Five at VGCC Earn Program Planning Certification
Several administrators at Vance-Granville Community College recently earned the designation “Certified Program Planner” (CPP). They completed a course through the Learning Resources Network, or LERN (www.lern.org). The five VGCC officials included Vanessa Jones, Vice President of Community and Economic Development; Jason Snelling, Director of the college’s South Campus; Anthony Pope, Director of Franklin County Campus; Shelly Taylor, Director of Warren County Campus; and Jean Blaine, Director of Prison Education. As Program Planners, these professionals are trained to help develop programs, recruit instructors or presenters, determine program needs, and promote or advertise various programs.
LERN’s CPP designation is described as “the only recognition of knowledge in the area of lifelong learning programming.” The purpose of the CPP is to provide a standard of achievement by which professionals can improve their knowledge and understanding of the marketing, programming and management of lifelong learning programs, which include continuing education in colleges and universities. At VGCC, continuing education programs fall under the division of Community and Economic Development.
The content of the course included finances and budgeting; brochures, marketing and promotion; assessing needs; developing and analyzing programs; pricing; and customer service.
The LERN program was offered to VGCC personnel through the North Carolina Community College System office, and concluded with a 100-question exam.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the CPP training,” said Franklin Campus director Anthony Pope. “I found the information to be very practical and helpful in the development, planning, and implementation of various continuing education courses here at the Franklin County Campus. Furthermore, it provided an overall view of the different aspects of program management and how the Community College System fits into the scheme of things. I would highly recommend this training for all new community college administrators.”
“Since I am rather new to the community college system, I found this training to be very informative,” Director of Prison Education Jean Blaine said. “Throughout each day, the instructor would have a challenging yet fun activity which would focus on working together as a team. Overall, the course was well worth my time to attend.”
VGCC South Campus director Jason Snelling added, “The LERN experience gave us clear direction on how to create and manage our course offerings, including ‘Who, What, When, Where, How, and How Much.’ The information presented offered us a do-it-yourself guide to creating and managing any courses we want to offer.”
Above: Vance-Granville Community College administrators recognized as Certified Program Planners include, from left, Anthony Pope, Vanessa Jones, Jean Blaine, Shelly Taylor and Jason Snelling. (VGCC photo)
