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Graduates in Control of their Careers and Future with the help of RichmondCC

Jun 23

June 23, 2020 – Every student who comes through Richmond Community College is asked, “What do you want to be in the future?” RichmondCC has a goal to assist every student in implementing a plan toward a future career.Coleman Barry and Taylor Diggs

The College offers many resources to help students gain a better understanding of the educational journey they should start in order to attain their career goals. Whether a student is just starting to explore a career or contemplating a change, it is important to choose a career that is a good fit. RichmondCC helps students with career exploration through the Career and Transfer Center, college success classes, and the College’s online tool Career Coach. Students are encouraged to look for more than a job but to look at a career that is a good match with their interests, skills, and abilities. Once a career path is identified, the education and necessary training can be mapped out.

Coleman Berry
Coleman Berry is a former Early College student and a 2018 RichmondCC graduate. As part of the Early College experience students take ACA 122: College Transfer Success. This course usually taken in the first semester, provides opportunities for students to explore careers. Students then work with their academic advisor to develop a plan to take them from the first semester to graduation and beyond. Berry opted to focused on a career in poultry science and took courses at RichmondCC to maximize his credits when he transferred.

“The Early College program attracted me to RichmondCC because of the flexibility to choose my program of study, the courses I took, and being able to graduate high school with my associate degree at no cost to me,” said Berry.

This spring, Berry graduated from North Carolina State University after earning a bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science. He recently moved to Charlotte to begin his career at Pilgram’s Pride in Marshville, where he is part of the training program for Supervisory Development.

This fall, Berry will be returning to the classroom at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke to pursue a Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Supply Chain Management.

“Being able to complete one course and it counting for both high school and college credit was also a plus for me. RichmondCC helped me to build a routine and become self-dependent, and it provided avenues to explore that would further my education and self-interests,” he said.

Taylor Diggs
Richmond Community College was not the first stop for Richmond County native Taylor Diggs. After graduating from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2016, Diggs decided to move back to Rockingham and forgo a master’s degree. She had already earned two bachelor degrees but was undecided about her next career move and contacted RichmondCC. After many conversations with family, people in the community and counselors at RichmondCC, she made the choice to apply to the nursing program. She was accepted to this highly competitive program in the fall of 2018. To help offset the cost of the nursing program, Diggs applied for over 100 scholarships with just one free application through RichmondCC and was awarded three scholarships.

“I cannot emphasize how important the personal relationship is for success rate of students. The faculty always goes above and beyond to make sure every student has the best experience possible,” said Diggs.

Coming from a four-year university, she wasn’t sure what to expect at her local community college. Where she once attended classes with 100 plus students and knew nothing about her professors, Diggs was now in smaller, career focused classes. Gaining personal relationships with her instructors was a complete game changer for Diggs.

“Not only did I have the benefit of attending a very respected nursing program in my hometown, I gained a new respect for community colleges. The career focused courses streamline the degree, allowing students to spend more time with family while still completing their degrees at a record pace,” she said.

Both Berry and Diggs served as Ambassadors while students at RichmondCC. Ambassadors are respected students acting as representatives of the College. Their role is to reflect a positive image of RichmondCC at on and off-campus events. It is considered an honor to be selected for the Ambassador program. Each Ambassador receives a scholarship, public recognition, networking opportunities, job-search support and a powerful addition to his or her resume.

These two graduates took control of their careers and created a clear path for a successful future due to the guidance and resources available at RichmondCC.

For more information about registering for 2020 Fall Semester at RichmondCC, contact Student Services at (910) 410-1700, or you may visit us at one of our campuses in Richmond and Scotland County. Applications are completed online for free at www.richmondcc.edu.