VGCC, Warren Library partner for discussion of Tennessee Williams & “The Glass Menagerie”

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Vance-Granville Community College is partnering with the Warren County Memorial Library to present a program on playwright Tennessee Williams and his classic drama, “The Glass Menagerie,” which the college is preparing to stage as a dinner theater event.

The educational program is scheduled for Monday, April 17, from 10:30 a.m. until noon at the library on South Front Street in Warrenton. The event is free and open to the public. Betsy Henderson, VGCC’s Department Chair/Instructor of Humanities and Fine Arts, will make a presentation and lead a discussion on Williams (1911–1983) and the play, including its poetic elements, in celebration of April as National Poetry Month.

Henderson will also talk about VGCC’s upcoming production of “The Glass Menagerie,” which she is directing. The college’s fifth annual Dinner Theater is scheduled for the evenings of Thursday, April 27, and Friday, April 28, in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County.

First staged in 1944, “The Glass Menagerie” is based in part on Tennessee Williams’s own memories of his family. In 1945, the play premiered on Broadway, won the prestigious New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for the best American play of the year, and launched Williams to fame.

Henderson has an MFA in Acting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. She was VGCC’s 2005 Instructor of the Year. As an actress, Henderson has worked professionally with Raleigh Ensemble Players (REP), Deep Dish Theatre Company, Burning Coal Theatre Company, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Theatre of the American South, Hot Summer Nights @ the Kennedy, Temple Theatre, and Justice Theatre Project. Henderson has toured nationally with productions of “Miracle Worker,” portraying Annie Sullivan, and “Diary of Anne Frank,” portraying Mrs. Frank. Her performance in REP’s “Distracted” in 2011 was recognized by the Independent Weekly as one of the Best Lead Performances of the year. Henderson has served on local theatre boards of directors, and as a faculty member for Cary’s Applause Youth Theatre. She is currently vice-chair of the board of directors of Granville Little Theatre, as well as the chair of the GLT education committee. She has also been the Creative Director for the Broadway and Beyond/TeenWorks summer camps for 10 years.

For more information, contact Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or David Spence at davidspence@warrencountync.gov.

–VGCC–

Home and Garden Show 04/04/17

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Vance County Schools Update 04/03/17

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Vance County Schools FRC to host “Senior Night” Info Session

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The Vance County Schools Family Resource Center is hosting a free “Senior Night” information session on Tuesday, April 4, from 3 to 6 p.m. for high school students and their parents.

Students and parents can come at any time during the three hours to receive valuable information from high school counselors about the college application process, financial aid opportunities and educational services and programs provided through Vance-Granville Community College.

The session will be held in the Family Resource Center, located in the school system’s Administrative Services Center at 1724 Graham Avenue in Henderson.

Animal Kingdom 03/29/17

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Home and Garden Show 03/28/17

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VGCC Radiography students and educators attend conference

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Several students and faculty members from the Vance-Granville Community College Radiography program attended the 20th West Coast Educators Council (WCEC) of Radiologic Technologists Student-Educator-Radiographer Seminar, held March 7-10 in Orlando, Florida.

The annual conference is attended by over 1,000 students and educators in the Radiography field from all over the country. This year, 26 of the 50 states were represented.

While at WCEC, the VGCC Radiography students were able to meet imaging professionals who have written or contributed to the textbooks which the students currently use. The students also attended classes relevant to their major and were able to take a mock registry examination, which simulates the exam that all Registered Radiographers are required to take in order to obtain their registry upon completion of a two-year associate degree program. “The average score for the mock registry is around 65 percent, and the VGCC students scored within this range, indicating that they are on target for Registry success following graduation,” explained VGCC Clinical Coordinator/instructor Stacey Soles.

Students Mary Beth Brewer and Trevor Houston, both of Durham, and Jonathan Liddane of Oxford participated, along with their peers from across the country, in the “Student Bee,” with Brewer advancing to the second round. Only three students per program could compete in the Student Bee, a fun competition that tests participants’ knowledge of radiologic technology.

Additional topics of study during the conference for students included “Inside the NFL,” “The Role of Forensic Radiography in Peru,” “Sectional Anatomy,” “Technique 101: Getting Back to the Basics” and “Mastering Digital Radiography.” “’Inside the NFL’ gave insight into the role of Radiographers in sports,” Soles said. “Not only can Radiographers work in hospital and health-care settings, but they can be part of an NFL team!”

The other faculty member from the college in attendance was VGCC Dean of Health Sciences (and radiographer) Angela Thomas, who gave a well-received presentation to educators from many other states, entitled “Crucial Conversations.”

Based at VGCC’s South Campus between Butner and Creedmoor, the two-year Radiography degree program prepares graduates to be radiographers, skilled health care professionals who use radiation to produce images of the human body. For more information on Radiography, contact Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas at (252) 738-3397.

–VGCC–

 

Vance County School Update 03/27/17

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Trustees Approve Budget Requests For County Funding

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The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees approved a proposed total budget request of $3,071,984 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year for Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties at its bimonthly meeting on the college’s Main Campus on Monday, March 20.

VGCC’s budget requests, which include $2,493,174 in current expenses and $578,810 in capital outlay, now go to the board of county commissioners in each of the four counties served by VGCC. The capital outlay budget is composed of $95,960 in recurring needs and $482,850 in one-time needs.

Of the $2.49 million current expense county budget, $1,146,197 is being proposed for Vance County for the Main Campus and the nursing simulation lab at Maria Parham Health; $752,184 for Granville County for Main Campus, South Campus and the Culinary Arts location in Oxford; $225,625 for Warren’s campus; and $369,168 for Franklin’s campus.

Of the $95,960 in recurring capital outlay requests for facility improvement needs, funding by county is: Vance, $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Warren, $6,000; and Franklin, $20,000.

The college is requesting the one-time capital outlay funds of $482,850 for the Main Campus in accordance with VGCC’s Capital Improvement Plan submitted to Vance County, said Steven Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations. Vance and Granville share in the funding of the campus between Henderson and Oxford on a 3:1 ratio. A total of $362,138 is being requested from Vance County and $120,712 from Granville.

The proposed budget for the four counties represents a $61,451 increase over the 2016-2017 current expense budget and a $30,000 increase over the current year’s recurring capital outlay.

At the Main Campus, the increase in current expenses is being requested in order to maintain plant operations at the current level of service, to cover merit-based pay adjustments, and to fund a full-time safety coordinator position to lead campus compliance safety regulations and to develop, maintain and coordinate environmental, health and safety programs and training for the college, according to Graham. At each of the three satellite campuses, the current expenses are level with 2016-2017 funding.

“The college is requesting additional recurring capital funding from Vance and Granville counties in the total amount of $30,000 to perform a backlog of mid-sized repair projects and to maintain the adequacy and use of existing facilities going forward,” Graham added.

In addition, the college has currently earmarked funds from the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond, approved in a March 2016 state referendum, in the amount of $6,705,695 to fund major capital improvements to the Main Campus buildings and infrastructure. Other bond funding has been planned for other campuses as follows: South Campus, $325,000; Franklin Campus, $202,260; and Warren, $65,000.

Trustee Abdul Rasheed, chair of the board’s Budget Committee, described the budget as essential to helping Vance-Granville fulfill its role in providing the education and job skills training needed by area citizens. “It’s everything about the future of the area we serve,” Rasheed said.

County funding represents approximately 9 percent of the college’s overall budget.

New Medical Office Pathways

The trustees voted to approve two new curriculum programs and terminate a third. The board is adding to the Career and College Promise pathways program for high school students the opportunity to earn certificates in Medical Office Administrative Assistant I and II, effective this fall. A certificate in Medical Transcription Specialist will be terminated in the fall.

The Medical Office Administration curriculum prepares individuals for employment in medical and other healthcare related offices. The new Level I certificate pathway will be a 17-credit-hour program with classes in computers, keyboarding, medical terminology, medical insurance billing, and office procedures. The Level II pathway, an 18-credit-hour certificate, will have courses in word processing, medical legal issues, office ethics, healthcare customer relations and electronic healthcare records.

The certificate program that is being terminated will allow currently enrolled students to finish their certificates, according to Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, chair of the board’s Curriculum Committee.

State Budget Priorities

The North Carolina Community College System has adopted three budget strategies for the current session of the North Carolina General Assembly, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams informed the trustees.

The NCCCS is seeking “technical adjustments” to correct a salary loss error from 2016 and to secure an adjustment for enrollment growth. The community college system wants to ensure that business and industry have quick and easy access to a highly-skilled, well-trained workforce and ensure that students have an awareness of quality, well-paying career opportunities. To continue to provide business and industry with a highly-skilled workforce pipeline, community colleges must have a stable and solid foundation of operations, as outlined in the priorities.

Legislative priorities include investment in workforce training, funding additional career coaches, increasing student completion, rewarding colleges for outcomes, stabilizing budgets and raising faculty and staff salaries.

A key goal of NCCCS is to provide an affordable pathway for students to earn a baccalaureate degree through a Community College Transfer Incentive program, according to the NCCCS. The initiative seeks to reward completion and provide incentives to students who choose a North Carolina community college transfer program by providing a scholarship to students who complete an associate degree and then transfer to either an institution of the University of North Carolina system or a private college or university in North Carolina. Under such a plan, students would save in the area of $20,000 in tuition, fees and housing costs, while the state would save approximately $8,000.

Other Action

In other action:

  • In his Building Committee report, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair, said bid awarding is pending for the roof renovations for Building 6 on the Main Campus, a project that is expected to be completed during the summer term. A lab is being renovated for the new Histotechnology program, also slated for completion this summer.
  • Trustee Sara C. Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, informed her fellow board members of the plans for the annual evaluation of the president, and she reported on new employees, retirements and resignations.
  • The Investment Committee, chaired by Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., reported on growth in the college’s investments.
  • Colton Hayes, student trustee and president of the Student Government Association, detailed recent and upcoming events for students.
  • Dr. Williams announced the following events: Fifth Annual Dinner Theater, April 27-28; Vance-Granville Community Band concert, May 1; Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, May 2; and Graduation, May 12. She said the board will have its annual retreat on Aug. 28.

The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, May 15, at the Main Campus.

VGCC well-represented at regional community college awareness event

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WILSON, N.C. — Vance-Granville Community College shared the spotlight with eight other community colleges from the region on March 22, when Wilson Community College hosted a press conference for the “North Central Prosperity Zone,” a 15-county area of the state that includes the four counties served by VGCC: Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren.

This first-of-its-kind event was designed to showcase the community college story. “We’re celebrating the vital role that community colleges play in our 15 counties,” said Dr. Tim Wright, president of Wilson Community College, in his welcoming remarks. Several community college presidents, including VGCC’s Dr. Stelfanie Williams, were in attendance.

The sole student selected to speak at the conference was a VGCC student, Christopher Blue of Henderson. A student in the Vance County Early College High School program, Blue is set to graduate soon with his high school diploma and his associate’s degree from the college. He recalled learning about Vance County Early College in the eighth grade and seizing the educational opportunity in front of him.

“My mom became a registered nurse by going to Vance-Granville Community College, so I knew that it would be an ideal place for me, as well,” Blue said. “Now being a Super-Senior (fifth-year student) at Early College, I can honestly say Vance-Granville did not disappoint me in the least. I did not know back in eighth grade about all the opportunities I would have here.” VGCC, he noted, is more than just a school. “It gives you an opportunity to be part of a family,” Blue said. “I’ve built tremendous relationships with so many people here at Vance-Granville. I also love how VGCC gives the students leadership opportunities.” Blue joined the college’s Male Mentoring Success Initiative as a high school junior, eventually becoming its recorder/treasurer and receiving an award for his involvement in the program.

“At Vance-Granville, I’ve grown as a person and as a student,” he said. In the fall, Blue plans to continue his education by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in public health with the ultimate goal of becoming a prosthodontist, a type of dentist who specializes in dental implants. In essence, he wants to “create smiles,” he said. Meanwhile, he also focuses on passing on the knowledge he has gained to youth by serving as a mentor to children at the Vance County unit of the Boys and Girls Club of North Central North Carolina. “I always tell the kids to take advantage of every opportunity you have,” Blue said. He ended his remarks, saying, “Thank you, Vance-Granville, thank you, Early College, and go Vanguards!”

Other speakers at the event represented community college presidents, trustees, business partners and instructors. Each detailed how the colleges serve their communities and make a difference in the lives of their students on both an academic and economic level. “Absent community colleges, the state of North Carolina and our individual communities would be poorer in quality of life and in hope for the ability of our people to improve their lives,” said Wright, the WCC president. He noted, as examples of the system’s impact, that virtually all North Carolina law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are trained at community colleges, as are half of the state’s nurses.

Each of the nine community colleges represented at the press conference also brought a display or demonstration to highlight programs they offer. VGCC’s display focused on the Welding Technology and Mechatronics Engineering Technology programs. Welding student Josh Pfohl of Wilton joined VGCC Applied Technologies department chair Keith Shearon and TechHire project manager Ken Wilson in presenting the frame of a car that, when complete, will race in a national competition.

The North Central Prosperity Zone press conference was one of eight such regional events being held across the state ahead of the March 29 “Community College Day” at the North Carolina General Assembly. All the local and state recognition events were organized by the N.C. Association of Community College Presidents to bring awareness to the programs and services offered by the 58 community colleges.

–VGCC–