VGCC Faculty and Staff members of the Year

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— courtesy VGCC

VGCC honors Faculty and Staff Members of the Year with Glen Raven Awards

Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Stelfanie Williams recently presented the college’s annual awards to a pair of outstanding VGCC employees. Science Department Chair/instructor Steve McGrady of Durham was chosen as the Faculty Member of the Year for 2017-18, while Kelly W. Glover of Oxford, the publications specialist in the VGCC Print Shop, was named Staff Member of the Year.

The honors are two of VGCC’s three Glen Raven Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards. Glen Raven, Inc., the manufacturer with a site in Norlina, is a longtime VGCC supporter and partner. In addition to sponsoring the annual stipends to recognize excellence among VGCC instructors and staff members, Glen Raven has endowed several scholarships for students.

McGrady and Glover are now eligible to be considered for the N.C. Community College System’s statewide R.J. Reynolds Excellence in Teaching and BB&T Staff Person of the Year awards, respectively.

“Steve and Kelly consistently demonstrate excellence as they provide education and support services to students, their colleagues and the community,” President Williams said. “In their unique ways, they provide leadership for Vance-Granville with their expertise, positivity and dedication to our mission.”

VGCC’s 2017-18 award winners are, from left, Faculty Member of the Year Steve McGrady and Staff Member of the Year Kelly Glover. (VGCC photo)

Steve McGrady

Steve McGrady has been a full-time VGCC instructor since 1990 and leader of the Science department since 1992. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree, and of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned his master’s degree in biology. McGrady teaches courses in biology, chemistry and geology. Prior to joining the faculty at VGCC, he taught at Richmond Community College in Hamlet, N.C.

McGrady was the recipient of the VGCC President’s Leadership Award in 2006 after helping to lead a “Global Studies” initiative that took a group of faculty and students on an educational trip to Costa Rica. McGrady and now-retired instructor Button Brady coordinated the VGCC Science Camp for middle school students from its inception in 2011, and he has overseen the camp on his own for the last two summers. He served as co-chair of the VGCC Endowment Fund Faculty & Staff Drive from 2010 through 2012 and is a graduate of the VGCC Leadership Institute of 2005-06. McGrady has been involved in the college’s Male Mentoring program as a mentor and has served as chair of the college’s Academic Affairs Committee.

Kelly Glover

Kelly Glover has served since 2004 as VGCC’s publications specialist, a position in which she plans, designs and produces various printed materials for the college, from posters advertising classes to diplomas and certificates for students. Glover joined the college after working for The Daily Dispatch in Henderson for seven years, first as a reporter and later as community news editor. She is also a graduate of the college. After completing her Associate in Arts degree at VGCC in 1997, Glover continued her education at Meredith College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English. She is also a graduate of both “Leadership Vance,” a program of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, and “Leadership Granville,” a program of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce. At VGCC, Glover has served as chair of the Special Events Committee for three years and has volunteered with numerous projects including the college’s participation in the annual UNC-TV fundraiser. She also served on an ad-hoc enrollment task force this year that succeeded in enrolling and serving a number of students.

Glover has the unique distinction of being the daughter of another VGCC award winner, 1990 Faculty Member of the Year James Wheeler, who is now retired.

–VGCC–

Stew Time 2017 for UCUMC

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— by Velvet (WIZS Announcer and Account Representative)

The Methodist Men of Union Chapel United Methodist Church, 6535 Raleigh Road, are having their fall Stew Sale, Saturday, September 30. $7.00 per quart. Orders are pre-sell only and you can place your order by phoning John Frazier at 252-438-7788. Stew orders will be ready for pickup at the church in Kittrell from 9 am to 12 noon.

Left to Right — Bobby Jackson and Ralph Ross (Methodist Men Members)

Left to Right — Edward Woodlief (President of Methodist Men), Durward Wells and Former Pastor Joe Precht (Methodist Men Members)

Franklin County Man charged with Second Degree Murder

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On Thursday, September 21st the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit arrested Ricky Barlow Weese Jr., a Franklin County Resident. Ricky Barlow Weese Jr. was charged with the following: Second Degree Murder and Felony Child Abuse-Inflicting Serious Physical Injury.

This incident is alleged to have occurred on March 11th involving the death of an eight (8) week old infant.

Mr. Weese is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $500,000 secure bond.

Ricky Barlow Weese Jr.

964 Hicks Road

Youngsville, NC 27596

DOB: 11-02-1983

This matter remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone should have any additional information pertaining to this investigation, please call Detective Garrett at 919-340-4311.

Terry M. Wright

Chief of Staff

 

News 09/22/17

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Vance County, NC

Animal Kingdom 09/20/17

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News 09/21/17

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Mobile Dairy Classroom visits Southern Vance

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The Mobile Dairy Classroom from the Southland Dairy Farmers association, based in Texas, visited with Career and Technical Education students at Southern Vance High School during three class periods on September 20.

 

Courtney Bumgarner of the association, led each of the presentations to students. Her mobile classroom included a trailer, which is the “on the road” home for Clarice the Holstein cow, who is part of the presentations.

 

Bumgarner talked about the process of milking a cow, noting that most cows now are milked by machines with the process taking about eight minutes as opposed to 30 minutes when a person milks by hand.

 

She also shared with students the details of dairy production and the importance of dairy products and milk to our diet.

 

The mobile classroom is one of several across the United States provided through the farmers’ association. Bumgarner, who is based in Greensboro, visits schools across North Carolina. The Mobile Dairy Classroom makes presentations to students free of charge.

 

Dr. Laike Green, agriculture teacher at Southern Vance High School, arranged for the Mobile Dairy Classroom to visit at the school.

News 09/20/17

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VGCC Trustees adopt budget for 2017-2018

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The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees adopted a budget of $32,324,089 for the new fiscal year at its bi-monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 18, on the college’s Main Campus.

The trustees approved VGCC’s budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 on a recommendation from the Budget Committee of the board, chaired by Trustee Abdul Sm Rasheed.

On the Current Expense side of the budget, $19,552,255 comes from the State of North Carolina, $2,578,292 from the four counties served by the college, and $9,652,832 from institutional funds. In the Capital Outlay budget, $35,649 comes from the State, $502,442 from the counties, and $2,619 from institutional funds.

At the county level, Vance County is contributing $1,151,597 to the current operating funds; Granville, $752,184; Franklin, $369,168; and Warren, $225,625, with an additional $79,718 coming from institutional funds. Among capital improvement funds from the counties, Vance is contributing $41,220; Granville, $28,740; Franklin, $20,000; and Warren, $6,000. The county capital improvement funds also include one-time funding of $304,831 and a Main Campus fund balance of $101,651.

The 2017-2018 budget is allocated as follows: institutional support: $5,195,362; curriculum instruction: $10,001,433; continuing education: $2,690,176; academic support: $1,299,114; student support: $2,074,683; plant operations and maintenance: $2,015,066; proprietary/other: $2,499,903; student aid: $5,215,433; capital outlay, excluding capital improvements: $792,209; and capital improvement projects: $540,710.

Among institutional budget highlights, Steve Graham, VGCC’s vice president of finance and operations, noted that 47 VanGuarantee Scholarships were awarded in the total amount of $50,514 to qualified students during the 2016-2017 academic year, with a similar amount budgeted for the new year. The VanGuarantee program was made possible by a bequest from the estate of Wilbert Edwards of Oxford, with the aim of ensuring that every student residing in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, who wants to earn a college degree, will be able to do so. This scholarship program guarantees that student financial need, that is unmet by federal financial aid and other support, will be covered.

In other action:

  • The board’s Building Committee noted that the roof replacement project for Building 6 on Main Campus has been completed, and repairs to the parking lots at South Campus are done. The committee is preparing for future projects, including exterior masonry repairs and renovations and the replacement of heating and air systems and fire alarm systems at the Main Campus, and renovation of the Welding Technology lab at Franklin Campus, among various other capital needs.
  • The Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, presented new appointments to the Advisory Committees for college programs for the 2017-2018 academic year.
  • Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., chair of the board’s Investment Committee, reported the college’s investments have grown by 7 percent since the beginning of the calendar year.
  • Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the board’s Personnel Committee, provided an informational report on new employees, retirements, resignations and changes in positions.
  • In her report to the board, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, highlighted recent accomplishments and opportunities at the college.

Presiding over the meeting was Board of Trustees Chair Danny Wright.

The Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 20 at the Main Campus.

VGCC announces free Small Business Summit with holiday focus

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The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center has scheduled its sixth annual Small Business Summit for Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Lake Gaston Lions Club in Henrico. Entitled “Making the Holidays Pay Off,” the free event is designed to help local businesses plan ahead for the upcoming holiday season with innovative marketing practices.

CenturyLink is the presenting sponsor for the event. Local partners helping VGCC to organize the summit are the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County, the Warren County Economic Development Commission and the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center.

Business representatives and interested members of the community are invited to attend. Registration is now open at tinyurl.com/holiday-summit.

The day starts off with registration and networking with attendees and vendors at 8 a.m. The first hour-long seminar will be “Shop Local — Buy Local — Invest Local to Gain More Business for You and Your Area” at 8:30 a.m. Presenter Martin Brossman will help participants get the most out of a “Shop Local” program, including the use of social media.

“Holiday Event Planning for the Small Business Owner” follows at 9:45 a.m. with Lisa Gingue of Vino Oasi in Stem. Gingue will discuss planning events that attract holiday shoppers.

At 11 a.m., Brossman will present “Take Photos like a Pro to Get More Business with Your Social Media.” This session covers the basics of low-cost photography techniques to attract more customers with social media and web marketing.

The keynote presentation, from noon until 1 p.m., will be “Get Social! Grow Your Business!” with Kristen Baughman and Stacey Price Sprenz, both of Raleigh-based Tabletop Media Group. Baughman, the founder of the agency, and Sprenz, a photographer, will teach attendees how to take their social media to the next level using photos and videos. They will offer a few tips and tricks on how to promote participants’ businesses and unique holiday offerings to media outlets and social influencers in their community. Tabletop Media Group is a boutique agency serving clients in the food, beverage, agriculture and lifestyle industries.

Lunch will be provided free of charge to the first 100 registered participants by CenturyLink. For more information, contact VGCC Small Business Center Director Tanya Weary at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–