Tag Archive for: #vancegranvillecommunitycollege

Three Graduate Mid-Year from AdVance Academy

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Vance County Schools: For Immediate Release

Congratulations to the mid-year graduates from the AdVance Academy at Western Vance High School.

Chris Alston, Krystyna Stallings and Jose Hernandez, shown from left in the accompanying photo, have successfully completed their high school education.

They were honored at the academy’s mid-year commencement ceremony on January 26.

Alston and Hernandez are going into the local workforce. Stallings will continue her education at Vance-Granville Community College.

VGCC Male Mentoring Success Story: Chris Blue

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Christopher Blue of Henderson is an outstanding representative of the purpose of the Vance-Granville Community College Male Mentoring Success Initiative (MMSI), which seeks to guide and support male students to graduate or transfer to a four-year university. This year, Blue is set to do both: he is on track to graduate from the college with two degrees in May 2017, at around the same time as he graduates from Vance County Early College High School, and then, he plans to transfer to East Carolina University.

“I’ve enjoyed so many things about the male mentoring program and the opportunities that the program has presented to me,” Blue reflected. “An example is the trip to Atlanta with the mentoring program in 2016. I learned so many new things, while making relationships with new people in the group. We have become practically brothers throughout the years of being in the program.” The educational tour included stops at universities and historic sites such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s boyhood home.

Blue has served in the office of Recorder/Treasurer for the male mentoring program and was honored with the program’s PRIDE Award for Engagement in 2016.

Blue’s mother, Tamara Neal, is a graduate of the VGCC Associate Degree Nursing program. “So I knew that VGCC was going to be a great place, and after five years, I can honestly say they didn’t disappoint,” Blue said. “VGCC has given me so much over the years, and I truly appreciate it.”

Blue was honored as “Youth of the Year” by the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina in 2016. In that capacity, he has had opportunities to speak to the Henderson Rotary Club and to represent area Boys & Girls Clubs at their statewide convention in Asheville. Blue said that through the local Boys & Girls Club, he has developed his communication and leadership skills. Boys & Girls Clubs Vance County Unit Director Evelyn Taylor was quoted in The Daily Dispatch as saying, “Chris is working to make his community better by providing a positive example for the younger children of our club. He assists them with their homework and is a great example to them of what a responsible teen looks like and acts like.”

Also in 2016, Blue participated in the Governor’s Page Program in Raleigh. “This was a great experience because I was able to learn more about how government works firsthand,” he said.

Soon, Blue plans to transfer to East Carolina University and major in Public Health with Pre-Health professions. “Afterwards, I plan to go to dental school to become a Prosthodontist,” a dentist who specializes in the esthetic restoration and replacement of teeth, Blue added.

“Christopher has proven himself to be a young man of integrity,” said Anthony Pope, co-coordinator of the MMSI. “His dedication to the MMSI has served as an example for other Early College mentees. I am certain that he will excel in accomplishing the goals that he has set for himself.”

For more information on the male mentoring initiative, contact co-coordinators Anthony Pope at popea@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3395, or Michael Farmer at farmerm@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3234.

–VGCC–

VGCC Vanguards win another game on the road

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Ten days after defeating the University of North Carolina junior varsity team in Chapel Hill, the Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team picked up another road victory, this time in Hampton, Va., over Thomas Nelson Community College, 94-83, on Jan. 28.

Sophomore sensation TyQuon Reid had a standout performance for the Vanguards, with 36 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block. Reid was ranked in the top five nationwide in points per game, free throw shooting and steals, as of Jan. 31.

VGCC freshman NiQuan Cousins led his team in rebounds (16) and blocks (6) while also contributing 18 points, 3 assists and 1 steal. As of Jan. 31, Cousins was leading the nation in rebounds per game and in total rebounds.

Michael Henderson, a sophomore, put up 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals in one of his best games this season.

Freshman Jaylen Jones was second in rebounding for VGCC (11) while also posting 5 points, 4 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

Stats for other Vanguards were as follows: Antonio Adams had 6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal; Chris Pernell had 5 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist; Kenneth Finley, Jr., had 3 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist; Isaiah McCaffity had 3 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal; Darius Buford had 2 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist; and Mitch Beck had 3 rebounds and 1 steal.

After some more road trips, the Vanguards return home on Thursday, Feb. 9, hosting Fayetteville Tech Community College at 7 p.m. at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. Admission is free.

–VGCC–

VGCC surpasses $6 million in grant funding with new initiative

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Vance-Granville Community College’s Grants Office has now surpassed $6 million in funding to support students, the VGCC Board of Trustees was informed on Monday night, Jan. 23, at its regular bimonthly meeting on Main Campus.

In its brief four-year history, the Grants Office has secured 37 grants totaling $6,053,883, according to Dr. Ken Lewis, Vance-Granville’s vice president of institutional research and technology.

Among the largest grants, $1,757,299 from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Grant Program is the single largest competitive grant award received in the history of the college. TAACCCT supports the development of innovative training programs for advanced manufacturing careers. The college started its Mechatronics program and expanded its Welding program through the grant.

The Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance (AMSTA) with the four public school systems in the college’s coverage area was created with a $1.2 million grant from the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Fund. In addition, $460,000 has been awarded to the Training Alliance by the Golden LEAF Foundation, along with grants of $245,923 and $237,757 from the Duke Energy Foundation to purchase state-of-the-art equipment.

And, most recently, VGCC was awarded nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to launch the North Carolina TechHire Program to train students in information technology and advanced manufacturing programs.

 

In addition to the TechHire grant, Dr. Lewis said the most recent awards include:

  • A pair of Male Mentoring Success Initiative grants over two years, totaling $34,000, to help students stay in school and on track to graduate or transfer to a four-year university;
  • A Wake Electric grant of $3,000 to fund classroom technology;
  • An NC Works Career Coach grant of $17,000 in partnership with the Granville and Warren County school systems to promote college attendance and Career & College Promise (CCP) classes in the high schools;
  • A Perkins grant, $181,000, supporting the college’s Business and Applied Technologies and Health Sciences curriculum programs;
  • A Library Services and Technology Act planning grant of $23,000 for space utilization upgrades;
  • A Cannon Foundation grant of $150,000 to complete renovation of Main Campus Building 10;
  • A National Summer Transportation Institute grant from the Federal Highway Administration, $37,000, allowing high school students in Warren County to learn more about career opportunities in transportation-related industries; and
  • A Taste of Industry grant of $10,000 from the North Carolina Community College System to support AMSTA in conjunction with Granville County Schools.

 

The grants update was included in the report of the Curriculum Committee, chaired by Barbara Cates Harris. In the committee’s reports, Dr. Angela Ballentine, the college’s vice president of academic affairs, also updated the board on the annual Continuing Education and Basic Skills visitation report.

Building Improvements

The board approved recommendations of the Building Committee, chaired by Trustee Donald Seifert, ranking in priority order the firms to design and oversee exterior masonry repairs and restoration as well as HVAC replacements and fire alarm system installations. Both Main Campus projects will be funded by the Connect NC bonds approved by state voters in March 2016.

At an estimated cost of $1 million, the college plans to restore, structurally repair and waterproof building masonry roof lines, walls and building bridges that have deteriorated over time because of the penetration of water/moisture into and through the building structures. REI Engineers of Raleigh was chosen as the highest ranked firm for the masonry project.

The primary focus of the HVAC/fire alarm project, estimated to cost $4.1 million, is to replace existing deteriorated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with new systems that provide greater stability, control and energy efficiency, and to replace existing fire alarm systems with new addressable systems that meet state code compliance. Engineered Designs, Inc., of Cary was selected as the highest ranked firm for the project.

VGCC is receiving $7.6 million from the $2 billion Connect NC Public Improvement Bond package. Funds may be used for the repair and renovation of facilities to meet the educational needs of students and/or the construction of new facilities to expand programs and services.

Other Action

In other action:

  • The board approved Mid-Year Amendments to the 2016-2017 Budget. The adjustments were necessary to account for $1,664,312 in carryover funds from the previous year and grant funding.
  • Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, reported on new employees and resignations.
  • Trustee Opie Frazier, chair of the Investment Committee, reported a gain on the college’s investments now being managed by First Citizens Wealth Management.
  • Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president, updated the trustees on activities since the board last met in November. She also announced the dates of upcoming events: a Valentine’s Day Luncheon sponsored by the college’s Culinary Arts program, Feb. 16; a North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees Law and Legislative Seminar in Raleigh, March 29-31; the fifth annual Dinner Theater, April 27-28, in the Civic Center on Main Campus; the annual VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, May 2, at the Henderson Country Club; and Commencement, May 12, at the gazebo on Main Campus.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is set for Monday, March 20, on the Main Campus.

— END —

VGCC Vanguards upset JV Tar Heels with 106-100 victory

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The Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team achieved one of the most stunning upsets in program history on Jan. 18, defeating the University of North Carolina junior varsity team by a score of 106-100 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

This was VGCC’s second trip to Chapel Hill and the team’s first win over the JV Tar Heels, who were undefeated this season before the contest.

Henderson-based radio station WIZS 1450 AM provided live coverage of the game, just as in the first meeting of the two programs in 2016. “In what was going to be an incredible experience in and of itself for the VGCC Vanguards, they came out more ready to play than the Tar Heels,” reflected Kevin Bullock, who called the game for WIZS. “The Vance-Granville locker room was electric before the game, while the UNC JV locker room was all but silent.”

The Vanguards got off to a strong start, trading leads with the Tar Heels and settling on a 51-51 tie at the half. The back-and-forth continued through the second half toward a nail-biter of a conclusion. After taking a five-point lead and then falling behind by as many as five in the second half, the Vanguards fought back to tie the Heels with two minutes to go.

With 20 seconds left on the clock, the Vanguards pulled away from a 100-100 tie and never looked back, making four straight free throws to seal the victory.

Key to VGCC’s win was a balanced offense that featured six players scoring in double figures: NiQuan Cousins (30 points), TyQuon Reid (22), Chris Pernell (16), Jaylen Jones (11), Calvin Malik Manley (11) and Kenneth Finley, Jr. (10). Cousins was also the Vanguards’ leading rebounder (14). He leads the nation in rebounds per game (14.5) for NJCAA Division II. Cousins recorded three assists and three blocks, as well. Manley contributed seven rebounds to the winning effort. Jones led in steals (4).

The Tar Heels were led in scoring by Lucas Bouknight of Greensboro, with 21 points. An article in the student newspaper, the Daily Tar Heel, concluded that the JV “basketball team wasn’t just outplayed — UNC was outworked.” The article quoted Hubert Davis, the former Tar Heel guard and 12-year NBA veteran who coaches the JV squad, as saying, “Congratulations to Vance-Granville Community College. They earned it….I just felt like the entire game they were the tougher team. They were the team that worked the hardest, that wanted it more.”

Bullock, the WIZS sportscaster, concluded that “Carolina was hampered by poor free throw shooting and live ball turnovers. Vance-Granville was able to capitalize on those opportunities and shot the ball better than they had all season. It was the UNC JV team’s fourth game in nine days, which allowed the Vanguards to get out and run on Carolina and wear them down in the second half. NiQuan Cousins, Jaylen Jones, TyQuon Reid and the rest of the Vanguards will never forget the day they went to Chapel Hill and beat the Tar Heels.”

VGCC’s next home game is set for Saturday, Jan. 21, at 3 p.m., when the Vanguards face a conference opponent, Guilford Tech Community College, at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson. Admission is free.

 

VGCC Vanguards to play JV Tar Heels at Dean Dome

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For the second year in a row, the Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team will soon travel to the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill to face the University of North Carolina Tar Heels junior varsity team.

The JV game is set for Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Henderson-based radio station WIZS 1450 AM will once again provide live coverage of the game starting at 7:15 p.m. Even for those outside the range of the radio station, the broadcast can be streamed online at wizs.com or on a smart phone with the free “TuneIn Radio” app. When WIZS covered the first contest between the two basketball programs in 2016, it was the first time in history that a UNC JV basketball game had been broadcast live on the radio.

The Vanguards compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, which includes 11 two-year colleges in North Carolina and Virginia.

The UNC JV squad has several community college teams on its schedule this year, including one of VGCC’s Region X conference rivals, Wake Tech Community College.

Admission is free to the UNC JV game. For more information, call the Smith Center at (919) 962-2296.

Governor Pat McCrory Honors Retiring VGCC Educator

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Longtime Vance-Granville Community College faculty member Jacquelin Heath was recently honored with the Cardinal Award from North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory as she prepared to retire. The award was presented to her by the president of VGCC, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, at a holiday social held Dec. 15, at which Heath and other recent retirees were recognized.

A resident of Henderson, Heath is retiring on Dec. 31 with a longer tenure than any retiree in the history of the college: 40 years and three months. She has served for most of those years as head of the School-Age Education program.

The Cardinal Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes individuals who have contributed at least 30 years of exemplary public service to the state of North Carolina.

“Many recognitions may come in life, but one from the state of North Carolina stands as one of the highlights,” Heath said. “The Cardinal Award was a wonderful surprise. During my employment, I didn’t think about who would get the credit. I just wanted to get the job done.”

She added that receiving this award in front of her colleagues made it even more meaningful. “I am grateful for many things in life, but most blessed by being a member of the Vance-Granville Community College family,” Heath said.

Heath joined the faculty at VGCC on Sept. 15, 1976, when the college’s Main Campus was brand-new, and the institution had only recently made the transition from a technical institute to a comprehensive community college. In her four decades at VGCC, she has served with all six of the college’s presidents.

“The Cardinal Award is a fitting tribute to Jackie’s devotion to VGCC and to education,” said Dr. Williams. “Not only has she directly educated, inspired and supported countless students who went on to successful careers in public schools and other organizations, but she has also been a champion of community involvement that connects VGCC to other educational institutions and local partners.”

Heath served as the advisor for the Student North Carolina Association of Educators at VGCC for 31 years, which she founded as the first community college chapter in the state; as a long-time member of the National Education Association; as a member of the board of directors for the Tar Heel branch of the American Association of University Women and of the national AAUW; and as a member of the Henderson-Vance County Human Relations Commission for nine years. She has presented at the annual conference of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs; been a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Nu Chi Omega Chapter with 27 consecutive years of membership; served as co-chair of VGCC’s Faculty and Staff Drive for its Endowment Fund; served with Head Start, the United Way of Vance County and Spring Street Baptist Church; and volunteered with community partners like the Boys & Girls Clubs and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford to strengthen local efforts to educate children.

During the holiday social, VGCC Education Department Chair Tracey Bennett Carter also announced that the college’s Arts & Sciences division had made a contribution to the Vance County unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs in her honor.

Heath earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education in 1974 from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University and her Master of Science in Education with a Concentration in Early Childhood Education from N.C. A&T in 1975. She also completed additional graduate studies at North Carolina Central University in 1982.

Heath has been awarded the Director’s Award of Achievement by the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs, which recognized her for accomplishments including the implementation of “Upping Your Afterschool Game,” a training program. Her School-Age Education program was honored multiple times as a “Friend of Education” by Vance County Schools for its work placing students in local schools for internships. Under her leadership, Vance-Granville’s chapter of Student North Carolina Association of Educators was given the Membership Growth Award for its efforts to build the organization. Heath has been published twice in the National Education Association’s national magazine. She has also been named VGCC’s instructor of the year for the Division of Arts & Sciences.

SGA leaders take office at VGCC

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Vance-Granville Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) has installed a group of officers to serve during the 2016-2017 year.

Elected officers include President Colton Hayes of Epsom, a student in the College Transfer program through Franklin County Early College High School; Vice President Jeronee Blackwell of Henderson, a College Transfer/Vance County Early College High School student; Secretary/Treasurer Emory Gant-Hawkins of Henderson, a Business Administration student; Parliamentarian Francis Scotland of Oxford, a College Transfer student; and Public Information Officer Micah Roberts of Stem, a College Transfer student.

Students appointed to other offices include Jasmine Allen, Xavier Perry and Autumn Richardson, all of Henderson and all College Transfer/Vance County Early College High School students, along with Michelle McKinnon of Kittrell, a College Transfer student. Perry is assistant public information officer and will soon assume the Public Information Officer position from Roberts when he transfers to continue his education at the four-year level. Richardson is lead campus senator, and Allen and McKinnon are also senators.

As SGA president, Hayes is also the student trustee, representing the interests of his fellow students at all meetings of the VGCC Board of Trustees. He is the first student from an Early College High School ever elected to serve in this leadership role at VGCC.

The Student Government Association is designed to promote the general welfare of the college in a democratic fashion and to facilitate communication among the student body, the faculty, and the administration. SGA also provides a means through which students can promote interest in student activities, both on and off campus. For more information on SGA, contact Jermiel Hargrove, coordinator of Student Activities and Athletics, at (252) 738-3246.

Teachers gain new skills through robotics training at VGCC

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Vance-Granville Community College and the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance (AMSTA) recently partnered to hold a five-part “Rover-Bot” Workshop for area teachers. The series was held on Thursday evenings in October and November in the electronics lab at VGCC’s South Campus, where the Electronics Engineering Technology program is based.

In the workshop, VGCC Engineering Technologies program head Wesley Williams taught the educators about basic electronics and programming while they assembled a “rover” robot, a small, autonomous moving vehicle. The Rover-Bot has two battery-powered motors that move independently, so it is driven like a tank, Williams explained. “Over the course of the workshop, we built the rover and learned how to drive it with a platform called Arduino, which is basically a small computer,” Williams said. “We then incorporated sensors that would activate based on light and temperature and other features. The teachers really enjoyed the building process and the hands-on nature of the class. They said they want to incorporate what they learned in their own classrooms, so I gave them links to more information and ideas.”

According to AMSTA Project Manager Stephanie Ayers, “the goal of the Rover-Bot workshop was to expand teachers’ knowledge of robotics and enable them to sponsor robotics clubs in their school or implement project-based learning in their classroom.”

Among those who attended all or part of the series were: Beverly Spivey-Judkins from Franklinton High School; Kelly Dixon and Fred Reed, both from Granville Central High School; Marva Burrell-Smith from J.F. Webb High School (Granville County); Kevin W. Moran and Traci Branch, both from Mt. Energy Elementary School (Granville County); Audra Neunkirchner from Northern Granville Middle School; Penny Collins and Pamela Huff, both from Northern Vance High School; and Henry Bobbitt from Warren County High School. Each teacher received continuing education credits for attending.

AMSTA is a partnership involving VGCC and the public school systems in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, who work together to prepare students in the region for careers in manufacturing. A grant from the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Fund supported this workshop and other AMSTA projects. “By providing quality professional development activities that are relevant to manufacturing in our region, we increase our teachers’ ability prepare students to enter these careers,” Ayers said. “Also, by partnering with VGCC to provide these workshops, we have opened up lines of communication between K-12 teachers and community college instructors to share information and ideas about preparing students for advanced manufacturing careers.”

This was the first time Williams has conducted a project-based robotics course for schoolteachers; he offered a broader course in 2015 in partnership with AMSTA on various topics related to electronics and robotics.

VGCC offers both a two-year degree and a certificate in Electronics Engineering Technology (EET). The certificate is also available as a Career and College Promise (CCP) Pathway for eligible high school students. In the EET curriculum, students learn to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills to design, build, install, test, troubleshoot, repair, and modify developmental and production electronic components, equipment, and systems such as industrial/computer controls, manufacturing systems, communication systems and power electronic systems. For more information on the EET program, contact Williams at (252) 738-3541.

VGCC offers seminar on starting a new business in the New Year

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The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering a free seminar for local residents whose New Year’s resolutions include starting a small business.

“So You Think You Want to Start a Business” is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, from 6 until 9 p.m., in room 7109 (Building 7) on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County.

The seminar, led by instructor Bob Moore, is designed for individuals who are thinking about starting and operating their own business but wonder if they have the personality, drive, creativity, adaptability, and other talents or attributes that are associated with successful entrepreneurs.

During this seminar, attendees will honestly assess themselves in order to discover their strengths and weaknesses. The seminar will also incorporate various exercises and role-playing activities that illustrate realistic challenges encountered by entrepreneurs. Attendees will be given the opportunity to present their business ideas, and they will be shown various ways to determine if the idea is feasible and viable. After attending this seminar, if an attendee makes the decision to move forward, they will be strongly encouraged to register for seminars offered by the VGCC Small Business Center.

A graduate of Fayetteville State University, Bob Moore is a longtime small business owner and serves as director of the Small Business Center at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. He was honored as the Small Business Center Director of the Year for the entire North Carolina Community College System in 2013.

For more information and to reserve a seat in this free seminar, contact Small Business Center director Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.

Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/small-business-center.