-5.

Additionally, Beginning Cosmetology students took part in an Easter-inspired hairstyling contest. Participants fixed their mannequins’ hair in interesting styles and added makeup and decorations.

Their entries then were judged by the advanced Cosmetology students and Esthetics students. Prizes were awarded to the first-, second, and third-place finishers.

Cammie Farrar won first place in the contest, Autumn Schroeder finished second and Samyiah Maiden finished third.

Similar hairstyling contests took place in the Beginners’ class on Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day.

The instructors enjoyed watching the students participate and had a few treats themselves! There were Easter bags for everyone!

For more information about the college’s Cosmetology or Esthetics programs, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3130.

Nominate a Grade for PCC Alumnus Award!

April 3, 2024

What do actor Tom Hanks, the late baseball star Jackie Robinson, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, and author Amy Tan all have in common? They each attended community colleges and became leaders in their fields!

The Pamlico Community College Foundation is now inviting nominations from faculty, staff, current and former students, and members of the community for the 2024-25 PCC Alumnus of the Year. You may nominate more than one person, but only one is chosen for the award.

Please submit your nomination(s) in this format:

Name of person being nominated, place of employment, and title (if employed)
Contact information of the person being nominated
Your name and contact information
Two or more paragraphs telling us why the nominee should receive the award.

How do they make their community a better place to live?
What personal or professional accomplishments of theirs do you admire?/li>
List any leadership roles and community service activities, and any other qualities that make them stand out.
How did PCC positively impact this candidate?
How will this individual’s story reflect positively on PCC?
Include the nominee’s work history and education history if you know it.

Be descriptive and make your candidate(s) come to life, which will assist our selection committee in selecting a recipient.

Larry Monk, a 2012 PCC graduate who currently leads the college’s Electrical Systems Technology program, was honored as the Alumnus of the Year for 2023-24. He was recognized at last year’s Commencement ceremony.

Submit your nominations by close of business Wednesday, April 17, to Heather Arevalo at harevalo@pamlicocc.edu. You may choose to remain anonymous.

For more information, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3084.

Get Caught Up or Get Ahead This Summer!

March 18, 2024

Summer is a great time for students to enroll in the tough-to-get courses they need for their programs, to get caught up in their studies, to get ahead in their coursework, or even to try something new!

Pamlico Community College will be offering a robust slate of curriculum courses this summer to meet the needs of current students as well as men and women who might be enrolled in other colleges or universities.

The college has scheduled in-demand, transferable courses in biology, chemistry, communications, English, geology, history, math, music appreciation, psychology, sociology, and more. Courses in career programs such as Criminal Justice Technology and Electrical Systems Technology also will be available.

Additionally, PCC will be offering seated courses in hands-on curriculum programs such as Cosmetology and Welding Technology.

Registration for the Summer Term officially opens on Monday, March 25. Summer Term courses will begin May 20 and will conclude July 29.

“Pamlico’s Summer Term is a great opportunity to take a class or two to get ahead or get caught up after a rough semester,” said Counselor/Career Center Director Cristy Lewis Warner, who works with students from other institutions. “Current PCC students and those visiting from other community colleges or universities will find a small college with a big heart ready and willing to welcome them into our learning community.”

All of Pamlico’s transferable-credit courses will be offered in a convenient online format, and students who successfully complete them will be able to use the hours earned here at PCC, at another N.C. community college, or at a University of North Carolina system member institution.

Many private colleges and universities also accept these credits.

“Taking classes over the Summer Term can move you closer to finishing your degree, whether here or away,” Warner said. “As the weather gets hot, heat up the pace of your education by planning a few Summer Term courses to get ahead. Because they’re offered online, you’ll still have plenty of time to work a job or enjoy some days at the beach.”

Neil Callahan, the college’s director of academic advising, said enrolling in Summer Term courses was a fantastic option for high-schoolers who are enrolled in Career & College Promise (CCP) courses to earn additional college credits.

“Current CCP students who are rising seniors and those graduating after May 20 have a unique opportunity to take advantage of transferable course offerings at PCC this summer,” he said. “For rising seniors, you can get a head start on finishing up your CCP Transfer Pathway. For graduating seniors, you can gain a few extra courses to take with you when you apply to four-year institutions. The best part of all of this is that these courses are tuition-free! You can save hundreds and thousands of dollars before you go off to college.”

Pamlico’s Summer 2024 curriculum course schedule is posted on the college’s website at https://pamlicocc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024SU_Schedule_3.13.24.pdf

Current PCC students who are interested in Summer Term courses should speak with their advisors. New and visiting students should contact Student Services at studentservices@pamlicocc.edu or by phone at 252-249-1851, ext. 3001.

Dialysis Tech Course to Start March 18

March 11, 2024

There’s still time to register for the next session of Pamlico Community College’s Dialysis Technician course, and there is financial aid available for qualified students.

The short-term training program, which teaches men and women to operate the hemodialysis machine (a piece of lifesaving equipment used to filter dialysis patients’ blood) is scheduled to start on Monday, March 18.

It will be offered in a hybrid format, meaning some classes will meet in person in the evening from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., and other coursework will be available online.

Cost of the course is $180.55, and financial aid is available for those who qualify.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for people who want to get into health care or who want to enhance their health care credentials,” said Lori Giles, the college’s chair of Continuing Education and Technical Programs. “There is strong demand for dialysis technicians, and our program prepares men and women to meet that need.”

The Dialysis Technician program, which began in August 2021, is part of the college’s ongoing commitment to offer more short-term training programs that respond to industry needs and that can lead to good jobs in all sectors, including in the area’s growing healthcare field.

Kacynthia Ingram, a New Bern nurse who is originally from Ohio, leads the Dialysis Technician program. Her students learn the theoretical, technical, and clinical skills needed to maintain dialysis equipment and to provide care to patients being treated for chronic renal diseases.

Classes include hands-on lab activities with the college’s state-of-the-art dialysis machinery.

A critical part of the program is learning to deal with dialysis patients in a kind, compassionate, and empathetic manner. Patients undergoing dialysis can visit clinics up to three times per week for three- to four-hour-long appointments, so it’s important for technicians to learn the skills necessary to make clients feel at ease.

For more information or to register for the Dialysis Technician course, please contact Lori Giles at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

Oyster Revival Brings Hungry Crowd to PCC

February 26, 2024

A hungry crowd of roughly 200 people enjoyed 22 bushels of oysters, devoured eight crockpots of delicious homemade chili, and most importantly, raised funds for student scholarships at the 12^th Annual Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff last Saturday at Pamlico Community College.

Final totals are not yet available, but the popular PCC Foundation event, which took place in and around the college’s Delamar Center, raised thousands of dollars to help students accomplish their academic goals.

Saturday’s event marked the first time the PCC Foundation had hosted the Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff since November 2021, and it was the first one since the passing of longtime chief organizer and PCC Foundation Executive Director Michelle Noevere, who died in August 2023 after a battle with cancer.

“I hope Michelle Noevere is looking down at us and smiling,” said current PCC Foundation Executive Director Heather Arevalo, who spearheaded Saturday’s event. “We are so thankful for all of the support we have received from our generous community, and I want to personally thank all of the volunteers who helped make this event a success. Thank you so much!”

The late Dr. Cleve Cox, who served as the college’s president in the early 2000s, conceived of the event as a way for the community to come together, socialize, and raise money for a good cause.

Saturday’s event was just that.

The crowd began arriving even before the event’s official 3 p.m. start time. Familiar faces from past Oyster Revivals stood side-by-side with newcomers as a team of cooks prepared and delivered piles of the briny delights to outdoor shucking tables.

Meanwhile, attendees lined up inside the Delamar Center to serve themselves chili and to visit with their neighbors. At a table near the serving line, judges Missy Baskervill (Pamlico County commissioner), PCC Vice President of Student Services Jamie D. Gibbs, and Pamlico County Emergency Management Director/Fire Marshal Chris Murray sampled and scored each entry in the chili contest.

Talented local musicians Hoff’n’Finch provided the entertainment outdoors. Picnic tables were available for sitting and eating, while some visitors brought their chairs so they could sit outside, enjoy the music, and visit with their neighbors.

The weather was nearly ideal.

PCC employee Albert Krelie Jr. won first place for his “Big Al’s Crazy Chili,” narrowly beating Donna Simons and her “Creamy Chili”. Krelie and Simons each will receive a trophy, some prizes, and of course, bragging rights for a year.

Bobby Cahoon won the 50-50 raffle, announcing he planned to donate his $272 share to the Pamlico County Republican Party. Arevalo’s daughter, Ashlynn, pulled the winning ticket.

Several door prizes donated by area businesses were also given away.

The Foundation wishes to thank area businesses and individuals for agreeing to be sponsors, including Pearl Sponsors Jim and Michelle Krauss and Dr. Sherri Hicks of Oriental Village Veterinary Hospital.

Briny-level sponsors included Dr. Garnett Whitehurst, Access East – Farmworker Health Department, and Dan Roberts of Edward Jones Investments. Chili Cookoff Sponsors were Brantley’s Village Restaurant of Oriental and The Insurance Center of New Bern.

Prize donors included Bayboro Pharmacy, Ben Wynne – Champion Sports & Fitness, Minnesott Yacht Golf & Country Club, Nautical Wheelers, New Village Brewery, Pamlico Gifts, PCC Cosmetology and Esthetics, and Zac Schnell.

Supply donors were Allyson Woolard, Cristy Lewis Warner, Jennifer Paul, Joe Flynn, Kathy Mayo, Kim Hough, Kim Taylor, LaTanya Bryant, Laura West, Lee Tillman, Martha Whitford, Rhonda Tillman, Sandy Wall, Starr Murphy, Susan McRoy and Tina Ormond.

For more information about the PCC Foundation, call 252-249-1851, ext. 3084.

Two Bayboro Programs Wrap Up a Busy Month

February 15, 2024

Students and instructors in the college’s Cosmetology and Esthetics programs have had a busy February!

Advanced Cosmetology students and Esthetics students have been assisting clients with a Valentine’s Day-themed pampering package that included a 30-minute strawberry and chocolate facial, plus a shampoo, blow-dry, and style.

Meanwhile, the Beginning Cosmetology students took part in a Valentine’s-inspired hairstyling contest on Feb. 14. Participants fixed their mannequins’ hair in attractive “upstyles” and added makeup and decorations.

Their entries were then judged by the advanced Cosmetology students and Esthetics students. Prizes were awarded to the first-, second, and third-place finishers. The winners, pictured, from left, were: Haleigh Murray, who won first place, Samyiah Maiden, who won second place, and Autumn Schroeder, who took third place.

Similar hairstyling contests took place in the Beginners class at Halloween and Christmas.

To top it off, Esthetics Instructor Shanna Lewis celebrated her birthday this month!

For more information about the college’s Cosmetology or Esthetics programs, which are headquartered in Bayboro, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3130.

Mills Cousins Choose Post-Military Careers

February 12, 2024

Two area men who served the country in uniform are successfully transitioning to rewarding careers in electrical work with a little help from Pamlico Community College.

First cousins Mike Mills, 43, and Justin Mills, 34, say they are attracted to work installing and servicing electrical wiring and equipment because of the earning potential and the opportunity to work with their hands.

Both men sought to improve their prospects by enrolling in the college’s Electrical Systems Technology program.

Mike Mills, who served 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, graduated from the program in 2022 and is now working to secure his state electrical license. Justin Mills, who spent 15 years in the U.S. Army, is enrolled in the program now.

Both men also work with electricity on side jobs, most recently helping install wiring and other electrical equipment at a residential construction site in Pamlico County.

“I knew I wanted to get in the construction trades when I got out of the Coast Guard,” said Mike Mills. “The electrical program gave me a good baseline. Work allows me to apply what I’ve learned.”

The college’s Electrical Systems Technology program trains students to install and maintain electrical and electronic systems found in homes, businesses, and industrial sites.

Coursework, most of which is hands-on, includes topics such as AC/DC theory, basic wiring practices, programmable logic controllers, industrial motor controls, applications of the National Electric Code and other subjects.

Students can earn a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree, and there are certificate options available.

Like his cousin, Justin Mills knew he wanted a hands-on career after his military service. His father is a licensed electrician, which helped him narrow his focus.

Justin Mills said aspects of working with electricity reminded him of his Army job as a jumpmaster and his work as an EMT: You must follow rules and adhere to important guidelines or people get hurt – or worse.

Both men said PCC’s Electrical Systems Technology program taught them how to troubleshoot malfunctioning systems and to solve problems. Those skills are handy, particularly as plans change and evolve during residential construction, Mike Mills said.

Justin Mills adds the skills learned in the program also help when you discover wiring and switches that have been installed incorrectly.

The Mills cousins encourage men and women who think they might be interested in the field to enroll in the program and see what it takes to work with electricity.

Larry Monk, a 2012 graduate of the program, is the lead instructor. For more information, contact him at lmonk@pamlicocc.edu or 252-249-1851, ext. 3029.

Great Oyster Revival Coming to PCC Feb. 24

February 5, 2024

After a 2½-year hiatus, the Pamlico Community College Foundation is resuming one of its most popular fundraisers. It has scheduled the 12^th edition of the Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff for Saturday, Feb. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Grantsboro campus.

This year’s event has been returned to the traditional fourth Saturday in February date, but, like the last Oyster Revival in 2021, it will take place outside the college’s Delamar Center rather than in the courtyard outside the Student Lounge.

Organizers say participants can look forward to indulging themselves with all-you-can-eat salty oysters as well as samples from multiple crockpots of enjoyable homemade chili prepared by some of the area’s best cooks – all for a good cause.

Local musicians Hoff’n’Finch will provide the entertainment. The event will take place rain or shine.

“We are very excited about bringing back the Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff,” said Heather Arevalo, executive director of the PCC Foundation. “We are hoping to host a large crowd, and we expect the food to be delicious, as always. Most importantly, we hope to raise money to fund student scholarships here at Pamlico Community College.”

For years, the Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff took place in late February. However, the COVID pandemic forced organizers to move the 2021 event to November.

Even more difficult decisions had to be made in subsequent years after the late Michelle Noevere, the PCC Foundation’s former executive director and the event’s chief organizer, began a courageous battle with cancer.

Both the 2022 and 2023 events were canceled. Noevere, a longtime champion of the college, died Aug. 7, 2023.

“It feels a little strange to host the Great Oyster Revival & Chili Cookoff without Michelle, but she would certainly want us to resume this tradition because it helps so many students achieve their educational goals,” Arevalo said. “We’re going to do our best to host a great event. We’re inviting the community to bring their friends and join us for an afternoon of food, fun and great music.”

Tickets for the event are $30 each, with “chili-only” tickets available for $15 each. Tickets are on sale at the PCC Bookstore, Nautical Wheelers (both the Oriental and New Bern locations) and Bayboro Pharmacy. Tickets also are available online at www.pamlicocc.edu.

As in previous years, oyster eaters will stand shoulder-to-shoulder outdoors at large tables to shuck and eat their fill. Inside the Delamar Center, event participants will be able to sample the various chilis entered in the cookoff.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own gloves, knives and condiments. Iced tea and bottled water will be provided, and participants can bring their own beverages.

In addition, area cooks are invited to enter a crockpot of their best chili for the cookoff. The first- and second-place winners each will receive a trophy, a prize and bragging rights. Chili entries will be due by 2 p.m. on the day of the contest.

The Foundation wishes to thank area businesses and individuals for agreeing to be sponsors, including Jim and Michelle Krauss, Dan Roberts of Edward Jones, Dr. Sherri Hicks of Oriental Village Veterinary Hospital, Nautical Wheelers, and Bayboro Pharmacy.

“We’re inviting everyone to come out and support the college and its mission of helping community members improve their lives through higher education,” said PCC Acting President Michelle Willis Krauss. “It’s going to be a great day.”

For more information, please contact the PCC Foundation at 252-249-1851, ext. 3084, or harevalo@pamlicocc.edu.

Spoil Your Sweetie – or Yourself – at PCC

January 26, 2024

It’s time to spoil your sweetie – or yourself!

Pamlico Community College’s Esthetics and Cosmetology departments will be offering their popular Valentine’s gift package on Feb. 13, 14, and 15!

The pampering package will include a 30-minute strawberry and chocolate facial performed by Esthetics students, plus a shampoo, blow-dry, and style done by Cosmetology students.

Appointments are required. Times are 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

The cost is $16. The location is PCC Cosmetology Building off N.C. 55 (Main Street) in Bayboro.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3130.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

UNC System Virtual Transfer Fair

January 17, 2024

We hope 2024 is off to a great start. We are excited to announce the upcoming Spring 2024 UNC System Virtual Transfer Fair, January 30^th – February 1st. Event registration is now open.

This UNC System Virtual Transfer Fair is designed to provide prospective transfer students and community college advisors the opportunity to gain transfer-specific information from each UNC System university as well as connect attendees directly with representatives from each institution. The event schedule is available now- we are excited to have 15 universities participating (5 on each day of the event)! We appreciate your help in advertising this event and look forward to a great fair designed to support transfer students across the state.

Special Note: This event is targeted at transfer students who have completed college coursework after high school graduation; admissions and advising information shared may not apply to Early College, Middle College, and other dual-enrolled high school students.

Welding Grad Returns to PCC as Instructor

January 12, 2024

A former student is now one of the instructors in Pamlico Community College’s Welding program.

Brittany Wolf, who earned her associate degree in Welding Technology from the college in 2018, has returned to campus as one of the program’s two full-time instructors.

She started working at the college in October and began her first full semester earlier this month.

Before returning to PCC, Wolf worked as a welder at two private sector companies. She said the thought of teaching at her alma mater appealed to her from the moment she was made aware of the possibility.

“(Instructor) Joe (Flynn) called and said they had an opening,” Wolf said. “I thought I’d apply and give it a try.”

Welding is one of the college’s most versatile learning options. Students can earn curriculum certificates, diplomas, or an associate degree in the program, or, if they’re not interested in a credential, they can choose to take the short-term Welding Skills course through the college’s Continuing Education division and learn the basics.

Wolf, whose father is a professional welder, said she was attracted to the field because of its job prospects and pay.

“It’s fun, and I wanted something different than minimum wage fast food,” she said, adding that the ability to join pieces of metal together opens up the possibilities of building interesting things and being creative.

Even though the welding workforce has become more diverse in recent years, Wolf said she still has encountered a few men who say they don’t think women should work in the field.

“It’s water off a duck’s back to me,” she said. “I just let my work talk for itself.”

Wolf also notes nearly half of her students last semester were female, which suggests the future for women in the field is bright.

Wolf will be teaching both curriculum and Continuing Education courses in the year ahead. For more information about the college’s Welding program, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3058.

New Math Instructor Carries on Tradition

January 8, 2024

You might say Pamlico Community College’s new full-time mathematics instructor is carrying on the family business.

Meredith Glover, who started her new job at the college Jan. 2, grew up in a family of educators. Her mother is a retired high school math instructor and her father teaches economics at both Pitt Community College and Barton College.

Now the 26-year-old Morehead City woman is blazing her own trail as an educator. She joins the PCC faculty after three years as a math teacher at West Carteret High School and a previous two-year stint at Swansboro High School.

“I enjoy teaching the high-level math,” Glover said recently. “I’m looking forward to working with more mature students. I love teaching and seeing the light bulb go off for students.”

Glover replaces the late Paul Miller, a full-time PCC instructor who died during the Fall 2023 semester.

“I am aware of the situation,” she said. “I didn’t know him, but I want to do him justice. I want to do something he would look down and be proud of.”

Glover grew up in Wilson. She remembers being a good student in math.

“It was always my strong subject,” Glover said. “I like that it’s not subjective. With some thinking, things come together nicely and make sense.”

She graduated from Ralph L. Fike High School and enrolled at N.C. State University as an undecided major. Glover said she never intended to become an educator like her parents, but an experience in a math course at NCSU showed her she was a natural.

“It was a happy accident,” she said, explaining how she tutored a friend who was having trouble in the course.

“I found I really enjoyed it,” Glover said with a smile.

She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in math education at State in 2019 and earned a master’s degree in math and statistics in 2023.

Glover taught her first two years in Onslow County. In a happy twist of fate, Glover ended up succeeding her mother at West Carteret High School.

“I literally took her room over,” she said. “She handed me the keys. It was the coolest thing.”

After five years of teaching high school, Glover decided to give college-level teaching a try.

“I feel Ms. Glover will be a welcomed addition to our strong group of PCC faculty,” said Instructor Neil Callahan, who also serves as the college’s chair of general studies, among other duties. “During her initial interview, her ability to teach mathematical concepts in a way anyone can understand really shined through. Her background as a high school teacher will highly benefit our Career & College Promise students who take her courses as well. We are lucky to have her aboard.”

In addition to her duties as a math instructor, Glover also will serve as the academic advisor for the college’s Associate of Science and Associate of General Education programs.

2023

PCC Participates in Christmas Parades

December 12, 2023

More than 20 Pamlico Community College employees and family members represented the college in the Spirit of Christmas Parade on Dec. 9 in Oriental.

The college’s float featured giant gingerbread men, candy canes, lollipops, and candies. Brightly colored tinsel and wrapping paper completed the attractive entry.

Most PCC participants rode aboard the float or on the college’s pickup truck. A few, including Vice President of Student Services Jamie D. Gibbs, Instructor Zac Schnell, and Bookstore Manager Paula Meola, walked the parade route to hand out candy.

Special thanks go to Meola, Laura West, and everyone else who worked on the college’s float. Thanks also to everyone who donated candy for the event.

The college also planned to participate in the Pamlico County Christmas Parade in Bayboro on Dec. 16.

Electrical Tech Class Tries New Goggles

December 4, 2023

Students in Pamlico Community College’s Electrical Systems Technology program recently got to try out some virtual-reality and augmented-reality goggles in class and then were asked for their opinions about their effectiveness as teaching tools.

Yilei Huang, an associate professor in East Carolina University’s Department of Construction Management, brought the devices for class members to try. He then used a five-page survey to collect their thoughts on whether the goggles were helpful for lab exercises.

The students generally agreed the augmented-reality goggles were preferable to the virtual-reality versions, saying the virtual-reality goggles made some of them dizzy and disoriented.

“They’re very immersive, like being in another world,” said PCC Electrical Systems Technology Instructor Larry Monk, who also gave both kinds of goggles a try.

Huang had programmed the augmented-reality goggles to match the setup of an in-class electrical lab at PCC. He and an assistant from ECU recorded all of the class members’ input for use by the university.

It was great for PCC students to get a look at some of the most advanced teaching technology, PCC officials said. The exercise also will help the college continue to build partnerships with ECU and others, they said.

The college’s Electrical Systems Technology program trains students to install and maintain electrical and electronics systems found in homes, businesses, and industrial sites.

Students can earn an Associate of Applied Science degree, and there are certificate options available.

Monk, a 2012 graduate of the program, is the lead instructor. For more information about PCC’s Electrical Systems Technology program, contact him at lmonk@pamlicocc.edu or 252-249-1851, ext. 3029.

PCC Medication Aide Course Now Scheduled

November 27, 2023

Pamlico Community College will offer its four-day Medication Aide course for current CNAs on Dec. 6, 7, 13, and 14.

Hours will be 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The cost is $70.55.

The course is designed for current CNAs who are ready to take on more responsibilities at work.

Interested? Contact Lori Giles at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

PCC Hosts Four-Year Colleges on Campus

November 20, 2023

Representatives of nine four-year colleges and universities visited PCC’s Johnson Building on Nov. 2 to meet with prospective transfer students and others.

The annual visit gives PCC students, area high schoolers, and others an opportunity to ask questions and weigh their options for transferring or enrolling at one of North Carolina’s four-year colleges and universities.

“It was an amazing day filled with conversations about careers and training pathways that start here at PCC and continue on to four-year schools throughout the state,” said PCC Counselor/Career Center Director Cristy Lewis Warner, who helped to host the visit. “It is always a day filled with information and exploration. The ability to ask questions large and small to these four-year schools and to get one-on-one answers directly from their staff is a powerful tool of connection.”

The participating institutions were Campbell University, East Carolina University, N.C. State University, N.C. Wesleyan University, Northeastern University-Charlotte, Salem College, UNC Wilmington, Western Carolina University, and Western Governors University.

Representatives set up displays at tables in the Johnson Building. They shared literature and fun giveaway items, answered questions, and gave area students a glimpse at what’s possible.

“To meet these four-year colleges face to face here in our community opens the door of communication for our students to learn more about the multitude of possibilities that exist for their futures,” Warner said. “It was encouraging to see so many middle and high school students explore their future education options, too.”

College Receives More National Recognitions

Pamlico Community College was recently nationally ranked as one of America’s very best community colleges for 2023 by national firm SmartAsset. Additionally, in a national ranking by the national website WalletHub, PCC has also been ranked as a top 10 national leader for 2023 among community colleges throughout the nation in student success.

SmartAsset, a New York-based personal finance technology company, recently analyzed federal data for more than 800 community colleges across America. Based on this analysis, SmartAsset highly ranked Pamlico Community College in its national report titled “Best Community Colleges for 2023”.

Of the 845 colleges SmartAsset analyzed, PCC is ranked at No. 12 on its list of America’s best community colleges for 2023. PCC President Dr. Jim Ross enthusiastically praised the “amazing PCC faculty and staff as the reason for this elite ranking.”

In addition, WalletHub, a personal finance website, recently once again ranked PCC among the top 10 community colleges in America for student educational outcomes.

“PCC faculty and staff serve with their hearts and truly want to make students’ lives better,” said Ross, “and this is seen in the elite ranking as No. 6 among community colleges throughout our nation in student educational outcomes.”

These national rankings, which were based on a review of federal education data and other materials, follow a strong string of national honors and recognitions Pamlico Community College has received in recent years.

Ross said, “These recognitions demonstrate how effective our faculty and staff are at helping students achieve their academic dreams so they can improve their lives and the lives of their families. It is an honor to work with these fantastic professionals.”

According to its report, SmartAsset analyzed data for 845 two-year colleges, ranking them based on their student-to-faculty ratios, retention rates and the cost of tuition and fees. Southeastern Community College in Whiteville took the top spot in Smart Asset’s analysis, and nine of the top 25 are from North Carolina.

“North Carolina’s community college system is the best in America in my opinion,” Ross said. “It is a tremendous asset for our state’s overall economic health, and it is appropriate to see our community colleges across North Carolina recognized for their exceptional work.”

Pamlico Community College has now been ranked five times among SmartAsset’s top 25 community colleges in the past seven years.

Meanwhile, WalletHub has once again ranked PCC in its top 10 community colleges nationally for students’ Educational Outcomes. This is the third time PCC has been ranked in the top 10 in the past four years.

According to the methodology it posted online, WalletHub determined its Educational Outcomes rankings by scoring 668 colleges on these factors: first-year retention rate; graduation rate; transfer-out rate; degree and certificates awarded per 100 full-time-equivalent students; student-faculty ratio; share of full-time faculty; presence of special learning opportunities such as dual enrollment or distance education programs; and credit for life experiences.

Southern Arkansas University Tech took the top spot in students’ Educational Outcomes, according to WalletHub.

In addition to its rankings by SmartAsset and WalletHub, PCC’s string of national recognitions has included a No. 1 ranking by Best Value Schools on its list of Best Community Colleges in North Carolina in 2021 and a designation as North Carolina’s best online community college for 2020 by Affordable Colleges Online (AC Online).

“I thank God for the remarkable blessings He has provided our college so that our caring employees can make lives better in Pamlico County, this wonderful community we proudly serve,” Ross said.

State Funding Secured for New Health Center

October 31, 2023

Persistent efforts of Pamlico Community College President Dr. Jim Ross to aggressively seek funds from the state legislature throughout this past year to begin a nursing program and multiple other in-demand allied health careers have proven remarkably successful. PCC has received a $20 million state appropriation from the General Assembly to build an Allied Health Center in Bayboro. This appropriation, by far the largest in PCC history, will enable the college to add multiple health care programs in high-demand, high-paying career fields, with nursing as its top priority to serve the community for decades to come.

Dr. Ross, who almost continually advocated with legislators for the funding, said the new facility will improve the lives of countless area residents while giving them hope for a brighter future.

“This is a fantastic blessing for the people of our community,” he said. “Our college’s primary focus with this historic funding is making lives better in a monumental way. When completed, this center will be a beacon of hope for the next century for our community. Generations of local residents will benefit by being able to access top-notch training for in-demand jobs in health care.”

Dr. Ross continued, “We thank our great friend Sen. Norman Sanderson for sponsoring the legislation that led to the appropriation being included in the Senate budget. We also thank Rep. Keith Kidwell for his strong support. Most importantly, I thank God for this amazing blessing of a lifetime for our college and community.”

Initial plans call for locating the center on college-owned acreage located beside the Mattocks Center in Bayboro. Dr. Ross said PCC will take its time to achieve excellence with this project and with the many programs that will be created.

“We’re going to take a very thoughtful and visionary approach,” he said. “We want to be imaginative and listen to all opinions on what is needed most. There are so many programs needed it will be a challenging task to narrow it down. We will be conducting additional community needs assessments and discussing options with colleagues at other colleges who have developed similar facilities.”

During Dr. Ross’s presidency, PCC has made adding Allied Health program offerings a key priority. The college has added several short-term health care programs through its Continuing Education division, including Cardiac Monitor Technician, Dialysis Technician, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Physical Therapy Aide, and others.

Additionally, PCC offers curriculum programs in Medical Assisting and Dental Laboratory Technology, as well as emergency medical responder courses.

However, Pamlico is one of only two community colleges in North Carolina without an Associate Degree in Nursing program (Martin Community College in Williamston is the other), which is something Dr. Ross and other college leaders began vigorously to address in 2017.

To that end, the college employed local nurse Karen Standen to begin investigating the feasibility of launching a nursing program at PCC. To ensure the program could function effectively and that its students could complete clinical work, Standen began establishing relationships with the area medical community.

Then came COVID-19. With greatly reduced funding available, the pandemic halted work on a possible nursing program and limited the college’s ability to explore other healthcare curriculum options. When Dr. Ross said goodbye to Standen at that time, he startled her with his optimism by vowing to call her in the foreseeable future and resuming the college’s pursuit of a nursing program until the goal is achieved.

Dr. Ross remained resolute, and this year, with help from area legislators, began pushing for state funding of an Allied Health Center that could house college healthcare programs, including nursing. With the funding secured in the state budget, the president reached out to Standen to restart the effort to bring a nursing program to Pamlico County.

“It was with great pleasure that I called Karen and asked her if she was still interested in nursing and expanded allied health programs,” Dr. Ross said. “Her response to me was, ‘That would be amazing.’”

Standen is now working in a consulting role.

“Karen Standen is extremely intelligent, hard-working, results-oriented, a great researcher, and absolutely driven to achieve the best allied health programs possible for our community’s citizens. She will be working closely with Vice President Michelle Willis and me in researching the possible programs. Our vision is that students can get good-paying jobs in health care within driving distance of Pamlico County and then return in the evenings to this beautiful community to raise their families,” Dr. Ross said.

Dr. Ross also has met in recent weeks with retired Randolph Community College President Dr. Bob Shackleford to get his insights. Randolph built a similar Allied Health Center – now named for Shackleford – recently.

In addition to the possible nursing program, PCC’s new Allied Health Center will have space for other “feeder” programs, such as Radiography, Respiratory Care, and others, Dr. Ross said.

Meanwhile, the college’s current array of short-term Continuing Education health care programs likely will remain headquartered at the Grantsboro campus. The renovation of a 2,000-square-foot space in the Johnson Building for those programs is now in the works, thanks to a $500,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation. It allows the expansion of numerous existing Continuing Education offerings and the introduction of others.

Dr. Ross said the Bayboro site for the new Allied Health Center is absolutely ideal because it’s centrally located and easily accessible. He also said its location near the current Pamlico County High School – and the future one – is also helpful.

The president said community residents will be kept informed as the project develops, and he added many will be asked to provide their input on the plans.

“We want this facility to be here to profoundly benefit our students, our college, and our community for a century to come,” Dr. Ross said. “It’s a win-win-win.”

College Mourns Sudden Passing of Instructor

October 9, 2023

The college community is mourning the death of Mathematics Instructor Paul Miller, who died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, after suffering a heart attack. He was a retired U.S. Marine and a native of Florida.

In an email to colleagues, Pamlico Community College President Dr. Jim Ross wrote, “He was an extremely dedicated and talented full-time Math instructor who cared deeply about his students. He was highly-respected by his students and his peers. Most importantly, he was a very good and decent human being striving constantly to make a difference in students’ lives. He made a great difference at our college, and he will be missed.”

The president continued, “I had the opportunity to frequently say hello to Paul and ask how things were going. He always lit up and told me with enthusiasm his latest joys in teaching. It was just three weeks ago that he and I talked at length at his request about a serious issue his students were having with one of the publishing companies that resulted in his students not getting books in a timely manner. I was very impressed by the passion that he exhibited during our conversations and the e-mails he copied me on as he led this battle. He was a warrior for our students in taking on this publisher and in the end his efforts brought success for our students. This is just one of a multitude of ways Paul’s students benefitted because of him.”

Ross added, “I called Paul’s wife Jennifer tonight (Saturday) at her request. She displayed amazing caring, love, and poise as we talked. She uplifted my spirit by caring so incredibly much for Paul’s students that this was her purpose for her wish to talk to me. In the midst of her shock and grief, it struck me that her heart was filled with such deep concern for Paul’s students who would expect to be taught on Monday morning. I was so thankful to her for allowing me to talk to her at such an important moment of her life so I could tell her how highly we thought of her husband. I told her I considered him not only an outstanding instructor but also a warrior for his students. I told Mrs. Miller how terribly sorry I am for her loss and asked her to let me know if I could help in any way, even if it was just by listening if she ever needed someone to talk to. She told me she will let us know when funeral services will be held. At that point, we will let you know about this.”

He concluded, “As I end this difficult to write e-mail, may I ask you, if you are so inclined, to join me in praying for Paul, for Mrs. Miller, and for all his loved ones? Faith and prayers for God’s blessings are never more important in my opinion and experience than at a time such as this. May I also respectfully suggest that you go to your own loved ones and give each of them an especially loving hug and tell them how much you appreciate them, how much you love them, and how much you treasure them in your life. We have a limited time in this miracle we call life to do so. None of us know when our lives or our loved ones’ lives will end. We do know, though, that they will end. Please don’t miss the chance to have the most important conversation you will ever have with those you love the most. Please let them know how you truly and deeply feel. May God bless you and all you love now and always.”

Tyndall Sisters Find Their Career Passions

October 9, 2023

Two Grantsboro sisters have already gotten head starts on great hands-on careers as teenagers by taking tuition-free courses through the N.C. Career & College Promise (CCP) program at Pamlico Community College.

Both 18-year-old Haley Tyndall and her 17-year-old sister, Autumn Tyndall, say the CCP courses, which are available to high school juniors and seniors, gave them experience in their chosen occupations while they were still high schoolers at Pamlico Christian Academy.

“They definitely have given us a head start,” said Autumn Tyndall, a PCA senior who is studying Cosmetology at PCC.

Her older-by-20-months sister, Haley, got her start in PCC’s Welding program while still at PCA. Now a high school graduate, she is on track to complete an Associate in Applied Science degree in Welding in 2025. In fact, she has nearly enough credits for an Associate in Arts degree from PCC in 2024!

“The Tyndall sisters illustrate that our Career & College Promise courses are not just for students who plan to go on to a university. They are also for young men and women who want to learn the skills they need to work with their hands and make a good living,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “Both of these young women will be prepared for the workplace as teenagers. We can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”

PCC has enrolled a record number of students in its CCP courses this semester. The program enables high school juniors and seniors to take college-level university transfer and career courses free of charge.

By enrolling and passing CCP courses, students can get a tremendous head start toward completing a four-year degree or starting a career. They also can save thousands of dollars.

The program is open to students at Pamlico County High School, Arapahoe Charter School, Pamlico Christian Academy or a home school.

Haley Tyndall initially planned to become a law enforcement officer, but, at the suggestion of PCC advisors, enrolled in the college’s Welding program instead. She discovered a passion for welding, which she plans to pursue as a career.

“I knew I wanted to do something hands-on,” she said. “I’m glad I took Welding. You can be kinda creative with it.”

Meanwhile, Autumn Tyndall said she chose to enroll in CCP Cosmetology courses after developing an interest in styling hair. Now 17, she is on track to earn both her high school diploma from Pamlico Christian Academy and her Cosmetology diploma from Pamlico Community College in early 2024.

She plans to work in a salon after graduation to build a clientele, then open her own shop.

Haley Tyndall hopes to find work at Cherry Point, and she might eventually open her own small business.

“Both Haley and Autumn are hard workers, so I know they’ll do well with the careers they’ve chosen,” said Derek Godwin, who oversees the college’s CCP program. “Whether students want to pursue a university degree or get started on a career, we can help.”

Ross added, “I’ve often said CCP courses are the best value I’ve encountered during my career in higher education. I urge high school students and their parents to explore the opportunities available right here in Pamlico County.”

For more information about CCP courses, please contact Derek Godwin at 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, or dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu.

October Will Feature New Slate of Courses

September 29, 2023

Pamlico Community College plans to launch a fresh slate of short-term courses in October that can help men and women enhance their job skills, explore new careers and enter the local workforce.

These courses are open to adult learners. Financial aid is available for qualified students.

“As a college, we have made a commitment to growing our lineup of short-term training programs for men and women who are interested in high-demand career fields or who want to become more valuable in their current jobs,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “One of the greatest features of these Continuing Education courses is that they start at different times throughout the year, which means our college always has something new to offer students. These programs vary from hands-on courses to others than can be completed online.”

October’s schedule will include:

* Grant Writing, which will be offered in a Zoom-based format. It will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from Oct. 3 to Nov. 9. Hours will be 6:30 to 8 p.m. Cost is $70.

* Smartphones and Tablets: iPhones, a course designed to help men and women operate their Apple devices. It’s scheduled to begin Oct. 6 and run through Nov. 10. It will meet Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m.

* Dialysis Technician, an evening course starting Oct. 9. It will meet from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays through Feb. 26, 2024. Cost is $180.

* Effective Teacher Training, a 30-hour online course that’s scheduled to start Oct. 16. Cost is $125.

* Medication Aide, a four-day course scheduled to start Oct. 19. Cost is $70.

* Forklift Training, a one-day training set for Oct. 21. Participants also will learn to use a power pallet jack. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $70.

* ServSafe, a one-day training set for Oct. 23. It will meet from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost is $70.

* Community Health Worker, a hybrid course scheduled to start Oct. 24. It will run through Dec. 14. Cost is $180.

* Notary, a one-day class scheduled for Oct. 28 in Bayboro. It will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $70, plus a book.

For more information about these programs or to register, visit the Continuing Education webpage at http://www.pamlicocc.edu/programs-continuing.php, contact the college at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or email lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

Grant Writing Course Features Zoom Format

September 18, 2023

Pamlico Community College can train men and women to secure the funding their organizations need to make a difference in the community. The college has scheduled a virtual Grant Writing course for this fall. It will be offered in a Zoom-based format and will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from Oct. 3 to Nov. 9.

Cost is $70. The instructor will be professional grant writer Monica Minus.

“Securing funding from public and private sources is critical for non-profits and other community organizations,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross.

“This course is designed to equip students with the skills they need to create successful grant applications. It will be a great course for anyone who is interested in accessing funding for great community causes.” In years past, the Grant Writing course has been offered Saturdays. This semester, college officials are experimenting with scheduling classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to see if those hours better meet the needs of participants.

“We talked about developing a schedule that doesn’t take up all of the participants’ Saturdays,” said Lori Giles, the college’s chair of Continuing Education and technical programs.

“This semester’s Grant Writing course will be available during the workweek, which might be a better option for working adults. We are eager to receive input on this decision.”

The course will include information on finding funding sources, writing narratives and developing budgets. The course’s Zoom-based online format will save participants on transportation costs, organizers say.

“The non-profit sector is vital to the well-being of any thriving community, and we are honored to offer this course to help organizations succeed,” Ross said. “There is funding out there to help. This course will help your organization secure it.”

For more information or to register for either course, call 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or email lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

Continuing Education Plans Busy September

August 29, 2023

While the Fall 2023 registration period for seated and online full-term curriculum courses at Pamlico Community College has passed, there are plenty of other opportunities available this semester to enhance your job skills, explore new careers and enter the workforce.

The college plans to launch a fresh slate of short-term Continuing Education courses in health care, education, diesel mechanics and other workplace skills in September. These courses are open to adult learners. Financial aid is available for qualified students.

“Our college continues to add new vocational programs for our community to train residents for good-paying jobs that are in-demand by regional employers,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross.

“The PCC Continuing Education division is already off to a strong start this semester, and there’s more to come in September and in the months ahead. We have a wonderful lineup of programs scheduled for men and women who are interested in high-demand career fields or who want to become more valuable in their current jobs. The programs vary from hands-on courses to others than can be completed online.”

September’s schedule will include:

* Phlebotomy Technician, a daytime seated class starting Sept. 5. It will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Jan. 31, 2024. Cost is $180.

* Community Health Worker, a web-based course scheduled to start Sept. 5. It will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through December. Cost is $180.

* Nurse Aide II, a daytime hybrid course starting Sept. 6. It will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through Nov. 29. Cost is $180.

* Dental Billing and Coding, which is a two-part, online program starting Sept. 11. Each part costs $180.

* Effective Teacher Training, a 30-hour online course that’s scheduled to start Sept. 11 and end in October. Cost is $125.

* Marine Diesel Engines for Boaters, an evening seated course for boat owners and hobbyists that’s scheduled to start Sept. 11 and end Oct. 19. Classes will meet Mondays and Thursdays. Hours are 5 to 7 p.m. Cost is $125.

* Medical Office Procedures, an online course that will begin Sept. 11 and will end Jan. 26, 2024. Cost is $180.

* Starting Your Garden Off Right, an evening seated course that will begin Sept. 11. It will meet Mondays from 5 to 8 p.m. through Oct. 16. Cost is $70.

* Marine Diesel Engines for Job-Seekers, a seated course for men and women interested in a career in marine diesel engines. This course, which has a different focus than the Marine Diesel Engines for Boaters version, is scheduled to start Sept. 12 and end in October. Classes will meet Tuesdays. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Cost is $70.

* Medication Aide, a daytime seated course for current CNAs starting Sept. 14. It will meet from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays through Sept. 22. Cost is $70.

* Medical Terminology, Billing and Coding, a three-part series of online courses that will begin Sept. 21. Cost is $180 per part.

* Forklift Training, a one-day training set for Sept. 23. Participants also will learn to use a power pallet jack. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $70.

* Notary, a one-day class scheduled for Sept. 30 in Bayboro. It will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $70, plus a book.

More great courses are set for October!

For more information about these programs or to register, visit the Continuing Education webpage at http://www.pamlicocc.edu/programs-continuing.php, contact the college at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or email:lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

President Encourages CCP Enrollment at PCC

August 21, 2023

Dear Pamlico County Parents,

As President of Pamlico Community College, I wish to let you and other parents of high school students know about the greatest value I have found in higher education. As your child is working with you to develop their high school class schedule for the fall, please consider an opportunity for them to take PCC college courses while still attending high school and earn full college credits without paying even one penny in tuition!

This program enables high school juniors and seniors to soon sign up to take our college classes this fall with no tuition charge. It is called the North Carolina Career & College Promise (CCP) program. Through this your child can earn most, or even all, of an associate degree from our college by the time he or she graduates from high school…and never pay a penny in tuition!

This program can give them a huge head start toward completing their bachelor’s degree by transferring the credits earned tuition-free at PCC to the university of their choice to complete the bachelor’s degree. By doing so, they can save your family tens of thousands of dollars that you would have spent for tuition!

Martin Guion, who works in the PCC Computer Services department, had his family save nearly $50,000 in tuition through this program! His three daughters took CCP courses as high school juniors and seniors and earned 45, 35, and 48 credit hours, respectively, and transferred those credits to Liberty University. Tuition for those credits would have cost nearly $50,000 at Liberty, without room and board! The daughters also saved a great deal of time. In fact, the youngest daughter earned her bachelor’s degree from Liberty at age 20.

When Riley Callahan graduated from Pamlico County High School, he took with him 50 hours of college credit to East Carolina University. His 50 hours of college credit equal a year and a half of college coursework. At ECU this would run about $11,000, without including room and board. “Take advantage of these classes,” Riley said. “They’re free and they’ll get you a head start on your future. It’s a great opportunity.”

Our program is open to local qualified students with good grades from Pamlico County High School, Arapahoe Charter School, Pamlico Christian Academy, or a home school program. I strongly encourage high school juniors and seniors to explore taking our CCP courses. These can help our local students get a college education without going deeply in debt and to get ahead fast. Please talk to your children about this.

There is truly no better bargain in higher education that I know of than tuition-free, transferable college credits. As the community college serving this wonderful community, it would give all of us here great satisfaction to know you have saved a great deal of money by taking part in this amazing opportunity.

By taking CCP classes, your child can earn PCC college credits that can be applied to an Associate in Arts degree or an Associate in Science degree that can then transfer to all state public and many private universities. Students can also earn credits in the many vocational and technical career pathways we offer.

Registration for the Fall semester is now open! Please have your child contact his or her high school guidance counselor, or contact CCP Director Derek Godwin at 252-249-1851, extension 3106, or at dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu. Registration will take place August 28 and 29 from 8 am to 3 pm at the college’s Mattocks Center in Bayboro. Please tell your loved ones about these dates!

Pamlico Community College is honored to be ranked this past year as the Number 1 community college in our nation for student success. This national ranking is from WalletHub after analyzing federal data from hundreds of outstanding community colleges across our nation. It is the second time in the past three years PCC was ranked Number 1 in the USA. This humbling honor is because of our amazing faculty and staff.

I thank God for the opportunity to serve as President the past seven years, to work with such caring and dedicated professionals, to serve such a wonderful community, and to achieve success for our students. I ask God to provide us favor as my colleagues and I seek more bold and noble goals to change many more lives.

Please contact me at jross@pamlicocc.edu or call 252-249-1851, ext. 3007, if I can ever help you in any way. Thank you for what you do as a parent, which I believe is the most important job in the world.

I wish your child a successful, safe, and healthy 2023-24 school year!

Take care,

Dr. Jim Ross

President of Pamlico Community College

Cosmetology Welcomes Back a Familiar Face

August 14, 2023

Pamlico Community College’s newest Cosmetology instructor wants to give back to the community by training students to help area residents look and feel their best.

Elethia Williams, a Beaufort County woman who grew up in Pamlico County and graduated in 2001 from Pamlico County High School, started her new job earlier this month.

She will teach the beginner Cosmetology courses while Instructor Debi Fulcher will handle the advanced courses. Williams replaces Instructor Christy Laney, who left the area.

Williams is eager to get started.

“I wanted to give back to the community,” she said. “I also want to instill the love of Cosmetology in students. I love Cosmetology. I love everything about it. I like all things beautiful.”

PCC President Dr. Jim Ross said the college is pleased to have Williams on board in time for the start of the Fall 2023 semester.

“Elethia Williams is a fantastic addition to our college, and we are pleased to have her with us,” he said. “She brings with her plenty of experience as an instructor and a business owner, and I know she will do an outstanding job.”

Williams, whose extended family still lives in the Vandemere area, said she first took an interest in Cosmetology as a middle schooler. She remembers styling her dolls’ hair, and then later being asked frequently by classmates to do their hair and makeup.

“It chose me,” she said with a smile. “I had a talent for it. My favorite thing to do is makeup.”

Williams was active at PCHS. She was a cheerleader, ran track and was a student government leader. After high school, she considered a military career, but then enrolled at PCC to study Cosmetology. She was among the first students to take courses in the then-new Cosmetology building in Bayboro in 2004.

Williams finished her training at Beaufort County Community College. She would go on to teach at both BCCC and as a substitute at PCC.

Williams also opened and operated a salon in Washington, first on a large scale and later in a smaller space downtown. The salon, named Hair Brows Makeup & Things Beauty Salon, sees clients by appointment, but will occasionally take walk-ins, she said.

Williams said a key step in training beginning cosmetologists is to help them get rid of their old habits and amateur ways and instead learn the proper skills and techniques used in the industry. Learning the basics and then honing their skills is a great way to start a rewarding career, she said.

“We teach them the basics,” Williams said. “It’s a learned skill. They can do it, but it takes work.”

On a personal note, Williams is engaged and has three children. She is planning a wedding in 2024, which, of course, will demand the use of her skills in hair and makeup.

In the meantime, Williams is gearing up for the new academic year at Pamlico.

“I’m excited to be back,” she said.

For more information about the college’s Cosmetology and Esthetics programs, including how to enroll, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3130.

PCC Mourns the Passing of Michelle Noevere

August 11, 2023

Michelle Noevere, executive assistant to Pamlico Community College President Dr. Jim Ross and executive director of the PCC Foundation, died Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer.

She grew up in Texas and was a graduate of PCC. Michelle had been named the college’s 2022-23 Staff Member of the Year in May.

In an all-employee email announcing Michelle’s passing to colleagues, Dr. Ross wrote:

Heaven has a new angel in it this morning.

I just received word that our beloved Michelle Noevere has passed away.

May God welcome our treasured colleague and dear friend to Heaven with open, comforting, and loving arms. May Michelle know how very much we all care about her, love her, and already deeply miss her.

Thank you so much to each of you who made her time with our college so joyous for her. She told me so many times how very much she enjoyed every day of working at PCC. What a blessing she was for our college for her amazing professional contributions but also because she was such an amazing, caring human being.

Her work for our college was incredible every single day of her employment. This was the case even as she fought heroically against cancer. She was incredibly positive and uplifting to others even in her most challenging days in fighting cancer.

Those of us who were allowed by God to know her during her life on earth have been made much better people because of being touched by her.

In fact, our lives will always be much better in the future because we have been blessed by knowing Michelle.

In a spirit of sincere appreciation, we thank God for allowing us to know Michelle. We thank Him for allowing our world to have this angel amidst us. She made our college so much better and made our world so much better.

It is now time for Heaven to welcome its newest angel.

May God be with all her family members now and always.

May God be with you— her treasured PCC family members— and your loved ones now and always.

Michelle, we love you now and always,

Jim Ross

A link to Michelle’s obituary

Fall Registration Now Underway at Pamlico

August 8, 2023

Registration for the Fall 2023 semester is underway at Pamlico Community College!

Faculty members and Student Services staffers are meeting with new and returning students this week to sign them up for curriculum courses, give them information about financial aid opportunities and provide them with advice and suggestions about their educational options.

However, if you are unable to get to campus this week, you’ll still be able to sign up for curriculum courses in the days ahead so you can get started on your academic journey this semester.

Seated courses will begin Aug. 14. Online classes will start Aug. 30.

Looking ahead, registration for Career & College Promise courses for high school juniors and seniors is scheduled for Aug. 28 and 29 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mattocks Center in Bayboro.

“Registration is a very exciting and optimistic time at Pamlico Community College,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “We want to make the registration process positive and convenient. We know many of our students have other responsibilities and demands on their time. That’s why we try to be flexible with people and treat them with respect and compassion.”

A friendly, supportive atmosphere is what new and returning students can expect to find at the college. WalletHub has ranked Pamlico the No. 1 community college in America for student success, and the college’s faculty and staff are here to help men and women reach their educational goals for Fall 2023 and beyond.

“Pamlico Community College offers a nationally recognized education, but we also offer a welcoming environment for students,” Ross said. “We invite area residents to check out what we have to offer for the Fall 2023 semester and to join us for the new academic year.”

For more information about registration, including financial aid and course selection, email studentservices@pamlicocc.edu, call 252-249-1851, ext. 3001, or visit Student Services in the Johnson Building on campus.

Seniors Eligible for Free Computer Class

July 18, 2023

There’s still time for adults ages 65 and older to enroll in Pamlico Community College’s free Basic Computers for Seniors course. Two sections of the popular course will begin in August.

The course, which is offered at the college’s Grantsboro campus, teaches senior adults the basics of operating a computer, including how to send emails, use the Internet and navigate software programs.

One session will begin Tuesday, Aug. 8, and will run through Dec. 5. It will meet from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays.

A second session will start for Thursday, Aug. 17, and will run through Jan. 4, 2024. It will meet from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays.

PCC is able to offer this course to men and women 65 and older at no charge through an ongoing partnership with Agape Love in Action, Inc., which is an organization led by Corliss Udoema.

“We are proud of this course and of our partnership with Agape Love in Action,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “PCC is a place for everyone to learn something new. I encourage senior adults to check out this course.”

PCC Chair of Continuing Education and Technical Programs Lori Giles said the course helps to demystify computers and the Internet for men and women who have not had experience with them.

“It’s exciting to see people who never thought they’d be able to use a computer to do so and to be comfortable with it,” she said. “The classes have a relaxed atmosphere, and participants have a great time.”

Students younger than 65 also can enroll in the course, but must pay the $70 fee.

For more information about the course or to register, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3015.

PCC Helps Students Secure Financial Aid

June 26, 2023

The time between the end of the previous academic year and the start of the Fall 2023 semester is a great time for new and returning students to make sure they have the financial aid they need to enroll in courses at Pamlico Community College.

In other words, that time is now!

Director of Financial Aid Gretchen Steiger and the college’s Student Services staff are available to help men and women complete the enrollment process before the Registration rush in August.

That process includes helping students find and secure the financial help they need.

“Pamlico Community College is blessed to be able to offer financial aid from a number of sources, including federal funds, state grants and local scholarships,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “Don’t let a lack of financial resources stop you from reaching your educational goals. I would urge anyone who is considering enrolling in college for the upcoming Fall 2023 semester to contact us as soon as possible to see how we can help.”

Financial aid sources include Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity grants, Federal Work-Study programs, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds and state grants. Additionally, the college has several local and institutional scholarships available for students who qualify, thanks to generous donors to the Pamlico Community College Foundation.

To determine your eligibility for many of these options, you will need to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The FAFSA is available at www.studentaid.gov.

PCC also is able to certify for VA Education Benefits. Only eligible veterans, dependents or active duty service members who have obtained eligibility with VA (or have received advance approval from their ESO or service if using Tuition Assistance) can utilize VA Education Benefits.

“The college has several financial aid opportunities and resources available to assist students in achieving their educational goals,” Steiger said. “Students can find information about these in the Financial Aid section of the college’s website at www.pamlicocc.edu.”

She continued, “To ensure consideration for scholarships and other awards, students should complete their 2023-24 FAFSA and turn in any other required documents by Aug. 9. Students can reach out to me to set up an appointment for assistance or with any questions about available opportunities at gsteiger@pamlicocc.edu or 252-249-1851, ext. 3026.”

Ross said the college is a great place for men and women to secure the education they need to improve their lives.

“Pamlico Community College is a wonderful place to discover a great career field or to get started on earning a four-year degree,” Ross said. “We are honored to be recognized as the top community college in America for student success, based on U.S. Department of Education data, and our tuition and fees are far lower than public or private universities. Contact the college today to see how we can match you with the resources you need to achieve your goals and dreams!”

Continuing Education Offers Summer Courses

June 12, 2023

Pamlico Community College’s Continuing Education division is staying busy this Summer with a slate of short-term, hands-on training courses designed to help men and women enhance their job prospects, become more valuable in their current posts and develop more self-reliance.

The courses include popular offerings in health care as well as hands-on classes in diesel mechanics and forklift training.

Two new sections of PCC’s popular Basic Computers for Seniors are also on tap.

“Staffers in our Continuing Education division are always looking to meet the needs of area employers and the community,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “They stay flexible, which makes them able to set up short-term training courses quickly to meet emerging trends. I encourage residents to see what we’re offering in the weeks ahead.”

Upcoming courses include:

* Marine Diesel for Boaters and Marine Diesel for Job-Seekers, which are scheduled to begin in July.

Instructor Stanley Feigenbaum of Pamlico County has created one course specifically for boat owners who wish to learn more about maintaining their vessels’ diesel engines. It is scheduled to begin Monday, July 10.

Feigenbaum also has created a separate course for men and women who are interested in maintaining marine diesel engines as a career. That course is scheduled to begin Tuesday, July 11.

* Forklift Training, a one-day class on Saturday, July 15, at the PCC campus in Grantsboro. Learn the basics of safely operating a forklift with this $70 course.

* Notary, a one-day course in Bayboro on Saturday, July 29.

* Basic Computers for Seniors, PCC’s popular free course for adults ages 65 and older. There will be two sections of the course – one will begin Tuesday, Aug. 8, and the other will start Thursday, Aug. 17.

The course, which teach adults the basics of operating a computer, is available through an ongoing collaboration with Agape Love in Action, Inc.

* ServSafe, a one-day training for food service workers, on Monday, Aug. 14. It will meet from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost is $70.

* Medication Aide, a short-term course for current CNAs, starting Aug. 16.

* Electronic Health Records, an online course designed to train individuals to maintain electronic and printed medical records. It’s scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 21. Cost is $180, plus a book.

* Medical Billing and Coding, a three-part online course designed to train entry-level medical billers and coders. The course starts Monday, Aug. 21. Each part costs $180, plus books.

* Nurse Aide I, an evening hybrid course starting Aug. 22.

* Pharmacy Technician, a hybrid course coming Aug. 24. Cost will be $180.

For more information about any of these courses or to register, please contact PCC’s Lori Giles at 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, or lgiles@pamlicocc.edu.

High-Achieving Stowe Wants to Help Others

June 5, 2023

Pamlico Community College graduate Mariah Stowe has the right prescription for success: Find something you want to do and then work as hard as you can to make it happen in short order.

That’s the way the 18-year-old Grantsboro woman has lived her young life, and it’s the right remedy to help her reach her goals of becoming a registered nurse and, eventually, a nurse practitioner.

The soft-spoken teenager, who recently earned her Associate in Arts degree with honors from PCC even before she graduates from Pamlico County High School, is the recipient of the college’s 2023 Academic Excellence Award and has been named PCC’s 2023 Student of the Year.

Stowe’s selection for the college’s top student prizes was announced during PCC’s 2023 Commencement ceremony May 12.

“I was definitely surprised,” she said with a chuckle.

For their part, instructors, friends and others who know Stowe say they weren’t surprised at all. Stowe has been taking on challenges and exceeding expectations for a while, they say.

“Mariah Stowe impresses me as someone who maximizes her time and looks for opportunities to excel,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “She has worked extremely hard in the tuition-free, college-level courses PCC offers high school juniors and seniors through the N.C. Career & College Promise program, and she has been rewarded by becoming one of six Class of 2023 PCHS seniors to receive their associate degrees during the same year they graduate from high school.”

The president continued, “She has the drive and determination she needs to succeed in her next challenge and beyond. All of us at PCC are very proud of Mariah and look forward to seeing what her bright future holds.”

Stowe grew up in Pamlico County and attended the county’s public schools. She has always done well in the classroom, even though high school algebra gave her a little trouble.

While attending Pamlico County High School, Stowe noticed how an older schoolmate, Sarah Henries, was able to take college-level courses from PCC and earn transferable college credits at no charge through the Career & College Promise (CCP) program.

“That was really what pushed me,” she said. “I was driven by her experiences and what I saw could happen, and then I saw myself in that place and how happy I would be.”

Encouraged by PCC Instructor Derek Godwin, who oversees the CCP program, and PCC Vice President of Instructional Services Michelle Willis, Stowe took on multiple college-level courses and thrived. She said her time in PCHS health science courses confirmed her desire to become a nurse, and the free college courses helped her complete prerequisite classes she would need.

Always looking to stay ahead, Stowe and a high school classmate took a Nurse Aide I course through the college’s Continuing Education division. Her experience in that course and its clinical component showed her she was on the right track.

“It’s definitely not for the weak,” she said. “But I was able to see through clinicals how much you can help people. It’s a good way to get out there and do your part.”

It’s important to Stowe that she do her part to help others. She said her younger brother’s experience with caring, compassionate health care providers showed her the difference individuals can make in the lives of a patient and his or her family – and that’s what she wants to do, too.

Godwin praised Stowe for her commitment to her studies and for her determination to succeed.

“Mariah’s remarkable accomplishment of receiving PCC’s Academic Excellence Award serves as a testament to her exceptional intellectual abilities, remarkable drive and unwavering commitment to academic excellence,” he said. “It has truly been an inspiration to watch her journey these past two years as a Career & College Promise student.”

During the May 12 Commencement ceremony, Vice President of Student Services Jamie Gibbs presented Stowe with a plaque and a medallion for her awards. As the recipient of the Academic Excellence Award, she became Pamlico’s 2023 honoree in the N.C. Community College System’s “Great within the 58” list of high-achieving students.

Stowe’s next stop will be Craven Community College in New Bern, where she has enrolled in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program. Her classes will begin in August.

She has the support and guidance of her family, including her mother, who is a PCC graduate. Stowe also has the knowledge that she has a leg up on her future, thanks in large part to the CCP program.

“Mariah has a big head start on her goals, thanks to the Career & College Promise program,” Ross said. “I often say it’s the best bargain in higher education.”

For more information about how high school juniors and seniors can take college-level courses tuition-free through PCC, please contact Derek Godwin at 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, or dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu.

PCC Seeks to Build Ties with FRC East

May 22, 2023

Leaders from Pamlico Community College, Fleet Readiness Center East and the Pamlico County Schools met May 22 to discuss ways to build partnerships and to create training pathways that lead to good-paying jobs for local students and residents at nearby Cherry Point.

“Our college strongly believes in partnering and making our community better,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross as he welcomed FRC East officials and representatives of the local public schools to the Delamar Center and praised each organization for their contributions to making lives better. “This is an important issue for our college to enter into this partnership with you.”

Ross went on to acknowledge the importance of the exemplary partnerships PCC has with community businesses, organizations, and non-profits and how this has helped the college better serve the community.

“We are thankful for today’s meeting as a very positive step to preparing Pamlico County residents for good local careers at Fleet Readiness Center East,” he said.

Michelle Willis, the college’s vice president of instructional services, said PCC and FRC East formerly had an apprenticeship program for the college’s Electrical Systems Technology students. Reinvigorating that and other learning partnerships would benefit Pamlico County students and residents, she said.

“We look forward to finding out what we can do to help our students and our residents get the training they need to go to Cherry Point and work,” Willis said.

FRC East is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in nearby Havelock. The facility employs about 4,000 people in the critical national security work of repairing and updating military aircraft.

Michelle Smith, STEM and Education Outreach Coordinator for FRC East, said she hoped the meeting would open lines of communication between FRC East, the college and the school system so new and productive partnerships could be explored.

“I’m a former teacher,” she said. “I want successful students.”

Following the initial session, FRC East representatives briefly toured the college’s facilities and heard from PCC officials about the programs and training courses available. The May 22 meeting had been organized after Smith and Willis struck up a conversation at a recent Career Fair at Pamlico County High School in Bayboro.

Graduation Ceremony Honors Class of 2023

May 15, 2023

Goals were accomplished, tassels were turned and new life adventures got underway during Pamlico Community College’s 56^th Commencement Exercises Friday, May 12, at the Delamar Center.

The mood at the evening event was joyous, with hundreds of family members, friends and community leaders on hand to salute the graduates for their achievements.

“You did it, didn’t you? You did it!” PCC President Dr. Jim Ross told the graduates, many of whom achieved their educational goals while balancing family demands, work and other commitments. “We’re so proud of you.”

The president and others also congratulated the graduates’ family members and friends and thanked them for their encouragement and support.

Sixty of the 133 men and women who qualified for recognition over the last year in the college’s curriculum and Continuing Education programs took part in the ceremony. Overall, the Class of 2023 earned a combined 184 academic and Continuing Education credentials, including 37 associate degrees, 10 diplomas, 55 certificates and 82 Continuing Education recognitions.

Cecilia A. “Candy” Bohmert, current vice chair of the Pamlico County Board of Commissioners and a member of the college’s Board of Trustees, gave the Commencement address. A 1996 graduate of the college, she encouraged the graduates to remain optimistic and to be open to new learning opportunities.

“When I graduated, I was 40. You’re not done yet,” Bohmert said.

She urged the graduates to keep chasing their dreams, even if it takes a while. Bohmert recounted how she almost didn’t pursue a job with the local Soil and Water Conservation District, but was encouraged to go after it by her husband.

Bohmert got the job, and “for 20 years, I lived my dream,” she said.

“Don’t despise your small beginnings,” Bohmert told the graduates, urging them to remain open to new things, to accept help and to surround themselves with people who want to see them succeed.

With the right education, attitude and people around them, members of the PCC Class of 2023 can do anything, she said.

“Leadership is all about influence,” Bohmert said. “You can change things. Don’t limit yourself by saying you can’t.”

Later in the ceremony, the college honored Mariah Stowe as its Academic Excellence Award recipient and Student of the Year. The 18-year-old Stowe is a senior at Pamlico County High School. She earned an Associate in Arts degree from the college through the N.C. Career & College Promise program and also completed a PCC Nurse Aide I training course, all before she is scheduled to receive her high school diploma.

Stowe was one of six PCHS seniors who were recognized for earning their Associate in Arts degrees the same year they earn their high school diplomas.

PCC Electrical Systems Technology Instructor Larry Monk was honored as the college’s Alumnus of the Year. Monk graduated from the program he now leads. He also was recognized for his work as a foster parent and youth coach.

Following the award presentations, the graduates were called across the stage one-by-one to receive their credentials and to pose for a free photo with Ross.

PCC Instructor Ronald Scott announced the names. When the graduates had received their respective credentials, PCC Vice President of Instruction Michelle Willis-Krauss pronounced them graduated and instructed them to turn their tassels as the audience cheered.

This year’s graduates completed their studies in an academic year when PCC was recognized once again as America’s No. 1 community college for student success by WalletHub. The college has been honored with that title in two of the last three years.

PCC Trustee Ann Holton gave the welcome message at the ceremony, and pianist Paula Murray provided the music.

An outdoor reception with refreshments followed the ceremony. As in years past, a professional photographer was available to take free family portraits for the graduates and their loved ones.

PCC Awards Presented at Celebratory Lunch

May 11, 2023

PCC colleagues gathered in the Delamar Center Tuesday, May 9, to celebrate a year of multiple successes, to honor the college’s top employees for 2022-23 and to enjoy a delicious lunch.

In years past, most college awards for employees were presented at Commencement. In 2020 and 2021 during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the presentations were online.

This year, the presentation of the annual awards was the centerpiece of an all-employee meeting designed for colleagues to look back on the academic year and to enjoy each other’s company.

“Today is going to be a day of celebration,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross shortly before introducing Community Living student Sarah Vieregge, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” to open the event.

In opening remarks, the president introduced Lee Tillman, who has been hired as the college’s new vice president of financial services, and he led employees in a raucous chant of “We are PCC!” as he spoke about the college’s mission to help men and women improve their lives.

The day’s first award – Instructor of the Year – went to Welding Instructor Joe Flynn. Ross said Flynn is known for his attention to detail, and he added Flynn does an outstanding job preparing students for real world workplaces.

“Our college is so much better because of you,” Ross said.

Flynn, whose wife, Tammy, was on hand for the event, joked the scoring used to select him must be incorrect as he thanked the group for the honor.

The Pamlico Correctional Institution Instructor of the Year Award went to Horticulture Instructor Ed King. He also received the honor in 2017.

“You never expect to get these things, but it’s nice when it comes from people you work with,” King said as he accepted the award.

This year’s Adjunct Instructor of the Year Award went to part-time English Instructor Brent Canle.

Ross officially notified Canle of his selection through an online video chat on Instructor Neil Callahan’s phone during the ceremony. The instructor said he enjoyed working with students.

Custodian Lana Green again was recognized for the President’s Award, which Ross first announced via an online video call from Texas last December.

“I’d like to thank God for this,” she said, adding it was an honor to be considered for the award.

Ross also announced a new award – the President’s Department of the Year Award – would go this year to Computer Services (IT). Like the President’s Award for an individual, the new honor recognizes departments that are positive, professional and productive.

The president confessed he had been worried about the department’s future following the retirement of Scott Frazer, but was exceedingly pleased with how the remaining teammates came together and carried on under the leadership of Martin Guion.

“They are a fantastic model for this college,” Ross said.

Joining Guion in receiving the departmental award were Gregory Davis, Nick Goodwin, Ya Min and Christy Wicks.

This year’s Staff Member of the Year Award went to Michelle Noevere, the president’s executive assistant and executive director of the PCC Foundation. She remains hospitalized in Chapel Hill following a stem cell treatment, but was able to participate in the ceremony via an online video chat.

“There’s no one in this nation that I would rather have in this role than Michelle,” Ross said.

For her part, Noevere thanked Ross for being a friendly and kind mentor. She also said she enjoyed coming to work and giving her best with colleagues at an organization that improved people’s lives.

In his concluding remarks, Ross thanked everyone for their hard work, dedication and caring attitudes over the last year, adding the efforts paid off in PCC’s recognition by WalletHub as the No. 1 community college in America for students’ educational outcomes and on the college’s successful SACSCOC reaffirmation visit.

He said enrollment had begun to grow again after the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, Pamlico had the 10^th highest increase in the state community college system this year, Ross said.

He also said he was honored and pleased that employee morale had remained high in recent years – something that the president believes leads to great things.

After briefly touching on his advocacy for the college with the N.C. General Assembly and the N.C. Department of Corrections, Ross, whose employment contract recently was extended for four years by the Board of Trustees, said he was excited about PCC’s future.

“This is what I want to do: To work with others to change lives,” he said. “Our college has such great days ahead of us. I am an unwavering optimist about the future.”

Employees then participated in a singalong of the Beatles’ hit “Here Comes the Sun.”

The lunchtime meal was catered by Nest Café, which is operated by a former Pamlico Correctional Institution offender. Instructor Ronald Scott offered the blessing before the meal.

College to Host 2023 Commencement Friday

May 8, 2023

The most joyous day of Pamlico Community College’s year is almost here!

The college will host its 2023 Commencement Exercises on Friday, May 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Ned Everett Delamar Center on the college’s Grantsboro campus.

One hundred thirty-two men and women in the college’s curriculum and Continuing Education programs have qualified for recognition over the last year. Those students have earned a combined 183 academic and Continuing Education credentials, including 37 associate degrees, 10 diplomas, 54 certificates and 82 Continuing Education recognitions.

Six students will be receiving two associate’s degrees each, and six Pamlico County High School seniors will be recognized for earning their Associate in Arts degrees the same year they will graduate from high school.

“All of us at the college are extremely excited about Commencement,” Ross said. “Like last year, we will be indoors at the Delamar Center for a full ceremony. We anticipate the event will be very inspiring. It gives all of us an opportunity to congratulate our graduates for their accomplishments, and it is the perfect occasion to salute their families for the sacrifices they have made to help our students achieve their goals.”

Ross will be presiding over his seventh Commencement as the college’s president. Cecilia A. “Candy” Bohmert, current vice chair of the Pamlico County Board of Commissioners and a member of the college’s Board of Trustees, will give the Commencement address.

Bohmert has a long-standing relationship with the college. In addition to her current service as a trustee, she earned an associate degree in Environmental Science Technology from PCC in 1996 and was honored as the college’s Alumnus of the Year in 2019.

“Candy Bohmert is an outstanding friend of our college, and we look forward to hearing what she has to say to the graduates,” Ross said.

The Class of 2023’s youngest graduate is 17, and the oldest graduate is 63.

All of this year’s graduates will be completing their studies in an academic year when PCC was recognized once again as America’s No. 1 community college for student success by WalletHub. The college has been honored with that title in two of the last three years.

During the ceremony, the college’s Academic Excellence Award/Student of the Year winner will be announced. Four students have been nominated this year. The college also will honor its Alumnus of the Year.

A reception with refreshments will follow the ceremony.

As in years past, the college has hired a professional photographer to take free family portraits for the graduates and their loved ones. Each complimentary portrait will be available to take home that night.

Six PCHS Seniors on Track to Get Degrees

May 1, 2023

“Six amazing high school seniors are making Pamlico Community College history this year,” stated PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “They are on track to soon earn their PCC Associate in Arts degrees, meaning they will do so during the same academic year they will graduate from Pamlico County High School.”

He continued, “These hard-working, outstanding students will gain tremendous advantages in jump-starting their careers and saving thousands of dollars in tuition costs by taking advantage of the biggest bargain in higher education. I look forward to presenting their college diplomas to them on May 12 at the PCC Commencement ceremony.”

The six students – all young women – have been able to accomplish this feat by taking tuition-free, college-level courses from PCC through the N.C. Career & College Promise program.

The credits earned by the high-achieving half-dozen counted both toward their high school diplomas and toward their associate degrees at PCC. These transferable college credits also give them a significant head start over their peers as they enroll in four-year universities or in other professional programs – and it didn’t cost any of them a dime.

“In years past, PCC has had high school students qualify for their associate degrees in the same year they receive their high school diplomas, but to have six students reach this tremendous goal in one year is something entirely unprecedented in our college’s history,” Ross said. “We are so proud of these students and their remarkable accomplishments. We know the future is bright for all six of these young women, and I think their story demonstrates the tremendous opportunities available to local high schoolers through the Career & College Promise program.”

The “starting five” of the group – Taylor Buck, Alessandra De La Cruz-Cornelio, Andrea Lopez, Mariah Stowe and De’yana Thomas – will complete their college coursework in May, meaning they will receive their associate degrees before they get their high school diplomas.

The sixth member of the team, Stephanie Harris, is on track to finish her final AA courses this summer.

All six are qualified to participate in the college’s Commencement ceremony May 12 at the Delamar Center.

In a recent interview, the six students said they had known one another since childhood, and all six had attended the same four Pamlico County public schools – Pamlico Primary, Fred A. Anderson Elementary, Pamlico County Middle School and Pamlico County High School – during their careers.

They said they learned about the tuition-free CCP program from their parents and other family members. Some said their moms were insistent they give the courses a try. Lopez said her cousins, who took several courses, “wished they had taken more.”

The students said they were attracted to the college-level courses, which are offered in both seated and online formats, because they would help them get ahead in their studies and qualify them for transferable college credits tuition-free. Earning their associate degrees also helped to set them apart from their high school classmates, the women said, adding members of their high school class were competitive and strong academically.

“If you wanted to be among those on top, you had to find a way,” Stowe said.

Buck plans to study elementary education at East Carolina University. She will be part of the university’s Living-Learning Community for first-year education students.

De La Cruz-Cornelio also will enroll at East Carolina University, where she plans to study psychology. She hopes to earn a master’s degree and become an occupational therapist.

It’s a Carolina blue future for Lopez, who will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and will study political science. She hopes to attend law school and become an immigration attorney.

Stowe, Harris and Thomas, who, at 17, is the youngest of the six, plan to become registered nurses.

Thomas, essentially a college junior at age 17, is headed to N.C. A&T State University in Greensboro. Harris and Stowe plan to attend Craven Community College.

Always looking to stay ahead, both Stowe and Thomas already have taken and passed a Nurse Aide I course through PCC’s Continuing Education division.

The women say taking and passing PCC college-level courses will help them to avoid some of their respective programs’ prerequisite courses – many of which are often difficult to get into and are offered only in huge lecture halls.

It took hard work and discipline to earn associate degrees while in high school. They often took large course loads, including during Summer Terms, all the while balancing their high school work and other responsibilities.

The experience likely prepared them for their upcoming lives as full-time college students.

“You get treated like an adult,” Lopez said. The others agreed, saying they’ve realized they have to rely on themselves – not their mothers, professors or anyone else – to remind them to do assignments, to meet deadlines and to stay motivated.

Derek Godwin, who oversees the CCP program, said the women deserve recognition for their hard work.

“They are all great kids,” he said. “They have impressed me with their work ethic and their willingness to take on challenges. I am certain they will be very successful at the next level.”

Group members are looking forward to both their college and high school graduation ceremonies, although it can be difficult to explain to family members exactly how they’re getting recognized for earning their college degrees before their high school diplomas.

“It feels backwards telling family that,” Thomas said with a chuckle.

Ross said the college is proud of all students who will graduate on May 12. “We commend each of our graduates for working hard, overcoming many obstacles, and persevering to reach this important milestone in their lives.”

For more information about the Career & College Promise program at PCC, call 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, or email dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu.

Tuition-Free Courses Set for CCP Students

April 24, 2023

Summer is a time for relaxing in the sun and having some fun, but it’s also a time when motivated high school students can get ahead in their studies. Pamlico Community College can help!

The college will be offering a robust slate of tuition-free University Transfer courses in an online format this summer.

The courses, which are available through the Career & College Promise (CCP) program, are specifically for rising high school seniors (current juniors who will be seniors in 2023-24) and for graduating Class of 2023 seniors who still will be in high school by the PCC class start date, which is May 22.

Enrolling in and passing one or more of these courses is a fantastic way to secure transferable college credit at no charge, PCC leaders say.

“We are excited about this opportunity for students,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “The CCP program is a remarkable value for Pamlico County families with some students actually earning their PCC college degree free of charge at the same time they earn their high school diploma!”

The president continued, “I strongly believe every eligible high school student should strive to take as many of our CCP classes as possible. This will give them a head start on gaining college credits, and the classes are free! I enjoyed teaching a class to them last year and was impressed by the students’ intelligence and commitment as well as how very much they progressed during the year.”

Neil Callahan, the college’s coordinator of academic advising, said, “Current CCP students who are rising seniors and those graduating in June have a unique opportunity to take advantage of transferable course offerings at PCC this summer. For rising seniors, you can get a head start on finishing up your CCP Transfer Pathway. For graduating seniors, you can gain a few extra courses to take with you when you apply to four-year institutions. The best part of all of this is that these courses are tuition-free. Save money before you go off to college!”

The list of courses includes nearly two dozen popular online offerings, including essential classes in Art Appreciation, Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Computer Science, Mathematics, Psychology and more.

The approved credits earned by passing these courses can be used toward a degree at PCC or can be transferred to the state’s public universities. Several private colleges and universities in North Carolina also accept these credits.

“Earning tuition-free college credits while in high school is a wonderful thing,” Ross said. “These Summer School courses will enable motivated high school students to earn credits in the same way. I encourage eligible high schoolers to take advantage of this opportunity.”

For more information or to register for PCC’s Summer School University Transfer courses, please contact Derek Godwin at 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, or dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu.

Local Educator Joins PCC Board of Trustees

March 29, 2023

A self-described “lifelong learner” who spent more than three decades working in public education is the newest member of the Pamlico Community College Board of Trustees.

Sherry G. Meador, who retired in 2021 after a 33-year career as a classroom teacher, school administrator and central office leader in Pamlico County and elsewhere, has been appointed by the Pamlico County Board of Education to serve out the unexpired term of the late Larry Prescott.

Meador, who attended her first board meeting March 28, said she expected her career in public education to help her in her new role as a PCC trustee.

“I know the language and I know the processes,” she said. “And I think once you stop learning, you stop living.”

Bob Lyon, chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees, said he is pleased to have Meador join the board.

“I’ve known her many years. She is a fine person,” he said. “She will be a great asset to our board. She has worked with children and she has worked in administration with the school system. That will be a help for us.”

PCC President Dr. Jim Ross said he expects Meador to be an excellent member of the PCC Board of Trustees.

“I am very impressed with her,” he said. “Her love of learning and love of education with serve our college well.”

Meador was born in Elizabeth City and grew up in Manteo. After graduating as salutatorian from Manteo High School in 1985, she enrolled at Appalachian State University in Boone, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in K-12 special education.

“I wanted to be an advocate for students,” Meador said. “I was a lover of learning and I wanted everybody to have the same chance to learn.”

After teaching in Randleman, Greensboro and Clayton, Meador followed her husband, Rusty Meador, in 1991 to Pamlico County, where Rusty, a North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission officer, had been assigned. She was hired by the Pamlico County Schools and began a long career in the system.

Along the way, she earned her certification to teach math – which included taking courses at PCC – and later her master’s degree in school administration from East Carolina University, which enabled her to take work as an assistant principal and principal at the middle school and at Fred A. Anderson Elementary School.

Later in her career, she held central office posts with ever-expanding roles in curriculum, instruction, accountability, professional development, school improvement and more.

“I’m a good multi-tasker,” Meador said with a smile. “You just do it.”

She has been recognized for excellence, earning honors as Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year. Additionally, Meador received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from the Governor’s Office.

Now retired, she enjoys finding and making crafts with sea glass, reading, cooking and taking short trips with her husband and friends on their personal watercrafts.

The Meadors live with their five dogs in the Dawson Creek area. They have two grown children.

The PCC Board of Trustees is made up of 12 members. Four members are appointed by the Governor’s Office, four are appointed by the Pamlico County Board of Commissioners and four are appointed by the Pamlico County Board of Education.

PCC Seeks to Double Vocational Programs

March 29, 2023

Pamlico Community College President Dr. Jim Ross strongly believes the college must do even more to provide programs to prepare local residents for careers where they can work with their hands in vocational, technical and Allied Health fields.

Ross has made this a top priority since becoming PCC president six years ago because these jobs are plentiful, pay great wages, and are desperately needed by businesses in Eastern North Carolina. He cites strong national trends that show adult learners want short-term training programs that can qualify them for positions in high growth sectors of the economy such as health care.

PCC faculty and staffers have successfully responded to the President’s priority and added 20 short-term, hands-on training programs the past five years in skilled trades, Allied Health and other in-demand careers.

“We have been very aggressive in launching hands-on training programs that can be completed quickly and that can lead to good-paying jobs in health care and other important fields,” Ross said. “We have identified this as a college priority for the good it can do for our community and have added nearly two dozen programs over the last five years – and for the good of our community we’re just getting started.”

A task force Ross established last year documented 28 new vocational programs in addition to those already established that are needed, and Ross has made this a top priority for the college to achieve. PCC now is committed to doubling the number of its vocational and technical programs and doubling its Allied Health programs.

Ross is enthused to pursue the challenges in gaining funding to accomplish this. His enthusiasm and optimism are based on the tremendous good that will come to our community from this.

“We are pursuing a bold and noble goal to double the number of our vocational programs and double the number of our Allied Health programs in order to help make many more Pamlico citizens’ lives better. We pray for success in doing so because many local lives will be made so much better by achieving this,” he said. “In addition, our college and those that provide funding for this will be addressing severe shortages that businesses have in our state in finding well-trained employees in the vocational, technical and Allied Health fields.”

Pamlico Community College is one of America’s most-honored community colleges in the past five years. For example, PCC is currently ranked number 1 in the United States in student success among all community colleges. This prestigious ranking comes from WalletHub as it analyzed extensive data in student education outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education. This is the second time in the past three years that PCC has earned the number 1 ranking in the nation.

Ross has consistently given enthusiastic credit to “the caring and dedicated PCC employees for the great work they do” as the reason for the multitude of national and state awards the college has almost continuously earned the past five years.

The college is currently enrolling students for one of its newest Allied Health programs – Electronic Health Records. It’s an online program that trains individuals to maintain manual and electronic health records and to use them for data collection and analysis, data sources/sets, archival systems and more. It is scheduled to begin April 17.

In vocational and technical courses, PCC plans to offer new sections of its popular one-day Forklift Training course as well as the ServSafe food safety course. Both courses are scheduled for April.

For more information about upcoming courses at the college, please call 252-249-1851, ext. 3015, email lgiles@pamlicocc.edu or visit http://www.pamlicocc.edu/programs-continuing.php on the web.

Golden LEAF Supports Allied Health Project

February 27, 2023

Pamlico Community College will use $500,000 in recently announced funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation to transform the former boat-building shop in the Johnson Building into a versatile classroom and lab space for its ever-growing list of short-term Allied Health programs.

Plans call for renovating the vacant, roughly 2,000-square-foot space and installing important instructional equipment, supplies and technology to train men and women for in-demand health care jobs in Pamlico County and the region.

PCC President Dr. Jim Ross welcomed the generous support, saying it would accelerate the college’s ongoing efforts to offer a wider range of short-term, hands-on Continuing Education programs to meet the needs of adult learners and local employers.

“These funds will allow us to serve our community even better through one of our top priorities I identified when I became president six years ago – that of offering more and better Continuing Education Allied Health programs and other options to our community,” he said. “Our college deeply appreciates the funding decision from Golden LEAF to provide this $500,000 for this important purpose. We are honored to have developed a positive working relationship with Golden LEAF.”

Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton said, “Golden LEAF is pleased to support the growth of Pamlico Community College’s Continuing Education and health care programs to meet the needs of local employers. Developing a prepared workforce is key to the long-term economic advancement of Pamlico County and the region.”

Under Ross’s leadership and at the recommendation of a presidential task force, PCC has added more than 20 short-term programs and courses in Allied Health and other areas in recent years, including Dialysis Technician, Physical Therapy Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Community Health Worker and others.

The renovated space will provide additional flexibility and will lead to additional program offerings, said Lori Giles, the college’s chair of Continuing Education and Technical Programs.

“This generous Golden LEAF investment will allow our college to create a contemporary, multi-disciplinary laboratory space to provide interactive health care occupations instruction,” she said. “We have needed some additional space to grow, and this will be a tremendous help. We are honored to receive this funding, as this will allow us to expand current health care offerings and initiate new programs.”

Beyond Allied Health, PCC also has added additional short-term, hands-on programs in Plumbing, HVAC, Solar Energy and Sustainable Agriculture, with plans to add more in the short term.

Ross said national trends indicate students want to explore short-term training options that can lead to good-paying jobs, and Pamlico Community College stands ready to meet that need.

“Our college has dramatically increased the number of short-term Continuing Education programs in Allied Health, vocational and technical areas in recent years, and we plan to continue,” he said. “Imagine the number of families we can help in our region when we do so.”

Ross reiterated his thanks to Golden LEAF for its support, and he also thanked Pamlico County officials for their work in helping the college secure the funding.

“I appreciate very much Pamlico County Manager Tim Buck and his team recommending our college to Golden LEAF to receive this funding,” he said. “The Pamlico County commissioners and Tim Buck are incredible friends of our college and of our entire community.”

US Congressman Visits PCC Students, Leaders

February 16, 2023

U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy and members of his district office staff visited Pamlico Community College Wednesday to meet with PCC President Dr. Jim Ross and other college leaders, to observe one of PCC’s health care courses and to thank the college and its employees for their numerous national recognitions for excellence and positive contributions to the community.

Ross said, “It was an honor for PCC that Congressman Murphy selected our college to come to visit. I enjoyed getting to know him and members of his team. He impressed me as a thoughtful, independent leader, and I look forward to working with him in the future to improve opportunities for the residents of Pamlico County and the region.”

Murphy lauded Ross for his remarkable leadership that has brought great accomplishments for Pamlico County citizens. Murphy said he found it extraordinary that on-campus surveys have found 95 percent of PCC employees reported high morale. In contrast, national surveys show approximately 30 percent of workers across America in all fields have high morale.

The congressman also praised PCC leaders for their empathy and support for students, saying a single positive interaction can affect a student’s outlook and prospects for success.

Murphy, a physician, is serving his second full term in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Greenville Republican first was elected to the Third District U.S. House seat in 2019 to serve out the term of the late Walter B. Jones Jr., who had died in office. Murphy was re-elected to the seat in 2020 and in 2022.

After arriving at the college Wednesday, Murphy and his staffers were briefed about the college and its recent honors and accomplishments by Ross. The congressman’s group, which also included two members of the Pamlico County Board of Commissioners and Pamlico County Manager Tim Buck, then walked to the Delamar Center to visit with students in a Nurse Aide I course.

Nurse Aide I is one of the most popular short-term Continuing Education health care programs offered by PCC. Many, including Dialysis Technician, Physical Therapy Technician and Medical Billing and Coding, have been added in recent years. There are plans to expand the number of health care and other hands-on program offerings in the future, Ross explained to the congressman.

Following the classroom visit, Murphy was ushered to the Delamar Center Conference Room, where more than a dozen members of the PCC President’s Cabinet introduced themselves and offered their thoughts about working with students.

After leaving the conference room, Murphy, Ross and others stopped in the Delamar Center Auditorium, where the president explained why he made the decision five years ago to waive rental fees for Pamlico County non-profit organizations to better serve the community and the dramatic impact it has had on the community. It has also resulted in a huge increase in the community’s use of the facility.

Ross expressed appreciation to the “wonderful community” for fully embracing PCC with great partnerships. He also praised the Pamlico County commissioners for their outstanding support and partnership, and he thanked Buck and Commissioners Kari Forrest and Ed Riggs Jr. for accompanying Murphy to PCC Wednesday.

NCWorks Staffers Now Visit Twice Monthly

February 13, 2023

Pamlico Community College and the Craven NCWorks Career Center are expanding their partnership, which is great news for anyone looking for a new job and any employer searching for new staffers.

Beginning this month, staffers from the NCWorks New Bern office will be in the Johnson Building at PCC’s Grantsboro campus every first and third Tuesday each month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to meet with job-seekers and to assist potential employers.

Working in collaboration with PCC’s Cristy Lewis Warner, NCWorks can assist Pamlico County men and women in searching for jobs, improving their skills or developing career plans.

No appointment is required. Services are free and open to the public.

“We are proud of our partnership with the Craven NCWorks Career Center, which itself is a collaboration between the N.C. Department of Commerce, the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board and many regional service and educational partners,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “Having their staffers on campus will enhance our ability to match residents with new jobs and training opportunities, which will result in an improved quality of life for everyone.”

Warner, who is director of the PCC Career Resource Center, said the Craven NCWorks Career Center is a tremendous resource to have on campus each month.

“Having Craven NCWorks on campus will provide Pamlico County residents with assistance in connecting with our regional employment opportunities and information about training opportunities,” she said.

One of those opportunities for job-seekers is the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult program, which assists adults who may need training to enter the current labor market.

“Additionally, employers can also connect with the center to list jobs, locate potential employees and learn about their many employer services,” Warner added.

For more information about the services available at the college, contact Warner at 252-249-1851, ext. 3014, or cwarner@pamlicocc.edu. The Craven NCWorks Career Center in New Bern can be reached by calling 252-514-4828 or by visiting www.ncworks.gov.

29 Students Named to Fall President’s List

February 2, 2023

Pamlico Community College has announced the names of the students who have earned placement on the PCC President’s List for the Fall 2022 semester.

To be eligible for the list, a student must be enrolled full time throughout the semester and must earn a grade point average between 3.5 and 4.0.

“It is an honor to salute these hard-working and dedicated men and women who have achieved great success in their respective academic programs,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “We are proud of these high-achieving students and look forward to celebrating their next successes.”

The 29 students named to the Fall 2022 President’s List are:

* Hannah Altman of Grantsboro (Cosmetology)

* Cindy Barker of New Bern (Associate in Arts)

* Terria Barrett of Vanceboro (Cosmetology)

* Savannah Barton of Bayboro (Welding)

* Angela Bateman of Cary (Associate in Arts/Partnership Teach program)

* Taylor Bateman of Cary (Criminal Justice)

* Ashley Bowers of New Bern (Associate in Science)

* Julissa Figueroa-Beltran of Grantsboro (Associate in Science)

* Angel Gaylord of Aurora (Environmental Science Technology)

* Faith Gayring of Sebastian, Fla. (Associate in Arts)

* Gwendolyn Hart of Alliance (Criminal Justice)

* Maria Herrera of Raleigh (Associate in Science)

* Ayden Hill of New Bern (Welding)

* Madison Hughes of Jacksonville (Dental Laboratory Technology)

* Kyle Jacobs of New Bern (Associate in Science)

* Megan Jones of Bayboro (Associate in Science)

* Alexandra McMillin of Newport (Business Administration)

* Rochelle Meadows of Aurora (Early Childhood Education)

* Alexandria Midgette of New Bern (Business Administration)

* Allison Midyette of Grantsboro (Cosmetology)

* Kelsey Price of Aurora (Medical Assisting)

* Ashley Ray of New Bern (Dental Laboratory Technology)

* Presley Robinson of Grantsboro (Cosmetology)

* Anajah Rouse of Bayboro (Cosmetology)

* Ayesha Salim of New Bern (Accounting & Finance)

* Lauren Schmidt of Bayboro (Medical Assisting)

* Mary Simpson of Grantsboro (Associate in Science)

* Joshua Tillman of Oriental (Business Administration)

* Thelma Wynn of New Bern (Accounting & Finance)

The following student has earned placement on Pamlico Community College’s Academic Distinction List for the Fall 2022 semester. To be eligible, a student must be enrolled full-time throughout the semester and earn a grade point average between 3.0 and 3.49.

* Stephany Carvallo of Aurora (Early Childhood Birth to Kindergarten Associate Degree)

Former Educator Joins PCC Board of Trustees

January 25, 2023

A former Craven County Teacher of the Year who spent nearly four decades working in public education is the newest member of the Pamlico Community College Board of Trustees.

Gayle Hardy, a Pamlico County resident who retired in 2021 after working 38 years as a classroom teacher and in other roles for school systems in Craven County, Pamlico County and Norfolk, Va., has been appointed to the board by Gov. Roy Cooper to serve out the unexpired term of Dr. Sue Lee.

She was scheduled to attend her first board meeting Jan. 24.

“I’m excited to be part of the conversation again,” said Hardy, who most recently worked as the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program coordinator and AVID elective instructor at New Bern High School – a role for which she earned the title of Teacher of the Year in 2020.

Bob Lyon, chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees, said he is pleased to have Hardy join the board.

“I welcome her to the Board of Trustees,” he said. “I look forward to working with her to make the college better.”

PCC President Dr. Jim Ross said he expects Hardy to be an excellent member of the PCC Board of Trustees.

“She impressed me greatly with her more than 30 years of experience in helping students reach their potential to succeed in the classroom,” he said. “Her record of changing students’ lives for the better is extraordinary, and this entire region is better because of her impact on students’ lives. The governor made an excellent decision in appointing her.”

Hardy has deep roots in the region. She grew up in the Broad Creek area of Craven County with family members on both sides of the Craven-Pamlico county line.

“We crossed over that line two or three times a day growing up,” Hardy said with a chuckle.

A shy girl, Hardy said she was initially unenthusiastic about school, but came to love it after good years with great teachers at Bridgeton Elementary School and elsewhere. Hardy graduated from New Bern High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from East Carolina University in 1984 and a master’s degree in education from ECU in 1986.

She taught at Fred A. Anderson Elementary School in Bayboro for two years before taking a job as a teacher and grant coordinator in Norfolk, Va. After six formative and rewarding years there, Hardy returned to Eastern North Carolina and worked as a classroom teacher at elementary schools in Craven County before taking a job as a reading specialist at New Bern High School. Her final position was as AVID coordinator/instructor at NBHS, where she worked to prepare underserved students for success in college or careers.

“My goal was to open up as many opportunities as possible and for them to be successful,” she said.

Hardy is married to John Hardy, a man with Wayne County roots she met during her time in Virginia. They live in Olympia and have two grown daughters.

CCP Registration Set for Jan. 24 and 25 in Bayboro

January 17, 2023

High school juniors and seniors who are interested in enrolling in tuition-free Pamlico Community College courses can sign up for those classes next Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 24 and 25, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the Mattocks Center in Bayboro.

The credits earned by passing these college-level N.C. Career & College Promise (CCP) courses can help students get ahead on either a college degree or an in-demand hands-on career.

Importantly, they help students, and their families save lots of money.

“Tuition-free CCP courses are the among the best things we offer. In fact, I believe there is no better bargain in American higher education today than the tuition-free college-level courses we offer to high school juniors and seniors,” said PCC President Dr. Jim Ross. “The CCP program is a wonderful way for motivated students who want to get ahead in their studies or who want to get started on their careers to do so.”

The CCP program is open to local students, regardless of whether they attend Pamlico County High School, Arapahoe Charter School, Pamlico Christian Academy or a home school.

The courses are taught in a face-to-face format, an online format or in a combination of both. Many of the courses are offered at the Ernestine R. Mattocks Center of Excellence, which is located behind PCC’s Bayboro Center and across the street from Pamlico County High School.

Others are offered on the PCC campus in Grantsboro or online.

At PCC, CCP students earn an average of 39 free college credit hours while still in high school. That’s a lot of money saved in college or university tuition and fees!

Students and their families are encouraged to talk to their high school guidance counselors or to contact PCC’s Derek Godwin at dgodwin@pamlicocc.edu or 252-249-1851, ext. 3106, for more information.

Lana Green Receives PCC President’s Award

January 9, 2023

Lana Green says you never know who’s watching and appreciating your work and your attitude.

Never has that been truer for the full-time custodian and New Bern native than when Pamlico Community College President Dr. Jim Ross named her the recipient of the 2022-23 President’s Award.

The award, which Ross created after he became the college’s fifth president in 2016, is presented annually to a PCC employee who is considered by Ross to be a great example of being professional and productive on the job and who has a positive attitude.

Green’s selection was announced during the college’s Christmas luncheon in December. Ross formally presented her the award Monday on campus.

“Lana Green exemplifies the key attributes of professionalism, productivity and positivity,” Ross said. “She is an outstanding professional and an outstanding person.”

For her part, Green was surprised to receive the award. She was visibly moved upon hearing her name at the December luncheon and, a month later, is still surprised the president had taken note of her efforts on the job.

“I was just shocked. I had no clue,” Green said recently. “In my position, a lot of time you don’t get recognized. Never in a million years did I think Dr. Ross would choose me.”

Green has been employed at PCC since 2016. Her duties include cleaning rooms and entranceways and ensuring the restrooms are sanitary and stocked with supplies. She occasionally is the first person visitors encounter at the college, so she enjoys answering questions and giving directions.

“I help people who come to the college get to where they need to go,” Green said. “I love it. I’m a people person.”

Ross said he often takes note of Green’s ever-present smile and was impressed by her recent willingness to assist someone who was experiencing difficulty in the restroom.

“She makes lives better every single day at our college,” he said.

Green has worked at PCC since 2016. After working in home health care, she came to the college in search of a job with better hours and good benefits. Green still works a side job in home health care when she’s not at the college.

She said she likes her work at Pamlico and loves the family atmosphere on campus.

“I enjoy working here at Pamlico Community College,” Green said. “I try to do the best I can. I love it. There’s a work family here.”

Speaking of family, Green is the mother of two sons who live in the New Bern area. She also is close with her brother and two sisters, and she says she is happy that God has put her in a good place with a good job.

“I am thankful,” Green said. “I owe it all to God. I am highly blessed. I’m also thankful to Dr. Jim Ross for considering me.”

Previous recipients of the President’s Award include Herman Turnage, Pattie Leary, Cameron Kishel, Gary Toler and Meredith Beeman.