40 YEARS
OF DEDICATED
SERVICE
RANDOLPH C O M M U N I T Y
C O L L E G E
MAGAZINE | SPRING 2020
BOARD OF TRUSTEES F. Mac Sherrill, Chairman John M. Freeze, Vice Chairman James G. Gouty Jorge A. Lagueruela T. Reynolds Lisk Jr. Shirley D. McAnulty Robert E. Morrison Larry D. Reid The Honorable J. Brooke Schmidly Dr. Cynthia G. Schroder Dr. R. Andrews Sykes Chris L. Yow Yasmin Cervantes
FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elizabeth H. Aldridge Steven E. Eblin Vickie H. Gallimore Daffie H. Garris, Treasurer James G. Gouty Robert A. Graves Neal Griffin III Baxter Hammer, President Ann M. Hoover Jorge A. Lagueruela Justin M. Lee Gail H. McDowell Nicki McKenzie Hill Dr. Cynthia G. Schroder H. Dean Sexton Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. F. Mac Sherrill Mini Singh, Vice President Lisa Wright, Secretary
MAGAZINE STAFF Felicia Barlow, Managing Editor Megan Crotty, Editor Shelley Greene, Vice President
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Charles Wade, Magazine Art Director
PHOTOGRAPHY Malinda Blackwell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Shane Bryson Kelly Heath Lorie McCroskey Dr. Gregory Vance
K randolph.edu E facebook.com/RandolphCommunityCollege D @RandolphCC Q @randolphcommunitycollege Information: 336-633-0200 Alumni Relations: 336-633-1118
The Randolph Community College Magazine is produced twice a year by Randolph Community College and the RCC Foundation.
ON THE COVER: After 40 years at RCC, we say goodbye to Ken Kinley.
ABOVE: Kinley says he will forever have a special place in his heart for RCC’s ABLE (Adult Basic Life-Skills Education) students. Many of them affectionately call him “Poppy.”
Photography by Perfecta Visuals/Jerry Wolford and Scott Muthersbaugh
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
A
s I write this message, the stay at home order in North Carolina is still in place while Randolph Community College continues to provide the very best service it can to all of our students who have had to make so many adjustments since this pandemic began. We are living in different times than any of us have ever experienced. No one ever imagined that the members of our 2020 graduating class would complete their last semester of college and graduate during a pandemic that has altered the rules of life for the whole world. I want to extend my congratulations to that RCC graduating class of 2020! Your hard work has paid off, and we are very proud to bestow on you the certificates, diplomas, and degrees you have earned. This is such an impressive honor, one that many people wish for all of their lives but never achieve. We celebrate your success in reaching this wonderful milestone in your life. Our virtual graduation ceremony will be different than the one we anticipated even a few months ago. But to your great credit and to the great credit of your faculty and staff, you successfully made the transition to a different way of teaching and learning and completed your educational requirements in a different format than you expected. Your success under these circumstances is remarkable and we are immensely proud of you. When the world returns to some version of “normal,” the college credential you have earned will enable you to move forward and live your very best life, a life that would not have been possible without the educational credential you now hold. You will certainly have an interesting story to tell your children and grandchildren! You will always be a part of the RCC family. Our thoughts and prayers go with you as you step into the life and career you dreamed of! I also want to acknowledge the incredibly hard work that our faculty and staff have accomplished to continue to serve our students and our community. I’m proud of the RCC team for carrying on in splendid fashion in these unusual, difficult circumstances, and I feel confident as the semester continues online that our students are being very well-served. As our new world continues to unfold, we will continue to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff, which will continue to be our top priority. We will also continue to work together with all of our community partners to ensure Randolph County emerges from this crisis stronger than ever.
2 | RCC • SPRING 2020
RANDOLPH.EDU | 3
NEW LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
WITH AGRIBUSINESS TECHNOLOGY
4 | RCC • SPRING 2020
BY DR. GREGORY VANCE
I
n the last few years, various countries around the globe have utilized Agribusiness to build connections between urban and rural areas, and to create better economic ties between these regions. Randolph Community College’s unique geographical position within Randolph County provides the perfect borderland between city life and farms, giving the College the means to offer similar situations to stimulate learning for educational and career advancement. In its continuing effort to create new opportunities for students, RCC brought the Agribusiness Technology program into the curriculum in the fall of 2019. Newlyappointed program Department Head Derrick Cockman is overseeing the implementation of this new endeavor. Cockman, who grew up on a small family beef cattle farm, earned an associate degree in Landscape Gardening at Sandhills Community College then transferred to North Carolina State University where he earned his bachelor’s in Horticulture Science. After that, Cockman attended North Carolina A&T University
RANDOLPH.EDU | 5
where he earned his master’s in Agriculture Education. He then taught middle school agricultural classes at Highfalls Elementary, Westmoore Elementary, and Elise Middle School, along with Computer Science Discoveries and Technology Engineering & Design. Now, with the help of Dean of Curriculum Programs Melinda Eudy, Cockman is fleshing out the College’s newest program — Agribusiness Technology. Agribusiness encompasses myriad dimensions — everything from sophisticated workshops where scientists investigate the ramifications of the encroachment of urbanization upon the delicate ecosystems of farmland and undeveloped areas, to vineyards hosting wine tastings. Farmers often combine agriculture with business by creating corn mazes and fields for kids to choose pumpkins at Halloween, by opening orchards to allow prospective buyers to pick their own fruit, and by having dude ranches where participants can learn to tend animals, ride horses, and understand what it means to be a real cowboy or cowgirl. 6 | RCC • SPRING 2020
RCC NCSTATE
PackTrac AG R I B U S I N E S S PAT H WAY
Eudy helped develop the Agribusiness Technology program to meet the county’s needs, noting RCC’s students in the Agribusiness Technology program can obtain a two-year degree, or complete one year here and three years with N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences through its “Pack-Trac.” The latter allows students to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management. Currently, RCC’s program includes such classes as Basic Farm Management, Soil Science, and Agricultural Marketing. Division Chair for Business and Applied Technologies Amanda Byrd said students choosing this academic path will not only learn the ins and outs of running a farm, but also will comprehend the business side of such operations. Both Eudy and Byrd’s vision for such training
provides students whose families already have farms to continue to run them with greater success, and for those with virtually no experience to start new businesses. The program is a win-win for the community as it will simultaneously help Randolph County to grow and prosper. To help bolster the program, Cockman met with the Randolph County Center of NC Cooperative Extension and Millstone Creek Orchards for possible partnership opportunities. He also attended a Career/College Fair at Eastern Randolph High School, and visited Providence Grove and Randleman high schools. Cockman also plans on being an FFA judge at Trinity High School. On the horizon is the opportunity to earn certification in Zoological Horticulture. Cockman said these courses will “prepare individuals to work with zoo habitats” and the special environmental concerns of such animal refuges. Ultimately the Agribusiness Technology courses may help students with career opportunities at the North Carolina Zoo.
Did you know that the earliest hedge mazes were constructed in Europe as far back as the 16th Century? Their popularity increased over the next two hundred years and spread to England and other parts of the world. The first corn maze was constructed by Don Frantz and Adrian Fisher in Lebanon, PA in 1993 (MNN.com “Earth Matters”). Generally, such entertainment is combined with hay rides, cider pressing, Halloween haunts, and various other events where the general public can partake of, or participate in, farm life. In this way, the concept of Agribusiness has been around for far longer than most people realize. It is not only a way to bolster local economies, Agribusiness ventures also provide fun activities for children and adults, and are an entertaining means to educate oneself about the activities surrounding the running of such businesses.
RANDOLPH.EDU | 7
BY MEGAN CROTTY
R CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION GETS COMMUNITY
FIRED UP ABOUT WELDING FACILITY
8 | RCC • SPRING 2020
andolph Community College held a ribbon cutting ceremony Sept. 5 as the College increased its number of welding booths at the Archdale Center to 31. Approximately 2,000 square feet of classroom and office space was converted into lab space to accommodate more students. The ceremony, which was attended by RCC faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and members of the community began with opening remarks by RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr., who noted that the facility began with 10 state-of-the-art welding booths. “We had people coming from around the state to see it,” he said. “They were just amazed at what kind of facility we put together. The program has gone through a lot of transitions — mainly thanks to [Welding Department Head] Michael Ford. Michael has led in some great strides forward for our welding program.” One of those strides was getting the Archdale Welding Center named an Accredited Testing Facility (ATF) by the American Welding Society in 2018. The AWS Accredited Test Facility program establishes minimum requirements for test facilities, their personnel and equipment to qualify for accreditation to test and qualify welders. RCC’s testing program can test welders from any one of eight different codes and standards. The designation means that RCC’s Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) can test welders for the American Welding Society certifications that are recognized anywhere in the world. RCC is one of only five AWS Accredited Testing Facilities sites in North Carolina. Students who receive an AWS certified welder certification will be in high demand from local companies. “With 31 booths, we are able to expand our programs, do more testing and certifications,” Shackleford said. “The faculty here are very familiar with some of the major industries that hire welders. They understand what [industries
RANDOLPH.EDU | 9
are] looking for; they find out what kind of testing it takes to get a job there. They don’t just teach classes to our students and then let the students arrive unprepared. ... Our goal and our interest at this College is not to put diplomas on walls all over Randolph County. It’s to get people great jobs and great careers.” Director of the Archdale Center Tonya Monroe spoke after Shackleford, saying the ceremony “highlights and is a tangible reminder of the commitment and mission of Randolph Community College, which is Creating Opportunities and Changing Lives. This day is made possible in part by our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality welding center for our faculty and students. These new welding facilities are a bold reflection of that commitment.” Vice President for Instructional Services Suzanne Rohrbaugh said the expansion provides more opportunities for the workforce and helps meet the economic development needs of the county. Ford echoed her sentiments. “We can increase the enrollment cutoff from 20 to 30,” he said. “The big picture is getting that many students wanting to do this.” 10 | RCC • SPRING 2020
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL FORD
Rohrbaugh also discussed the benefits students will have, including safety with more room to work and the possibility of having day and evening classes along with continuing education opportunities. Being an approved testing facility through the American Welding Society “is a huge benefit to our students,” she said. “It provides students the opportunity to actually do some industry-recognized testing and earn a credential while they’re here as a student. ... As you can see, we’re passionate about our teaching and learning and opportunities that we can provide our students. It’s an exciting day any time that we can extend that opportunity and can expand the offerings here in Randolph County. ... This was truly a concerted team effort and for that we are very grateful.” Attendees included members of the RCC Board of Trustees — John Freeze, Dr. Cindy Schroder, and James Gouty; Chairman of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners Darrell Frye, County Commissioner Kenny Kidd, Mayor of Archdale Bert Lance-Stone, Archdale-Trinity Chamber of Commerce President Beverly Nelson, Randolph County Economic Development Corporation President Kevin Franklin, and Archdale City Manager Zeb Holden.
RANDOLPH.EDU | 11
12 | RCC • SPRING 2020
COSMETOLOGY GRAD
HAS QUITE THE “STORY”
BY MEGAN CROTTY
N
ot many people find out they’ve achieved their dream while at a rest stop. Lauren Story did. But, to get to that I-95 Welcome Center in Georgia, Story took a circuitous route. She originally was planning on studying to be a dental hygienist, but hit a transfer snag, so Story talked to Randolph Community College Student Services Counselor Dean Beck, telling him that she had taken everything she could take for her two-year degree and she still needed more classes to be full-time. “He said, ‘Well, they’ve just opened a cosmetology program. Do you want to do that?’ ” Story said. “So I said, ‘OK. Sign me up.’ I could do hair while I went to school to do dental or whatever. “Once I started doing it, it was meant to be.” Admittedly, doing other people’s hair wasn’t new to Story. “I remember doing my mom’s highlights,” she said. “I remember poking her in the head with the cap with the needle when I was 8. Me and my husband — I was 16 when I met him — we went to my friend’s prom and I had blonde hair, pink hair, black hair, and leopard print in my part. And he had a leopard print Mohawk. So if that tells you anything … .” Story was in the third class of Cosmetology graduates at RCC, earning her diploma in 2012. She said those first years were “a little hectic.” The school was located where the Hillside Shopping Center’s Papa John’s Pizza is and had 10-15 stations. In August 2016, the new 10,865-square-foot Cosmetology Center opened, allowing the College to take in more students in a dynamic learning environment. The Center includes 44 student styling stations, 10 shampoo stations, 16 hair dryers, separate facial and waxing rooms, a manicure/pedicure area featuring massaging pedicure chairs, and three classrooms. RANDOLPH.EDU | 13
“The school is great, and you won’t find a better place to get an education,” Story said. “They do spend time teaching you what you need to know to build a solid foundation.” After RCC, she knew she wanted to go to a salon that had a lot of foot traffic, but wasn’t a chain. She worked at Dazzle It Up at Randolph Mall for five years, and then learned of an opening at Royals Hair & Beauty Salon — where her salon, Beautiful Chaos, is now. She also works two days a week at Folica Salon in Greensboro. 14 | RCC • SPRING 2020
“I never wanted to open my own shop; it’s just something that happened,” Story said. “I know for a fact right out of school you are not ready. That’s one of the biggest downfalls, unless you are very wellknown in the community. You have to figure out how it works. It’s not like a normal business where you open the doors and you sell stuff. It’s like you’re selling yourself, your services.” Story has definitely made her mark, though — especially at hair and fashion shows in New York and
Greensboro. All anyone has to do is say “unicorn” and Story will bring out her hair masterpiece from the Big Hair Ball of Greensboro — a yearly charity event. She has also worked Greensboro Fashion Week, New York Full-Figure Fashion Week, photo shoots in Miami, and several hair shows. “The first year I did Greensboro Fashion Week was the first time I’d done makeup on anyone other than my family,” Story said. “It’s still very new territory. But, I’ve done proms and weddings. Weddings are fun because you get to go on location and be in the chaos. Fashion shows are pure adrenaline. It’s a rush. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being behind the chair, but you have to mix it up sometimes.” Like taking a chance on a dream. When Story was in school, a Matrix representative came and talked about their mentor program, bringing two of the mentors along. “It was totally glamourous, like a beam of light, like angels singing,” Story said. “I said to myself, ‘This is what I need to do.’ ” She went to every local Matrix class, and, despite being an introvert by nature, put herself front and center. Finally, Story got an email announcing open auditions for Matrix training. A large packet was included. She had to come up with a color technique and a cut technique, and videotape it. She had to include a resumé and portfolio. “It was a lot; it was overwhelming,” Story said. “I questioned myself. ‘I don’t think I can do this. I don’t think I’m cut out for this.’ There were over 200 people that submitted.” Which brings the story to that rest stop in Georgia. Story and two of her friends were on their way to Orlando for a show, stopping at the I-95 Visitor Center featuring a Forrest Gump statue. “It’s my favorite one,” Story said. “I love it. I just felt like I needed to stop there and kind of take a breath.” While, ahem, taking care of business, she received a notification on her watch saying that she got an email:
“Congratulations from Matrix!” She clicked the notice and read it. “It said, ‘You’ve been selected. Congratulations. This is such an honor. We’re so excited for you. Blah, blah, blah,’ ” Story said. “I started screaming. [One of my friends] was washing her hands at this point and she started screaming and we’re all excited. I’m still sitting on the toilet and every random person that was in that bathroom started clapping.” The next three days, Story introduced herself as a new Matrix Artist-In-Training to anyone she could. Of those 200 applicants, 43 were chosen. Since the training has started, the number has dwindled, but Story has kept with it. Training is three days at a specific location such as Tampa at a SalonCentric Education Center. There is a full day of product knowledge, learning brand techniques. There’s also homework, getting used to social media with an online journal, and presentations. In between training, trainees shadow other educators in the area. When they aren’t on location, trainees attend webinars. The training took Story to Orlando in January and Nebraska in February before being put on hold due to COVID-19. “I am cripplingly shy,” Story said. “It really knocks you out of your comfort zone. I’m getting comfortable speaking in front of people. They want us to be completely comfortable with every aspect of the brand. “My ultimate goal with Matrix — I would love to work a hair show and be on stage teaching something new. I do have a passion for education, and I love helping people. Especially with a brand I love, it’s just an easy decision.” When asked about her personal style, Story goes back to her rainbow bangs, which she sported recently during RCC’s Cutting for a Cause and which have gotten her attention at the grocery store. For Story and many cosmetologists, their work is art. “I have a lot of those clients who think I just do hair,” she said. “When I tell them I won’t be in the salon for a week because I’m going to New York
or Tampa, they think it’s a vacation. It wasn’t a vacation. It was a hair show or a fashion show. So, for people who think it’s just cutting hair — it’s so much more than that. This industry is so multifaceted. People see cosmetology as ‘Steel Magnolias’ — working at a beauty shop putting curlers in people’s hair. “I have some clients come in and say, ‘Do whatever you want.’ Those are some of the happiest people because I get to express myself and do things on them that I know they will appreciate. I look at their personality
and see what kind of creative juices are flowing that day.” Story has held private classes for people who want to know how to do their own makeup or style their hair — lessons they can take home. “It makes them feel good when they’re not in my chair,” Story said. “That’s what it’s all about, really. It’s the biggest part of my job — making people happy. “I plan on doing as much as I can. I’m just taking the stairs up and up and up.” RANDOLPH.EDU | 15
T
ommy Maness has spent almost 40 years teaching math. You might say the classroom is his second home. But not everyone at Randolph Community College knows Maness’ other second home — the baseball diamond at Eastern Randolph High School. Maness spent 24 years coaching the Wildcats, 20 of those as the team’s head coach. When he retired from the ERHS helm in 2005, he had amassed a 356-127 record that included 13 straight postseason appearances, nine conference championships, 16 playoff berths, a final four appearance in 1997, and a state title in 1998. His program ranked in the top 10 in Region 5 from 1997-2005, and he was the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association Region 4 Coach of the Year in 1998. Maness wasn’t too shabby on the diamond as a threeyear, all-conference starter at North Moore High School. This fall, he was inducted into the Eastern Randolph High School Hall of Fame on Sept. 19 before the varsity football game. “That was probably one of the highlights of my coaching career,” Maness said. “There are so many athletes that have come [through ERHS]. You’d think they’d be there before you. It was a really special night; they treated us well. It was good to have my family and friends there with me.” Despite hanging up his cleats, Maness continued to teach at ERHS until 2011, retiring after 30 years. Still, he had already taught a few courses at RCC and, when a position opened-up, he started teaching part-time in 2012. Maness teaches mostly developmental math as part of RCC’s College and Career Readiness curriculum.
16 | RCC • SPRING 2020
“It’s been nice,” he said. “The people have been really nice to me. The students have also. You walk away feeling, most days, that it was a rewarding day as a teacher. When you feel that inside of you, you feel, ‘I contributed a little today.’ ” Even better, Maness has not only attended the CCR graduations, but read a graduate’s speech who was unable to attend. “They’re real proud of themselves,” Maness said. “It’s a special place. They’re here for a reason. It’s a special recognition for them.” Aside from his charges in the classroom, Maness has two daughters, Jamie and Taylor. Jamie, 28, a University of North Carolina at Greensboro graduate, is an emergency department nurse at Duke University Hospital, while Taylor, 22, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in December with a degree in Communications. She now works with the Charlotte Symphony in marketing. His wife, Pam, passed away five years ago. The three stay in touch, and Maness is only 2 ½ miles away from RCC, so he is never alone. But … does he miss the diamond? “I don’t miss when it’s 25 degrees, and I don’t miss cutting the players,” Maness said. “But I still truly miss the time, as it gets closer to the end of the season, when you’ve had a good season and guys have worked hard, you make the state playoffs and how exciting that is. I’ll always miss that. I was fortunate to be around, other than good athletes, good people.” And everyone knows they’re fortunate to be around Tommy Maness. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
BY MEGAN CROTTY
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
RANDOLPH.EDU | 17
KEN KINLEY, AKA ‘POPPY’ LEAVES RCC AFTER YEARS OF DEDICATION
BY MEGAN CROTTY
K
en Kinley is a history book. He’s filled with dates. Names. Facts. Kinley isn’t your typical history book, though. You won’t find anything about ancient civilizations or dinosaurs or war generals (though you might see a few presidents). What you will find is a compendium of information about Randolph Community College — especially its buildings. “I do know just about every inch of this campus inside and out,” he said. Kinley’s own book starts in Randolph County where he was raised on a 63-acre farm, the son of Fred and Pauline. He was number 10 of 12 children. The family raised hogs, cows, chickens, and turkeys, made their own butter and cheese, and canned just about anything they could grow or find up the road. While his dad worked, his mom had the job of keeping babies in clean diapers. “We had good times; we had hard times, but we made it real fine,” Kinley said.
18 | RCC • SPRING 2020
Kinley went to Tabernacle Elementary School in Asheboro through eighth grade, then to Farmer in ninth, and then to Southwestern Randolph High School where he met his wife-to-be, Marilyn, when they both were sophomores. “I was picking and carrying on during study hall,:” he said. “I was talking to a friend of hers and asked, ‘Who is that?’ She says, ‘That’s my friend, Marilyn.’ ” Kinley wondered how Marilyn got out of study hall. Turns out, she was helping the secretary for the principal do paperwork. “I said, ‘Well, why can’t she get me out?’ I’ll sit there and keep her company.’ ” he said. “I was kidding.” But, Marilyn (named after the Marilyn) obliged, and soon the two started dating. “Her hair was down to her knees,” Kinley remembered. “She had long, beautiful hair. And she did her eyes like Priscilla Presley.” Two years later, the duo got married by Marilyn’s uncle at his house, and left the party in a 1963 Ford station wagon.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERFECTA VISUALS
RANDOLPH.EDU | 19
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERFECTA VISUALS
20 | RCC • SPRING 2020
“We drove through Robbins with the cans hanging down,” Kinley said. “That very night, the axle came out of it. Her mom and daddy had to come and get us.” Despite the rocky start, the two have been married for 45 years and have two daughters — Kimberly, 39, and Presley, 22, (named after Elvis, not Priscilla). They also have two grandchildren, Natalie, 14, and Grayson, 9, who bears his grandad’s name for a middle name. (“Kenneth means ‘handsome,’ ” Kinley noted.) Ken and Marilyn were both working at B.P. Walkers making shoes on the assembly line when he found out about an opening in the maintenance department at the then-Randolph Technical Institute. “I came up here and interviewed at the end of August,” Kinley said. “Bill Johnston, the facility director, took me around campus. I told them, ‘Well, it’s going to be a change.’ They asked me if I could come in after Labor Day. I said, ‘We’ll give it a try.’ ” Kinley’s first day was Sept. 6, 1979 — 17 years after the College’s inception. He was on the grounds crew for 16 years. He then went to Facility Tech, doing plumbing, HVAC, and carpentry. “There just weren’t many maintenance men,” he said of his first few years on the job. There also weren’t many buildings. In fact, there were two. Now there are 16, not counting the new Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. Allied Health Center, which is set to be opened for classes in fall 2020.
The changes just in construction Kinley saw in his 40year tenure are impressive: R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center (1979) Student Services Center/Welcome Center (1979/2011) Maintenance Brick Building (1979) Greenhouse (1979) Horticulture House (1980) Design Center Renovation (1985) M. H. Branson Business Education Center (1988) Computer Technology Center (1990) Archdale Center (1990) Photography Imaging Center (1995) Health & Science Center (1996) Design Center Addition (1996) Archdale Addition (1997) Campus Store (1999) Emergency Services Training Center (2001) Foundation Conference Center (2002) JB Davis Bell & Clock Tower (2003) Archdale Addition Building A (2006) Randolph Early College High School Modular Unit (2008) Richard Petty Education Center (2009) Emergency Services Training Center Classroom Addition (2011) Welcome Center Addition (2011) Continuing Education and Industrial Center Renovation (2012) Cosmetology Center (2016) Photographic Technology Addition and Renovation (2018)
“This is a man of integrity. He’s our friend, he’s loving, he’s honest, he’s caring.”
Not to mention four college presidents, three name changes, and a student body population that has more-than doubled. “I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Kinley said. “It’s fascinating.” And, of course, every one of those builds has a story, which Kinley remembers well. “They had to tear out over 10,000 bricks in the Vo Tech building because they had the wrong mortar in it,” he said. “In Student Services, they had to tear out the concrete because it was the wrong type. When they built the LRC, the elevator wasn’t supposed to be where it is now. Something happened with about every building. When they built the [Continuing] Education Center, a little twister came through and tore the roof off the Bost Neckware building [now the Cosmetology Center]. My sister and brother-in-law were working there, but at the Education Center, it took three of the walls down, and they had to lay them back over.” Kinley laughed as he told of a gas line that burst during an oak tree removal. “We’ve got a master map of where all those things are — I made it as well as I know,” he said. “It’s pretty valuable.” RANDOLPH.EDU | 21
With each new building project came more hiring and training for the maintenance staff — and more keys and, nowadays, codes. In the fall, the new Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. Allied Health Center will open — the latest building needing to be fortified. “There are 180 [locks] for the new building and each one has to have codes put into them,” Kinley said. “You’ve got to have codes for every door. Some doors, you put three keys in. You don’t learn that overnight. I told the guys, ‘You’ll be all right.’ ” 22 | RCC • SPRING 2020
Since there is always something new to learn, Kinley boasts 15 certificates since he’s been at RCC, mostly having to do with facilities (welding, maintenance, locksmithing, for example). He’s taken classes not only at RCC, but also at Sandhills Community College, Davidson Community College, Alamance Community College, Mars Hill University, High Point University, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. “I’ve enjoyed it,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERFECTA VISUALS
“I had no idea I would be here for 40 years. It just happened, I guess. I enjoy my job. I enjoy working here with the people on campus. That’s just why I stayed. I didn’t mind getting up and going to work every day.”
Kinley, who was the College’s recipient of the Staff of the Year Award in 2005, also went to yearly and quarterly meetings with the North Carolina Association of Community College Facility Operations, meeting his peers and learning new tricks of the trade. Of course, a place is more than just its buildings and Kinley knows that — especially when it comes to the Adult Basic-Life Skills (ABLE) students. “This is a man of integrity,” Shackleford said at Kinley’s retirement party. “He’s our friend, he’s loving, he’s honest,
he’s caring. If I live to be a hundred, do you know what I’ll remember about Ken Kinley? How our [Compensatory Education] kids love him. He’s like Uncle Ken to them. Our whole campus embraces our ABLE students …, but nobody has embraced them quite the way Ken has.” When the program started, one of the advisers gave the ABLE students fruit and treats for Christmas each year. When she retired, Kinley took the reins, giving them apples every year from a friend’s orchard. “It just blesses my heart,” he said. “They’re human beings just like we are. I have fun with them; I cut up and carry on. I think that’s what they like.” For one of the students, Kinley has become a surrogate father, and the new retiree said he’d keep visiting the student at his house. Kinley is a rarity in an age when most people change jobs after about five years. Not only did he work 40 years at RCC, but he also held a second job, starting in the ’90s at BP Automotive. He then sold cookware before starting his own cleaning business, which still exists today. “I had no idea I would be here for 40 years,” he said. “It just happened, I guess. I enjoy my job. I enjoy working here with the people on campus. That’s just why I stayed. I didn’t mind getting up and going to work every day.” In all that time, Kinley has rarely missed work, save in 1981 when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. After having an operation, he was prepped for chemotherapy, but the lab work came back and no cancer could be found. “It was just the Good Lord’s hands,” he said. “I get on my knees and thank Him every morning. I was healed by Him, I just feel it. That was a miracle. He could have had a different plan for me.” When he retired on Sept. 30 after 40 years of service at the College — the longest tenure of any employee, he was honored with his own building. RCC renamed one of the campus buildings the Kinley Center, which houses the College’s Human Services and Therapeutic Massage programs. “I’m gonna leave a few things here — the walls near the bookstore, my building, my bricks,” he said. “I helped move the greenhouse. I’ll leave a little bit around here.” Not all history books are about bricks and mortar, though. Ken Kinley’s is certainly about much more. RANDOLPH.EDU | 23
SURPRISE! ALLIED HEALTH CENTER NAMED
AFTER DR. SHACKLEFORD
BY MEGAN CROTTY
D
ozens gathered, including faculty, staff, and trustees, in the Randolph Community College plaza Thursday, Sept. 19, as the College named the new Allied Health Center after current President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. “I have truly never been so shocked in my life,” said Shackleford, whose family members were present for the ceremony. “I never even imagined such a thing. I’m just truly blessed to be here. Every morning when I drive up I’m reminded how grateful I am that the trustees 12 ½ years ago took a chance on me. I’ve loved it every day since. Thank you.” The $14.4 million facility will house the College’s Associate Degree Nursing, Radiography, Medical Assisting, and Emergency Medical Services programs. The 45,000-squarefoot, two-story, L-shaped building will increase the space available for the health care programs by 86 percent. Funds for the facility came from Randolph County’s quarter-cent sales tax designated for RCC capital construction ($9.4 million) and state community college bond funds ($5 million). RCC Board of Trustees Chair Mac Sherrill opened the ceremony and presided over the unveiling. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERFECTA VISUALS
24 | RCC • SPRING 2020
RANDOLPH.EDU | 25
“Around 10 years ago, Dr. Robert Shackleford started making stops around the county to try and encourage citizens to support the quarter-cent sales tax bond that would go to benefit the College,” Sherrill said. “Since that bond was passed, Dr. Shackleford and his staff have used that money to renovate an old Klaussner warehouse into the Continuing Education & Industrial Center, change the old Bost Tie Manufacturing facility into an amazing Cosmetology Center and manufacturing cell, and refurbished and modernized the Photography department into a state-ofthe-art facility. But, the biggest project so far is the new Allied Health Center that is going up just across Industrial Park Avenue. This last undertaking was a project that Dr. Shackleford had been hoping to start since his first days as president here on campus. Because of his dedication and love to this campus, the Board of Trustees have decided to name the new building the Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. Allied Health Center. “We all know what a loving, giving heart Dr. Shackleford has,” Sherrill added. “We are fortunate to have him in our county, and as our president, and we hope this honor today will show him how much we appreciate his love and dedication to our community and the students, faculty, and staff of RCC.” Vice President for Workforce Development & Continuing Education Elbert Lassiter closed the ceremony. “Many of us have heard Dr. Shackleford tell his story; he talks about how he grew up in modest circumstances and through hard work and education and, as he says, just simply being blessed, he’s the president of Randolph Community College now,” Lassiter said. “He finishes each story with what he just said, ‘Each morning, on my way to work, I look so forward to coming here. I love what I do.’ … Every time I hear him say that, I think of the story of Esther. Esther was a lady that grew up in modest circumstances and through hard work and blessings, she rose to prominence and was able to help a lot of people.
26 | RCC • SPRING 2020
RANDOLPH.EDU | 27
… I think about Dr. Shackleford. Similar stories, similar circumstance. He takes each and every opportunity that he has. He’s going all over the country teaching. If there’s a committee to help somebody in Asheboro or a board, he’s involved. Yet, he takes the time to help individual students. I think about all the things that you’ve gone through, sir, the good and the bad. Perhaps you were created for RCC. You were created for such a time as this. It’s an honor to serve with you. And again, I say congratulations.” Designed by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and built by general contractor Clancy & Theys Construction Company. RCC broke ground on the Center Aug. 23, 2018, with over 100 state and local government officials, business and industry partners, and RCC faculty, staff, and students gathered at the site. The Center will include a simulated health care community, allowing EMS workers to pick up a patient in a true apartment setting and transport the patient to a simulated hospital. The facility will include radiography labs, exam rooms, a surgical room, an ICU room, a maternity room, waiting areas, and patient conference rooms. The building also will have video-capture capabilities so instructors can observe students and play back that video to debrief students after a simulation. 28 | RCC • SPRING 2020
BY LORIE MCCROSKEY
I
t’s hard to do anything, let alone study, when you are hungry, but that’s what many students across North Carolina’s community college campuses are doing every day. According to a 2019 study from the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, 48 percent of community college students experience food insecurity. That’s why in 2017 the RCC Foundation started a food pantry for students. Several students have received short-term food assistance from the Foundation’s take-home food pantry, but a larger number of students have benefited from the lunch bag program. Last year, nearly 250 students received a free lunch bag in the Campus Store. Students who have no way to eat lunch are only asked to give a student ID to receive a free bag lunch. Each bag contains a microwavable meal, fruit cup, snack pack of crackers or granola bar, and bottle of water. If a student comes several times and asks for a lunch, someone from the RCC Foundation will contact them to see if they need additional food assistance. It’s hard to learn if you are hungry, and, with this program, the RCC Foundation is trying hard to make sure that while students are on campus, they will have full stomachs and be ready to learn. RANDOLPH.EDU | 29
BY SHANE BRYSON
A
CREATING ONLINE OPPORTUNITIES
30 | RCC • SPRING 2020
s Bob Dylan once penned, “The times they are a-changin’ “ and that is certainly true of the educational setting, when it comes to online education. With the hustle and bustle of modern life, today’s student is looking for more flexible options for continuing their education. In a recent article, Insider Higher Ed cites data from the National Student Clearinghouse, the nation’s source for degree and enrollment data verification, showing that the number of students in exclusively online programming nationwide in 2017 was nearly 15.4 percent and the number of students taking at least one online course was more than 33 percent. Randolph Community College is no exception to this trend, and with a growing number of students looking for online options, the Distance Education (DE) department at RCC is bringing its best to the table. The DE staff takes its charge very seriously in order to ensure the College delivers high-quality education both on
and off campus. The department provides support for online courses, hybrid courses that require an in-class setting with an online component, and video conferencing courses. Devin Sova, then-Director of Distance Education, credits his team with the successful deployment of such courses along with the training needed for the faculty to execute the more 350 online courses the College offers in a given academic year. “We have a great team,” Sova said of his three-person staff, which is tucked away in the upstairs of the RCC Learning Resources Center. Theresa Daniels, the College’s DE Instructional Design Specialist works to assist faculty with using Moodle, the institution’s online portal for delivering classes in a web setting. DE Support Specialist Pam Burleson is front and center with students and faculty helping solve front-line issues they may have and working closely with students that may need accommodations or have special needs. DE Technical Specialist Nathan Hilton is often behind the scenes but plays a pivotal role in creating courses inside Moodle and ensuring that students, faculty, and staff all have the correct access to their courses. Sova and his team work closely with faculty to ensure they are comfortable with the tools provided by the department. They do this through professional development sessions, but not just any normal professional development sessions. No, the DE team at RCC offers instructors an opportunity to join what they call the “DE Scouts Troop.” In the fall of 2019, all of the faculty were given the opportunity to participate in the Scouts with each of the members of the department offering sessions designed to enhance their abilities and familiarity with the College’s online platforms. “They could earn merit badges, just like in the real scouts … .” Sova said. “We wanted to do something new; not the normal, scripted type of session.” RCC’s Senior Leadership Team even pitched in to make the Scouts more fun by offering a day off as a prize for at completion. All of this helped the Distance Education team provide great training for faculty that was fun rather than mundane. It is no wonder that, with the effort put in by the Distance Education team at RCC, the state-wide organization, the North Carolina Community College Association of Distance Learning (NC3ADL), has taken notice. Daniels was nominated for the 2019 Innovator of the Year Award from across the North Carolina Community College System. There were only three finalists for the award of which Daniels was one. She was recognized for a digital game she created for Psychology Instructor Maria LeBaron’s class. “The Zombie Brain Game” is an interactive game designed to give students a different and fun way to learn their vocabulary, all designed in-house by Daniels for LeBaron’s students. Whether it be working with the DE Scout Troop, designing games or assisting students, faculty, and staff, the Distance Education crew at RCC is always working to fulfill the college’s mission of “Creating Opportunities. Changing Lives” and it does so at a pace that keeps step with the changin’ times. RANDOLPH.EDU | 31
BY MEGAN CROTTY
S
Conville recently served as President of the College Stores Association of North Carolina (CSANC) as the organization celebrated its 50th Anniversary. He was elected by members of the Association, which is made up of universities, community colleges, and vendors. “One of the initiatives I had was to curate our history,” he said. “We’ve had boxes of photographs to pass around for 50 years. They’ve been in and out of garages and old 1980s flipbooks.” Conville organized the photos and used them to make a slideshow that was shown at a/perture cinema, complete with a red carpet, in WinstonSalem to a packed house as part of the CSANC’s Annual Meeting. RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. also gave his “Portraits of Leadership” talk as part of the meeting. “The Association is just trying to find ways to best serve students, looking at course material options for the future,” Conville said. “The biggest thing is it’s still student-centric.”
32 | RCC • SPRING 2020
tudents, faculty, and staff at Randolph Community College have a new option for caffeinated beverages, breakfast, lunch, and snacks: The Armadillo Market. Located on the former site of Coffee Xchange, the Market has a rotating, elevated menu of grab-and-go food such as salad and sandwiches along with gourmet espresso-based drinks from Counter Culture Coffee out of Durham. “We knew that there was automatically a demand for caffeine, but we always saw that there was potential to do more than just coffee,” Director of Auxiliary Services Chad Conville said. “While we’re not UNCG and have a Chick-fil-A, this allows us to have more than one food option for students. The idea behind it is to expand the student experience.” The even better news? Proceeds from the Market stay with the College and, therefore, support students. “This allows us to put it under the Auxiliary Services umbrella and be a lot more creative with what we’re able to do,” Conville said. “It also offers us some opportunities to do some new things with catering. It’s a test kitchen for what can happen. We’d like to use it as a way to try new menu items and see if we can apply them to a bigger audience. “The long-term goal is we’d like to get a turbo chef in there and do things like individual pizzas or hot sandwiches. It’s a spot that’s an anchor; we’re looking to do lots more things out of there. We just want to make sure that we’re creating a spot that is accessible and welcome for everybody.” Conville has been looking for ways to work with local businesses that serve items like gourmet popcorn from Asheboro Popcorn Co. and pastries from Gossip Room Desserts. “We’re looking for ways to bring some interesting things from the community on to campus,” he said. “We want to reflect the county we serve.” The Market opened March 4 with hours from 7:30 a.m.1:30 p.m.
RANDOLPH.EDU | 33
BY KELLY HEATH
R
andolph Community College had a major milestone in November of 2019 as the College had its reaccreditation visit with a 10-member committee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ (SACSCOC). Every 10 years, the College goes through the reaccreditation process, which consists of orientation, an advisory visit, an off-site review, an on-site review, and a SACSCOC Board of Trustees evaluation and decision. The committee found five areas of recommendation during its visit, and RCC had until April 15 to complete its response to the committee’s report before the final review and accreditation decision by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees in June. Accreditation is a voluntary and self-regulatory process among colleges and universities, and RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. put the SACSCOC report in perspective. “We had five recommendations, only three from the SACS 14 SACSCOC standards, 85 sub-standards, and 24 Core Requirements,” he said. “Those recommendations are very fixable.”
34 | RCC • SPRING 2020
BY MEGAN CROTTY
C
urt Lorimer, who served on the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees for 11 years and the RCC Foundation Board of Directors for 13 years, passed away at his home on his birthday, Oct. 22, at 73. “Curt Lorimer has been an especially effective and valuable trustee to the college for a number of reasons — his vast experience in higher education administration in his own personal career, his passion for RCC and its mission even before he became a trustee, and for being a man of character and integrity,” RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. said. “In more than 20 years in Randolph County, I have never heard anyone say a negative word about Curt. Everybody loved him. He will be greatly missed by this community and our College.” Lorimer was appointed by the Asheboro City Board of Education to represent them on the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees in 2008. Born in Boston, Lorimer earned degrees from Dana College in Nebraska, Long Island University, and Georgia State before becoming a high school teacher in Georgia. There, he met his wife, Vickie, an Asheboro native. The two
moved to Asheboro in 1984 and have two daughters, Courtney Kelly and Brittany Laxton, and four grandchildren. Lorimer was the Director of Career and Technical Education for Asheboro City Schools, Principal and Assistant Principal at South Asheboro Middle School, Assistant Principal at Charles W. McCrary Elementary School, and Assistant Principal at Asheboro High School. Lorimer was recognized as Volunteer of the Year in 2005 by the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, and received the Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service in 2013. He was president of the United Way of Randolph County, founder/ organizer of the Downtown Merchants’ Association, a board member of Hospice of Randolph, and active in Rotary, receiving the Rotary Service Before Self award in 2017. Lorimer served as Chair of the Youth Council for the Piedmont Triad Regional through the Workforce Development Board. He served on various committees at his church, St. John’s Lutheran Church, and he worked with artist, Susan Harrell, to repaint the mural on Fayetteville Street in downtown Asheboro. RANDOLPH.EDU | 35
A FAMILY OF FAITH, LOVE & UNBELIEVABLE STRENGTH
BY MEGAN CROTTY
“Life ain’t fair.”
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
I
“He just lit up the room with his smile. If he could help you in any way …, if he saw a need, he was quick to jump in.”
36 | RCC • SPRING 2020
t’s a motto the members of the Murray family always carry with them, along with their faith. Both have come in handy lately. “Josh was a really special, unique child from the get-go,” his mom, Michelle Murray, said. Of course, every parent says that about their child, especially their only boy. But … Josh was really special. How do you explain the outpouring of love at his celebration of life? Four pastors spoke and some 300 people — many driving hours to attend — were there to support the Murray family. “He was the type of person, when he walked in a room, was always smiling,” Michelle said. “He just lit up the room with his smile. If he could help you in any way …, if he saw a need, he was quick to jump in. … He was almost radiant in a way. To be barely 21 and have learned life lessons that most adults never learn.” He was the kid who would jump into any pond, out of any tree; the kid who recognized when his Uncle Mitchell was in the driveway just from the sound of the Mustang’s engine; the kid who, at 4 years old, could tell when his dad put new tires on the truck, when his mom needed to put more air in her tires, and stood on the fence at Piedmont Dragway as the cars whipped
past at 150 miles per hour. It’s that kid who became a young man who went to every car show he could; the one who constantly brought home new “projects” that needed to be lowered, adjusted, or “souped up” — so many that the insurance company knew him well. There’s still a project sitting in the Murrays’ driveway — a Ford Ranger that will become a finished project one day thanks to Josh’s coworkers at the Wayne Thomas Chevrolet shop.
The one place Josh had trouble was in the classroom. “Josh struggled extremely academically,” Michelle said, “but it was really awesome to watch him grow as a person because he never let that hold him back. It never hindered what he thought he could do.” After graduating from Uwharrie Charter Academy (UCA) in 2017, Josh took a welding class at Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center. What he really wanted to do, though, was work with cars. When a job opened in the service department at Wayne Thomas, Josh interviewed for it. “The shop manager told me that Josh was the shortest interview he’d ever had,” his dad, Allen, said. “Josh told him he didn’t know much, but he wanted to learn it all. That was the most honest answer he’d ever had.” Josh was a favorite of Wayne Thomas, too. “Josh worked with us for 18 months and, even as young as he was, had established himself as a valuable part of our team in ways far beyond just his technical abilities,” Thomas said. “He had a lovable mischievous streak, but also exhibited a level of maturity beyond his age. He would look you in the eye when he talked, or listened, and always went out of his way to speak.” Josh took the dealership’s core values — honesty, welcoming and friendly, pride in work, family, professional work ethic, relentless get it done attitude — seriously.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
•••
“He had an outstanding work ethic — he was always there,” Thomas said. “When I would do my morning walk through our shop he would, without fail, go out of his way to greet me with a big smile and was always positive, regardless of
how he felt or what kind of a day he was having.” Because if Josh could tell differences in cars, he couldn’t in people — everyone was the same. “He’d walk up to [RCC President] Dr. [Robert S.] Shackleford the same RANDOLPH.EDU | 37
— even his little sister, Alexis, who he nicknamed “Baybay.”. They were best friends, hanging out together after the two came home from work. “Our family is very unique,” Allen said. “We’re all tied at the hip. That closeness, that love for each other, that bond, that’s the one thing we all treasure. That, and our faith in God. That’s how we’ve been able to endure this.”
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
•••
“He’d do something without telling anyone else. He was never one to advertise his generosity.”
as he would walk up to a homeless man,” Michelle said. “He didn’t see a difference in age, race, color, gender … it didn’t matter to him. Good people were good people. “Josh never met a stranger. He’d talk to the wall if the wall talked back.” Countless strangers received Josh’s help — at the shop, on the side of the road, on the street, a tire change, something to eat that Josh had bought with the last 10 bucks in his pocket — something he learned from his dad. “He’d do something without telling anyone else,” Allen said. “He was never one to advertise his generosity.” What Josh did advertise, specifically on his forearm, was his love for his family. His first tattoo was the word “Family” in script on his right arm. And because the Murrays are close-knit, soon everyone got a “Family” tattoo 38 | RCC • SPRING 2020
On Friday, Nov. 22, Josh and Allen saw each other at lunchtime — Allen works third shift and Josh worked every Saturday. “It was just our regular old conversation, you know, ‘What’s up?’ ” Allen said. “I think he showed me a [car] video.” When the two parted, they said, “Love you, man,” as they always did. Michelle saw Josh before he left to go out to dinner the next night with his new girlfriend and her family. First, he had to make sure his outfit passed muster with “Mum.” “He had on his jeans and his orange flannel shirt,” Michelle said. “He was making sure he looked all nice. You have to understand our humor. I said, ‘You really look nice.’ He said, ‘No, really, how do I look?’ I said, ‘You look G-O-O-O-D.’ ” The two then said their “I love yous” and he left. “We didn’t think much about it,” Michelle said. It had been raining all day Saturday and it was foggy. At about 10:30 p.m., Michelle glanced at the clock, thinking Josh should have been home by then. Shortly after midnight, three trooper cars rolled into the Murrays’ driveway. When Allen opened the door, four troopers were standing on the doorstep, bringing the worst news — they had found Josh’s car at 10:32. It had hit a tree. “Two troopers came in and stayed with us,” Allen said. “They wouldn’t leave us. And the big guy, he said, ‘I have no idea what to say, but I do know how to pray.’ And he bearhugged all three of us and prayed for us like he’d known us his whole life. And they both expressed how they came as parents not as troopers.” Josh turned 21 years old two months before the accident. “Some parents have to sit through and identify [the body] and things of that nature, but we did not,” Michelle said. “We remembered him as he was,” Alexis added. In the sleepless days that followed, the Murrays learned even more of the effect their son had on perfect strangers’ lives at the packed Central Carolina Community Church. “Several young people came forward during his celebration of life and after and expressed, ‘Josh always wanted me to do better,’ ” Michelle said. The Murrays are putting one foot in front of the other, together, as a family, but they have bad days. “We still break,” Allen said. “I still have nights at work … the other night I cried all night. Or you’re driving down the road and you hear a song and it just tears you apart. We don’t stay in that. We get back out of it and live life, we laugh, and we cry, and we tell goofy stories about Josh.”
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
••• The Monday after Josh passed away, Allen said to Michelle, “We’ve got to do something.” The same day, Wayne Thomas came over to the house, bringing all the information about the endowed scholarship at RCC. It made perfect sense. Michelle graduated from RCC and, at one time, was attending classes at the College at the same time as her oldest daughter, Tiffany, and her aunt. Alexis attends UCA and is taking classes at RCC, studying to become a nurse. Allen got his GED at RCC. “Josh would never have been able to do the big, four-year school with his academics,” Michelle said, noting that he liked being able to come to RCC and get a certificate — and maybe someone else could do the same. A week later, Michelle, Allen, and Thomas met with RCC Director of Development Lorie McCroskey. “I thought I was going to his office to get paperwork,” Allen said. “Wayne kicked it off and we just went from there.” Endowed scholarships require a minimum contribution of $10,000 that may be pledged over a five-year period. With Thomas’ help, and a call for donations both online and in Josh’s obituary, it took just six weeks to establish the Joshua Allen Murray Memorial Scholarship, which has close to $13,000.
“How quickly it all came together speaks volumes to what kind of young man he was, and it speaks to his love for God,” Allen said. “He loved God with all his being. He lived that life. I can learn from him — he loved people better than I did.” The scholarship, the first of which will be awarded to a student enrolling this fall, is designated for a student who will be studying to be an Automotive Systems Technician, is taking at least six credit hours, and is a Randolph County resident. “There could be no more perfect way to memorialize Josh than to help give current and future generations of young people an opportunity to pursue the profession that he so deeply loved,” Thomas said. After getting the “Family” tattoo, Allen added another on his forearm — “Love you, man … ”. He wasn’t going to add the ellipses, but the artist added it, saying, “You know what that means, right? It just keeps on going; it’s continuous.” The Joshua Allen Murray Memorial Scholarship will continue in perpetuity, too, helping future students achieve a dream. No doubt that is making Josh smile. For more information about the RCC Foundation, visit randolphccfoundation.org. RANDOLPH.EDU | 39
I
n October of 2003, the J.B. Davis Bell and Clock Tower was dedicated to the college in honor of J.B. Davis. Davis worked as a counselor at RCC before becoming the president of Klaussner Furniture. Over the years, the clock tower has become the most iconic spot on the Randolph Community College campus. Students frequently use the bell tower as a meeting spot and place to rest. It may also be the most photographed spot on the campus as it is frequently used as the subject for a photo assignment for the photography department. It was even once a home to a special Pokemon. In the spring of 2020, the inner workings of the tower were updated to a digital format assuring that the tower will continue to chime for many years to come.
40 | RCC • SPRING 2020
RANDOLPH.EDU | 41
Randolph Community College & RCC Foundation
629 Industrial Park Avenue Asheboro, NC 27205
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 21 ASHEBORO, NC 27205
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
In fall 2019, Apprenticeship Randolph expanded by adding Automotive Systems Technology, Manufacturing Technology, and Information Technology pathways. The goal of the collaborative program is to bridge both the interest and skill gaps in modern manufacturing and provide a vehicle for expanding the workforce pool for advance manufacturing in the county.
Randolph Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award the associate degree. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Randolph Community College.