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–