fbpx
Skip Navigation

2023 PCC Year-in-Review: Part I (January – April)

Collage of photos recapping first four months of 2022 at PCC.

WINTERVILLE—After nearly two years of “new normal” operations due to the pandemic, Pitt Community College made significant strides toward pre-COVID normalcy during the 2022 Spring Semester.

While health safety remained at the forefront of PCC operations, little by little, campus witnessed an uptick in activities and meetings taking place in-person. In March, at the governor’s request, Pitt joined other state entities in adopting a mask-optional policy within campus facilities.

But getting back to business as usual was only one of many highlights for PCC in the first four months of 2022. There were also key meetings with state and local leaders, honors for students and alumni, employee and retiree recognitions, and new educational initiatives. As 2023 approaches, the following is the first of three installments recapping the past 12 months at Pitt.

January

  • PCC re-launches CDL training in response to national demand for truck drivers.
  • The PCC Multicultural Activities Committee presents a $1,000-scholarship to prospective nursing student Alvaro Serafin during the 10th Annual MLK Scholarship Breakfast Tribute.
  • Trustees honor retirees Alton Wadford, Karen Mozingo, Tim Broadwell, Rosemary Johnson and Robert Tallo for longtime service.
  • Altice USA and Kramden Institute partner again to provide laptops to VISIONS students as part of an overall effort to close the nation’s digital divide.

February

  • Pitt County Commissioners and County Manager’s Office personnel visit campus to meet with PCC leaders about workforce development activities, interactions with business and industry, and facility needs.
  • Nearly one year after announcing its Bulldog Promise Scholarship Program for 2021 Pitt County high school graduates, PCC offers 2022 graduates an opportunity to earn a two-year degree, tuition-free.
  • PCC celebrates Black History Month with virtual activities focused on “Black Health and Wellness,” which pays tribute to medical scholars and health care providers.
  • When East Carolina starts the 2022 baseball season, PCC alum Scott “Scooter” Rogers calls the action for radio listeners. It’s a dream come true for Rogers, who was selected by LEARFIELD to provide play-by-play throughout the season.
  • PCC welcomes several state legislators to campus for a discussion of Pitt’s efforts to develop a skilled regional workforce and its future goals and needs. Joining them are Thermo Fisher’s Tommy Schornak and Christine Coates, the N.C. Biotechnology Center’s Mark Phillips, and State Board of Community Colleges member Shirley Carraway.
  • Prior to PCC Softball’s home opener, the team retires the late Abby Foster’s #13 jersey. Months earlier, Foster died in a car crash after completing her first season with the Bulldogs.
  • After two years of programming limitations and mostly virtual instruction due to COVID-19, PCC schedules personal enrichment courses that meet face-to-face and prepares to register youngsters for Explore Summer Camps featuring hands-on activities.

March

  • PCC employees and supporters join Barnhill Contracting Company for a topping-out ceremony at the Eddie & Jo Allison Smith Center for Student Advancement construction site.
  • PCC’s Center of Student Life and Student Government Association organize a clothing drive for students in need.
  • Trustees honor retirees Kathy Carnes and Kay Lee for longtime service.
  • A Women’s History Month (WHM) program features PCC’s Tavondia Burdett, Kimberly Riddick and Vandana Srivastava discussing contributions caregivers and front-line workers made during the pandemic. They also share thoughts on how women of all cultures have provided healing and hope throughout history.
  • During the WHM celebration, Criminal Justice Department Chair Sherri Joyner receives the 2022 Woman of Substance Award.
  • After a month delay due to the pandemic, the PCC Music Department presents its annual Black Composers Concert.
  • VIQTORY includes Pitt on its 2022-23 “Military Friendly Schools” list.
  • The PCC Alumni Association honors six alumni in five categories, including a Distinguished Alumni Award for 2012 University Transfer graduate Michele Marston.
  • PCC celebrates top students for classroom achievement and volunteerism during the annual Academic Excellence Awards Ceremony. Victor Long, an Industrial Management Technology major, receives a State Academic Excellence Award from the N.C. Community College System. Building Construction student Harriss Evans receives the 2022 President’s Scholarship from the PCC Foundation, and University Transfer student Jennifer Beatty receives a President’s Award.
  • Roy Cooper holds a roundtable discussion on campus to discuss the Longleaf Commitment community college grant program with education leaders and grant recipients.
  • PCC enters a partnership with two nearby community colleges to prepare medical lab technicians capable of performing procedures used to diagnose and treat diseases and help patients maintain good health.

April

  • As part of an Association of Community College Trustees’ initiative, Pitt County Commissioners and Town of Winterville leaders approve proclamations designating April 2022 as “Pitt Community College Month.”
  • Associate in Engineering student Hanh Tran becomes one of just 417 college students nationally to earn a 2022 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. Tran was the only community college student in North Carolina to receive the prestigious award and one of just six nationwide.
  • Kody Kinsley, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, tours PCC’s hospital simulation lab and emergency medical science classroom/laboratory.
  • As part of “Crayons to College,” PCC instructors lead fifth-graders from Falkland and Northwest elementary schools through STEM activities that feature an “Earth Day” theme.
  • Students and alumni meet with local employers about jobs and internships during a PCC Career Services hiring event.
  • Alpha Alpha Alpha, a new PCC honor society for first-generation college students, inducts 23 students, staff and faculty.
  • PCC presents the 2022 Joan and Ed Warren Staff Employee of the Year Award to Scott Chauncey with the college’s Mail and Courier Services Department. Biotechnology Department Chair Christy Weeks receives the Joseph E. Downing Award for Excellence in Teaching.
  • The PCC Foundation raises nearly $20,000 through the 2nd Annual Outdoor Living Tour & Auction, roughly $2,700 more than the inaugural event.
  • The 5th Annual PCC Car Club Car Show features awards in seven categories and a special appearance by actor Tom Wopat – best known for his role as Luke Duke on “Dukes of Hazzard.”

01/04/2023