VGCC in statewide spotlight at Excellence celebration

Vance-Granville Community College was in the spotlight on April 14 during the North Carolina Community College System’s second annual excellence event, called “ The Great Within the 58 ,” held at the Jane S. McKimmon Conference and Training Center on N.C. State University’s campus.

 

The event included the presentation of the state system’s highest honors, including the President of the Year, the Excellence in Teaching and the Staff Person of the Year awards. This year’s recipient of the R.J. Reynolds Excellence in Teaching Award, chosen from among the faculty members of the year at all 58 colleges in the system, was VGCC’s own Marian C. Dillahunt-Andrews of Durham, an instructor of developmental English and reading. Dillahunt-Andrews has taught at VGCC since 2004.

 

Meanwhile, Jeffrey S. Canada of Stem, who is currently enrolled in the Associate in Arts (College Transfer) program at VGCC, was recognized as one of 58 recipients of the system’s Academic Excellence Awards for 2011. Student honorees (one from each college) received plaques and medallions in honor of their accomplishments.

 

Also, for the second year in a row, VGCC students were the featured musical entertainment for the excellence event. Among those performing were VGCC music scholarship recipients Joseph Hedgepeth (on tenor saxophone), John Laible (piano), Joseph Colquitt (guitar), and Derek Jones (bass), along with students Eriekca Crosby (vocals) and Michael Alston (drums) and instructor Michael Stephenson (alto saxophone).

 

“This year’s excellence event was a major showcase for Vance-Granville,” Dr. Randy Parker, the president of VGCC, said. “Marian represented not only all the outstanding faculty members at our college, but also the top-notch instructors at all the community colleges throughout the state, which is a tremendous honor. On top of that, we were glad to see Jeffrey recognized for his hard work and academic success, and we were also thrilled that representatives from across the state got to see and hear what talented musicians we have among our college’s student body.”

 

The awards luncheon was part of the celebration of “North Carolina Community College Excellence in Education Week,” as proclaimed by Governor Perdue. The governor praised the many community college students who “pursue their studies while working and managing family responsibilities,” and she noted that students “take the benefits of excellent preparation into the workforce, into further education and into their homes, strengthening the state’s economy.”

 

 

Above: Dr. Scott Ralls, the North Carolina Community College System president (left), and Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, chair of the State Board of Community Colleges (right) congratulate student Jeffrey S. Canada of Stem (center) as VGCC’s recipient of the system’s Academic Excellence Award for 2011. (VGCC Photo)

 

 

Above: Dr. Linwood Powell (left), vice chair of the State Board of Community Colleges, presents the system’s 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award to VGCC instructor Marian Dillahunt-Andrews, accompanied by VGCC president Randy Parker. (VGCC photo)

 

 

Above: VGCC’s “Vanguard Combo” entertained honorees and guests at the North Carolina Community Colleges Excellence Event in Raleigh on April 14. From left, the group included VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson on saxophone and students John Laible of Raleigh on piano, Eriekca Crosby of Henderson on vocals, Derek Jones of Henderson on bass, Joseph Hedgepeth of Henderson on tenor saxophone and Joseph Colquitt of Creedmoor on guitar. (VGCC photo)