Rams Magazine - Summer 2023

Rams

The Magazine of Southeastern Community College

OPENING THE DOORS TO FIVE MORE YEARS, PG. 4

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS PG. 8

Fall Registration is Now Open

FULL-TIME STUDENTS

Step 1: Visit sccnc.edu/admissions.

Step 2: Scroll down to “New Students” and take the steps to apply and join the #RamsFam

WORKFORCE/CONTIUNING EDUCATION TRAINING

Step 1: Visit sccnc.edu, scroll down to “Quick Links” and select “Workforce Continuing Education Schedule.”

Step 2: Welcome to the new schedule. Scroll through and select the class you are interested in.

Step 3: View the course date, times, location.

Step 4: Pay Online

Staggered start dates begin August 8th to fit everyone’s schedule. Scan the QR Code or enter southeasterncc-register for a complete list of offerings and easy online registration.

SCC has trained professionals who assist students and alumni with the continuous process of career counseling.

https://www.sccnc.edu/student-services/ career-counseling/

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU FIND A CAREER THAT FITS YOU BEST

Opening the Doors to five more years

First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the employees at Southeastern Community College, community members, and friends. Thank you for making my first three years as your college President an extraordinary and unforgettable experience. I owe my success to SCC’s exceptional employees, visionary county leaders, invaluable industry partners, the esteemed Board of Trustees (BOT), and, above all, our resilient students. Our “Rams Family” is truly one-of-a-kind.

At Southeastern Community College, we are dedicated to opening doors to every member of our community by cultivating a skilled workforce.

Our mission holds immense significance for the growth of our county. As our population has declined in recent years, it is crucial that we collaborate to build the next generation of Columbus County’s workforce. Together, we can make it happen because a well-educated workforce ensures that our community thrives as an ideal place to live, work, and play.

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited about our plans for the future. As we contiune to develop a stronger workforce in Columbus County through access, education, and vision:

Access: Over the past three years, we’ve achieved remarkable growth that serves both our students and our community. We undertook a comprehensive reorganization of the college, adopting a “one-college” approach to break down barriers and foster effective communication channels to help our students achieve their goals.

Our relentless efforts to promote scholarships and grant opportunities, while removing financial obstacles, have maximized support for students seeking credentials to excel. Since 2020, the college has awarded over $10 million in scholarships, grants, and financial aid, thanks to generous contributions from SCC Foundation donors and government and state assistance. Our student completion rates, and enrollment numbers have significantly increased over the past year.

We are continuously striving to innovate and evolve, reaching out to every corner of our community. In line with this commitment, we are taking workforce training on the road - quite literally - by designing two mobile labs dedicated to welding and advanced manufacturing technical training, which will visit our area high schools. We’ve breathed new life into our campus by hosting in-person summer camps for students ranging from 7 to 18 years old and by developing short-term skills training that fosters a stronger workforce.

Education: We developed a strategic plan tailored to the needs of this place we call home. We revitalized the presence of skilled trades in Columbus County, with Masonry, Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Welding,

and HVAC programs taking center stage. These are high-demand skills that are crucial to the construction industry. We’re thrilled to announce the launch of SCC’s Automotive technology program, which encompasses training in the latest engine performance, electrical systems, digital communication, and essential mechanical principles for all vehicles.

SCC is actively responding to the demands of the workforce by consistently expanding our program offerings. To accommodate this growing need, we’ve increased our training space and are currently undergoing renovations. These exciting developments include the establishment of state-of-the-art facilities, such as a cutting-edge greenhouse for our Agriculture programs, made possible by a generous NC Tobacco Trust grant of nearly half a million dollars. Moreover, thanks to county commissioners, we are delighted to introduce a spacious flex lab spanning twenty-five hundred square feet, enabling us to deliver essential training for local businesses and industries.

Vision : Our future plans for workforce development involve forging partnerships with Columbus County and Whiteville City K-12 public schools to establish apprenticeship programs. The progress made in our apprenticeship initiatives this year has been remarkable, culminating in the placement of the county’s first apprentices. We are excited about the momentum this program has gained as we head into the Fall 2023 semester.

In addition, we are excited to share news of the upcoming expansion of SCC’s property adjacent to Highway 74/76. This expansion will house a revolutionary $14 million STEM/Transportation building, supported and funded by the State General Assembly and our esteemed local

legislator Representative Brenden Jones. Not only will this facility enhance our Automotive program, but it will also enable SCC to broaden its transportation offerings. As part of this initiative, a new driving pad in Fair Bluff will soon be operational, marking the launch of our first Truck Driver training program.

The results we’ve achieved together in the last three years are remarkable and paint a clear picture of the college’s direction. Our campus is growing stronger and more vibrant, poised to make a monumental impact on the lives of our students and our community. We prioritize listening to our students, ensuring they are known, heard, and served in ways that genuinely transform lives and make a lasting impact on our community. We are thriving, and the momentum we’ve generated is palpable across our region.

When my wife Teresa and I chose to leave our lifelong hometown of Hendersonville, NC, it was a huge change. Could we find the same sense of home in Columbus County? Three years later, we couldn’t be happier with our decision. Columbus County has provided an incredible environment for both of us to flourish. I am part of several community organizations including The Jobs Foundation, Columbus County Chamber of Commerce Board, Cape Fear Council of Government Workforce Development Board, Columbus County Economic Development Committee, UNCW/C3 Advisory Board, Rotary, and other state-level organizations. Teresa is a local cosmetologist, garden club member, and SCC Advisory Board member. We enjoy spending our weekends at local events, parades, and supporting small businesses around Columbus County. Teresa has never met a stranger, so I knew we would find community no matter what, but the warm and nurturing nature of the people here has made us feel right at home, igniting within us a desire for positive and impactful change.

Our relationships with the faculty and staff at SCC mean so much to us. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of collaborating with numerous groups, but the professionalism, work ethic, and unwavering support demonstrated by this remarkable team have been integral to our success. It is essential to acknowledge and celebrate their invaluable contributions. With great anticipation, we eagerly look forward to the next five years of service, excited to witness the remarkable achievements they will bring.

I am honored, humbled, and filled with excitement as we continue opening doors to new opportunities, hand in hand.

Dr. Chris English

Powerful Partnerships

Our mission at Southeastern Community College is opening doors for our community through powerful partnerships that provide student-centered learning, workforce development, and cultural enrichment opportunities. We’re constantly building and growing relationships across our community that serve our students and enhance the workforce here in Columbus County. We work with employers, organizations, our local K-12 schools and area leaders to offer meaningful programs and services for both our students and our local community. Our investments both on and off campus create a cycle of positive impact that we hope will continue for generations to come. Recently, our partnership with Columbus County NCWorks allowed us to host our Spring Career Fair that gave our students the opportunity to connect with employers from across our region. Angela Ransom, Dean of Business and Technical Training, was integral to the success of this event. “Teams of staff and faculty from across the campus assisted with a career fair that connected 227 career seekers with representatives from 49 companies in our county and region. We are extremely pleased with these results,” Ransom said.

To Learn More

Scan the QR Code

Unlocking ACCESS: Work-Based Learning through County Partnerships

Our partnerships with Columbus County and Whiteville City K-12 public schools as well as area employers create apprenticeship opportunities for our students that give them invaluable work experience and bring classroom lessons to life.

We’ve spearheaded Access Apprenticeship, which is a partnership with between Southeastern Community College, Columbus County Schools and Whiteville City Schools and is generously supported by Columbus County Commissioners. This program will build a pipeline of employees for Columbus County that will start with high school students who move into college workforce programs.

Apprenticeships open doors for all students, from high school graduates to military veterans and career changers. SCC, in collaboration with Columbus County Government, Columbus County Schools, and Whiteville City Schools, has seen remarkable success in the apprenticeship program. These powerful partnerships benefit both students and employers in Columbus County.

Internships, another key facet of SCC’s commitment to work-based learning, puts students in meaningful work environments where they’ll practice the skills, they’ll need for their chosen career paths. Through strong connections with local employers, SCC has placed 15 interns with 12 different organizations since Fall 2022. Employers have praised SCC students’ professionalism, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn.

Internships provide real-world exposure and help students develop essential skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. By exploring career options and gaining practical experience, students become better prepared for the job market upon graduation.

Our work-based learning programs are shaping a highly educated workforce in Columbus County and its surrounding areas. By forging strong partnerships, SCC is not only meeting the demands of today’s workforce but also securing a prosperous future for our community.

TYLER THOMPSON

Apprenticeship Location: Council Tool in Lake Waccamaw, NC

Credentials: Welding Certificate & Diploma OSHA 10 & 30

Tyler was a masonry student in our Columbus Career & College Academy where he received his OSHA 10 certification in masonry. He then started in the SCC Welding program where he received his OSHA 30. He expects to return as an apprentice in Fall 2023 and complete his welding degree in Spring 2024. Access Apprenticeship is helping Tyler pay the way to further his education, something that may not have been possible for him without the opportunity to earn money while learning the trade.

Establishing Pathways: Our Partnership with Columbus Regional Healthcare System

The healthcare industry is a vital component of Columbus County, serving as one of the largest employers in the region. Recognizing the growing demand for talent within the healthcare sector, SCC has forged a groundbreaking partnership with the esteemed Columbus Regional Healthcare System (CRHS), under the leadership and guidance of President and CEO Jason Beck. This alliance seeks to leverage the incredible talent pool within Columbus County and establish pathways for aspiring healthcare professionals to contribute to their local community.

During a momentous signing event on March 1, 2023, Mr. Beck expressed his vision for the partnership, stating, “The demand for talent is exceeding the supply. How can we leverage the great things that are happening in Columbus County, the talent in the county, and create pathways to work in Columbus County?”

With this shared ambition, SCC, Columbus County

Schools, Whiteville City Schools, and CRHS have come together to introduce apprenticeships in healthcare, focusing on critical areas such as Medical Laboratory Technology, Pharmacy Technology, and Clinical Medical Assistance.

These apprenticeships have been designed to address the pressing needs of the industry, where these positions are in high demand.

The partnership has already yielded remarkable results, with SCC offering a Clinical Medical Assisting class that directly meets the requirements specified by Beck and CRHS. The success story began with the first four apprentices, all of whom not only completed their certification exams with flying colors but are now gainfully employed by CRHS. This achievement serves as a testament to the effectiveness of this collaborative effort and its transformative impact on the lives of aspiring healthcare professionals in Columbus County.

The collaboration between SCC and CRHS extends beyond clinical medical assisting. In response to the national shortage of Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs), CRHS faced a significant challenge in attracting qualified applicants. However, their long-standing relationship with SCC has offered a solution. The majority of MLTs in the CRHS lab are SCC graduates and, since 1995, SCC students have been performing clinicals at CRHS, which has consistently supported the MLT and Phlebotomy programs. Our partnership has flourished, leading to the successful employment of all five students who recently completed their clinicals at CRHS, totaling over 1700 hours of practical experience.

The introduction of these apprenticeships represents an extraordinary opportunity for SCC students to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their community’s healthcare needs. Beck’s visionary support and the unwavering commitment of CRHS have been instrumental in forging this transformative partnership. By creating robust pathways for talent development, SCC and CRHS are laying the foundation for a future where local healthcare professionals can flourish, propelling Columbus County to the forefront of the healthcare industry.

KELLY GOMEZ-GARCIA, MLT PROGRAM GRADUATE AND GRADUATION SPEAKER:

Coming from a hardworking community, I grew up surrounded by people who looked like me and shared the same experiences. I didn’t realize how different my reality would be from almost everyone I met during my educational journey. As I sat down for the first time in the Medical Laboratory class, I wondered if I was in the right place. How could a daughter of two Mexicans who only made it to the sixth grade be here? I often found myself the only Hispanic in the room during my high school and college experience, but as you can see, that did not stop me.

I applied for the Medical Laboratory Technology Program here at Southeastern. In high school, I volunteered during blood drives and was always intrigued about how phlebotomy worked. I thought maybe if I did phlebotomy, it would give me a boost or a little knowledge of what working in a lab would be like. Working at the hospital helped me understand the lab and how I could be part of it. I always wanted to work in medicine but didn’t think nursing was for me. I wanted to help others but only knew how once I came across the MLT program. I realized that this was what I was looking for. I wanted to help but from behind the scenes. I am proud to be part of the hidden profession that saves lives.

Celebrating

49

Number of Nursing & Healthcare Degrees

SCC Graduates of 2023 263

TOTAL SCC GRADS

179 84

Total Number of Female Graduates

Total Number of Male Graduates

Number of Business Career & Technical Degrees

Number of Public Safety Degrees

12 3 91

Number of University Transfer Degrees

Growing Enrollment

Remarkable Growth at SCC

We have so many reasons to celebrate this summer at SCC – new programs in development, new facilities under construction, and exciting new data that shows how much we’ve grown in the last year. We couldn’t be prouder of the efforts of our SCC leaders, faculty, and staff who have worked so hard to achieve these results!

FTE Comparison by Academic Level

• In Fall 2022, SCC had the third highest increase in full time equivalent funding in the state as compared to other NC community colleges.

• From Fall 2021 to Fall 2022, our retention rate was 54.1%. That’s 4% higher than the state and national average!

• Our full-time equivalent funding increased by 9% for the 2021-2022 budget year.

• Enrollment increased by 6% for curriculum and 8.5% for workforce continuing education.

• We received $220,158 in bonus funding in Spring 2023 because of the overall increase in enrollment and full-time equivalent funding.

Under the visionary leadership of President Chris English, our college has placed a strong emphasis on workforce development. The extraordinary results we’ve achieved are evidence of the strategic direction we’re heading in, and these efforts are already leading to exciting opportunities for our students, our business and industry partners, and for Columbus County. Our community deserves a thriving workforce, and these numbers will help us get there!

FTE Comparison by Academic Level

Big Dreams

SAVING TIME AND MONEY ON THE ROAD TO ADVANCED DEGREES

Do you have plans for a career as a valued professional in a high-demand field? If so, you know that several years of higher education lie ahead of you. Careers in healthcare, education, business, engineering and others require a minimum of four years of higher education.

Choosing one of these career paths means two things: many years to study AND many years to pay tuition. Fortunately, Southeastern Community College can help you with both!

At SCC, we offer general education classes which are part of the core curriculum for a bachelor’s degree at the university level. Taking your first 60 credit hours (or two years) of classes at Southeastern allows you to ease into the rigor of college-level academics while staying close to home and saving money. Financial assistance is available in the form of grants and scholarships, including the SCC Success Scholarship which covers the full cost of tuition and fees for two years! That means that eligible high school graduates who live in Columbus County can attend college tuition-free! You’ll also earn an Associate degree in Arts or Science that will help you to gain employment while you work on your higher education at the university level.

While you’re at Southeastern, our caring and knowledgeable academic advisors will help you tailor a plan that works for your chosen profession and and will help you identify universities that suit your academic and career goals.

According to Elizabeth High, Dean of Student Learning and Innovation, “Our new cohort model of advising will pair a student with an advisor whose academic and professional experience aligns with the student’s aspirations. The advisors will be able to draw on their own college and career journeys to assist our students along the path that will ultimately lead to their chosen profession.”

In addition to career-oriented advising, students can also join the newly-formed University Transfer Club. Club

advisor Donte McDowell says, “With this club, we hope to establish a sense of community for our students who plan to complete a four-year degree at the university level. Member students will gain valuable information and insights about the process of transferring to a university, and they will have the opportunity to meet with key personnel from North Carolina universities.”

Students who start their educational journey at SCC don’t need to worry about how well they’ll perform at the university level. Studying under the guidance of SCC’s highly qualified and caring general education instructors prepares students for bachelor’s level coursework. The latest data available from the University of North Carolina System’s interactive data dashboards shows that students who complete 60

On-Campus Housing and Meal Plan (Least Expensive Option Shown)

Living

Do you have plans for a career as a valued professional in a high-demand field? If so, you know that several years of higher education lie ahead of you. Careers in healthcare, education, business, engineering and others require a minimum of four years of higher education.

hours of coursework at SCC before transferring to a UNC institution have a higher first-year GPA than students who started out at one of the 16 universities in the UNC system!

Additionally, students won’t have to repeat courses once they transition to the university level. Course credits earned at Southeastern transfer to any of the 16 North Carolina public universities and most North Carolina private universities as well. Existing pathways and articulation agreements between the University of North Carolina University system and the NC Community College system ensure that courses completed at SCC are equivalent to university courses. That means our transfer students don’t have to take classes again and waste precious time and money.

“Our advisors use Bachelor Degree Plans established by each university to ensure that students are taking the classes they need to graduate from SCC and to continue in their chosen field of study after they transfer to the university,” said Dean High. “Students can earn 60 credit hours and an associate degree at SCC, transfer to a university to complete their bachelor’s degree, and continue into the appropriate professional school— medicine, law, pharmacy, for example - or begin Master’s and Doctoral work, if required. Making SCC part of the plan is a smart decision all the way around.”

For more information on University Transfer programs at SCC, please contact Elizabeth High at elizabeth.high@ sccnc.edu or 910-788-6367.

“Raise the Bell”

A CAMPAIGN TO CELEBRATE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOUTHEASTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Southeastern Community College was chartered on February 6, 1964, and has served our community for nearly six decades through education, career development, and local outreach. As we near our 60th anniversary in 2024, we’re more excited than ever about the future of SCC and its impact on this place we call home.

To celebrate 60 years of SCC, we’re launching the RAISE THE BELL Brick Campaign, and we invite you to be a part of it.

Every visitor to our beautiful campus walks by The Historic Chadbourn Bell – a symbol of SCC’s past, present, and future. In 1980, during a special ceremony, the Chadbourn Bell was relocated here and dedicated in honor of Arthur W. Williamson, Sr., who donated the land for the current college campus.

As part of our 60th anniversary celebration, we’re creating an outdoor space that showcases the Bell and all it means to our community. You have an opportunity to make your mark on our campus by donating a brick for the pathway beneath and around the Bell. Your brick can:

• Honor someone special – a teacher, graduate, classmate, or friend

• Create a memorial for someone who impacted your life

• Or simply leave your name on a brick to show your love for our school.

Visit

SCC is the Place to be this Fall

New Offerings Coming Fall 2023

• Truck Driver Training

• Public Safety Administration

• Industrial Systems Technology

• Automotive Systems Technology

• Building Construction Technology

- Specifically designed to seamlessly transfer to ECU’s Construction Management Program

Fall Events

WELCOME WEEK

Students get ready for a packed week of fun events welcoming YOU back to campus.

Join

IMPORTANT DATES:

Aug 10 & 14

Extended Fall

Registration Hours

Aug 15

First 8-Week Session Begins

Aug 29

14-Week Session

Sept 13 12-Week Session

SUMMER FEST – AUGUST 17TH

Free and open to the community! Come celebrate the end of Summer at SCC with live music, axe throwing, inflatables, games, vendors, and a car cruise-in. There’s sure to be something for the whole family.

Taking Workforce Training on the Road

Be on the lookout for our TWO new mobile labs allowing SCC to bring workforce training to area high schools! For more information, visit sccnc.edu/academics/programs