PCC Leaders Transformed - Caterpillars to Butterflies

"We were ugly, fuzzy caterpillars. But now we are beautiful butterflies." That's the way Michelle Hill described the evolution she and Dannett Williford have experienced by participating in the North Carolina Community College System's Student Leadership Institute, (SLI).

Williford is the president of the Pamlico Community College Student Government Association. Hill serves as the secretary. They were PCC's representatives participating in the year long SLI which began as a one week seminar last June at Peace College in Raleigh. They recently completed a two-day seminar held at the Marriott in Raleigh.

The SLI trains student leaders to be effective leaders, not just on their respective campuses, but in their communities. On campus, this duo has conducted a number of workshops guiding PCC students to have a better overall college experience. They helped conduct an orientation program for new students last summer, held a breast and prostate cancer awareness seminar on campus, and implemented a plan to involve night students with traditional campus activities.

Off campus, Hill has conducted training for the youth in her church to help them prepare for the future. Williford and Hill both manned a booth at the Pamlico County High School Senior Day at PCC, talking with high school seniors individually and collectively about college opportunities as well as student responsibilities. As an assignment for the last SLI workshop they attended, they designed and produced a publication characterized as a survival guide for leaders.

Hill, an accounting major, is a widower, mother of a grown son and teenage daughter, and caregiver to a disabled mother. She has definite goals of becoming a Certified Public Accountant after she completes her studies at PCC. Looking ahead, drawing on her SLI experiences, she says, "I want to be a leader in my own business, in my family, in my church, and in my community. And I want to be a leader giving back to PCC for all it has done for me and all other students. This college is where it all began for me."

Williford's husband is diabetic. Looking to her future as the mother of two young children, she says that the day may come when she will be the primary provider for her family if diabetes takes too heavy a toll on her husband. She started her career as a Medical Assisting student at PCC but her success as a student and as a student leader has propelled her career objectives to now include becoming a Registered Nurse with a master's degree.

Hill recalled Williford speaking to the entire membership of the SLI at their last workshop. Williford told the group, "Being in the Student Leadership Institute has given me the opportunity not only to be a leader at home and at school, but also who I am as an individual. That means not just as a mom or as a wife, but for me personally. I found Dannett again." Hill reported that at the conclusion of those remarks, Williford received overwhelming applause from the entire SLI membership.

Williford added, "Michelle and I have become sisters. My children know her as family, my husband knows her as family. We want the things we have learned in the SLI to carry over into every part of our lives."

Commenting on the success of these two student leaders, Jamie Gibbs, PCC Dean of student Services, said, "I get great personal satisfaction knowing that these students have represented the college so well on the state level at the SLI and here on campus as they work to really make the college experience a better experience for all of our students. That's why we do what we say we do here, we help people change their lives."

PCHS Seniors learn about Medical Assisting careers.



PCC Criminal Justice students demonstrate dusting for finger prints.



PCHS Senior is fingerprinted.



PCC's Nestina Jackson distributes information about Environmental Science.



Marc Williams, Program Director for Electroneurodiagnostic Technology serves "strawberry brains."



PCC Student Government Association representatives greet PCHS Seniors.



High school seniors learn what it's like to drive while impaired. The Governor's Highway Safety Program simulators were sponsored by PCC Criminal Justice students.



Students were also allowed to feel the jolt of a crash, simulating the need for seat belts.



Jo Baker, left, PCC Recruiter and Enrollment Specialist, and Jamie Gibbs, Dean of Student Services, pose with Joe Dunnebacke and Amanda Lupton, winners of a drawing for $250 scholarships to be used at PCC. The scholarships were provided by the PCC Foundation.

Melody Keiper is turning a life-changing experience into a life-changing career at Pamlico Community College.

Keiper is a Marine wife who followed her husband on his duty tours, twice at Camp Le Jeune, once in Japan, and at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. At all of these assignments she usually found employment as a civil service worker on base or in production at nearby manufacturing firms. That changed after her husband, William, retired.

William and Melody had moved back to North Carolina when Melody received a plea from William's dying sister in Maryland. Gravely ill with cancer, his sister was placing herself under the care of hospice and wanted Melody to come live with her until the end. The sister told her, "No more chemo, I just want you to come be here with me till I go."

"William's sister, Cathy, was a registered nurse and had even taught nursing courses. "When I got there, she could hardly talk. I was in for quite an experience. There were things I had to do that were not very pleasant but she would always try to help me through the tough times," Melody reported.

On one occasion Cathy had not spoken for some time. Melody had to clear her catheter. She remembers, "I looked at her and said, 'I just can't do this.' Cathy looked back at me and spoke for the first time in two days. She said, 'Yes you can. You're strong.' Here she was in such pain and yet she was encouraging me. This really inspired me to learn how to help people"

Keiper returned to North Carolina and enrolled in a Nurse Aide class at Pamlico Community College. Once that was completed, she became employed at Britthaven, a nursing home in Pamlico County. But she didn't stop there. She is now enrolled in the Medial Assisting curriculum at PCC with plans to go from there to a nursing curriculum so she can become an RN.

Melody Keiper credits both her deceased sister-in-law and many others for encouraging her, at age 40, to embark on a new life-changing career. She said, "I thank so many supportive people, especially here at the college. PCC is different from any place where I've been before. People here genuinely support the students."

Remembering the legacy created by these experiences, Keiper said that her niece, Cathy's daughter, had given her Cathy's nurse's pin. "I want to wear that pin when I become an RN," she said.

DJ Rogers, John Schrieber, Lynda Careway, and Nestina Jackson joined Department Chair Carol Phillips to participate in the Clean Sweep exercises in Pamlico County, Saturday, October 11. Chrissy Taylor from the US Guard assisted them. Patrolling the banks of the Neuse River and Dawson's Creek, they collected almost a dozen large trash bags of everything from bottles to clothes left behind by the careless acts of man.





A somewhat unusual find was a "letter box" left behind for visitors to Dawson's Creek Park to leave messages.



Taking the cue, Phillips, Careway, and Rogers made note of the Clean Sweep by PCC students for the letter box.





A well deserved snack of fruit came at the end of the sweep.

With a plan to work for the Environmental Protection Agency, Christopher Jordan has travelled from Washington DC and Japan to Pamlico Community College to accommodate that goal.

Just last year Pamlico Community College signed an articulation agreement with North Carolina State University for PCC graduates to be able to make easy transition to the four-year NCSU Environmental Science curriculum. Students already enrolled at PCC immediately began exploring options for an advanced degree in this curriculum. Jordan, with the background and experience he is acquiring at PCC, is exploring this possibility in addition to a look at a variety of institutions.

Jordan was an accomplished high school basketball player at a Department of Defense school for military dependents in Japan and is looking at universities with an Environmental Science curriculum who might also offer him a chance to play college ball.

Jordan's early school years included a stint in a private elementary school in Arlington, Virginia and a public school in Washington, DC before finishing high school in Japan. Assuming that he must be the son of a military family is a correct assumption except that in this instance, both father and mother are career Navy. His mother, Valerie, retired as a chief in Japan when Jordan finished high school. His father, Charles, who is assigned to the carrier, Enterprise, is now in training to be deployed in Afghanistan ... the Army borrowing him from the Navy.

Christopher and his mother, along with sister, Dominique, 13, a Principal's list student at Pamlico Middle School, are living with grandmother, Erma Bell, in Bayboro. Though not entirely happy about son-in-law Charles' deployment to a war zone, Erma Bell could not be more pleased to have her daughter and grandchildren here in Pamlico County with her, especially for Christopher and Dominique to be in school here.

Christopher is not bashful about his decision to enter Pamlico Community College as opposed to following his parents' footsteps in the military. "I did not want to follow my mom and dad in the Navy. I wanted to go to college so I enrolled at Pamlico Community College. I didn't take the SAT in Japan before I left there, so going to PCC was the best way for me to start in college. (North Carolina Community College's have an open door policy on admissions, requiring a high school diploma for admission. Consequently, a student who successfully completes work at a community college can transfer to a university without taking the SAT.) Noting that he has always liked science, he says, "I really want to learn how to do something that will help the environment, but on a wide scale."

Acknowledging that coming to Pamlico County from Japan was somewhat of a culture shock, Jordan is quick to point out that it has been the right kind of culture shock. "Here at PCC, a lot of my work is refreshing some of the work I did in school in Japan. I feel like I'm improving here. It's really going to prepare me for a university. I just love the teachers here."

Jordan's mother could not be more proud, even if he doesn't plan to wear the Navy uniform. "He's kind of amazed me. For a person who spent a great deal of time not knowing exactly what he wanted to do, he has come here, taken the ball and run with it. His grades are good and he seems more focused than ever," she said.

Jordan observed, "This will give me a better feel for being at a larger university and I feel I will be able to handle the work when I leave here. This is definitely the best thing for me to do at this time in my life."

Carol Phillips, Chair of the Department of Arts and Sciences at PCC, said, "Christopher's story highlights the many opportunities that are created on a community college campus, especially ours where we not only have the traditional Environmental Science degree programs that others have, but also the Environmental Management program that is unique to PCC. There are many paths that originate here at PCC that can create success for Christopher in his goal to be an environmental scientist. Being enrolled in the Associate in Arts curriculum is just one of those paths."

To learn more about Environmental Science at PCC, contact Phillips, 252-249-1851 x 3035, cphillips@pamlicocc.edu.

His greatest joy in the classroom is seeing the light come on.

Marc Williams, new Program Director/Instructor for the Electroneurodiagnostic Technology Program at Pamlico Community College, says, "My greatest pleasure is when students wrap their hands around a concept and the light bulb comes on. You can see it in their eyes. It's such a great feeling for the instructor to see that happen."

Williams, who earned a Bachelor's in Vocational Education from California State University at Long Beach, also had a tour of duty in the Navy. He was first exposed to being at the head of the classroom teaching EEG and Emergency First Aid to sailors. There he said, "My greatest satisfaction was seeing sailors return from a tour of duty and thank me for what they had learned in my classroom that helped them in the field." After his tour in the Navy, Williams has worked for more than thirty years in the field as a technologist. He has lectured nationally and examined students for their national credentials.



Electroneurodiagnostic Technology prepares students to work in hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices doing procedures that will help physicians diagnose neurological problems that relate to the brain, spinal cord, muscles, and nerves and their effects on the body. According to Williams, he is now happy to enter a new phase of his career. "I taught mostly one-on-one in hospitals and clinics. I can now impact more people in the classroom and put more quality technologists in the profession of helping people," he said.

Williams observes the need for a variety of teaching methods. "Some students are visual, some are better by reading the information from a book, and some need that hands-on experience. In my first encounter with students here, I have found great enthusiasm. I can see that they are going to try to learn as much from me as I'm going to try to teach. I want to share with them all this field has to offer. I want to see these students graduate and have a passion for this profession so that they too will want to share their enthusiasm for this profession like I have by being mentors or instructor to others joining the END profession or thinking of a career in healthcare."

In addition to being an avid Harley rider, Williams hopes to make use of the area's waterways to rekindle an interest in scuba diving. He said, "The opportunity here at Pamlico is a great way for me to share my love of teaching and my profession as well as the experiences I have had along the way in this profession with a new group of technologists entering the field."

Dr. Marion Altman, President, and Dr. Larry Gracie, Dean of Curriculum, echoed each other in saying how fortunate the college was to have on board a person with excellent credentials in the field as well as such passion for teaching.

No appointment necessary! Pamlico Community College's advanced cosmetology students are ready to serve the public with a full range of services, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM until 1:00 PM. The salon operates on a first come, first serve basis. Clients can choose from an extended range of hair, nail and skin care services at reduced prices.

In the photo above, Alice Underhill, who represents Craven and Pamlico County in the North Carolina House of Representatives, dropped by recently to learn first hand from students about how this program was shaping a new career for them. Crystal Levy, advanced student, talked with Underhill while working for a client.

Advanced students are Mary Baker, Stefanie Curits, Sheena Gibbs, Crystal Levy, Dawn McDaniel, and Lisette Smith. Advanced students from Pamlico County High School (the Huskins program) are Samantha Morton and Ambra Nethercutt. New students are Jackie Lane, Tenille McCoy, Danna Rainwater-Paradis, and Rynika Simmons in the regular Cosmetology Program while Kelsey Baker, Ann Marie Baxter, Samantha Hobbs, Iesha Whitney and Lacy Williams are in the High School Cosmetology Program.

Advanced students perform services on clients with the aid of one or both instructors, Debi Fulcher, Program Director, or Deborah Pegram-Hardee. The public is encouraged to call 745-5537 or 745-4249 or drop by the PCC Cosmetology Building in Bayboro to learn more about how taking advantage of these reduced rates not only helps clients but also helps students earn cosmetology credentials.

An ear near the grates over storm drains off Hwy 306 detected the rumble underground of a subway making a delivery of sandwiches for a welcome back-to-college free lunch sponsored by the Student Government Association, Tuesday, September 9. Here are some scenes.







And a good time was had by all.

Jill Fitzpatrick, Administrative Assistant in Student Services, holds the front door of the college wide open to accentuate the open doors for Open House, Saturday, July 19, 10-2.

The first step is most often the hardest step.

Taking the first step through the door of a college classroom is not nearly as hard a step as some would imagine. But it can be, as the first step on the moon was - "a giant leap" - in this case a giant leap toward a better future. Attending Pamlico Community College's Open House on Saturday, July 19, can make that giant leap seem like a little baby step.

For those who never graduated from high school, just graduated from high school, or graduated years ago from high school or a college program, Pamlico Community College can open new and wider doors to a bigger and brighter future. The college's Open House will give those attending the opportunity to meet college counselors, faculty advisors, admissions and financial aid officers, and other students.

Open House will give individuals the opportunity to learn not only what the college offers, but also which of those career paths might be personally more suitable based on aptitude and previous educational experience. From entering a program to earn the GED high school equivalency to entering a two-year degree program for transfer to a four-year university for a college degree, from entering a two year technical/vocational program to a certificate program for more immediate employment opportunities, Open House at Pamlico Community College will help people find a way.

Fall registration will be August 11-14. Fall semester classes begin August 15. Jamie Gibbs, Dean of Student Services, reports that those who attend Open House can accomplish the vast majority of the paperwork required for first time students in addition to acquiring information about courses and programs offered this fall.

Gibbs also noted that Pamlico Community College has been named one of 35 agencies to receive a grant from the North Carolina Council for Women to provide services to displaced homemakers. The grants are designed to help displaced homemakers become self-sufficient, productive citizens by providing skills assessment, counseling, skills training, tuition, books, and fees, job development, job placement, and follow-up.

(a) A "displaced homemaker" refers to a person who has worked in his or her own household for at least five years, providing unpaid household services during that time; and
(b) is unable to secure gainful employment due to lack of required training, age, or experience; or is unemployed or under employed; and
(c) Has been dependent on the income of another household member but is no longer adequately supported by that income, or is receiving support but within two years of losing the support, or had been supported by public assistance as the parent of minor children and is no longer eligible, or within two years of losing the eligibility.

To learn more about this program, contact Jamie D. Gibbs/New Choices Coordinator/Dean of Student Services, 252- 249-1851 x 3021, jgibbs@pamlicocc.edu..

To learn more about Open House, contact Jo Baker, 252-249-1851 x 3026, jbaker@pamlicocc.edu..

One last reminder, Open House is Saturday, July 19, 10-2:00. Those attending who become hungry taking this first step to entering college will have the opportunity to dine on free pizza.