Tag Archive for: #vancegranvillecommunitycollege

TownTalk: Inaugural Awards Honors Black-Owned Businesses, Nonprofits

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Entrepreneurship is a big word that certainly has gained traction and popularity in recent years in the business community. It’s not a new concept, though, and it’s something that many small business owners have experience with.

More than a dozen Black-owned businesses – many of which started small and have grown over time – were recognized for their contributions to the community during the inaugural Black Business & Non-Profit Organization Award Ceremony held in Henderson recently.

The luncheon event was the result of a partnership with Vance-Granville Community College and Gateway Community Development Corporation, and hosted the luncheon event at Southern Charm Event Center, which also happened to be one of the award winners during the Feb. 23 ceremony.

Dr. Jerry Edmonds, VGCC vice president of workforce & community engagement and Heather Joi Kenney, president and founder of Gateway CDC, joined John C. Rose on Wednesday’s TownTalk and offered their thoughts on the first of what they predict will become an annual event.

Edmonds and Kenney served as co-moderators for the awards ceremony. Throughout planning for the awards luncheon, Edmonds said Wednesday that the shared vision came to fruition.

“The event itself was well attended,” Edmonds said. “I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome.” Not only Black-owned businesses were in attendance, but people across all demographics was what the organizers had in mind.

This ceremony focused on Vance County, but the idea is to rotate among the four counties that VGCC serves. Granville County, most likely, will be the focus of next year’s event, he said.

From left: Dr. Jerry Edmonds, Vice President of Workforce & Community Engagement at Vance-Granville Community College; Mary Davis Royster, owner of Davis-Royster Funeral Service, Inc.; Paul Crews Jr., director’s assistant at Davis-Royster Funeral Service, Inc.; and Heather Joi Kenney, president and CEO of Gateway CDC.

“We expect a large list of awardees worthy of this recognition,” Edmonds said.

The overwhelming response from this year’s honorees was one of gratitude, Edmonds and Kenney agreed.

“There was a lot of gratitude in their responses,” Kenney said, adding that this was the first time that many had been recognized in such an important way – being “seen” by the larger community for contributions was part of the purpose, she said.

Several awardees counted this award as one of the most significant accomplishments of their careers, Edmonds added.

This event is indicative of the many ways that VGCC and Gateway CDC work together to support small business, and, in this case, Black-owned businesses and nonprofits.

VGCC’s Small Business Center offers individual counseling, seminars and access to a resource center to support existing business owners and those who are testing the waters of entrepreneurship. Visit www.vgcc.edu/coned/small-business-center/ to learn more.

Similarly, Gateway CDC has a host of resources, including providing technical support for small business owners.

Kenney said the goal is to help people launch their business successfully and to make that business sustainable.

“We want to be known as a space where you can come and be supported,” she said. “We are working diligently to make sure all those resources are aligned and thoughtful.”

Find out more at thegatewaycdc.org/, call 252.492.6298 or email community@thegatewaycdc.org.

One award winner was Southern Charm Event Center, which just opened its doors in July 2022. It’s already made a big impression in downtown Henderson, and was the location for the awards luncheon.

“As a new business owner in Henderson, I was honored not only to be recognized but also in having the privilege to be amongst Black-owned businesses that have been operating in our community for years,” said Shanika Ragland, owner of Southern Charm. “The highest reward I received that day was watching everyone gather in a space that we created.”

Twelve award winners were recognized across three categories:

  • Legacy: institutions which have been in operation at least 10 years but often much longer;
  • Established, those in operation 5–10 years; and
  • New Start, organizations which are less than 5 years old.

The atmosphere was one of celebration and camaraderie as friends and neighbors gathered to reflect on the hard work behind each organization. Some honorees displayed visible emotion during their acceptance speeches. Chalis S. Henderson, executive director of Turning Point CDC, was moved to tears as she accepted the Legacy award; it was her parents’ vision that led to the creation of Turning Point and its founding church, Oasis of Hope Ministries.

“The ceremony was a beautiful reminder of the great impact Black-owned businesses and Black-led nonprofits have on our region,” Henderson said afterward. “There was a resounding commitment to continue to serve our communities with the same strength and love that the organizations were founded on decades ago.”

Black-owned organizations still face unique obstacles to their success. State Farm Insurance agent Margier White, who received the Established award, acknowledged those challenges as she spoke at the event. Even so, she chooses to focus on the potential of the future rather than the struggles of the past.

“Receiving this award has filled me with pride, and I am grateful that my business was recognized and honored in this way,” said White. “This is one of the most significant events of my professional career.”

Sandra Wilkerson, president of Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, was among those in attendance. “The Chamber of Commerce is a huge supporter of small business, so it was an honor and privilege to attend this award ceremony,” she said. “Hearing the accomplishments of these business owners and knowing the impact and contributions they have all made to our community makes us work harder to support and partner with them.” VGCC has a long-standing history of supporting small local businesses. During the 2020-2021 academic year, VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais took the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge through the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE); this pledge includes specific action steps to advance entrepreneurship and create jobs across the country. The college was so successful in these entrepreneurial initiatives that NACCE named it the Heather Van Sickle Entrepreneurial College of the Year in October 2022.

2023 HONORED ORGANIZATIONS 

Legacy

  • Beckford Medical Center
  • Davis-Royster Funeral Service
  • Fogg’s Exxon
  • Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity
  • Fred’s Towing
  • Gang Free, Inc.
  • Ruth’s Beauty World
  • Tegarris Associates Realty
  • Turning Point CDC

 

Established

  • Green Rural Redevelopment Organization (GRRO)
  • Margier White – State Farm Insurance Agency

 

New Start

  • Southern Charm Event Center

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VGCC Welcomes New VP Of Learning, Student Engagement And Success

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College’s new vice president of Learning, Student Engagement and Success will start her new job next week.

Dr. Kim Sepich has been named to the position, and said she pleased to be a part of VGCC.

“I am incredibly excited about serving Vance-Granville Community College and feel fortunate to have the opportunity,” Sepich said in a press release.

“The college’s dedication to student success and meeting community needs is what drew me to the position. It is clear that VGCC is indeed a catalyst for creating opportunity for individuals and employers, and I’m looking forward to contributing to its mission.”

She most recently was director of College Services at the N.C. State University Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Before that, she worked as a vice president of student affairs at Valencia College in Orlando, FL and has held various roles in several community colleges in Davie and Forsyth counties.

The incoming vice president has demonstrated a heart for investing back into her community. During her time at Davidson-Davie Community College, she served as a mentor and board member for Communities in Schools, an organization whose mission is to surround students with a community of support and empower their achievement in school and in life. Additionally, she currently serves as lead facilitator for the NC Community College Leadership Program. Since its establishment in 1989, NCCCLP has equipped community college leaders across the state to “connect, care, and collaborate.”

Sepich has a bachelor’s of science from East Carolina and a master’s degree in student development and a doctorate in educational leadership from Appalachian State University.

 

 

 

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TownTalk: Upcoming Events At VGCC

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All campuses of Vance-Granville Community College will stay open late on Tuesday, Feb. 7 to accommodate students – current and prospective – who may need help or guidance from staff about planning their next steps with coursework.

Sherri Alston, director of admissions and enrollment services, told John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk that the day is designed to help students get help learning what their next steps are – whether it’s speaking with an advisor, beginning the registration process or participating in a new student orientation.

VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissell said the new orientation classes will be offered that day on the Main Campus at 10 a.m. and again at 5:30 p.m.

Students would participate in orientation sessions after completing the registration process, Alston reminded, which means students should have a letter of acceptance in hand before attending the orientation.

Students these days have the chance to sign up for course offerings that are completed in just 8 weeks. The second 8-week course begins on Mar. 13, Alston said.

“Students are having a good time doing the classes in a quicker time span,” Alston noted, adding that students often have to juggle work, home, families and children’s activities on top of attending classes. The shorter 8-week time frame is a faster pace, but it also means a student may be able to complete a program more quickly.

No matter the type of program students are interested in pursuing, a good first step is consulting with VGCC staff.

“Call us, let’s talk about your goals…what’s driving you,” Alston said. “We want to steer you in the right direction.”

Visit www.vgcc.edu to learn more. Call the office of admissions and enrollment services at 252.738.3327.

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VGCC’s Aviation Program Cleared For Takeoff With FAA Initiative

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Vance-Granville Community College has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration to participate in a collegiate training initiative for unmanned aircraft systems – also known as drones.

The college’s aviation program will participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative program, or the UAS-CTI.

“I’m happy for VGCC to have been recognized by the FAA as UAS-CTI partner,” says James Brown Jr., customized training irector at VGCC’s South Campus in Creedmoor. “First and foremost, it means that the FAA thinks we’re doing the right things to promote safe and responsible drone piloting. North Carolina was ‘First in Flight’ and remains on the leading edge of drone technology.”

The FAA program recognizes institutions that prepare students for careers in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. In order to qualify, schools must provide curriculum covering various aspects of UAS training, including hands-on flight practice, maintenance, uses, applications, privacy concerns, safety and federal policies concerning UAS.

If you ask Brown, the sky’s the limit when it comes to the future of UAS programming at VGCC.

“This is a big step that will see VGCC expand its offerings in the unmanned aviation space, including entrepreneurialism, youth summer camps, extracurricular activities, university partnerships and the expansion of UAV technology for consumer, industrial and agricultural use. This partnership with the FAA will ensure that VGCC stays aligned with the UAS industry going forward.”

Vance-Granville’s aviation program currently consists of unmanned flight programs available to both hobbyists and commercial drone pilots. Hands-on flight training takes place at various VGCC campus locations based on demand. To learn more, view the class schedule or register, visit https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/aviation/

VGCC Takes Top Awards At National Conference

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-Information courtesy of Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College received two awards totaling $60,000 at a national conference held recently in Boston.

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship named VGCC as the 2022  Heather Van Sickle Entrepreneurial College of the Year, which is accompanied by a $50,000 award. The award is part of NACCE’s “Pitch for the Foundations,” a new initiative created to support community colleges and their foundations in providing transformational opportunities. In this competition, Tanya Weary, executive director of The VGCC Foundation, Sheri Jones, associate director of The VGCC Foundation, and Kenneth Wilson, grants administrator, made a presentation that won the prize (tied for the largest amount given to any competitor this year) for the VGCC Red Tails Drone aviation program. This program has provided training in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, commonly known as “drones”), particularly through a summer camp for area high school students. This camp taught students how to play a team sport called “Drone Soccer” as part of a team nicknamed the “Red Tails.”

Another VGCC group participated in NACCE’s “Pitch for the Trades” competition. This competition featured teams of community college faculty from across the country, who “pitched” their creative ideas for incorporating entrepreneurship into workforce training programs to a panel of judges. Led by Dean of Business & Applied Technologies Stephanie Tolbert and Grants Administrator Kenneth Wilson, VGCC’s presentation won $10,000 to support expansion of the Welding Technology program. The judges encouraged VGCC to continue working on this project and pitch it again next year.

Both pitch competitions were presented by NACCE in partnership with the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation.

Topping off those big wins, VGCC was then recognized as the 2022 Entrepreneurial College of the Year. Chris Whaley, the president of Roane State Community College in Tennessee and chair-elect of the NACCE Board of Directors, presented the award, noting VGCC’s rural population and that this competitive award is given to a college that makes a difference in the ecosystem of a community.

In a statement about VGCC’s selection for that honor, NACCE saluted the leadership of President Rachel Desmarais, Ph.D., who has steadily expanded the college’s entrepreneurial initiatives. In 2021, President Desmarais signed NACCE’s Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge (PFEP), committing the college to five action steps designed to create economic vitality through entrepreneurship.

In addition to the Drone program, the college has hosted an innovative entrepreneurship youth camp called “Be a ‘Trep” (short for entrepreneur) for area middle school students, opened the VGCC Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center at the college’s South Campus, established a Student Entrepreneurship Club, and offered an Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program.

“Through innovative events hosted by Vance-Granville’s Small Business Center and other entrepreneurial programming, the college has demonstrated its commitment to promoting entrepreneurship throughout the region it serves,” said Rebecca Corbin, president of the Cary-based NACCE.  “It is a pleasure to recognize this outstanding college, which was selected by an independent judging panel, as the winner of NACCE’s 2022 Entrepreneurial College of the Year Award.”

Desmarais congratulated the team involved, along with the entire VGCC faculty and staff for adopting an entrepreneurial mindset.

“We could not be prouder of the VGCC Vanguards for making a big ‘splash’ at the NACCE conference, and for embracing entrepreneurship both inside and outside the classroom,” Desmarais said. “Entrepreneurship is an important way to promote both student success and our region’s economic development. It is also related to the innovative, outside-the-box thinking that we have incorporated into how we address challenges and how we offer education and training programs for the community.”

$1.75M Grant To Expand VGCC Biotech Program At Franklin Campus

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Biotechnology continues to be a growing field in North Carolina, and Vance-Granville Community College recently announced that it will get $1.75 million to help expand its own biotechnology workforce training program.

VGCC is included in a statewide consortium of colleges, universities and other strategic partners like the N.C. Biotechnology Center and the N.C. Community College System’s BioNetwork, which collectively received a grant award totaling nearly $25 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

The “NC BioBetter”project will provide grant funding to VGCC and nine other community colleges across the state, according to a press release from VGCC’s Dr. Jerry Edmonds III, VGCC vice president for Workforce & Community Engagement.

Stewart Lyon heads the school’s Bioprocess/Biotechnology program and said the funding will be used to buy new equipment for the current lab, which is located at the Franklin Campus,“so that students can get the up-to-date training they need,” Lyon said.

He said the program will create a second lab on campus so students can participate in day and evening courses.

“Vance-Granville Community College is delighted to be part of a coalition designed to increase access to good paying jobs in the Life Sciences sector,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the president of VGCC. “Working together with partners from government agencies, private industry, K-12 schools, other community colleges and universities, VGCC is excited to bring this spectacular vision to life in our region.”

But the grant also will provide funds to add positions for three years. “Specifically, we are looking to hire one additional full-time biotechnology instructor as well as a full-time ‘pathway navigator,’ who will be an intensive advisor for the program,” Lyon said. “The navigator will reach out to the community, help new students through the onboarding admissions process, provide academic advising and mentorship throughout the students’ time in the program, and finally help complete their journey with resume prep and job search assistance as they prepare to graduate.”

Lyon noted that this project is designed to increase the number of North Carolinians who are trained and ready to fill positions in the biopharmaceutical industry workforce, with a specific intent to expand opportunity to under-represented populations in that field, including women and people of color. “This is a significant focus, but everyone enrolled in the program will equally benefit from the resources of the grant, including the faculty and staff it provides,” he said.

VGCC enjoys strong partnerships, particularly in the Franklin County area, which are helping to promote biotech and life sciences.

The grant funding is expected to have a ripple effect into the larger community, from creating a partnership with Louisburg High School for a STEM focused pathway for students interested in programs like Medical Office Administrative Assistant, Bioprocess Technology, and Information Technology/Cyber Security Support.

The STEM magnet program will become available to high school students throughout Franklin County. “We’re very excited for this opportunity and believe this is a way to make Bioprocess Technology available to more students,” said Danyelle Parker, executive director of secondary education and CTE for Franklin County Schools.

“We hope to grow the program and incorporate work-based learning, such as field trips and job shadowing with area Bio/Life Sciences companies. With growing demands in this field, we believe Bioprocess Technology is an excellent career opportunity for our students, and we are thrilled to be partnering with VGCC for this endeavor.”

In the Bioprocess Technology credit (curriculum) program, VGCC offers a certificate, which can be completed in six months; a diploma program, which takes about one year, and the two-year Associate in Applied Science degree. All these options are eligible for federal financial aid to qualified students. In addition, there is a BioWork Process Technician continuing education course offered periodically, in a format that takes less than one semester to complete. Prospective students can register now for “Bioprocess Practices” (BPM-110), which starts Jan. 6, 2023, in a hybrid format, combining some online coursework with in-person instruction at the Franklin Campus.

Anyone interested in becoming a biotechnology student is invited to contact Stewart Lyon at lyons@vgcc.edu or Veta Pierce-Cappetta at piercev@vgcc.edu.

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VGCC Hosts Oct. 20 Conference To “Imagine The Future Of Work”

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Vance-Granville Community College is hosting a daylong conference in October designed to help the region’s employers and business leaders to learn more about important workforce issues and how to create innovative programs to offset the challenges employers and employees face.

The “Business/Industry Connect 2022: Imagine the Future of Work” is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Civic Center on the college’s main campus in Vance County. The event is free, includes lunch, but registration is required. To register, visit BIC2022.eventbrite.com.

VGCC officials hope that the event can help businesses attract talent, understand the neuroscience behind successful hiring, institute highly motivating onboarding programs and develop a company culture that energizes coworkers, unlocks their potential and leads to higher retention rates. Many organizations are finding it difficult to find and keep skilled workers, according to a press statement from Jerry Edmonds, III, VGCC’s vice president of Workforce & Community Engagement.

Two special guests will help facilitate the conference: Phil Dixon and Bryan W. Mattimore.

Dixon graduated from Warwick University with a degree in Computer Science. His career in the Information Technology field included a stint with Apple before launching his own consulting firm. In 2010, he earned a master’s degree in Consulting and Coaching for Change in England at a program run jointly by HEC Paris and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. He found his life’s passion in studying neuroscience and the brain.

Today a resident of Oxford – in Granville County – Dixon has published several articles and books about the brain, and is a frequent and international speaker on the topic of brain-based leadership.

Mattimore is cofounder and “Chief Idea Guy” of the Growth Engine Company, based in Connecticut. In his business consulting career, Mattimore has given more than100 keynote addresses, facilitated over a thousand brainstorming sessions, and managed 200 successful innovation projects, leading to over three billion dollars in new sales annually for one-third of the Fortune 100 companies. He is also a Senior Fellow with The Conference Board, an innovation and marketing instructor for Caltech in their Executive Education Department, and the author of several books. His new book, “Islands of Invention, How to Create Extraordinary Innovation Centers,” co-authored with McKinsey consultant Claus Raasted, is set to be published later this year.

“We look forward to this opportunity for the local business and economic development community to gather, learn and collaborate on ways to not only find new team members, but also to develop and engage the employees they already have,” said VGCC Grants Administrator Ken Wilson, who is coordinating the conference. “VGCC and our partners in education and workforce development are here to help local organizations successfully hire and train their talent.”

For more information, contact Ken Wilson at wilsonk@vgcc.edu.

 

Granville County Public Schools

Two GCPS Students Complete Apprenticeship Program

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Two Granville County Public School graduates have completed requirements of the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program.

Jared Gladki, a graduate of South Granville High, completed his apprenticeship at Revlon in Oxford. Jacob Ganzzermiller, a graduate of Granville Central High, completed his apprenticeship program at Buhler Aeroglide in Raleigh.

The two were recognized at a ceremony on Monday, Aug. 15, according to information from GCPS Public Information Officer Dr. Stan Winborne. Gladki completed a two-year degree in mechatronics at Vance-Granville Community College and Ganzzermiller completed at two-year degree in mechanical engineering technology at Wake Tech. Both students participated in a work-based training program with their respective companies; the apprenticeships come with the promise of a full-time, high-skilled job in local manufacturing companies.

The apprenticeship program is a partnership between GCPS, VGCC, Wake Tech, NCTAP and local industries.  High school students apply for and enroll in a fast-track program to complete their college engineering coursework – tuition free – while they work. The candidates who complete the apprenticeship are then offered full-time employment at their training sites and get a significant jump start on their career in advanced manufacturing, Winborne said.

GCPS Career Development Coordinator Tamara Rodebaugh attended the graduation ceremony and acknowledged the opportunities for these students and others. “Advanced

manufacturing is a growing sector in our region and offers high-skilled and high-paying careers for our graduates,” Rodebaugh said in the press statement.  “All interested students should reach out to their counselors or their Career and Technical Education teachers for more information. I look forward to having more GCPS students enter the selection process this fall,” she said.

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Spriggs Guest Speaker at VGCC Juneteenth Program June 17

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Vance-Granville Community College will present an educational program Friday, June 17 as part of an observance of Juneteenth.

Members of the public, as well as VGCC students, faculty and staff, are invited to attend the program, which begins at 12 noon in the VGCC Civic Center, located on the college’s main campus, according to a press statement from Dr. Jerry Edmonds, III, VGCC vice president of workforce and community engagement. The event also will be livestreamed on the VGCC YouTube channel.

Guest speaker is Jason Spriggs, a Henderson City Council member. Spriggs, elected to the council in 2019, is also a board member of the Vance County United Way and the founder of Rural Change America.

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 – June 19, 1865 – when Union troops reached Galveston, TX and announced the news of the last enslaved people in the country. Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but it currently is not a state holiday in North Carolina.

Visit library.vgcc.edu  to read more.

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VGCC Postpones Graduation

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After careful consideration, the VGCC Executive Team has made the difficult decision to postpone the 2022 Commencement Ceremony until Sunday, May 15th, 2022 at 4:00pm. The primary rationale for this change was based on the high probability of multiple thunderstorms forecasted for Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14. While the College does have a large indoor space in The Civic Center, the capacity is too small to allow a full graduation. Vance Granville would have to severely limit the number of guests each graduate could bring, even at maximum capacity. The decision also took into account the lingering Covid concerns associated with large indoor gatherings as Covid cases are once again on the rise. The decision to reschedule the commencement ceremony was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our students, family members, faculty and staff.