VGCC Instructor Recognized for Franklin County Schools Partnership

Vance-Granville Community College Biotechnology coordinator/instructor Julie Kinlaw was recently recognized by Franklin County Schools for partnering with the school system.

Since 2006, Kinlaw has worked with Laureen G. Jones, director of Career Technical Education for Franklin County Schools, on a successful grant request called “Biotech Partners” from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, in partnership with the N.C. Community College System.

As a result of the grant, Franklinton High School was able to purchase lab equipment necessary to offer an “Introduction to Biotechnology” course, and VGCC began offering its “Bioprocess Manufacturing” course for high school students on the college’s Franklin County Campus. Kinlaw was the instructor for that course. Participating high school students earned college credit, which they could transfer to VGCC’s Bioprocess Technology degree program, and they learned skills that are required to work for area biotech companies such as Novozymes North America. One 2007 Franklinton High School graduate was actually hired as a Process Technician by Novozymes after completing the VGCC course.

Also as part of the grant, the VGCC Franklin County Campus hosted a two-day Biotechnology Summer Institute on June 24-25 for twelve Franklin County teachers and counselors. The high school and middle school personnel had the chance to see lab experiments performed and hear about the field from representatives of North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University and Novozymes.

Kinlaw and Jones have made numerous local presentations explaining the importance of the project to members of the community. They were also selected to speak about the partnership at the 2007 National Career Pathways Network conference in Kentucky.

Above: In the Biotechnology lab on Vance-Granville Community College’s Franklin County Campus, Franklin County Schools Director of Career Technical Education Laureen G. Jones (left) presents VGCC Biotechnology coordinator/instructor Julie Kinlaw with a plaque recognizing her work with the school system on a Biotech partnership. (VGCC photo)