Category: Education

Vance-Granville Community College was recently recognized by BestColleges.com as one of the top five two-year colleges in North Carolina, and for offering one of the most affordable online associate degree programs in the country. VGCC came in fifth on the new list, in which BestColleges.com ranked the top 25 two-year and top 25 four-year schools in North Carolina. The organization noted that it was no longer focused solely on universities. It now gives equal attention to community colleges that train …

The Endowment Fund at Vance-Granville Community College makes an ongoing effort to connect the students who receive endowed scholarships with the donors who made those scholarships possible and with the people in whose honor they were established. This often takes place at the annual VGCC scholarship awards ceremony. The namesake of one scholarship, Ann Rose Allen of Henderson, could not attend the most recent ceremony, but still made the connection with the student recipient, and a friendship was born. Erica …

A new certificate program in “Robotics and Machine Design” will be offered by Vance-Granville Community College when the fall semester begins on Aug. 17. The certificate is part of the Mechatronics Engineering Technology degree program, based at VGCC’s South Campus. Students who complete the certificate can also apply those credits to the two-year degree. “The focus of the certificate is to design and repair robotic machines,” said Keith Shearon, the VGCC Mechatronics Engineering Technology program head and instructor. “Younger students …

The Vance County Board of Education will meet in specially called meetings on the following dates and at the following times: Wednesday, July 8, 2015 beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The meetings will be held at the Hampton Inn, 385 Ruin Creek Rd., Henderson, NC  27536. The only item on the agenda for each day will be a closed session for confidential personnel matters pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6) and G.S. 115C-319.  The board …

Vance-Granville Community College’s School-Age Education program and Jacquelin Heath, the instructor and program head, have recently earned recognition on the local and state levels. Heath, a resident of Henderson, was honored with the “Director’s Award of Achievement” from Del Ruff, director of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs (NC CAP), at the organization’s annual SYNERGY Conference, held this year in Greenville. The conference brings together afterschool and expanded learning providers and supporters for training and sharing of best practices. …

The Vance County Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education (PAGE) has announced three graduating seniors from Northern Vance and Southern Vance high schools have been awarded scholarships for the 2014-2015 school year. The scholarship recipients are shown in the accompanying photo holding the plaques that bear their names and will hang in their respective schools. The students include, from left, Chris Pendergrass, who won the Jerold P. Murdock Memorial Scholarship; Moriah Davis, who won the Top Graduate from Southern …

The Vance County Board of Education and Vance County Schools honored retiring Superintendent Ronald E. Gregory at a reception on June 18, in the cafeteria at Northern Vance High School. Gregory is retiring June 30 after 52 years in education, with the last 48 years in Vance County. He has served as superintendent since August of 2011. Approximately 200 co-workers, friends and family members came together to recognize his many achievements in serving Vance County students and employees. Gloria J. …

A group of students and staff members from Henderson Middle School had a surprise visit by N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory during their tour of the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh in May. McCrory is shown in the photo standing in the back at center behind the group of students. The students also toured the old N.C. Capitol building and the N.C. Legislature building.

Vance-Granville Community College Spanish instructor Margaret Chaves-Smith of Oxford is one of the newest citizens of the United States. A native of Costa Rica, Chaves-Smith has lived in the United States for 21 years and has been a full-time faculty member at VGCC since 2000. In May, Chaves-Smith took the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Durham. “It was one of the happiest days of my life,” Chaves-Smith said …

VANCE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION Called Meeting Tuesday, June 30, 2015 5:30 p.m. Administrative Services Center Superintendent’s Conference Room 1724 Graham Avenue Henderson, N. C.  27536   AGENDA       Call to Order *           II.         Approval of Meeting Agenda *           III.        Personnel Recommendations (Attachment III) Finance:                   *     A.  Final 2014-2015 Budget Amendments                   *     B.  Adoption of Interim 2015-2016 Budget Resolution (Attachment IV.B)                   *     C.  Bank Signature Authority Change (Attachment IV.C)                   *     D.  Child Nutrition’s 2015-2016 …

A new online system is now available for Vance-Granville Community College students to apply for scholarships established by local citizens and businesses through the college’s Endowment Fund. The online application can be accessed at scholarships.vgcc.edu. To use the system, a student must already be admitted to VGCC and have been assigned a username and password, which they also use for other online college services. Using software from AcademicWorks, Inc., VGCC Endowment Office staff have set up an application that asks …

Vance County Schools will be hosting school bus driver training sessions Monday, July 6 2015, through Wednesday, July 8 2015, at L.B. Yancey Elementary School. Interested persons must attend the training on all three days to receive certification. The training sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 3 p.m. each day. Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register prior to the sessions with the school system’s Transportation Department, located at 226 Welcome Avenue off …

Welding students at Vance-Granville Community College will have more educational options when the fall semester begins on Aug. 17. The college is adding an Associate in Applied Science Degree program in Welding Technology, which students can generally complete in five semesters. VGCC has offered a three-semester diploma program in the trade for more than 40 years. The expanded curriculum will provide additional instruction for entry-level technicians in the welding and metalworking industries. Welding graduates holding an associate degree will be …

Audrey K. Parker has been named the director of human resources at Vance-Granville Community College. A resident of Bahama, Parker has over 20 years of human resources experience working at or providing support to various companies, including Duke University, IBM and Cisco. Most recently, she was the human resources and safety director/EEO officer for Durham-based Roadmark Corporation, responsible for employees in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Parker has also served as an HR consultant for the American Human Resources …

The Automotive Systems Technology department at Vance-Granville Community College recently recognized its first students to participate in the Work-Based Learning (WBL) program since the college expanded automotive training to a two-year degree program. WBL allows a student to gain relevant, resume-building experience with an employer, while also earning academic credit that counts toward a degree. Many VGCC programs include WBL courses, either as a requirement or as an elective, as in the case of Automotive Systems Technology. WBL usually takes …

Vance-Granville Community College held a graduation ceremony in May to honor faculty and staff members who completed the inaugural “Vanguard Leadership Institute.” The graduates included Dr. Kambiz Tahmaseb (Biology Instructor) of Durham; Clint Alston (Distance Education Software Specialist) of Henderson; Cathy Davis (Counselor) of Hillsborough; Elizabeth André (Nursing Instructor) of Virgilina, Va.; Anna Seaman (Nursing Instructor) of Manson; Glynnis Wilson (Financial Aid Assistant) of Norlina; Kyle Burwell (Human Resources Development Coordinator) and Benny Overton (Economics Instructor), both of Oxford; Derrick …

Vance-Granville Community College’s Arts and Sciences division offered an enlightening public lecture series during the spring semester on the theme of “money,” including issues of economic inequality. Faculty members from various departments within the division made presentations, applying their particular fields of expertise to the subject. After hearing from Sociology and Art instructors in the first installment, the second lecture was presented by Erin Folz, a Mathematics instructor based at the college’s South Campus. Her presentation was entitled “Are the …

Registration for classes and orientation sessions for new students have begun for the Fall 2015 semester at Vance-Granville Community College, which begins Monday, Aug. 17. Attending an orientation session is required for all new students who wish to enroll in any of the college’s curriculum programs, and for students who are returning to VGCC after being away for three or more years. Students must also meet with an advisor or academic/career coach before registering for classes. To attend an orientation …

The Vance County Board of Education will meet in specially called meetings on the following dates and at the following times: Monday, June 15, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, June 18, 2015 beginning at 6:00 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2015 beginning at 4:45 p.m. The meeting on June 15 will be held at the Baymont Inn, 400 N Cooper Dr., Henderson, NC 27536.   …