Pitt County High School Seniors Explore PCC Programs

WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College welcomed Pitt County high school seniors to campus this month for a day of college and career exploration.

According to PCC Recruitment & Orientation Specialist John Carrere, more than 130 students from six Pitt County public high schools participated in “Pathways to PCC” on Nov. 13. He said the program gave them a chance to gather information they can use to make well-informed decisions about higher education after high school graduation.

“This was an opportunity for Pitt County high school seniors to visit the PCC campus and see what it is like to be a student here,” Carrere said. “From a recruitment perspective … this was our chance to really roll out the red carpet and have them come and see what we have to offer.”

Carrere, who helped organize the event, said NCWorks Career Coaches — PCC personnel assigned to Pitt County high schools — selected participants for the program by identifying students whose career interests align with PCC curricula.

“Some of the students were aware of PCC and had taken courses through the Career and College Promise program while dually-enrolled in high school,” Carrere said. “But for other students, this was their very first experience on a college campus. So, it was a great opportunity for them to explore programs of study and see how PCC can help connect them with a career pathway of their choosing.”

During their visit, students received greetings from PCC administrators and heard from college personnel about admissions procedures and financial aid options. They also interacted with a panel of current students and received sage advice about choosing the best route to reach their career goals from keynote speaker Steffen McGhee, coordinator of the PCC VISIONS pilot program.

“We essentially showed the students how they could graduate from PCC debt-free,” Carrere said. “Hopefully, they got back to school pumped up on PCC Blue and really excited about making the decision to attend PCC.”

Much of the students’ visit was spent with PCC instructors in the classroom, participating in hands-on activities to learn about programs. Some students took part in lab testing with biotechnology. Others learned from Emergency Medical Services Technology instructors the proper technique for immobilizing and placing an individual on a stretcher.

“We had great participation from our biotechnology program and our health sciences, construction and industrial technology, and public services and fine arts divisions,” Carrere said. “These areas opened their doors and welcomed students to campus for a firsthand look at the many training options PCC offers.”

11/25/2019