Tag Archive for: #vancegranvillecommunitycollege

Vance-Granville awarded $150k for public safety training

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The Cannon Foundation Board of Directors recently approved a $150,000 grant to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund to renovate a 3,200-square-foot space on the college’s Main Campus for an Emergency Simulation Lab.

The new lab will enable law enforcement and emergency services departments in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties to train and certify their current and future public safety workers using a realistic scenario-based curriculum in a controlled environment.

The grant will be used, along with funds from the Connect NC bond (approved by North Carolina voters earlier this year), to complete the final phase of Building 10, which opened in August on the main campus in Vance County. The building houses classrooms, labs and faculty for VGCC’s law enforcement, fire/rescue and emergency medical services education and training programs.

“We are very pleased to receive this grant, because it will allow Vance-Granville to further enhance our vital partnerships with the local agencies that protect and serve our communities,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “We’re excited about the possibilities that this new lab will provide for us to serve students and our public safety partners.”

The Cannon Foundation, based in Concord, N.C., is part of the philanthropic legacy of Charles A. Cannon, an industrialist and humanitarian who was president and chairman of Cannon Mills Company for more than half a century.

“Our region is fortunate that VGCC has hands-on, real-life emergency simulation equipment to train students and professionals in public safety careers,” said Kaine Riggan, VGCC’s grants and government relations coordinator. “The simulation lab will give us a new facility in which to provide training for first responders throughout our four counties to be prepared for emergency scenarios, which saves lives.”

VGCC’s PRISim ShootBack system, for instance, fires plastic ammunition up to 110 miles per hour, teaching life-saving defense techniques and methods for using less-than-lethal force, when appropriate.

The college is currently seeking a $15,000 sponsor for a new EMS simulation mannequin that can, among other things, simulate stroke symptoms, ensuring that students are more prepared to recognize and call the stroke code into the ER, where saving even a minute can save a life.

VGCC is now starting the design phase of the renovation project, which will complete the overhaul of the 16,000-square-foot building, a former commercial structure that was purchased by the college in 2010.

Rehoboth United Methodist Church endows VGCC Scholarship

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A new scholarship has been endowed at Vance-Granville Community College by Rehoboth United Methodist Church, carrying on the legacy of a Granville County native and educator.

The church, located in Vance County between Henderson and Oxford and less than five miles from the college’s Main Campus, received a bequest from the estate of Marie Wilson Thomson. A onetime church member who passed away in 2014 at age 87, she is buried in Oxford and left portions of her estate to several area churches.

Thomson, a schoolteacher who began her career in education in Stovall before teaching for 30 years at an elementary school in San Diego, California, left instructions that the bequest be used to benefit high school seniors entering their first year of college. Church leaders decided that one way they would use the funds would be to create a scholarship at VGCC. The church’s contribution to the college represents approximately 10 percent — in religious terms, a tithe — of the sizable Thomson bequest, the remainder of which will be awarded as scholarships to youth in their congregation. The VGCC scholarship will be awarded in the church’s name as a Presidential Scholar Award, the college’s largest, most prestigious level of endowed scholarship.

“We wanted to help our whole community,” said Donald Clayton, the church’s lay leader, of the VGCC endowment. “A scholarship like this can provide hope for a student and maybe change their lives.”

In awarding the scholarship, preference will be given to residents of Granville or Vance counties who are enrolling as full-time students at the college immediately after graduating from high school and meet certain academic requirements.

“We are honored that the members and leaders of Rehoboth United Methodist Church have entrusted us with a gift that will support students for generations to come,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “It is a truly fitting tribute to the generosity and vision of Mrs. Thomson, who devoted her life to education.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,500 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 presents free seminar to help businesses prepare for holidays

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The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, in partnership with the Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission, is inviting local businesses to plan ahead for success in the upcoming holiday season.

A free workshop, entitled “Maximizing Sales During the Holidays,” will be held at the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce (414 S. Garnett Street, Henderson) on Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 8-10 a.m.

Mike McConchie of Creedmoor will serve as the instructor. The owner of M&M Consultants, Inc., McConchie is a Certified Business Coach and a Senior Business Consultant. He has over 36 years of retail management experience and is the past president of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce.

Topics for the workshop will include: the importance of different time periods, including November as a whole, Thanksgiving weekend in particular, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day; merchandising; pricing; staffing; marketing; how to capture customer information for use throughout the year and its relation to target marketing; decorating a store front; why holiday selling is different than the rest of the year; why gift cards are so important; and overcoming sold-out situations.

Breakfast will be provided at no charge to attendees who register in advance by Oct. 20.

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

For more information, contact Tanya Weary, director of the Small Business Center, at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.

Vance County High School Students Attend Local College Fair

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Students from the four local high schools attended the annual College Fair held at Vance-Granville Community College on September 21.

The two-hour event was held in the morning in the community college’s Civic Center. There were representatives from approximately 60 colleges and universities in attendance to share information about future educational opportunities with students from Northern Vance, Southern Vance, Western Vance and the Vance County Early College high schools.

The community college partners each year with school systems in the four-county area it serves to provide information to high school students. Vance-Granville officials did another great job in hosting the event and getting a large number of colleges to participate.

Among the colleges with representatives on hand were Appalachian State, Barton, Campbell, Chowan, East Carolina, Elizabeth City State, Johnson & Wales, Liberty, Meredith, N.C. Central, N.C. State, Sweet Briar, UNC Pembroke, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, Shaw, Western Carolina, William Peace and Winston-Salem State.

NC TechHire program launches at VGCC and three other colleges

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Vance-Granville Community College and three partnering community colleges formally kicked off a new initiative on Aug. 30, made possible by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor that totals almost $4 million.

An event to launch the North Carolina TechHire Program was held at James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville. JSCC is serving as the lead institution in the consortium of colleges, which includes VGCC, Alamance Community College and Halifax Community College. Attendees were welcomed by JSCC President Dr. Lawrence Rouse, who said that the purpose of TechHire is to help North Carolina residents “overcome barriers to employment.”

Each college will use its share of the grant funding for workforce development initiatives that meet the unique needs of the area it serves. The four colleges plan to train 400 people through the grant, between now and June 30, 2020.

During the Aug. 30 event, representatives of the colleges made remarks on how they plan to use the funding. Dr. Ken Lewis, VGCC’s vice president of institutional research and technology, spoke for his institution. “I want to thank Dr. Rouse for the invitation to join the NC TechHire Alliance and for hosting this event,” Dr. Lewis said. “Through TechHire, Vance-Granville will be offering certificates from our information technology and advanced manufacturing programs, including Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), automation and 3-D computer aided drafting. We’re excited to be able to help our students increase their ability to get jobs while also improving the economy of our communities.”

Lewis added that eligible students may receive support in the form of mentoring as well as financial assistance to help them pay for course fees, certification fees, tuition and other support costs. College officials are currently working on scheduling the first classes that would be part of the TechHire program. For more information on the program and eligibility, contact Ken Wilson at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3259.

Carla Byrnes, who chairs the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, congratulated the colleges on receiving the grant during the event in Kenansville. She said her organization partners with community colleges to address “skills gaps” and prepare candidates for the types of jobs that are going to be expanding. Jay Briley, CEO of Vidant Duplin Hospital, added that it was “great to see collaboration like this across North Carolina’s outstanding community college system, because we must invest in workforce development to have economic growth.”

The North Carolina TechHire Program was one of 39 innovative partnerships across the country that received a total of $150 million in the Department of Labor’s competitive TechHire grant program.

VGCC recognizes 22 Medical Assisting students at Pinning

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Vance-Granville Community College held a pinning ceremony for its 2016 Medical Assisting program graduates on Aug. 5 at the college’s Franklin County Campus in Louisburg, where the program is conducted.

As VGCC’s program is nationally accredited, the graduates are now eligible to sit for the American Association of Medical Assistants’ (AAMA) certification examination to become Certified Medical Assistants.

The 22 graduates being honored included Heather Harwood and Kimberly Richardson, both of Castalia; Amanda Newton and Shatory Yarborough, both of Franklinton; Jenny Clark, Tonya Henderson, Kenia Puga-Gomez, Stephanie Ranes and Adrienne Robertson, all of Henderson; Ashley Kittrell of Kittrell; Brittany Blacknall, Jessica Crudup, Jodi Hess, Regina Hicks and Lindsay Ward, all of Louisburg; Julius Glasper of Oxford; Kayla Hutson and Samantha Patterson, both of Stem; Brittany Ray and Denise Six, both of Wake Forest; Kelly Tharrington of Warrenton; and Dallas Glover of Youngsville.

Program Head/instructor Donna Gardner served as the mistress of ceremonies. Student Regina Hicks provided the invocation.

Franklin County Campus Dean Bobbie Jo May made welcoming remarks, congratulating the students and thanking their supportive families and friends who had gathered to celebrate the graduates’ success.

“We are all so proud of you, and we’re grateful that you have allowed the VGCC Franklin Campus family to assist in your education, inspiring and supporting you in meeting all of your goals,” May told the class.

Samantha Patterson, who led the graduating class as president of the VGCC Student Association of Medical Assistants chapter, was the featured speaker.

“Our studies at Vance-Granville Community College have culminated in this day, and will echo in our futures,” Patterson said. “Some of us will be working; some going on to pursue an associate’s degree; some may still be trying to figure things out, and that’s okay, too. Therein lies the beauty of life, and, more specifically, life in this country. We have the freedom to pursue our own dreams, but let us not be so caught up in ourselves that we forget those that we pledge to serve. After all, we are Medical Assistants. We are the extra sets of hands, eyes, and ears for our providers. We are advocates for our patients. We are a vital part of the team that makes the medical office work. Let us consider the needs of others as we work to fulfill our own.”

Gardner presented each graduate with his or her pin, signifying that each had successfully completed the course of study and was prepared to enter the growing Medical Assisting profession. As they were pinned, VGCC Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas read reflections from the graduates about their educational experiences and their career aspirations. Instructor Patrice Allen then led students in reciting the creed of the American Association of Medical Assistants.

Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic and student affairs, rounded out the ceremony with concluding remarks. “You have wisely chosen a profession in which you can make a difference in the lives of others, and in which there are a variety of career opportunities,” Ballentine told the class. She encouraged all graduates to maintain high standards as professionals and to become lifelong learners. “I know that you will continue to succeed and make us proud as VGCC alumni,” Ballentine said.

Student Tonya Henderson gave the benediction.

With their one-year diplomas in hand, many graduates are continuing their education to complete the two-year associate degree in Medical Assisting. For more information about Medical Assisting, call the Franklin Campus at (919) 496-1567.

VGCC Culinary Arts student reflects on national competition

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Dustin Gregory of Oxford, a student in the Culinary Arts program at Vance-Granville Community College, is back on campus after representing not only his school but the entire state of North Carolina in a nationwide competition.

Gregory competed at this summer’s SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. He qualified for the competition by winning the top prize in Culinary Arts at the state-level SkillsUSA conference in April, and became the first student from VGCC to take part in a national SkillsUSA contest.

As one of 27 culinary competitors from across the nation, and the only one from a North Carolina college, Gregory was given a box of ingredients and specific rules to follow as he created a soup, salad and two entrees in a limited amount of time. His dishes, all prepared in a little more than five hours, started with a tomato soup topped with a poached egg. His salad included mixed greens with fried chicken livers and a honey Dijon vinaigrette. Gregory said that the requirement to use chicken livers seemed to “stump” many of the competitors. “I put it on the salad, and I wasn’t the only one,” he noted with a laugh.

The two entrees he prepared were airline chicken with roasted potatoes and haricots verts, followed by beef shank braised in a demi-glace with a mushroom au jus sauce, couscous and lentils, and sautéed squash with red pepper. In the end, Gregory did not medal, but he viewed the experience as a positive one. “I’ve always liked competitions,” he said. “It can only make you better, and it builds character. Just to be able to make it to that level, to represent your school and your state, is a really good feeling.”

Gregory was accompanied to Louisville by his Culinary instructor, Chef Teresa Davis, as well as VGCC Dean of Business & Applied Technologies Angela Gardner-Ragland, Public Services department chair Steven Hargrove, Business Technologies department chair Spring Tucker, Applied Technologies department chair Keith Shearon and Cosmetology program head Tomeka Moss. “We are so very proud of him,” Gardner-Ragland said. “It was a great experience that he can put on his resume.  He represented VGCC and the state of North Carolina very well.”

“Everyone from Vance-Granville was very supportive,” Gregory said. Davis, in particular, helped him prepare after they arrived and learned what ingredients he would have to use, but she could only watch during the actual competition. Gregory not only had to compete in the skills competition but also had to take written tests, in which he used the knowledge he has gained in his two years as a VGCC student.

Gregory expressed his appreciation to US Foods and other friends of VGCC who made donations to help sponsor his trip to the conference.

With his VGCC Culinary classes complete, Gregory is currently finishing up some general education courses on a part-time basis, with plans to graduate in 2017. Meanwhile, he continues to work at the award-winning Angus Barn restaurant in Raleigh as a sauté cook. Gregory is thinking about continuing his education to complete a bachelor’s degree in the culinary field. “I originally enrolled in this program because I wanted to open up a restaurant on the coast,” he said. “I’d still like to be my own boss, but right now, I’m focused on my education. The higher your education is, the more things will fall into place.”

SkillsUSA is a partnership of secondary and post-secondary students, teachers and industry, working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA chapters help students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations excel. Among the benefits to VGCC students are opportunities to participate in competitions, which are designed by industry experts and showcase the nation’s top career and technical education students.

For more information about the Culinary Arts program, contact Chef Davis at davist@vgcc.edu or (919) 690-0312.

First VGCC student inducted into NC A&T Nursing partnership program

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Jonathan Carlock of Henderson made history on Aug. 8, as he became the first Vance-Granville Community College student inducted into the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. He and one student each from Davidson County Community College and Guilford Technical Community College have started their journeys as members of the first cohort in the new partnership between the community colleges and North Carolina A&T State University.

At the induction ceremony, held in Proctor Hall on the university’s campus in Greensboro, the A&T School of Nursing embraced the three students, who will be simultaneously enrolled at their community college and the university. They will earn associate’s degrees in nursing over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

“We are very fortunate in North Carolina to have such fine systems of education, and I believe that the RIBN program represents the best of collaboration between our community college system and the university system,” Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, said at the induction ceremony. “I commend our faculty and staff, as well as those at our sister institutions and at this fine university who have worked together to make this a reality.”

Erica Jastrow, the Nursing department chair for VGCC, placed a pin and “RIBN ribbon” on Carlock’s lapel as part of the ceremony.

Carlock is a Southern Vance High School graduate who first enrolled at VGCC in January, taking general education courses. He also has completed the Nurse Aide (CNA) I program at the college. “I’m excited about working with both A&T and VGCC to further my education, and I look forward to representing both of these schools as a member of the inaugural class of RIBN,” Carlock said. His career aspiration is to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. He already has volunteer experience in the pediatric unit at Duke University Hospital.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Frostenia Milner, an adjunct clinical instructor and retired professor for the A&T School of Nursing. Milner helped develop the RIBN partnership with the three community colleges.

The North Carolina Piedmont RIBN initiative is one of nine such partnerships that have been launched in North Carolina since 2008 under the direction of the Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) to increase the educational preparation of North Carolina’s nursing workforce.

“Research shows that education improves patient outcomes, and we need 80 percent of practicing registered nurses at the BSN level,” Milner said. “This RIBN project is our strategy to get there.” She said that RIBN will efficiently produce more nurses across North Carolina holding both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. “This makes it easier to go from start to finish without having a lot of steps to take in between,” Milner said. She applauded the “visionary” leaders, faculty and staff at the community colleges for working well in collaboration with A&T. Then, Milner addressed the newly inducted students. “You, too, are visionaries, because you chose to take this path to get your BSN degree,” she said.

Others making remarks at the ceremony included Dr. Joe. B. Whitehead Jr., the provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs at A&T; Kathy Phillips, division chair for Health Sciences at GTCC; Dr. Mary E. Rittling, president of DCCC; Mae Mills, project coordinator for FFNE; and Tiffany Morris and Dr. Terry Ward, interim assistant dean and interim dean, respectively, of the A&T School of Nursing.

In addition to RIBN, VGCC has a partnership with A&T to allow graduates of its Associate Degree Nursing program to transition easily to the university’s four-year Bachelor’s program. For more information about Nursing at VGCC and bachelor’s degree options, contact academic/career coach Seletha Pherribo at (252) 738-3518 or instructor Heather Wilson at (252) 738-3393.

VGCC dedicates new building on Main Campus

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Vance-Granville Community College officially dedicated “Building 10” at a ceremony on Aug. 3, expanding the college’s Main Campus in Vance County to the west side of Poplar Creek Road while providing new space to train public safety professionals and other students.

The building will provide a new home for VGCC’s Emergency Medical Services, Fire/Rescue and Law Enforcement Training programs. Among the guests attending the dedication were county commissioners from Vance and Granville counties, who provided some of the funding for the renovation project, as well as public safety officials from all four counties served by VGCC.

Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, described the building as a renovated space that has been “significantly transformed from its original commercial state to be able to serve as a location for teaching and learning.” She said that the process was “a metaphor for what education does – it transforms lives. ‘Renovation’ is literally making something ‘new.’ We know that education and training – learning new skills – can renew lives, help us to see things in new ways, and breathe new energy into a community.”

Williams also expressed her appreciation to the local law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies who partner with the college. “We are proud to work with and train all the professionals who save lives every day, often at great risk to themselves,” the president said.

In welcoming remarks at the ceremony, Deborah Brown, the outgoing chair of the VGCC Board of Trustees, said that “this dedication represents not only an extension of our Main Campus, but even more importantly, an extension of new opportunities for education and training for our community.”

Abdul Sm Rasheed, a member of the VGCC Board of Trustees and chair of the board’s Building Committee, formally presented the building to the college. “Building 10 is the first new building to be added to our Main Campus since 2003, and is being dedicated almost exactly 40 years since Main Campus first opened, in the summer of 1976,” Rasheed said. “The facility we dedicate today is a 16,000-square-foot building, of which 12,800 square feet have been renovated at this time, with the remainder to be adapted for use in the future.”

Rasheed explained that the building, and the land on which it sits, were purchased by the Board of Trustees in 2010. Renovation work on the building began in January 2016 and was completed in July. The Baxter Armistead Architecture firm of Wake Forest designed the renovated facility, while the general contractor was Riggs-Harrod Building of Durham.

Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic and student affairs, described the facility. She said Building 10 will include classrooms and labs dedicated to the three public safety fields, plus faculty offices, a computer lab, and a general classroom that may be used for a variety of purposes, including continuing education for local businesses and industries.

“The students who learn and train in Building 10 will be men and women of diverse ages and backgrounds,” Ballentine said. “They will be firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, law enforcement, corrections and detention officers, of all levels of experience. They will be our friends and neighbors who turn to Vance-Granville for new opportunities and for professional development throughout their careers.”

VGCC Dean of Continuing Education Dale Fey, whose division provides EMS, Fire/Rescue and in-service law enforcement training, and Dean of Business & Applied Technologies Angela Gardner-Ragland, who oversees the Basic Law Enforcement Training program, unveiled a dedication plaque that will be installed in the building in the future. The plaque lists VGCC officials, members of the Vance and Granville County boards of commissioners and members of the North Carolina General Assembly who represent the two counties. State funds paid for the bulk of the renovation project.

The invocation for the ceremony was provided by Board of Trustees member Danny Wright, who will soon succeed Brown as chair. Herb Gregory, the board’s vice chair, offered the benediction.

High School students explore health and science at two VGCC campuses

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High school students from across the region recently attended “Mini-Medical School” camps organized by the Wake Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in partnership with Vance-Granville Community College. The camp was held first in June at VGCC’s South Campus, located between Butner and Creedmoor, and in July at the college’s Franklin County Campus, just outside Louisburg. Between the two locations, 44 students completed the program.

This was the college’s third summer partnering with Wake AHEC on the Mini-Medical School, which is an intensive, week-long day camp that uses computational science (computer simulation) and hands-on activities to study key aspects of medicine.

Students learned about topics that included anatomy and physiology, bioprocessing, biochemistry, pharmacology, cardiology, epidemiology, medical genetics and genomics. The course was taught primarily by Becky Brady, a registered nurse and chemical engineer. VGCC Bioprocess Technology program head/instructor Dr. Tara Hamilton also taught a session at each camp.

Faculty members from VGCC programs that prepare students for health-related careers — including Nursing, Medical Assisting, Radiography, Pharmacy Technology, Human Services Technology, and the college’s newest program, Histotechnology — gave students information about academic pathways and employment prospects and conducted hands-on activities on the last day of the camp.

Students not only had a chance to learn about careers and hone their science skills, but they also became certified in CPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid during the course of the program.

The students who completed the school at South Campus included Naim Bell and Sai Dasari, both of Apex Friendship High School; Koen Winemiller and Kiran Winemiller, both of Cary Academy; Gracie Athus of Cary Christian School; Sarah Flexman of Cary High School; Britney Dyck, a home-schooled student from Cary; Leah Paul, a recent graduate of Crossroads Christian School in Henderson; Saarika Virkar of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Sarah Doherty and Ellie Smith, both of Holly Springs High School; Tanay Singhal of the N.C. School of Science and Math; Jordan Bell of North Raleigh Christian Academy; Sri Rayarao of Panther Creek High School in Cary; LeAnn Black and  Hannah Bonini, both of South Granville High School; Riley Valencia of Southern Wake Academy in Holly Springs; Aryan Jain of Wake Early College of Health & Sciences; Samaria Lynch and Javia Wilson, both of Warren County High School; Mariam Assaedi of J.F. Webb School of Health & Life Sciences in Oxford; and Rose Vaughan of Woods Charter School in Chapel Hill.

Those who completed the program at Franklin Campus included Edin Medrano and Iris Medrano, both home-schooled students from Creedmoor; Karson Turner of Enloe High School in Raleigh; Rachel Hortman, a recent graduate of Fuquay-Varina High School; Yvon’ne Lyle of Garner High School; Saikiran Devanga Chinta of Green Hope High School in Cary; Jacob Harris of Henderson Collegiate School; Sascha Anderson of Vernon Malone College and Career Academy; Autumn Boone of Middle Creek High School in Apex; Lizzie Leegins and Jillian Radford, both of North Johnston High School; Caroline Pruitt of Sanderson High School in Raleigh; Sabrina Bedard, Nadia Hodges and Amanda McPhatter, both home-schooled students from Wake Forest; Sarah Bryant, Victoria Michel and Malik Pettis, all of Wake Forest High School; Kendall Smith and Brandon Yarborough, both of Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy; Parker Stantz of Wakefield High School; and Bryson Vick of Warren County High School.

Wake AHEC serves nine counties in central North Carolina from its office in Raleigh: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Johnston, Lee, Person, Vance, Wake, and Warren counties. AHECs are located throughout North Carolina and are affiliated with the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill School of Medicine. The mission of the statewide AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs. NC AHEC provides educational programs and services that bridge academic institutions and communities to improve the health of the people of North Carolina with a focus on underserved populations.