2018 PCC College Update (July)

“Leadership is based on contribution, not position.”

—Max DePree (The Art of Leadership)

It is difficult for me to believe that it has been 15 years since I arrived at Pitt Community College to become President. I did not understand then what a strong school PCC had been. The PCC 50^th Anniversary celebrations in 2011 contributed much to my appreciation of its many challenges and accomplishments. However, working daily with faculty, staff, and stakeholders revealed shortly after I arrived Pitt Community College’s core quality and potential. I certainly could not have guessed in 2003 exactly how much we would evolve and grow to the present, but I was positive that with the team that we had Pitt Community College could be one of the strongest colleges in North Carolina and on a par with the top tier of schools across the nation.

The transformations over the years have involved all members of the campus community and include the following, among others:

Focus on Learning – The student has become the center of attention with teachers and advisors utilizing instructional and administrative systems to present the learning environment both live and online and in various formats conducive to individual needs. This has required teamwork among faculty, computer support, student services, resulting in increased access and flexibility for students. The emphasis on short-term training will increase even more Continuing Education’s role in our region.
Completion of Degrees and Certificates – Coordination among Counselors, Success Navigators, and Faculty Advisors and required Student Plans have meant more success in achieving student goals through “stackable credentials,” both in credit and continuing education programs, and a greater diversity of completers. Financial services, security, planning, and administrative support areas have played important roles in this area of success.
From International Appreciation to Global Engagement – Students and staff have studied abroad in larger numbers, and courses have become internationalized as regional employers demanded global awareness and standards. Customized training, overseas programs, and service projects locally and internationally have multiplied learning experiences and options.
No longer Pitt County’s “Best Kept Secret” – Active and targeted marketing of print, social media, websites as well as multiple bond and fundraising campaigns have proclaimed the advantages in quality, cost, and results which PCC offers. This has resulted in increased recognition, partnering with employers, and community engagement for student support and capital projects.

None of this would be possible without a visionary Board of Trustees, supportive PCC Foundation, and a dedicated and innovative staff and faculty with significant help from students, alumni, friends, and influential decision-makers. I have been fortunate to be president during this period and glad that I helped to guide and facilitate Pitt Community College’s progress.

Accomplishments and Recognitions

Happy Gingras (Teaching and Learning Director) and Patricia Adams’ (Psychology) book Blended Learning & Flipped Classrooms was featured on the cover of a 2018-19 Catalog for Part-Time Press which came in my mailbox.
Patricia Adams has been selected to be a World View Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill in Summer 2018.
Dawn Manning (Athletic Director) announced that Taylor Carroll was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NJCAA Division II Second Team All-American Team. Taylor was also selected for the NFCA East First Team All-Region.
Millie Sparks (Library) will be serving as a mentor for the 2018 NC Library Association Leadership Institute at Black Mountain in November.
John K. Farkas (JKF Architecture) was honored for twenty years of excellence at the Greenville Museum of Art. His team has designed and coordinated many of the PCC campus buildings over the past 15 years.
Susan Howard (Mathematics) is President Elect of NC Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges and will become President in 2020.
Leroy Thomas Foskey (Campus Police) passed away on May 30. Foskey was friend to many students and employees during his many years at PCC. Former PCC Graduation speaker Pastor Sidney Locks delivered his eulogy.

“Our fates are tied. We have this strange notion on this planet that our fates are not tied. If it were not so, we would not be here together. It’s that simple.”

—Luisah Teish

Best wishes to you all in this final College Update, and keep the momentum moving PCC forward! As President Emeritus, I will be watching with great interest what develops.

—G. Dennis Massey, President