Tag Archive for: VGCC

TownTalk: Community Resource Festival Coming To VGCC

Organizers of the second Community Resource Festival say a multitude of vendors will come together under one roof to share information and network with individuals on Wednesday, Mar. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

More than 200 people came out last year to the first event, and VGCC’s Stephanie Tolbert and Huff Consulting’s Michele Walker hope more people will walk through the doors this year to visit with the 75 vendors who will be in attendance.

The vendors are a cross-section of civic organizations, all shapes and sizes of nonprofits, as well as local businesses, Walker said on Thursday’s TownTalk. She is the sales and accounts manager for Huff Consulting, and had the idea to put this festival on last year.

As VGCC dean of Business, Applied Tech and Public Service, Tolbert joined forces with Huff to plan the day’s events this year. She said everyone who stops in during the day will leave with a ball full of freebies, “but more importantly, knowledge about resources that they didn’t know existed in their backyards.”

Tolbert said the festival is a time for networking and forming new partnerships in the larger community.

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is one of the event sponsors. In a written statement, Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson said “This is about
opportunities for all the people in our community to gather knowledge, opportunities and tools to make their lives and businesses more successful and engaging…Our joint efforts with Huff Consulting, Vance Granville Community College and Granville County Chamber of Commerce are designed to make us all
stronger, better, more informed and progressive.”

Granville County Chamber Executive Director Cynthia Ratliff encourages business and industry representatives to check out the event as well. In a statement, Ratliff called the community resource festival an “invaluable opportunity for business professionals to equip themselves and their teams with the tools they need for success.”

Be prepared to learn, network and share information, but make sure you bring an appetite – Smokin’ Souls and Bun on the Run food trucks will be set up on site as well. There will be a fun photo booth for some selfie fun and door prizes will be awarded every 30 minutes.

David Bullock with VGCC also will be on site with a drone demonstration.

Whether you only have a few minutes or can spend a few hours, the community resource festival will not disappoint.

 

CLICK PLAY!

 

VGCC Logo

VGCC Franklin Campus Site Of Training Hub Designed To Bridge ‘Digital Divide’

-Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Residents of Franklin County and other surrounding communities will soon have a new resource to help them succeed in an increasingly digital world.

DigitalBridge, a digital workforce development initiative of Wake Forest-based Wireless Research Center, has partnered with Vance-Granville Community College to launch a new training hub at the college’s Louisburg campus. Together, the institutions will bridge the digital divide for underserved local communities through accessible technology and training.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Vance-Granville Community College to support our communities,” said Erica Hixon, DigitalBridge executive director. “We are proud to join the community of resources to assist students and employers.”

DigitalBridge’s model is designed to deliver fast-track certifications and connect people directly to job opportunities. The initiative offers more than 130 courses and certifications for digital-skills training and certifications, provided at no cost to residents. Participants receive digital training, coaching, and job pairing matched to individual goals; in-person or remote learning at their own pace; and assistance from a career coach to guide their efforts.

Partnering with DigitalBridge is a natural extension of the college’s commitment to support residents of its four-county service area. While a degree or similar credential can open doors of career opportunity for many people, others might be better served through different forms of education, such as those provided by DigitalBridge.

“VGCC actively seeks out new ways and new partners to reduce the opportunity gap in our communities,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC president. “Digital literacy and technology skills are still areas where we see those opportunity gaps. We are excited to partner with DigitalBridge to support opportunity to better jobs in our service area.”

Starting mid-July, DigitalBridge representatives will be available at the Franklin Campus open computer lab each week Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The new partnership will officially launch Thursday, July 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at VGCC’s Franklin Campus, located at 8100 NC 56 Highway in Louisburg. In addition to representatives from the college and DigitalBridge, local leaders and government officials are invited to attend.

 

WRC is an independent nonprofit founded in 2010 to serve as a catalyst for collaborative innovation and technology-led economic development to improve communities. Today, WRC’s core initiatives are designed to improve wireless technologies, accelerate technology startups, support entrepreneurs and spur economic development through education programs and digital job skills training. For more information, visit www.wrc-us.org and www.mydigitalbridge.org.

For more information about VGCC and its programs, visit www.vgcc.edu.

VGCC Logo

VGCC’s Edmonds Elected To Chair Triangle NC IDEA Foundation

 

– information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College has announced Dr. Jerry Edmonds III, Vice President of Workforce and Community Engagement, is the newly elected chair for Triangle 501(c)(3) NC IDEA.

NC IDEA is a Durham-based, independent private foundation committed to equitably empowering North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential. Through a powerful combination of competitive grants and programs and a network of strategic partners, the organization supports the state’s most ambitious entrepreneurs as they transform their communities. Edmonds served on the organization’s board for two years prior to his election as chair; he has also been part of its North  Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC) since its formation in 2020.

“NC IDEA is fortunate to have a visionary board comprised of accomplished business leaders with the  bold ambition to empower North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential,” said Thom Ruhe, president and CEO of NC IDEA. “Our directors are distinguished members of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Ruhe stated.

Before entering the higher education field, Edmonds held a variety of executive leadership positions for major corporations and has received numerous awards in areas including training, recruitment, marketing and leadership. He brought those perspectives to his roles as dean of Workforce and Economic Development and Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College before joining VGCC’s executive team in 2019.

In  2018, Edmonds launched Willow Creek Tennis Retreat, LLC and the Edmonds Tennis and Education  Foundation, dedicated to utilizing the game of tennis to provide academic and athletic opportunities for  under-resourced youth throughout rural North Carolina.

Edmonds is joined on the NC IDEA Board by three newly elected members and six returning board  members, including past VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams.

Learn more about NC IDEA and its vision to empower the state’s entrepreneurs at https://ncidea.org/

 

 

 

 

Community Resource Festival

By all accounts, Thursday’s Community Resource Festival at the Vance-Granville Civic Center was a success as hundreds of participants visited more than 60 vendors to learn about services they provide and more. For Michelle Walker, this event was the culmination of months of planning with community partners to help local residents learn about available programs and services that are right here for the asking.

Walker is the sales and account manager with Huff Consulting. She and other key planning partners invested time and energy into Thursday’s result, and she couldn’t be more pleased.

“As long as I have the opportunity, I’m going to do things like this to help people,” Walker told WIZS as she surveyed the activity around her. Walker and others no doubt have poured their heart and soul into making this festival a success, and Walker could barely hold back tears as she watched community agency representatives interact and connect with individuals from the community.

Huff Consulting is a recruiting firm that works with a wide range of employees – from day laborers to corporate executives, Walker said, adding that her company has recognized the struggles that face many in the community. “Everybody has a need,” Walker said on an earlier TownTalk broadcast to promote the event. And this resource festival is a way to bridge the gap between available resources and the folks who are looking for them.

Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Sandra Wilkerson said things got off to a good start in the morning and continued throughout the afternoon.

“We have absolutely packed the house,” Wilkerson told WIZS during the initial hour of the resource festival. During the planning process, she said, she and other organizers had a vision to bring under one roof community resources for the public to come and get information.

Sixty-plus organizations appeared from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. – there were representatives from fire and police departments, as well as churches, non-profits and businesses from Vance and Granville counties. The event was free to attend, and more than 150 people were in attendance around 11 a.m., visiting the various information tables located throughout the Civic Center.

The Vance and Granville Chambers of Commerce, along with VGCC and Huff Consulting, teamed up to put on the festival.

VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais said she didn’t hesitate when she was approached with the idea for a community resource festival.

“We think of ourselves as a convener and a catalyst,” Desmarais said in an interview during the Thursday event. “The community is serving its constituents – this is how we all get better…and do better.”

This event was just one more way to empower people to care for themselves as they networked with community businesses, non-profits, churches and other resources in the area. “Whatever their goal may be, they’re welcome here. We want (the community) to remember that Vance Granville really does care.”

Granville Vance Public Health – As the name implies, the agency serves the two counties, and Tayshah Josey was on hand to discuss a variety of programs available to residents. From family planning and maternal care to STD and HIV testing, Josey said the health department is here for the community.

Josey said a new program designed to reduce infant mortality will be rolled out in the next few months. Participants who complete a infant safe sleep training will get rewarded with a new crib.

HIV test kits are available at the health department, too. These are home kits and individuals can request two free kits within a 90-day time frame. The STD clinic is available for walk-ins, but appointments also are available.

Family planning clinics use a sliding-scale for payment, Josey added. Visit https://www.gvph.org/ to learn about all the services GVPH provides.

Maria Parham Health – Donna Young, MPH marketing director, was on hand to network and provide information about the hospital, which enjoys high marks from Leapfrog, a national organization that measures patient safety. “We got an A for the Fall of 2022,” Young noted, which means that hospital staff puts patient safety first.

Whether getting care at the Duke-accredited cancer center, heart catheterization lab or any of the other departments, patients can be assured they’ll be taken care of.

Young said she fielded questions on a variety of topics at the resource festival, including inpatient rehab services. Whether you’re speaking to her in person or contact her via email at Donna.Young@lpnt.net, Young said you’ll get the answers you need.

“Every one of those inquiries goes straight to my inbox,” she explained, and she then routes each question to the right person to answer the question.

State Farm – In addition to medical care, a community needs other services as well, including insurance. State Farm Insurance Agency in Henderson provides the full range of insurance services in the area, and local agent Margier White had her sister, Davida Rascoe, with her at the vendor table Thursday.

State Farm is all about helping people when they’re in trouble, Rascoe said. “You need someone who cares,” she said, “who have your concerns at heart.” Her sister does a great job at making sure they cover whatever you need.”

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame was in attendance, among other area law enforcement agencies.

“This is an awesome opportunity for citizens,” Brame said Thursday morning. Many agencies –  the sheriff’s office among them – also has applications available at the community resource festival.

Granville Health System – Granville Primary Care offers a complete range of services, from pediatrics to geriatrics, and Renita Timberlake said the Butner office offers primary care as well as express care services. A team of 10 providers in the Oxford office also works with businesses to provide services like drug screens for employees and workers’ comp claims.

Gail Barnes-Hall is the director of the Harold Sherman Adult Day Center, which provides respite care for those who care for loved ones with physical or cognitive issues. The center is open Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Barnes-Hall said. Participants get three meals a day and participate in engaging activities, all while giving their caregivers a break from their care-giving duties.

Visit https://ghshospital.org/ to learn more.

HubZone Technology Initiative – Bryan Davis and Mark Williams work with HubZone, whose mission is twofold – refurbishing donated laptops and distributing them to those who need them, which keeps them in use and out of landfills.

“We help bridge the digital divide,” Williams said Thursday morning. The donated laptops have their data wiped before they’re converted to Chromebooks and donated to local nonprofits.

“We serve them so they can help the broader community,” Williams said.

Davis started out with HubZone as a photographer – until they found out he had experience with refurbishing computers himself.

Learn more about HubZone, located at 208 N. Garnett St., at https://www.hubzonetech.org/

Henderson Family YMCA – Tesa Alexander is membership director for the Henderson Family YMCA. The Y, located at 380 Ruin Creek Road, is the only Y in the four-county area, and Alexander said joining fees were waived for anyone who signed up at the resource festival.

“We try to partner with the community and make it a better place,” Alexander said. “We build our community by working with one another.” The Y will sponsor “Healthy Kids Day” Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors, food trucks and more will be on hand at the Y to celebrate the nationwide observance.

Guardian Ad Litem, 9th Judicial District – Samantha Branch is supervisor of the guardian ad litem program for the 9th Judicial District, which includes Vance and Granville counties. April is Child Advocate Month and Branch said her agency is always looking for volunteers to be a voice in the court system for abused and neglected children. “The goal is to get children back with their family unit,” Branch told WIZS. “We gather information and report back to the court (about) what is going to be in the best interest of the child.”

Visit www.volunteerforgal.org to learn more.

 

VGCC’s Annual Golf Tournament Returns This May

Participants and sponsors are asked to sign up by April 14 on the event’s webpage. Early registration is recommended. Visit www.vgcc.edu/golf.  To make a donation visit the event webpage or email foundation@vgcc.edu.

— VGCC Press Release —

Registration is currently underway for the region’s most anticipated golf event! Vance-Granville Community College’s 39th Annual VGCC Foundation Golf Tournament will take place May 8 and 9 at Henderson Country Club. The event invites golfers and non-golfers alike to unite in support of the college and its impact on the four-county service area.

The VGCC Foundation awards hundreds of scholarship endowments to full-time students—more than any program of its kind in North Carolina. As one of the college’s primary annual fundraisers for The Foundation, this tournament provides crucial resources to fund student scholarships and support the greater mission of the college, including the food pantry used by students and employees alike. Enhancing and expanding need-based aid promotes equitable outcomes for all learners, setting them up for a brighter future.

“We look forward to fellowshipping with our golf friends, and we thank everyone involved for their support of the VGCC mission,” said the college’s president, Dr. Rachel Desmarais.

Gupton Services, Inc. of Henderson will once again serve as the event’s presenting sponsor. Gupton Services is a Henderson-based HVAC, roofing, and building automation company that traces its origins back to 1921, when C.P. Tanner established a sheet metal working plant in the town. The business was first known as Tanner Roofing before changing its name to Owen Gupton Roofing. Greg Etheridge, a Henderson native, became its owner and president in 2019.

Additional sponsorship opportunities are available to other businesses looking to promote their brand and support a worthy cause. New opportunities for this year’s event include air cannon contest hole sponsor, golf towel sponsor, and more.

Anyone interested in participating as a sponsor or as a golfing team is asked to sign up by April 14 on the event’s webpage. Space is limited, and early registration is recommended. For more information, visit www.vgcc.edu/golf.  Those wishing to donate to the event may visit the event webpage or simply email foundation@vgcc.edu.

###

VGCC Logo

TownTalk: Upcoming Events At VGCC

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.

CLICK PLAY!

 

VGCC To Host Panel Discussion As Part of MLK Observance

Join the Vance-Granville Community College Men’s Achievement Academy for a panel discussion to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Tuesday, Jan.  24 at 6 p.m. at the Main Campus Civic Center in Henderson.

The event is presented in partnership with Vance-Granville’s Initiative on Equity for Women of Color (VIEW), according to information from VGCC public information officer Courtney Cissel.

The panelists for this celebration include:

  • Deanna Townsend-Smith, Ed.D., Senior Director of the Dudley Flood Center for Educational Equity & Opportunity
  • Warren Allen, VGCC Student
  • Gwen Clayton, VGCC Student
  • Marque Debnam, VGCC Paralegal Program Head
  • Leslie Hurt, Moderator, VGCC Sociology Instructor

In addition to the panel discussion, there will also be opportunities for audience participation.

There is no cost to attend the event, and all are welcome! Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/vance-granville-mlk-celebration-2023-tickets 504827722307.

For more information about this event, contact the following planning committee members:

  • Marque Debnam (debnamm@vgcc.edu)
  • Jason Snelling (snellingj@vgcc.edu)
  • Delton Farmer (farmerd@vgcc.edu)
  • Derrick Cameron (camerond@vgcc.edu)
  • Leslie Hurt (hurtl@vgcc.edu)

For more information about the Men’s Achievement Academy and VIEW, visit the Clubs & Organizations page at www.vgcc.edu

Rasheed To Receive Honorary Degree Dec. 10 From Alma Mater, Elizabeth City State University

Abdul Sm Rasheed, current chair of the Vance-Granville Community College board of trustees, will soon add another accolade to his list of credentials.

Rasheed is scheduled to receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service from Elizabeth City State University during the university’s winter commencement exercises on Saturday, Dec. 10. A part of the ECSU Class of 1971, Rasheed has since served as president of the ECSU National Alumni Association, chair of the ECSU Foundation Board and chair of the ECSU Board of Trustees.

This latest honor marks a lifetime of service.

Rasheed founded and served as the CEO of the North Carolina Community Development Initiative and Initiative Capital. Across two decades, those efforts produced retail/commercial ventures, industrial projects, housing for seniors and families, jobs and services in low-income areas. From 2014 through 2016, he served as interim CEO of the Center for Leadership Innovation, managing a national grant and leadership development program for nonprofits. He then served as CEO of Wildacres Leadership Initiative from 2016 to 2017. Currently he serves as CEO and senior advisor to the board of Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity, Inc.

The honorary doctorate from ECSU is just the latest academic achievement for Rasheed. He already holds an honorary doctorate from Livingstone College, a bachelor of sciencedegree in basic business from ECSU, a master’s in education in counseling and personnel services from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) and a master’s of science in community economic development from Southern New Hampshire University. He is also a graduate of the senior executive management program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Rasheed lives in Henderson with his wife Marolyn; they have five children and seven  grandchildren.

VGCC Logo

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

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.

 

VGCC Logo

VGCC Postpones Graduation

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.