Tag Archive for: #warrencountynews

Dr. Rachel Desmarais Chosen as Next President of VGCC

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais has been chosen as the next president of Vance-Granville Community College. With the final approval of the appointment by the State Board of Community Colleges on Dec. 18, she becomes the seventh president in the 49-year history of the college.

The VGCC Board of Trustees selected Dr. Desmarais on Wednesday, Dec. 5, following presentations by three finalists in a series of public forums from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4.

“The Board of Trustees has concluded Dr. Desmarais possesses the key attributes of an outstanding president that were identified in our search process,” said Danny W. Wright, chair of the board. “We are confident that Dr. Desmarais will provide: the visionary leadership to help our college expand and to promote economic development in our four counties, a powerful commitment to student recruitment and retention, the dedication to improving the lives of the people in our service area, the attention to facility planning and sustainability, and the articulation of our mission and vision to the college’s employees and the communities we serve.”

Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais, chosen as seventh president of Vance-Granville Community College.

The selection comes after a nationwide search that produced 89 applicants. She will begin work early in 2019.

The executive vice president and chief operating officer of Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem since 2015, Dr. Desmarais has been with Forsyth Tech in a variety of roles since becoming a department chair in 2002. Once a student at Forsyth Tech, taking Information Technology and Programming courses in 1994-1995, Dr. Desmarais became an adjunct instructor at the community college from 1996 to 1999 while also working in the private sector. She became the vice president of information services at Forsyth Tech in 2008 and moved to vice president of planning and information services in 2010 before assuming her current position.

She earned her doctorate of philosophy in instructional design and technology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., in 2015 after getting her masters of science in information technology management from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2003. She earned a bachelor of music degree in voice performance from Mars Hill College in 1992.

She was also among fewer than 40 aspiring and emerging community college presidents nationwide who were chosen for the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence in 2017-2018.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve and lead Vance-Granville Community College as its seventh president,” said Dr. Desmarais after being given the news on Wednesday night. “VGCC is a special place with students, faculty, staff, and board members who care for and take great pride in the college and community. I look forward to building on the strong value and culture already present in the college to cultivate a new shared vision for VGCC and its communities. Together, we will truly be Vanguards!”

Born in Sumter, S.C., while her father was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, she moved to Alabama when her family returned home after the Vietnam War.

“I got to watch my dad march across the stage at Auburn University as an electrical engineer,” Dr. Demarais said. “My mother was a preschool teacher. I got exposure to education at a young age, and I saw the value of it.”

Her family found a new home in Orangeburg, S.C., for her father’s first job after college and then eventually Rock Hill, S.C., where she attended middle school and completed her secondary education.

Since her move to Mars Hill, N.C., at the age of 18 to attend college, she has remained in North Carolina, noting that her career has taken her from music education to an administrative assistant in manufacturing to information technology and ultimately to community college administration.

She still has a desire to teach and said she now blends that desire with her love of information and technology to help students find success in the classroom.

“I have a real passion for using data from our students to help them learn how to learn,” she said. “Students have jobs. They have their lives to lead while going to college. They have much to juggle. We have a responsibility to make sure that the education we offer them is as efficient and effective in its delivery as it can be.

“I’m really a strong believer in institutional effectiveness,” she added. “The data can be used as a tool to help our students succeed. We need always to use it as a positive tool. An educated society is a happier, more fulfilled society.”

Her work in the private sector includes a period from 1999 to 2002 when she worked with the Womble Carlyle Sandridge Rice law firm and later a subsidiary, FirmLogic, in Winston-Salem as a systems support manager and, later, project manager. She was assistant to the director of manufacturing and a systems analyst for Highland Industries in Kernersville in 1997-1999.

She also has been actively involved in community projects in the Winston-Salem area, including the United Way; Boy Scouts of America; Forsyth Futures, a non-profit community data research organization; WinstonNet Inc., a non-profit community technology initiative; the Center for Design Innovation; and the Board of Cooperative Ministries for the Southern Province of the Moravian Church.

Dr. Desmarais has an adult son, Ian, who is currently a biotechnology major at Forsyth Tech. Her younger son, Conall, who will be completing the eighth grade, is interested in attending an early college high school. Her husband, she said, plans to retain his job in the Winston-Salem area as he is able to do the majority of his work off-site.

The search process for the new president began in September when the Trustees selected the firm of Executive Leadership Associates (ELA) LLP of Emerald Isle to help the board create a profile of the ideal presidential candidate needed for VGCC, to guide the search process and to recruit and screen applicants. Applications and nominations were accepted beginning Oct. 8 with a deadline of Nov. 9.

Serving on the VGCC Trustees’ presidential search committee were Trustees Deborah Brown, chair; Herb Gregory, vice chair; N. Annette P. Myers, Abdul Sm Rasheed, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., and Sara C. Wester.

With the guidance of ELA, a consortium of former North Carolina community college presidents, the list of candidates was narrowed to five by the board’s search committee. On Nov. 19, at the regular bimonthly meeting of the board, the Trustees trimmed the list to three finalists who were invited to the college to meet with staff and faculty, county officials, chamber members and the public to participate in individual forums. Attendees were given the opportunity to provide input on each finalist via a form distributed at the forums or verbally to representatives of ELA in attendance.

The board met on Dec. 4 following the last of the interviews with candidates. A final decision on the selection was made at a continuation of that meeting, on Dec. 5, following the results of a vetting process conducted by the State Board of Community Colleges.

“After this carefully executed selection process, we believe Dr. Desmarais has the background and the experience to move us and our communities forward,” Trustee Wright said. “We do appreciate our two other finalists who showed such a strong interest in helping our college advance, and we owe much to the members of the public sector who also attended the forums and assisted us in this search process as well.”

The two other finalists were Dr. Quentin Johnson of Mooresville, vice president of Student Support Services at Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, and Dr. Melanie Thornton of Albany, Ga., vice president of academic affairs at Columbus Technical College in Columbus, Ga.

The new president succeeds Dr. Stelfanie Williams who left in August to become the vice president for Durham affairs at Duke University. Dr. Gordon Burns, retired president of Wilkes Community College, is serving as interim president for VGCC until Dr. Desmarais takes office.

National Weather Service

Forecasters Predict ‘Significant Snowfall’ for Area; When & How Much Still Uncertain

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-Information and weather chart courtesy Brian K. Short, Director of Emergency Operations, Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations and Ready NC

Below is a briefing slide from the National Weather Service regarding a significant storm system that will affect our area over the weekend. The storm is still a few days away, making a definitive forecast difficult, but all indications are that we could receive significant snowfall before the system moves out on Monday.

A mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow are possible depending on the timing and where exactly the low pressure tracks along our coast. Again, while nothing is certain, confidence is high that we could see a significant winter event with this storm.

We will continue to forward along additional information as it is received. Please visit www.weather.gov/raleigh anytime for updated information.

 

Increased Alzheimer’s Funding, Expanded Research Methods Offer Hope for a Cure

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Alice Watkins, a 27-year member of the NC Alzheimer’s Association, called into Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

While only one of several types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is, according to Watkins, “certainly the most prevalent.” Typically affecting those age 65 to 85, the currently irreversible disease is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and ability to complete everyday tasks.

“The two things that I always try to get people to understand about Alzheimer’s is that it is a form of dementia and that it is not a normal part of aging,” said Watkins. “We have found, through research, that the disease can start 20 years before noticeable symptoms appear,” Watkins said.

As the disease progresses, the afflicted may forget how to engage in tasks such as brushing their teeth or taking a bath. “Getting them to take a bath and taking their license away are two of the most critical things children of parents with Alzheimer’s have to deal with,” said Watkins. “They are accustomed to their parents being in charge and telling them what to do.”

Watkins cautions that not all issues with memory or the completion of tasks lead to a diagnosis of dementia. “Things that can be fixed, such as a vitamin B-12 deficiency or a urinary tract infection can often mimic signs of dementia.”

While deficiencies and infections can often be cured, currently Alzheimer’s cannot. “Alzheimer’s is the third leading cause of death and the most feared of the diseases in the United States,” Watkins said. “There is currently no cure.”

Watkins remains hopeful that one day a cure will be discovered and is encouraged by upcoming research efforts. “We are seeing more young researchers getting involved, exploring new avenues of research and examining how diseases link. We are also seeing more of an international effort to find answers.”

One branch of dementia research is currently focused on traumatic brain injury and its effect on the military, specifically. “Researchers are finding that more and more returning military personnel are suffering from traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and many of these cases are progressing into Alzheimer’s,” said Watkins.

Increased research, additional funding and getting people into clinical trials is the key to speeding up the process of finding both a cause and cure, Watkins believes.

“We are getting better with diagnostic tools. If we find one tool that can definitively say ‘this is Alzheimer’s disease,’ then we will be one big step ahead. Right now, there is not such a tool; instead, everything else is ruled out.”

Even with a “ruling out” diagnosis made, the only way to know for sure that the disease was Alzheimer’s is with an autopsy after death, said Watkins.

According to Watkins, groups such as UsAgainstAlzheimer’s based out of Washington, D.C., are responsible for Congress’ recent allocation of $425 million to Alzheimer’s research. “That brings the disease, for the first time, to $2.3 billion in research.”

That figure, while staggering, is still well below funding allocated for heart disease and cancer research.

“The part that is desperately needed in all of this is funding,” Watkins explained. “I encourage people to stay on top of this by checking in with Congressional leaders. Encourage them to look at acts like the Change Act that focuses on care being provided to these patients by families and the costs they incur.”

To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here.

‘Home for the Holidays’ to Help First Responders & Veterans Affected by Florence

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-Press Release, Carolina Loggers Association

When Hurricane Florence slammed into North Carolina on September 14, 2018, as a category 1 rainmaker, it was clear that damage to the already rain-soaked state would be immense. As the state continues the recovery process, two groups – the Carolina Loggers Association’s Logs for the Cause and NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation’s United2gether – have joined forces with the St. Bernard Project (SBP) to help first responders and veterans impacted by the storm get one step closer to a Home for the Holidays.

“Every gift given through both the Logs for the Cause and United2gether campaigns between now and January 31, 2019, will go toward SBP’s efforts to rebuild homes for first responders and veterans throughout North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Florence,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Carolina Loggers Association. “While those affected have long since returned to work, the impact from this storm will be felt for years to come. The logging community in NC – one that was hit especially hard by the storm – is close-knit; we believe in giving back and paying it forward, and helping to kick-start the rebuilding process is the perfect place to start.”

“Recovery is a collaborative effort,” noted SBP co-founder and CEO Zack Rosenburg. “Through this partnership, SBP will be able to provide a predictable path home for disaster-impacted families of veterans and first responders in North Carolina. This is a great example of Americans rallying together for other citizens during times of great need.  We believe that this partnership is an example of the seldom discussed, but ever-present ties that bind us together.”

“Growing up in Eastern North Carolina and seeing first-hand the devastation of Hurricane Florence was heartbreaking,” commented Paige Keselowski. “Immediately following the storm, we created the United2gether campaign to support first responders in affected areas. Teaming up with the Carolina Loggers Association and SBP USA on the Home for the Holidays program is a great way for us to continue our support of first responders and veterans that are still dealing with the impact of the storm.”

The Home for the Holidays program is actively seeking building products partners to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Please contact Carolina Loggers Association executive director Ewell Smith at esmith@ncloggers.com for more information.

NC Dept of Agriculture

Vance and Warren Counties May be Eligible for Agricultural Disaster Assistance

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-Press Release, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Farmers with damage from Tropical Storm Michael may be eligible for disaster assistance from the Hurricane Florence Agricultural Disaster Program of 2018. The $240 million bill approved today by the N.C. General Assembly would help farmers with storm damage and agricultural losses from both Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael.

The program will directly assist farmers who suffered losses to commodities planted but not harvested before Sept. 13, 2018, and livestock. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will administer the program.

“With only two weeks left in the sign-up period, farmers cannot afford to wait to sign up for assistance,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The application process takes about 30 minutes per farm and assistance is available through N.C. Cooperative Extension and the NCDA&CS disaster hotline at 1-866-6459403.”

The seven additional counties pending a federal disaster declaration include Avery, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga and Yadkin counties. With this addition, 61 of the state’s 100 counties would have received either a primary Presidential or Secretarial-disaster declaration.

“Both Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael had significant impacts to agriculture,” said Troxler. “Without this immediate assistance, it will be difficult for many farmers to continue operations.”

Initial estimates for crop damage and livestock losses to North Carolina’s agriculture industry from Hurricane Florence are estimated at $1.1 billion.

To be eligible for assistance, farmers must sign up online by the Dec. 10 deadline. For more information, visit www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram.

VGCC Franklin Campus Launches Vanguard Flex Evening & Weekend College

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College’s Franklin County Campus has launched a new initiative called Vanguard Flex to meet the needs of adult learners who need more options for class scheduling.

The evening and weekend college program begins with Spring Semester for which registration is now underway.

“Vanguard Flex offers flexible, hybrid schedules in the evenings and on weekends on our campus located at 8100 N.C. Highway 56 in Louisburg,” said Bobbie Jo May, dean of the campus. “We want to accommodate the busy schedules of our adult learners. We are offering flexible scheduling for placement testing, advising, the library resource center, and the open computer lab on our campus some evenings and one Saturday per month.”

Spring Semester classes start on all four VGCC campuses on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, with a registration deadline of Jan. 3. In addition to the traditional 16-week semester session, VGCC is offering a 12-week term, two 8-week terms and two 4-week terms for the Spring. The first of two 8-week sessions will begin on Jan. 7 and run through March 5. The second 8-week session starts March 5 and concludes May 6, with a registration deadline of Feb. 28. A 12-week mini-term begins Feb. 5 and runs through May 6, the registration deadline coming Jan. 31.

The four-week “Spring Forward” online mini-term begins Dec. 17 with a registration deadline of Dec. 13. A second four-week online mini-term, labeled “March Forward,” is scheduled to begin March 5 with registration ending March 1.

Vanguard Flex is offering five complete curriculum programs of study initially: Early Childhood Education, Certificate; Early Childhood Education, Diploma; Medical Office Administrative Assistant I, Certificate; Business Management, Certificate; and Basic Welding, Certificate. All courses taken in the certificate programs can be applied to diplomas and degrees offered through Vance-Granville, Dean May said.

In addition, a variety of classes is being offered in the following areas through the Vanguard Flex initiative at Franklin Campus:

College Transfer: English, Math, Biology, Introduction to Computers and Psychology courses can be used toward many degree and diploma programs offered through the college. Dean May is recommending that students meet with an academic coach or advisor prior to enrolling in the classes.

Career and Technical: Courses in Welding Technology, Paralegal Technology, Medical Office Administration, Business Management, Bioprocessing Technology and Early Childhood Education lead to certificates and diplomas that can be completed entirely through the evening and weekend format.

Continuing Education: VGCC’s Franklin Campus has a robust selection of courses through the Continuing Education division during the day, evenings and weekends, among them, Nursing Assistant, Medication Technician, Phlebotomist, Notary Public, Bioworks, Human Resource Specialist and Healthcare Administration.

Adult Basic Skills: For those in need of a High School Equivalency or Adult High School Diploma, the Franklin Campus offers flexible hybrid schedules with evening classes in the Adult Basic Skills program. Basic Skills classes for Spring will begin Jan. 8 and will be held each Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. Orientation is held each Friday at 10 a.m. Dean May encourages students to contact the instructor at 252-738-3618 with questions about the classes.

A complete list of the evening and weekend courses is available online at www.vgcc.edu/vanguard-flex.

Students who are interested in Vanguard Flex should contact the Franklin County Campus at (919) 496-1567 or write to Dean Bobbie Jo May at mayb@vgcc.edu.

Vance-Granville Community Band to Present Free Winter Concert on Dec. 3

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance-Granville Community Band will present its 11th annual winter concert on Monday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in McGregor Hall at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. The concert is free and open to the public.

“The concert is a classic old-fashioned band concert,” said Brian D. Miller, director of the band. “Bands should always play music that is appealing and makes sense. We have had a great tradition of performing good, solid, traditional band music in the Vance-Granville Community Band. It was John Philip Sousa’s philosophy that music should always be attractive and have great audience appeal. There is no better model for band administration and performance than the one set forth by Sousa.”

The band’s repertoire for the December concert includes a march by Sousa, the seldom-heard “Keeping Step with the Union,” a march Sousa composed in 1921 and dedicated to Mrs. Warren G. Harding, wife of the 29th president of the United States. “Sousa wrote 136 great marches,” Miller said, “but we don’t get to hear the rare ones. It’s a lot of fun to present Sousa’s lesser-known marches.”

Above: Brian Miller conducts the Vance-Granville Community Band during its 2017 winter concert. (VGCC photo)

The band will also perform a rare 1914 march entitled “Radium King.” “This march came from a golden time period of the circus march and celebrated the wonder of radium as a newly-discovered element,” Miller said. Other pieces on the concert include a famous 1960s band composition entitled “Overture In Bb,” a transcription of music from the movie “The Greatest Showman.”

Christmas season music will also be featured on the concert as well, Miller added. Patrons will hear “All Is Well,” “Greensleeves,” and a Christmas march transcribed by band member Bob Salzmann.

“We are certainly fortunate to have Bob Salzmann with us in the band,” said Miller, “because not only is he an excellent musician, he is a fine arranger. It’s great having our own arranger create music for the band.”

The audience will hear two well-known medleys of Christmas favorites, including Leroy Anderson’s all-time classic “Christmas Festival,” referred to by Miller as “one of the greatest Christmas band pieces ever.”

The band has shown significant numerical and musical growth under the baton of veteran band director Miller, who established his identity in the area as the longtime director of the Louisburg High School Band, which grew into one of the state’s largest bands in one of the state’s smallest schools and whose Symphonic and Concert Bands became known in the regional area for performance of traditional band overtures and old-fashioned Sousa marches.

Miller said his philosophy is simple: “Play good, traditional music that is appealing to the audience.”

“We hope that everyone will come enjoy this great cultural experience in historic downtown Henderson,” Miller added. “We want everybody to hear the Vance-Granville Community Band.”

The Community Band, which is sponsored by the VGCC Division of Arts and Sciences, includes people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from throughout the region. No auditions are required. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7 – 9 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, on the Main Campus in Henderson, at Exit 209 on Interstate 85 (Poplar Creek Road).

For more information, contact Brian Miller at (919) 496-5877 or at bmiller9302@vgcc.edu or Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu.

VGCC Faculty, Staff Raise $16,000 To Support Students

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 -Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College’s annual Faculty & Staff Drive for the VGCC Endowment Fund raised $16,011 this fall from among employees on the college’s four campuses, according to an announcement by the co-chairs for the drive to the Trustees on Monday, Nov. 19, at the board’s regular bi-monthly meeting on the Main Campus.

The funds were raised to support the mission of the college and award scholarships to deserving students, said Eddie Ferguson, director of the Endowment Fund.

Heading up the drive this year were Michael Brodie, Campus Police sergeant; Antoinette Dickens, program head and instructor for the Paralegal Technology curriculum program; Willie Mae Foster-Hill, Main Campus receptionist; and Jeremy Lambert, assistant director of financial aid.

“Our campaign theme was ‘Rise Up!’” Ferguson told the Trustees. “It was based on the fact that every day our students rise up to come to school under a lot of hardships, whether it be academic pressure, family issues, transportation or such. We serve a very diverse community.”

VGCC’s Faculty & Staff Drive for the Endowment Fund was led by volunteers Michael Brodie, Campus Police sergeant; Antoinette Dickens, program head and instructor for Paralegal Technology; Willie Mae Foster-Hill, Main Campus receptionist; and Jeremy Lambert, assistant director of financial aid. Shown above celebrating the success of the drive at the Board of Trustees meeting are, from left, Brodie; Kay Currin, Endowment Fund specialist; Trustee Danny Wright, chair of the board; Dr. Gordon Burns, interim VGCC president; Foster-Hill; and Eddie Ferguson, director of the Endowment Fund. Dickens and Lambert were unavailable for the photo. (VGCC Photo)

The faculty and staff, he said, “rose up” with this drive to provide the funds for the students. “We are really proud to raise this money from our employees, most of which will go directly to students in the form of scholarships. Some of the money is directed to projects such as our student emergency fund to help meet other immediate needs,” Ferguson said.

Statewide Budget Priorities

In his report to the trustees, Interim VGCC President Dr. Gordon Burns outlined budget priorities identified by the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) for 2019 through 2021 and urged the trustees to share those priorities with the returning and newly elected members of the N.C. House of Representatives and the N.C. Senate who represent the four counties served by Vance-Granville Community College.

Under the Workforce Development Legislative Agenda, NCCCS is requesting funding to help 700,000 students annually achieve a better life through high-school equivalency, career and technical education, short-term workforce training, and high quality, affordable college transfer programs, Dr. Burns said. The state’s community colleges are essential in closing the skills gap for North Carolina employers, the NCCCS notes, and are a driving force in the economy of the state.

The system office reports that the state’s 58 community colleges continue to suffer from approximately $53 million in budget cuts made during the 2008 recession that have not been restored, which undercuts efforts to prepare the state’s workforce. Dr. Burns noted, too, that community colleges are having difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty and staff because the average annual faculty salary, at $47,362, is 41st in the nation.

Among legislative priorities for 2019-2021, NCCCS is seeking recurring funds of $11.5 million to fully fund short-term workforce training; $15 million to upgrade information technology systems across the state; $2.6 million to fund workforce-focused multi-campuses; and $2.8 million to expand a program that places career coaches in high schools to assist students with determining career goals and identifying community college programs that align with the students’ goals.

Dr. Burns said the legislative priorities also include increasing funding to bring faculty closer to the national annual salary average of $60,422, enacting statutory changes to eliminate barriers to enrollment caused by the state’s relatively new Residency Determination System, and stabilizing budgets for colleges faced with enrollment declines because of Hurricane Florence.

Capital Projects

In his report to the board on capital projects, Trustee Donald Seifert, chair of the Building Committee, said renovations have been completed to the seminar rooms in the Civic Center on Main Campus.

H.G. Reynolds Company began renovation of a 3,200-square-foot portion of Building 10 on Main Campus to create a Practical Simulation Lab for the Basic Law Enforcement Training, Fire/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services programs. The work, which started in October, is scheduled to be completed in January. In addition to the area being renovated, parking lot space is being expanded, Seifert said.

College officials are also working with the county managers in Vance and Granville counties to fund the replacement of a storage building on the Main Campus that was lost in a fire this past summer.

Other Action

In other action:

  • The trustees voted to approve the closure of two curriculum certificate programs and a diploma program no longer in demand from students. The closure of the Nurse Aide Certificate, Nurse Aide Diploma and the School Age Care Certificate programs, effective this fall, will go to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and the North Carolina Community College System for final approvals. The closures came at the request of the Curriculum Committee, chaired by Trustee Barbara Cates Harris.
  • Trustee Xavier Wortham, chair of the Investment Committee, reported the VGCC Endowment Fund Corporation received a favorable report from May & Place PA, certified public accountants, for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. He also gave the bimonthly update on the college’s investments.
  • Trustee Sara Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, reported on new employees, retirements and resignations, and she presented an amended employee calendar for 2018-2019.
  • Student Government Association President Angel De Leon, the student Trustee, reported to the trustees on a leadership workshop recently attended by students, participation in recent Fall Festivals on the college’s campuses, and a relief drive that is being held to help victims of Hurricane Florence.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, Jan. 28.

Public Invited to Forums With VGCC Presidential Search Finalists

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College invites the public to attend three separate forums scheduled for Nov. 30, Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 to meet and provide input on the finalists for the presidency of the college.

The three public forums will be held each day from 12:15 to 1 p.m. in the Civic Center.

Dr. Quentin J. Johnson of Mooresville, currently vice president of Student Support Services at Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, will be at the college on Friday, Nov. 30.

Dr. Melanie W. Thornton of Albany, Ga., the vice president of academic affairs at Columbus Technical College in Columbus, Ga., will attend the forum on Monday, Dec. 3.

Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais of Clemmons, who is currently executive vice president and chief operating officer at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, will be present on Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Invitations to the forums also have been sent to county officials, school officials, area chambers, and VGCC faculty and staff, among other groups.

The three finalists were selected from among nearly 90 applicants on Monday, Nov. 19, at the regular bimonthly meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees on Main Campus. Following North Carolina Community College System protocol, the trustees have presented the finalists to the State Board of Community Colleges for vetting.

The VGCC Board of Trustees plans to have the new president in place early in 2019. The new leader will become the seventh president in the 49-year history of the college, replacing Dr. Stelfanie Williams who resigned in August to take a position at Duke University.

VGCC Drama Students To Present ‘Crimes Of The Heart’

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College Drama students will present “Crimes of the Heart,” a Pulitzer Prize winning play, on Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 at VGCC’s Main Campus. The tragicomedy, written by American playwright Beth Henley, will be staged six times over the four days.

Performances begin on Thursday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 30, at 3 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 1, at 2 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. All performances are in the small auditorium in Building 2 on the Main Campus in Henderson.

The play features VGCC and Vance County Early College High School students Savannah Morgan as Lenny McGrath, Mary Parish as Babe McGrath Botrelle, Jamie McGinn as Meg McGrath, Rebekah Varker as Chick Boyle, Matthew Varker as Barnette Lloyd, and Blake Lee as Doc Porter.

Members of the cast and crew of VGCC’s fall production of “Crimes of the Heart” prepare for six performances of the Pulitzer Prize winning play Nov. 29 through Dec. 2. Shown above are, front row, from left, Nick Kurtz, stage manager/assistant director; Matthew Varker (portraying Barnette Lloyd); Blake Lee (Doc Porter); back row, Jamie McGinn (Meg McGrath); Savannah Morgan (Lenny McGrath); Mary Parish (Babe McGrath Botrelle); and Rebekah Varker (Chick Boyle). (VGCC Photo)

Set in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, in the mid-20th century, it’s the story of three sisters who gather to await news of their grandfather’s death.

Betsy Henderson, director of the show and VGCC’s Theatre Arts/speech instructor and department chair of Fine Arts and Humanities, said the sisters are characterized in this manner: “Lenny, the oldest sister, is unmarried at 30 and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister, who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest, is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach.”

She added, “Their troubles, grave and yet, somehow, hilarious, are highlighted by their priggish cousin, Chick, and by the awkward young lawyer who tries to keep Babe out of jail while helpless not to fall in love with her.”

The play is ultimately the story of how these young characters can escape their past to seize the future, Henderson said. “The telling of the story is very true and touching and consistently hilarious, guaranteed to entertain audiences,” she said.

In addition to winning the Pulitzer, the show was the winner of the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1981. A critic for the New York Times said, “While this play overflows with infectious high spirits, it is also, unmistakably, the tale of a very troubled family. Such is Miss Henley’s prodigious talent that she can serve us pain as though it were a piece of cake.”

The crew will be composed of Nick Kurtz, stage manager/assistant director; Jenna Walker, assistant stage manager/props; Megan Kokus, costume designer; Amanda Cease, costume and prop assistant; Lane Wade, sound board operator; and Cheyenne Guerrant, light board operator.

Admission is $10 for the general public and $5 for students and VGCC employees. Tickets may be purchased at the door, but attendees are encouraged to secure their seats by making reservations. For more information, contact Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3371, or purchase your tickets online through Eventbrite here.