Small Business Summit and Expo to be held October 20 at Warren County Armory

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via Andrew Beal

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center has announced the complete lineup of presenters for the fourth annual Small Business Summit and Expo, which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the Warren County Armory Civic Center in Warrenton.

The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County, the Warren County Economic Development Commission, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Warren County Center, and the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center are partnering with the college to organize the event, which has the theme, “Weaving the Fabric of a Thriving Economy.” CenturyLink is the presenting sponsor. Other co-sponsors are Halifax Electric Membership Corporation, The Warren Record, Hundley’s Greenhouses, Inc., The Lake Gaston Gazette-Observer, 1450 AM WIZS, the Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald, The Daily Dispatch and WARR.

The summit kicks off with a keynote address during lunch by Susan E. Harris, owner of Quilt Lizzy in Warrenton. Her discussion is entitled “Why Your Small Town is a Great Place to Do Business.”

For the rest of the afternoon, attendees can choose from among several breakout sessions being held simultaneously.

During Session 1, from 1:15 until 2:15 p.m., the choices are: “Creative Opportunities for Arts and Crafts Businesses in the Community” with professional artist and educator Theresa Brown; “Making Your Business Model Work in a Small Town” with Warrenton town manager Robert Davie; and “Turning Your Passion Into a Business” with Adam Fields, owner of AF Wake & Wakeboard World Champion.

Session 2, from 2:30 until 3:30 p.m., offers these options: “Farm to Fork Enterprise” with Crystal Smith and Paul McKenzie of N.C. Cooperative Extension and Gabe Cummings of Warren FoodWorks; “Emerging Consumer Markets for Agriculture” with Debbie Hamrick, Director of Specialty Crops for the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation; and “Social Media: The Black Hole” with Dave Blodgett of Buggs Media.

For the third and final session (3:45 until 4:45 p.m.), attendees will select either “Financing Opportunities for Small Businesses” with Barry Ryan of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center and Lou Grillo of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments; “USDA Loans & Grants Program” with Rhonda Pope, USDA Farm Service Agency’s Strike Force Coordinator and County Executive Director at large, Michelle Winslow, Dock Jones and Rob Satterfield, all of USDA/Farm Service Agency, and Lyn Millhiser of USDA/Rural Development; or “Social Media: The Black Hole” with Dave Blodgett of Buggs Media.

Between breakout sessions, attendees can browse through booths set up by representatives of various resources for small businesses. These include CenturyLink, Carter Bank & Trust, Ag Carolina Farm Credit, N.C. Rural Center, North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Warren County, Warren County Economic Development Commission, USDA, Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments, Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald, Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, Vance-Granville Community College, Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, Halifax Electric Membership Corporation, North Carolina Farm Bureau, North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development, The Daily Dispatch, WARR, and The Warren County Chamber of Commerce.

The purpose of the Small Business Summit and Expo is to engage, empower and enrich participants to help make their small businesses more successful. “We welcome all aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and non-profit leaders to participate in this inspirational, educational and motivational experience with us,” said Tanya Weary, director of the VGCC Small Business Center.

Lunch is provided free of charge by CenturyLink to the first 50 registered participants. After that point, lunch is $10.

For more information, call Tanya Weary at (252) 738-3240 or e-mail her at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.

VGCC Ambassadors Announced

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Vance-Granville Community College has selected 13 outstanding students to serve as ambassadors during the 2015-2016 school year. Ambassadors represent the college at special campus and community functions, among other duties.

This year’s ambassadors include Dianna DeWeese of Creedmoor (Accounting and Business Administration), who serves as lead ambassador; Emory Gant-Hawkins of Henderson (Culinary Arts); Joy Herndon of Henderson (College Transfer/Vance County Early College High School);  Tonya Parrish of Henderson (Radiography); Shane O’Malley of Inez (College Transfer/Warren Early College High School); Ambrianna Winston of Manson (Office Administration); Daniel Davis of Norlina (College Transfer/Warren Early College High School); Erica Medlin of Oxford (Associate Degree Nursing); Cadeema Scotland of Oxford (Accounting and Business Administration); Francis Scotland of Oxford (College Transfer); Michael Frink of Raleigh (College Transfer); Kathy Conant of Wake Forest (Medical Office Administration); and Adam Rooker of Wise (Criminal Justice).

VGCC Ambassadors 2015-16

To qualify as an Ambassador, a student must have attended VGCC for one year and have achieved a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average. Each nominee undergoes committee interviews.

The Vance-Granville Community College student ambassadors for 2015-2016 include, in front, from left: Shane O’Malley, Daniel Davis, Adam Rooker, Joy Herndon and Cadeema Scotland; in back, from left: Francis Scotland, Dianna DeWeese, Emory Gant-Hawkins, Tonya Parrish and Michael Frink; not pictured: Kathy Conant, Erica Medlin and Ambrianna Winston.

Ambassadors receive special training through workshops covering leadership, motivation, hospitality and etiquette. In order for them to be helpful and responsive to visitors, they receive instruction in the college’s history, programs and services. Their duties include serving as guides or hosts and hostesses at events such as commencement, orientation for new students, scholarship awards ceremonies, college-sponsored concerts and activities at the Civic Center, and the annual Career Day. For their services to the college, ambassadors receive a scholarship.

For more information about becoming a student ambassador, call Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

EJMS and Zeb Vance Principals

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The Vance County Board of Education Monday night approved Dr. Brad Jones as the new principal at Eaton-Johnson Middle School and Mr. Kristian Herring as the new principal at Zeb Vance Elementary School.

Jones and Herring will begin their new duties on October 1.

Jones has been the principal at Cedar Grove Elementary School in Nash County since July 2012. He also served as a middle school principal at Rocky Mount Preparatory School from July 2010 to June 2012. Prior to holding that position, he was a middle school assistant principal in Alamance-Burlington and Halifax County schools. He began his career in 1999 as a high school social studies teacher. Jones has taught in Johnston, Wake, Edgecombe, Caswell and Vance county schools. He received a doctorate of education degree in 2015 from N.C. State University, a master’s degree in school administration in 2005 from East Carolina University and a bachelor’s of science degree in history in 1999 from East Carolina University.

Herring most recently has served as the interim principal and assistant principal at Red Oak Middle School in Nash County. Additional experience includes assistant principal’s positions at G.W. Bulluck Elementary School, West Edgecombe Middle School and Southwest Edgecombe High School, all in Edgecombe County. He began a career in education in August of 2005 as a choral music educator in Wilson County and then in Edgecombe County schools. Herring received a master’s degree in school administration in May of 2011 from East Carolina University, an associate in applied science degree in paralegal technology in May 2004 from Wilson Community College and a bachelor of arts degree in sociology in December of 2002 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

New statewide agreement helps VGCC students transfer to private schools

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Vance-Granville Community College students will enjoy clearer pathways to completing a four-year degree, thanks to a new Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA) between the N.C. Community College System and the N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities.

Approximately 2,000 community college students transfer to one of North Carolina’s 36 independent higher education institutions each year. VGCC’s highly-regarded College Transfer program provides students with the first two years of a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. College Transfer courses are offered at all four VGCC campuses and online.

On Aug. 27, Dr. R. Scott Ralls, the president of North Carolina’s system of 58 community colleges, and Dr. A. Hope Williams, the president of NCICU, signed the revised ICAA at William Peace University, one of the 22 private colleges and universities that have agreed to the standards of the new transfer plan.

The agreement better defines transfer options for students between the two systems, saving North Carolinians money and potentially shortening the time to bachelor’s degree completion.

“This signing, joined with our revised agreement with the UNC system in 2014, brings North Carolina’s higher education alignment to a new level,” said Dr. Ralls. “It means increased access and opportunity for our community college students and clearly defined pathways to success at both public and private higher education institutions in our state. I commend the NC Independent Colleges and Universities for proactively working toward this agreement for the benefit of both systems’ students and their families.”

The ultimate goal of the ICAA is to help a student transfer credits from a community college to an NCICU institution with minimal loss of credit or repetition of work.

The ICAA moves community college students toward their four-year degree goals by clearly defining transfer pathways and how earned credit hours fit into the requirements of signatory institutions. The ICAA:

  • Identifies foundational courses that will transfer to all signatory institutions to meet general education requirements;
  • Improves the success of transferring students through required coursework that ensures students will map their academic pathway to the desired independent institution; and
  • Encourages community college students to complete an Associate in Arts (AA) or an Associate in Science (AS) degree before transferring by guaranteeing entry as juniors with full transfer credit.

In 2014, the State Board of Community Colleges and the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina system signed a similarly revised agreement, updating guidelines that have saved students and families both time and money, and that have stretched taxpayer-funded dollars. The ICAA is consistent with the University of North Carolina system agreement, meaning students will have the same transfer guarantees regardless of the type of senior institution in the state they attend.

In addition to the two comprehensive system-wide agreements, VGCC also has several bilateral articulation agreements with four-year schools (both public and private) that allow students to transfer credits in specific programs.

“This strengthened partnership between North Carolina’s public and private educational institutions is good news for Vance-Granville students, who will be able to achieve professional and personal success by completing a bachelor’s degree, in less time and at a lower cost,” said Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs.

The revised ICAA, updated from the previous articulation agreement signed in 2007, is effective for new college transfer students in the fall of 2015 at the signatory colleges and universities.

The institutions that have signed onto the new agreement thus far include: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Bennett College, Brevard College, Campbell University, Chowan University, Guilford College, Lees-McRae College, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Livingstone College, Mars Hill University, Meredith College, Methodist University, Montreat College, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Pfeiffer University, Salem College, Shaw University, St. Andrews University, University of Mount Olive, William Peace University and Wingate University.

Locals Serving at State Level

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Dr. Michael Putney, principal at Dabney Elementary School, and Dr. Larry Webb, principal at Northern Vance High School serve on the State Superintendent’s Principals’ Advisory Committee. Dr. Putney, seated at far right, and Dr. Webb, standing at far right, are shown with members of the committee during their meeting held in late July. Additional members include, seated from left, Amy Richardson; Steve Lassiter, who is the N.C. Principal of the Year; Robin Hamilton and Christopher Poston. Others shown are, standing from left, Dr. June Atkinson, state superintendent; Catherine Tahaney; Billie Berry; Shane Mace; Robin Calcutt; and Brad Breedlove. Dr. Putney is the president of the NCAE Division of Principals and Administrators and Dr. Webb was the Northeast Region Principal of the Year.State Superintendent Council

Golden LEAF Scholarships Awarded

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A group of students from Vance-Granville Community College recently received scholarships through the Golden LEAF Scholarship program for the North Carolina Community College System. The scholarship program, designed to help North Carolinians attend the state’s community colleges, is funded through a $750,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.

The scholarship can be used for tuition, books, fees, supplies, transportation and childcare related to attending classes during the 2014-15 academic year, and industry-recognized credential testing expenses that address skill gaps upon course completion. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need and reside in rural counties that are tobacco-dependent and/or economically distressed. Scholarships for both occupational and curriculum students are available during the fall, spring and summer semesters.

The VGCC students who were awarded Golden LEAF scholarships for the summer 2015 term (with their respective programs of study) include:

Jerrell Branch of Norlina (School-Age Education);
Tanita Canty of Kittrell (Early Childhood Education);
Shakeeta Garland of Henderson (Nurse Aide I);
Jerri Hunter of Henderson (Nurse Aide I);
Diandra Hyman-Graham of Warrenton (Health Unit Secretary);
Amanda Lewis of Henderson (Nurse Aide II);
Brandy Lynch of Hollister (Pharmacy Technology);
Samantha Patrick of Henderson (Associate Degree Nursing);
Cheryl Reddrick of Henderson (BioWork Process Technician);
Callie Whittaker of Henderson (Nurse Aide I); and
Jasmine Williams of Henderson (Nurse Aide I).

“The Golden LEAF Foundation is proud to have awarded over 8,000 Golden LEAF Scholarships to help North Carolinians attend our state’s community colleges,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF President. “Our hope is that these scholarships will help build the talent, knowledge and skills of our current and future workforce, especially in the rural areas of our state.”

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina’s economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 1,275 grants totaling more than $561 million since its inception. For more information, about the foundation, visit www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684-8404.

Students interested in applying for a Golden LEAF Scholarship should contact the VGCC Financial Aid Office at (252) 738-3280.

Fallen Soldier’s Family creates VGCC Scholarship in his memory

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A new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College will bear the name of a Vance County native who lost his life in combat during the Iraq War. The Lunsford B. Brown II Memorial Academic Achievement Scholarship was recently established by members of his family, including his mother, Deborah F. Brown of Henderson, who chairs the VGCC Board of Trustees.

Deborah Brown said that the family had talked for several years about creating a scholarship in memory of Lunsford, who was killed in action on Sept. 20, 2003, in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, at age 27. He held the rank of Specialist in the U.S. Army and was an electronic intelligence interceptor/analyst, assigned to A Company, 302nd Military Intelligence Battalion.

In addition to his parents, his wife, Sherrie Wheeler Brown, and daughter, Amber (now 12 years old), Lunsford Brown II was survived by a sister, Dana Brown Simpson, and a brother, former NFL player Jason Brown.

Lunsford Brown Family 2015Members of the Brown family gathered for this photo to celebrate the creation of the new Lunsford B. Brown II Memorial Scholarship. They included, in front, from left to right: J.W. Brown Jr., Alexandria Williams, Michael Simpson Jr., Noah Brown and Naomi Brown; in back, from left to right: Lunsford B. Brown, Lunsford B. Brown III (“Tre”), being held by his mother, Tay Brown, Jason Brown, Deborah Brown, Amber Brown, Sherrie Brown, Dana Simpson and Michael Simpson. Young “Tre” was named in honor of his uncle, the namesake of the new scholarship. (photo provided by Brown family)

Deborah Brown remembers her son as both “an artist and an athlete.” After graduating from Northern Vance High School, he enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University, where he met his future wife and was a member of the ROTC.

In awarding the new VGCC scholarship, preference will be given to students who are from Vance County and who are enrolled in the Simulation and Game Development degree program. “Lunsford loved video games, so I could see him enjoying and excelling in a program like that,” Deborah Brown said.

“The heroic service and sacrifice of Lunsford B. Brown II will serve as an inspiration to VGCC students and our community for years to come,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “We extend our appreciation to the entire Brown family for their leadership and their support of our students. Their beloved son, brother, husband, father and uncle will forever be remembered through this fitting tribute.”

Deborah Brown, who is also a Vance County commissioner, has served on the college’s Board of Trustees since 2009, and as its chair since 2012. She is also a member of the VGCC Endowment Fund Board of Directors.

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,000 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.

VGCC names new Dean of Warren Campus

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Lyndon Hall was recently named Dean of Vance-Granville Community College’s Warren County Campus. In his new leadership role, Hall is responsible for supervising all operations at the satellite campus in Warrenton, including both the curriculum and continuing education courses offered there.

A Durham resident, Hall has been a member of the college’s staff since 2009. In fact, his new posting marks a return to the location where his VGCC career began, as the Warren Campus Coordinator and college liaison for Warren Early College High School. From 2010 through 2015, Hall served as director of Joint High School Programs for VGCC. In that capacity, he supervised all VGCC programs offered to high school students in four counties through Early College partnerships with local school systems as well as Career and College Promise (CCP) pathways. Hall also advised individual students and served as an adjunct instructor at times.Lyndon Hall VGCC Warren

“This is truly an exciting time at Vance-Granville Community College, and I am thrilled about the opportunity to lead an outstanding group of individuals at the Warren Campus as we serve our community,” Hall said. He noted that he had been in positions of service for practically his entire working life, “serving first our country as a member of our armed forces and now our Warren County community as a member of the team at Vance-Granville.”

Hall served for over 21 years in the United States Air Force, including stints at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas and at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, where he was Director of Personnel for the 33rd Fighter Wing. He moved to North Carolina to become an Air Force Junior ROTC instructor at Northern Durham High School.

Hall holds an associate degree from Texas Lutheran College, associate and bachelor’s degrees in Human Services from Wayland Baptist University, and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the same university. Hall is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration through Northeastern University.

“Every student who comes to us has a dream,” Hall said. “It is my desire to meet them where they are and support them in their efforts to design a plan that helps them discover all of the possibilities that await them.”

VGCC’s Warren Campus is home to Warren Early College High School and also offers Adult Basic Skills classes, Occupational Healthcare programs, Small Business Center seminars, Heavy Equipment Operator, Horsemanship, and curriculum courses in subjects that include Cosmetology and Office Administration.

“I am excited to have Mr. Hall serving in this capacity,” said Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic and student affairs. “He continues to positively contribute to the Academic & Student Affairs team, as he leads our efforts to educate, inspire and support students in the Warren County area.”