New local attorney gives credit to VGCC

One of the newest additions to the Franklin County legal community has a story to tell of how attending Vance-Granville Community College laid the foundation for her later success.

Paris Branch-Ramadan (pictured above) moved from Minnesota to Henderson in 2001 to help out her aging parents and grandparents. “Although I had a relatively good job, I lacked a college degree and a career,” Branch-Ramadan said. “I had attended two colleges before, with little success. My previous college experience was unsuccessful because I lacked focus, and the institutions that I attended were not equipped to adequately assist me in getting focused and staying focused.” She happened to receive the VGCC schedule of the upcoming semester’s classes in the mail. “I read it from front to back!” she said, and she found College Transfer classes that sounded interesting. “Soon thereafter, I called the school and made an appointment to meet with an admissions counselor. I then took the placement testing and, in what seemed like record speed, I met with my advisor and registered for my first series of classes.” Since she was employed full-time with the City of Durham as a contract administrator at the time, Branch-Ramadan took classes at night and on the weekends.

As she prepared for her second semester, Branch-Ramadan again found interesting classes and presented her list to her advisor, former Dean of Arts and Sciences Dr. John Beck. “I recall him giving my registration sheet the ‘once over’ as only he could do,” she said. “He looked up at me, then down at the sheet again and slowly uttered, ‘Well, you can take these classes if you want for personal enrichment, but they won’t get you any closer to graduating.’ I quickly changed my courses and stayed on track with the continued direction and guidance of Dr. Beck.” With such support, Branch-Ramadan graduated in May 2004 with an Associate in Arts degree. She transferred credits into Mount Olive College and attained a bachelor’s in business administration in 2005. In 2007, Branch-Ramadan was accepted into the North Carolina Central University School of Law, and for the first time resigned from her job to become a full-time student. “Following the trend set by Dr. Beck, I always met with my advisor at NCCU Law prior to class registration,” Branch-Ramadan said. She graduated from law school in 2010, passed the North Carolina Bar Exam in February 2011 and opened a solo law practice in Louisburg in May. “I owe much to Dr. Beck and the wonderful staff at Vance-Granville Community College; not only was my education there affordable, it was quality and fully prepared me not only for the rigors of the completion of my undergraduate degree, but also for law school,” Branch-Ramadan reflected. “I want to thank VGCC for the wonderful opportunity they afforded me when I attended the institution and to inform potential students of my road to success, because if I can do it, anyone can!” That message has certainly been received by two of her children, who currently attend VGCC themselves.