VGCC Early Childhood program ranked in top 10 nationwide

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The Early Childhood Education program at Vance-Granville Community College recently received recognition as one of the top ten best values in its field across the United States. VGCC came in at number eight on the list of the nation’s most affordable online early childhood degrees published by Texas-based AffordableColleges.com.

The organization, which also recently recognized the VGCC Criminal Justice program, ranked community college programs based on how they combined quality with affordability. VGCC was praised not only for its affordable tuition and financial aid options but also for its low student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1 and its technology resources. The organization’s stated mission is “to help students find a path to a rewarding, quality education that won’t leave them crippled by student debt.”

All of VGCC’s Early Childhood Education courses are offered either fully-online and/or in a hybrid format that combines online coursework with traditional face-to-face instruction. “After the spring 2017 semester, the only course that will not be offered fully-online will be our practicum course, in which our students apply what they’ve learned by working in an early learning or child care center under the supervision of qualified teachers,” explained Tracey Bennett Carter, who chairs the Education department at VGCC.

“We are excited that our program has been nationally recognized, which we attribute to our outstanding faculty, who maintain high academic standards to prepare students for the important work of nurturing and teaching young children,” Carter added.

The VGCC Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The Early Childhood Education curriculum prepares students to work with children from birth through age eight in diverse learning environments. Course work includes child growth and development; physical/nutritional needs of children; care and guidance of children; and communication skills with families and children. Graduates are prepared to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programs in early childhood settings. Employment opportunities include child development and child care programs; preschools; public and private schools; recreational centers; Head Start Programs; and school-age programs.

VGCC offers not only the two-year associate degree in Early Childhood Education, but also a three-semester diploma program and three certificate options, as well as a certificate in Infant/Toddler Care.

Registration is going on now for the spring 2017 semester at VGCC, which begins Jan. 9. For more information on Early Childhood Education, contact Tracey Bennett Carter at (252) 738-3471 or bennettt@vgcc.edu.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation endows new VGCC Scholarship

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The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation recently endowed a new scholarship specifically designed to support Vance-Granville Community College Nursing students who are enrolled in a new program to complete bachelor’s degrees.

In awarding the “Triangle North Healthcare Foundation RIBN Academic Achievement Award” scholarship, preference will be given to students in the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. RIBN students are simultaneously enrolled at the community college and North Carolina A&T State University. They earn associate’s degrees in nursing through VGCC over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

Val Short, the executive director of the foundation, and Dr. Roddy Drake, chairman of the foundation’s board of directors, visited the college to present contributions to the VGCC Endowment Fund. The new endowment marks a continuation of the partnership between the college and the foundation, which has already created a scholarship for students in VGCC Health Sciences programs.

“As part of our mission of service to the region, we are pleased to be able to provide a second scholarship,” Short said. “Education is something that we value, especially the education of our future health care professionals.”

Both Short and Drake noted that higher education is important to the foundation in general, beyond its benefits for workforce development. “Additional education is associated with improved health for people in our region, because having education beyond high school moves people out of poverty,” said Drake, a retired public health director. “Education and the economy directly influence health outcomes.”

Short added that the foundation was particularly interested in supporting the RIBN program. “This is a great opportunity for students in our area to be able to earn a bachelor’s degree without having to leave their home community for four years,” she said. “In addition, having a bachelor’s degree provides more opportunities for nurses to grow professionally and have more career options, so we are glad to be part of such a partnership.”

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a regional grant-making organization that was established in 2011 as the successor to the Maria Parham Healthcare Foundation. The foundation focuses on Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, which also constitute the college’s service area. Its mission is to encourage, support, and invest in quality efforts that measurably improve health in the Triangle North region.

“We are grateful to the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation for partnering with our college to further enhance the RIBN program,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president. “This scholarship will be a new source of support that will help outstanding Nursing students to achieve professional and personal success.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,500 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.

FGV Smart Start Announces New Executive Director

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FGV Smart Start, Inc., has announced that Dr. Tony Cozart will be the new executive director.

Dr. Cozart is a retired educator, with over 32 years in the local public school systems. He began his career as a teacher and assistant principal in Vance County, then served in Warren County as principal at Norlina Middle, South Warren Elementary and Warren County High schools, among other administrative positions. He is the pastor of Cooks Chapel Baptist Church in Warrenton, and also serves on the Granville County Board of Commissioners.

Cozart is married to the former Jacqueline Peace. They have three daughters: Kimberly, Kristal, and Karmen. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Saint Paul’s College, Master of Arts in School Administration from North Carolina Central University, and Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Dr. Cozart has been the Kindergarten Readiness coordinator at FGV Smart Start the last two years. He began his duties as the executive director on November 16.

VGCC trustees approve new Associate Degree in Visual Arts

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Vance-Granville Community College’s Board of Trustees approved the offering of an Associate in Fine Arts degree in Visual Arts beginning in the fall of 2017 as the trustees met for their bi-monthly meeting on the Main Campus on Nov. 21.

The board also welcomed Jennifer P. “Jenny” Hester of Henderson as a newly appointed trustee, received preliminary plans for capital improvements on four campuses, and celebrated the results of the latest faculty and staff campaign to support the VGCC Endowment Fund.

Hester, who works in real estate and development in Henderson, was sworn in by Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. “Chip” Hight of Henderson. Appointed for a four-year term on the board by N.C. Governor Pat McCrory, she replaces Dr. Doris Terry Williams of Henderson, who had served since November 2010.

The Fine Arts degree will be added to the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees already being offered by Vance-Granville. A minimum of 60 semester hours of College Transfer courses will be required in English; communications, humanities and fine arts; social and behavioral sciences; mathematics; and natural sciences, in addition to classes in art history, two-dimensional and three-dimensional design, and drawing. For graduates who wish to complete a four-year degree, course credits will transfer to all 16 campuses of the University of North Carolina System under the state’s Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.

The board’s action came on a recommendation from the trustees’ Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris. With board approval, the College will now submit the program to the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) for their approvals.

In other action from the Curriculum Committee, the board voted to approve closure of the Associate in Applied Science in Entrepreneurship program. Citing consistent low enrollment, Harris said the program will end in the fall of 2017 with a “teach-out plan” for currently enrolled students through Spring Semester 2018. The program was designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and growth as self-employed business owners. The College continues to offer a variety of related programs in Business Administration, Accounting and Office Administration, among others.

Faculty-Staff Drive for Scholarships

The co-chairs of the annual faculty and staff drive on Vance-Granville’s four campuses announced to the Trustees that $20,079 was raised this fall from among employees to support the mission of the College and students through scholarships.

The drive co-chairs were Kristi Salmons-Ellenberg, department chair and instructor for Social Sciences; Willie Mae Foster-Hill, Main Campus receptionist; and Steven Sievert, instructor for Computer Education.

VGCC awarded 301 scholarships at its annual awards ceremony this October. The funds raised by the faculty and staff this year will help with future scholarships.

Capital improvements

The Board of Trustees received a preliminary look at capital improvement projects that may be made possible with the $7.6 million in funds that the College is receiving through the Connect NC bonds approved by statewide voters this past March.

Projects are proposed at all four campuses, according to Trustee Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair of the Building Committee.

Among the largest projects, the replacement of outdated heating, ventilation and air conditioning and fire alarm systems on Main Campus is projected to cost around $4 million. Exterior masonry repairs and restoration, also on Main Campus, are projected at around $1 million. Both projects will enter the design phase in January 2017 with a proposed construction start date of August 2017, Seifert said.

Other projects, depending upon available funds, could include, on Main Campus, the remodeling of restrooms, renovations to several instructional areas, and the construction of a “burn building” for the Fire/Rescue department in Continuing Education; at South Campus, the replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment; at Franklin, renovations to a lab and boiler replacement; and at Warren, gas pack and heat pump replacements. The Connect NC Bond funds must be designated for repairs and renovations or the construction of new facilities.

In addition to the Connect NC Bond projects, Seifert said roof renovations to Building 6 on Main Campus are in the design phase, and the project will be bid out in February and completed in the summer of 2017. Remaining balances from other renovations on Main and South campuses will be available for space utilization improvements and repairs and renovations, respectively, Seifert said. Among those improvements, Steve Graham, Vance-Granville’s vice president for finance and operations, said a Bioprocess Technology laboratory on Main Campus is being retrofitted to house a new curriculum program in Histotechnology. The Bioprocess program is moving to the Franklin County Campus.

Other Action

In other action:

  • Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, reported on new employees, retirements and resignations. Among those retiring is Jacquelin “Jackie” Heath, program head and instructor for School-Age Education. Heath, who began employment on Sept. 15, 1976, and retires in January, is Vance-Granville’s longest-serving full-time faculty or staff member.
  • Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., co-chair of the Investment Committee, and Steve Graham, Vance-Granville’s vice president of finance and operations, updated the board on the move of the College’s investments to First Citizens Wealth Management in October. In September, the board approved the firm as the financial advisor, ratifying the designation of the firm by the VGCC Endowment Fund Board of Directors.
  • In her report to the trustees, President Dr. Stelfanie Williams reported on recent activities and events at Vance-Granville. Among those, she noted upcoming holiday events, including the Vance-Granville Community Band’s Holiday Concert on Monday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m.

The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, Jan. 23, at the Main Campus.

Vance-Granville Community Band to present free holiday concert on December 5th

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The Vance-Granville Community Band will perform traditional Christmas fare as well as light classical and contemporary favorites during its ninth annual holiday concert on Monday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson.

This will be the first time that the Community Band has held a concert at the 1,000-seat venue, which opened earlier this year and is located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. Admission is free of charge.

The band has prepared a program that includes seasonal music like “Wishing You a Merry Christmas,” a medley of Christmas carols arranged by William E. Rhoads; “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” a medley featuring “Welcome Christmas” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”; and “The Carollers March” by R.E. Holz, arranged by band member Bob Salzmann. Another piece, “The Night Before Christmas,” features a dramatic reading of Clement Moore’s poem by the band’s Claire Ramsey, with musical accompaniment.

The band is also set to play “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky; the overture from “Abduction from the Seraglio” by Mozart; a symphonic suite of music from the sci-fi franchise “Star Trek” to commemorate its 50th anniversary by Michael Giacchino, Alexander Courage and Gene Roddenberry; “Hallelujah” (featured in the movie “Shrek”) by Leonard Cohen; and “Riders for the Flag,” a march by John Philip Sousa.

The concert will also feature the “Old Vanguard Woodwind Quartet” playing additional selections of holiday music. The quartet comprises a bassoon, a soprano saxophone, an alto saxophone and a tenor saxophone.

Brian Miller, who retired as band director at Louisburg High School and now teaches for VGCC and Crosscreek Charter School, is the band’s primary conductor. Tracie Winstead, who plays bassoon in the band, is the associate conductor.

The Community Band, which is sponsored by the VGCC Division of Arts and Sciences, includes people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from throughout the region. No auditions are required. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, on the Main Campus in Henderson, at Exit 209 on Interstate 85 (Poplar Creek Road). For more information, contact Brian Miller at (919) 496-5877 or at bmiller9302@vgcc.edu or Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu.

VGCC SkillsUSA students donate bottled water to hurricane victims

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Criminal Justice Technology students at Vance-Granville Community College recently conducted a bottled water drive through the college chapter of SkillsUSA. The service project was designed to assist fellow North Carolinians who suffered shortages of clean water as a result of Hurricane Matthew.

VGCC students worked in partnership with the Henderson Police Department, which was collecting bottled water along with several other local law enforcement agencies throughout the state. HPD officers picked up the 47 donated cases of water from the students on Nov. 3.

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. Founded in 1965 as V.I.C.A. (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America), SkillsUSA has served more than 12 million members in its history. Today, the organization has more than 360,000 students and instructors as members nationwide.

The SkillsUSA chapter provides VGCC students with opportunities for leadership, professional development, community service and social activities. Students in a number of different curriculum programs at VGCC are eligible to join.

For more information on the VGCC Criminal Justice program, contact program head William Clements at clementsw@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3242.

VGCC programs receive high national rankings

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Three national organizations recently recognized Vance-Granville Community College with high rankings for high-quality, affordable education, offered online or on-campus.

The Community for Accredited Online Schools (AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org), a leading resource for higher education and college accreditation information, recently released its national rankings for the 2016-2017 school year. The organization ranked VGCC as having the nation’s 34th Best Pharmacy Technician program as well as the nation’s 49th Best Beauty/Cosmetology program.

VGCC offers Cosmetology at all four of its campuses, while the Pharmacy Technology program is based on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Both programs have options for certain courses to be completed online or in hybrid formats combining online and traditional face-to-face instruction. The college offers certificate and diploma programs in Cosmetology, a Cosmetology Instructor certificate, along with both a diploma and a two-year associate degree in Pharmacy Technology.

“We wanted to highlight schools like Vance-Granville Community College, who are striving for excellence in education,” said Doug Jones, CEO and Founder of the California-based Community for Accredited Online Schools. “These colleges offer an exceptional educational experience, upholding rigorous accreditation standards and showing an overall commitment to maximizing student success.”

In order for colleges to qualify for the rankings, they must hold public or private not-for-profit status and carry institutional accreditation. Top schools are determined by using a value-based methodology that analyzes more than a dozen qualitative and quantitative data points.

Meanwhile, Nevada-based Affordable Colleges Online (AffordableCollegesOnline.org) has ranked VGCC as the 25th “Best Online College” in North Carolina for 2016-2017. The organization evaluated colleges and universities based on cost of tuition and fees, the percentage of full-time students receiving institutional financial aid, the number of online programs offered, and the student-to-teacher ratio. Affordable Colleges Online has distinguished its ranking scale by the use of Peer-Based Value, or PBV. The PBV score compares the cost of each program to the cost of similar programs with the same qualitative score. Earlier this year, AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org ranked VGCC as the top two-year college in North Carolina for online programs.

VGCC has expanded its online course offerings in recent years. In 2015, the college launched the VOLT (Vanguard Online Learning through Technology) initiative, primarily with working adults in mind. Through VOLT, five two-year degree programs are now offered 100-percent online — Associate in Arts (College Transfer), Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Medical Office Administration – Coding Specialist, and Global Logistics and Distribution Management Technology. In addition, students can take online courses in combination with traditional face-to-face courses to complete any VGCC degree program.

VOLT students enjoy several specific benefits, including priority registration and guaranteed course availability. They also have access to many online resources that are available to all VGCC students, such as library services, testing and the Bookstore. Courses offered through VOLT have the same low tuition as all other VGCC courses, making them more affordable than their counterparts at for-profit institutions. In addition, Duke Energy, a longtime corporate supporter of VGCC, has provided funds for scholarships specifically for VOLT students. For more information about VOLT, visit volt.vgcc.edu or call Evelyn Harris at (252) 738-3254, or Melanie Copeland at (252) 738-3271.

One of the VOLT programs, Criminal Justice, was recognized by AffordableColleges.com as number 21 on the list of the nation’s 50 best values in online associate degrees in Criminal Justice. “In our rigorous review of schools across the nation, we set out to find the programs that combine quality with affordability, and VGCC rose to the top,” said Vanessa Green of Texas-based AffordableColleges.com. “Our mission is to help students find a path to a rewarding, quality education that won’t leave them crippled by student debt. We love connecting students with institutions that match those ideals, and we’re pleased to feature VGCC.” On its website, the organization noted that “VGCC is a state leader in delivering online courses, as well as fully-online degree programs; the school uses the Moodle content management system.”
“The faculty and staff at Vance-Granville continue to demonstrate excellence and innovation, which is reflected in these national rankings,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “More and more people are realizing the value that our programs offer, as we educate, inspire and support Vanguards to prepare for success in Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Pharmacy Technology or any number of other career fields.”

Registration is going on now for the spring 2017 semester at VGCC, which begins Jan. 9.

VGCC Bioprocess program moving to Franklin Campus

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The Vance-Granville Community College Bioprocess Technology degree program will be based at the college’s Franklin County Campus, starting in January 2017.

The program has been located at the college’s Main Campus in Vance County since its inception in January 2006. The biotechnology lab on Main Campus will now be used primarily by the new Histotechnology degree program instead.

The Franklin Campus, located on N.C. 56 just outside of Louisburg, has actually had a biotech lab longer than the Main Campus has. VGCC has conducted the one-semester BioWork Process Technician course in the lab on the Franklin Campus since it was first offered in 2001. Novozymes North America of Franklinton made monetary and equipment donations to the lab from the outset, and has continued to support VGCC over the years. That lab has also been used by the Bioprocess Technology curriculum degree program from time to time.

“Moving to the Franklin County Campus will strategically locate our program closer to Novozymes and other major employers in the biomanufacturing and pharmaceutical industries, while also promoting economic development in the Franklin County area,” said VGCC Bioprocess Technology program head/instructor Dr. Tara Hamilton. “We look forward to welcoming new students who want to succeed in this growing career field.”

The Bioprocess Technology curriculum is designed to prepare students to work as process operators or quality control analysts in biological products manufacturing facilities. Students receive instruction in a combination of basic science and communication skills, manufacturing technologies, and good manufacturing practices. In addition to the two-year associate in applied science degree, VGCC offers a 16-hour Bioprocess Technology certificate, which is open to eligible high school students through the Career & College Promise program.

VGCC is part of the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork, a statewide initiative that connects community colleges serving the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, providing specialized training, curricula and equipment.

Registration is going on now for the spring 2017 semester at VGCC, which begins Jan. 9. For more information on Bioprocess Technology, contact Dr. Tara Hamilton at (252) 738-3285 or hamiltont@vgcc.edu.

 

Rotary Clubs and Community Volunteers Work to Reduce Hunger

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On November 19th the Rotary Clubs of Oxford, Henderson, Roxboro and the Kerr Tar Region are joining together to produce Emergency Food Boxes (EFB) for the food insecure in our area.  The Rotary clubs will be joined by an estimated 100 volunteers from schools, sororities and other community organizations to produce the boxes.

During the November packing event, 1,200 EFBs will be produced, providing more than 25,000 meals for agencies serving the food insecure, including:  ACTS and Vance County Senior Center in Vance County, and Safe Haven, Christian Help Center and a church-based food bank in Person County.

Another packing event will be held on January 21, 2017, producing an additional 1,200 boxes supporting agencies in Granville County.  Each EFB contains individual bags of rice, beans and dehydrated vegetables, enough food to make 21 meals and feed a person for a week.  More importantly, the box includes illustrated cooking instructions in English and Spanish and menus to feed a family of four for just $75 a week.

Food insecurity is a significant problem in our area, where an estimated 20% (21,000) of the population does not always know where they will find their next meal.  Together, the November and January packing events will provide more than 50,000 meals at a total cost of $12,000.

The Emergency Food Box project was funded by the Rotary Clubs of Oxford, Henderson and Roxboro and Rotary District 7710.  The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford generously provides storage and production facilities and volunteers to make this project possible.

For more information, contact OxfordNCRotaryClub@Yahoo.com

Two longtime members retire from VGCC endowment board

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John K. Nelms and Julia Ann Taylor, both of Oxford, recently announced their retirement from the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund Board of Directors, effective in December.

Nelms has been on the board of directors since 1978. Among his numerous contributions to the Endowment Fund, Nelms created the Mary Ruth Nelms Presidential Scholar Award in 2009 in memory of his late wife of 61 years. The Endowment board also created a Presidential Scholar Award in his honor in 2011.

When the college was still young, Nelms — then the director of the Granville County Economic Development Commission — was instrumental in getting his county involved in supporting what was then Vance County Technical Institute. He persuaded Granville County commissioners to join Vance County in funding the school and in locating its main campus near the county line between Henderson and Oxford. Nelms served on the VGCC Board of Trustees in an advisory capacity from 1971 until 1973, and as an active member from 1973 until 2005. He was its chair from 1983 through 1984 and from 1999 until 2003. Nelms was named VGCC’s first (and to date, only) Trustee Emeritus upon his retirement.

Taylor, meanwhile, has served on the Endowment Fund board since 1985 and has been the board’s secretary for all of those years. She is responsible for endowing the college’s Grace Hamme Jester Presidential Merit Award scholarship, in memory of her aunt, and she helped, along with other family members, to endow the Joseph and Carrie P. Hamme Presidential Merit Award. Active in her community, Taylor served on the Granville County Planning Board for 28 years — the longest period of service of any resident on any Granville County board — while also volunteering with the local historical and genealogical societies. Both Taylor and her husband, Dr. Richard Taylor, received the John Penn Citizen Award from the Granville County Chamber of Commerce in 2015.

The board of directors oversees the Endowment Fund Corporation, a nonprofit organization established in 1976 to seek and receive scholarship funds and other contributions for the college. The most recent additions to the board include Clay Frazier of Henderson, the president of Universal Leaf North America, U.S.; Darryl Moss, the mayor of Creedmoor; and Josh Towne of Henderson, the owner/operator of the Chick-fil-A franchise in Henderson.

Other current board members include Robert L. Hubbard (the vice-chair), Julius Banzet III, Sarah Baskerville, Jim Chatman, Rep. James W. Crawford, Jr., Dr. Ben F. Currin, L. Opie Frazier, Jr., Rev. Dr. Richard M. Henderson, T.S. Royster, Jr., Donald C. Seifert, Sr., and Todd Wemyss. As president of VGCC, Dr. Stelfanie Williams chairs the board.

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,800 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information about the Endowment Fund, call (252) 738-3409.