RichmondCC Substation Graduate Receives Top Academic Honor

May 25, 2023 - Lorenzo Vega-Vazquez of Ellerbe graduated from Richmond Community College’s Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology (EUSRT) program last Friday wearing the Academic Excellence Award medal that he received for his scholastic achievements.

Vega-Vazquez was recognized in April as the 2023 Academic Excellence Award winner for RichmondCC. This award is presented to high-achieving students in the N.C. Community College System. Vega-Vazquez completed with an A in every class.

Vega-Vazquez will be moving to Massachusetts in June to work for American Electrical Testing, a leader in the field of electrical testing.

Three years ago, however, Vega-Vazquez was moving down a different career path. He had just graduated from the Richmond Early College High School (REaCH) program with an Associate in Science degree and a certificate in Mechanical Engineering. He had planned to continue his education at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte to get a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

“When I got to UNCC, all of my classes were online (due to COVID), and we even attempted to do the labs online,” Vega-Vazquez said. “Roughly halfway through my first semester, I decided that it was not the appropriate time for me to attend the university and dropped out.”

Vega-Vazquez returned home to Richmond County and started working at a chicken farm and in construction. After talking to family and friends, he decided to go back to RichmondCC and enroll in the EUSRT program.

“After the first semester in the program, I really began to enjoy the subject matter,” Vega-Vazquez said.

With his degree now in hand and a job waiting for him in Massachusetts, Vega-Vazquez said he is really excited to start his career as a relay technician.

To learn more about the Electric Utility Substation & Relay Technology program, call (910) 410-1700 or visit the Hamlet Campus for a tour of the program. You can also complete a free application online. Summer classes begin May 30.

Registration for fall semester is also underway. Fall classes start Aug. 16.