RichmondCC Holds Annual Convocation; Awards Three; Welcomes System President

Hamlet, N.C. (November 1, 2016) – The state of Richmond Community College is strong. This was the resounding statement of Dr. Dale McInnis’ State of the College address during Convocation on Oct. 26 at the Cole Auditorium.

The annual Convocation is an opportunity for the college president to provide a snapshot of the college’s past, present and future. Recognition is also given to winners of the Faculty of the Year, Staff of the Year and President’s Award.

Guest speaker for Convocation was Dr. Jimmie Williamson, president of the N.C. Community College System. He talked about the hallmark principles of RichmondCC, excellence and perseverance, and applauded the faculty, staff, board members and students for exemplifying those traits.

“Although everyone can’t be excellent at all things, they can be excellent at some thing. This is your some thing,” Williamson said. “If you are a faculty member, staff member or a board member, this is your some thing. You bring your excellence to this place. If you are a student, you should strive to bring excellence to the classroom and ultimately to your workplace.”

State of the College

“The state of our College is really strong, and that strength comes from the people in this room and these communities, all across Richmond and Scotland counties,” McInnis said to the audience of faculty, staff, students and Board of Trustee members.

McInnis recapped some of the highlights of the past year for RichmondCC: 

• Eclipsing the record enrollment that was set a year ago this fall semester;
• Moving up in ranks to 29th out of 58 community colleges in the system for total enrollment;
• Doubling graduation numbers and having to hold two graduation ceremonies;
• Implementing the first tuition free program in the state of North Carolina;
• Focusing on student advising and building faculty-student relationships;
• Being called a “weapon for economic development and job creation” at a ground-breaking ceremony for new company RSI;
• Students and employees responding to hurricane relief efforts to help victims of Hurricane Matthew.

“As proud as I am of our last year, I am so excited and looking forward to this College’s future,” McInnis said. “The growth I’ve been talking about comes with a price. We don’t have anywhere else to teach any more programs. That’s why you’re going to see a lot activities in the next year.”

McInnis noted the expansion and renovation plans on the horizon for the College:

• Expansion of Student Services;
• New classrooms and labs;
• New Transfer and Career Center to serve as “front door of the college” and a “portal to the future”;
• Cafeteria that serves hot meals;
• School of business and information technology in downtown Rockingham;
• Expansion of the College’s “footprint” in Scotland County beyond the Honeycutt Center in order to have a full campus of services and programs.

“If we aren’t growing, then we’re retreating,” McInnis said. “Our continued growth is dependent on our college being competitive for the sake of our counties and students winning that competition. We’re competing with other counties and states for new companies and jobs. We’re competing for talented faculty and staff because they are the engine that makes our College run and be successful. And we’re competing for students because we recognize all of our students have choices of where they can go and what they can do.

“Lastly and most importantly we’re preparing our students to win their competition. So they can get placed at that selective university they want to attend or they get hired by that company that has the dream job they’ve always wanted,” McInnis added. “You can’t win those competitions I just mentioned without perseverance.”

In closing, McInnis recognized several nursing students who persevered in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew to complete all their assignments despite having no power for over a week and who braved flooded roads to not miss a day of class.

 Award Winners

The President’s Award was given to Carole Gibson, chair of the Nursing Department.

McInnis said Gibson promotes the college, supports her students and takes pride and ownership in her program.

“Even though she is retiring some time in the near future, Carole treats every day like it’s her first day here,” he said. “She exemplifies the values of our College.”

Business Technologies Chair Kim Parsons was named Faculty of the Year. Some of the comments included in her nomination were “she is a great teacher and she is very much involved with her students”; “she goes above and beyond for her students. She wants each individual one to be successful. She is always there when you need her”; and “she makes learning fun.”

Other finalists for the faculty award were Dr. Angie Adams, Humanities and Social Science Department chair, and Janet Sims, nursing instructor. Many of their students described them as passionate and caring and exemplary instructors.

Myra Locklear, administrative assistant to the vice president of Workforce and Economic Development, was named Staff of the Year. She was described as a “jack-of-all trades. She handles all situations very professionally. Bottom line, the Honeycutt Center would not be the same without the efforts of Myra Locklear. She always works with a smile, mixing humility, humor, and authority.”

Other finalists for the staff award were Tim Smoot, print technician for the campus print shop, and Chris McDonald, assistant registrar. Both were described as dedicated to the College and their jobs and always having a positive attitude.