VGCC counselor graduates from Leadership Program

Veta Pierce-Cappetta, the counselor and Success Center coordinator for Vance-Granville Community College’s Franklin County Campus, recently graduated from the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program (NCCCLP). She is one of 38 community college faculty and staff members from across the state who completed the program this year.

The leadership program, which includes both face-to-face and computer-based learning experiences, provides preparation and training to develop future community college leaders. The program is highly experiential in nature, and participants work in teams to create an “ideal” community college. In addition to strengthening their leadership skills, participants learn about the structure and governance of the community college system, enjoy opportunities for networking, and form a diverse pool of qualified educational leaders.

Pierce-Cappetta said that the program began in October and ended in May with a graduation ceremony at Durham Technical Community College. “Each session was great,” she said. “I learned a lot, and I highly recommend it to other community college faculty and staff.” Pierce-Cappetta recalled that she particularly enjoyed the session on what may seem like a dry topic: the budgets of colleges and of the state. “I now understand the challenges all community colleges face concerning the budget,” she said. “Additionally, a session called ‘Courageous Conversations’ was very informative and helped leaders to handle difficult situations with students and staff.”

Pierce-Cappetta, a resident of Middlesex in Nash County, earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a master’s in Counseling at Hampton University. She first joined VGCC as a counselor in 2008, and has also taught courses for the college’s Human Services Technology program. Pierce-Cappetta currently serves on the VGCC Student Success Committee. She is also a graduate of Leadership Franklin, a program sponsored by the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.

The North Carolina Community College Leadership Program was created in 1989, under the auspices of the state chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, to provide an interdisciplinary approach to leadership training through professional development. Graduates have used the skills and connections gained from the program to be more successful leaders in all areas and at all levels in the North Carolina Community College System.

VGCC Dean of Arts & Sciences Cynthia Young, a graduate of the NCCCLP, currently serves as its director.

 

Above: From left, Veta Pierce-Cappetta is congratulated by VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams on her graduation from the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program. (VGCC photo)