Randolph Community College Magazine - Fall 2020

Frontline workers Heartbeat of our Hometowns

Coping with COVID Working Together to Change the Narrative

RANDOLPH C O M M U N I T Y

C O L L E G E

MAGAZINE | FALL 2020

ON THE COVER: Yasmin Alejandro is a 2018 graduate BOARD OF TRUSTEES F. Mac Sherrill, Chairman John M. Freeze, Vice Chairman Harvey C. Boone Jr. James G. Gouty Jorge A. Lagueruela T. Reynolds Lisk Jr. Robert E. Morrison Larry D. Reid The Honorable J. Brooke Schmidly Dr. Cynthia G. Schroder Dr. R. Andrews Sykes Chris L. Yow Ezra Fracheur, SGA President

FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mini Singh, President Gail H. McDowell, Vice President Daffie H. Garris, Treasurer Lisa Wright, Secretary Elizabeth H. Aldridge Steven E. Eblin Vickie H. Gallimore James G. Gouty Robert A. Graves Neal Griffin III Baxter Hammer Ann M. Hoover Jorge A. Lagueruela Justin M. Lee Nicki McKenzie Hill Dr. Cynthia G. Schroder H. Dean Sexton Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. F. Mac Sherrill

MAGAZINE STAFF Felicia Barlow, Managing Editor Megan Crotty, Editor Shelley Greene, Vice President

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Charles Wade, Magazine Art Director

PHOTOGRAPHY Malinda Blackwell, Khadejeh Nikouyeh, Scott Pelkey

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Clark Adams, Pam Burleson, Dorothy Hans, Kelly Heath, Lisa Hughes, Kim Kimrey, Lorie McCroskey, Khadejeh Nikouyeh, Isaí Robledo, Fred Watts, Chad Williams, Jordan Williamson K randolph.edu E facebook.com/RandolphCommunityCollege D @RandolphCC Q @randolphcommunitycollege Information: 336-633-0200 Alumni Relations: 336-633-1118 Randolph Community College Magazine is produced by Randolph Community College and the RCC Foundation.

of RCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program and gives back to the community by working not one, but two jobs in healthcare. Yasmin is a nurse in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) at Cone Health Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/Emergency Department part-time at Randolph Health in Asheboro.

“The pandemic has made us appreciate our profession.

Sure, the public has shown their appreciation for what we do through gifts, thankful words, and prayers. But, there has also been discrimination and fear directed toward us because of what we do. I have always loved nursing because of the impact I can make in someone’s life. During these uncertain times, I walk into my job with goggles, mask, hair up and sometimes covered because I care about myself and others. I walk into my job more than ever proud to be a healing hand. Sure, our job has been impacted in numerous ways, but we have reinforced and renewed our passion for helping others by being flexible, positive, and compassionate.” — Yasmin Alejandro Photography by Perfecta Visuals/Jerry Wolford and Scott Muthersbaugh

BELOW: Black Lives Matter protesters closed down part of Wendover Avenue and I-40 in Greensboro on June 7 to peacefully march for seven hours.

Photography by Khadejeh Nikouyeh

PRESIDENT’S

MESSAGE

A

s President of Randolph Community College and as a citizen of our nation, these last few months have been almost surreal. On top of all the effects of a global pandemic, our nation is dealing with and debating social justice issues in ways that we rarely have in our history.

Systemic racism and the denial of systemic racism are out in the open more than ever before. People are hurting.

RCC students are hurting. RCC faculty and staff are hurting. People in our community are hurting. I am hurting. Where am I and where is RCC on these matters?

It hurts to see our nation continue to enable a breach of humanity that has plagued us for centuries.

In 1776, our Declaration of Independence declared that “all men are created equal.” In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared that “all persons held as slaves are and henceforward shall be free.” In 1964, the Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. And yet, after all of that, in 2020, we still have the unlawful public killing of George Floyd and others in broad daylight, seen on video by an entire shocked nation and world. Our society is such that many are appalled by these events while others are callous toward them.

It is not politics that makes this a matter of grave concern. It is a matter of decency and basic humanity.

How does a civilized nation, especially one professing Christian values, continue to categorize people as

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“them” and “us,” the “clean” and the “unclean,” the “worthy” and the “unworthy,” and to give privilege to some while denying the most basic human rights and dignity to others, based on ignorant prejudices related to the color of their skin? At stake remains the very soul of our nation.

It causes me excruciating grief to recognize that the systemic dehumanization of black people that “justified” the institution of slavery and fueled the Jim Crow Era practice of public lynching is still embedded in the fabric of our nation. Even in the greatest nation in the world, racism and bigotry persist to this day. I join in the stand against racism, support full justice and equality for black people, and call for every person to be treated with humanity, dignity, and brotherhood.

For a long time, I did not see myself as benefiting from white privilege. I grew up very poor, living in a tiny trailer, lacking fashionable clothes, eating fried spam and canned pinto beans. The term “white privilege” never resonated with me at all. But now I understand my naïveté! Even in my simple, austere upbringing, I never had to experience hardship based on the color of my skin. I vividly remember as a boy that there were “Coloreds Only” and “Whites Only” restrooms, water fountains, schools, restaurants, and neighborhoods. I’ve never been followed in a store because I was white. I’ve never been regarded as “suspicious” walking down the

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

sidewalk or driving down the street just because I was white.

I’ve never had to give my children “the talk” about how they will be viewed and treated differently in school and society solely because of the color of their skin.

Black people are justifiably distraught and enraged, not just by the George Floyd incident, but by a 400-year recurring pattern of prejudicial, inhumane treatment. And people of all races and nationalities are now saying, “Enough!” While no one approves of the violence that some have resorted to during the protests, many have put the masses of peaceful protesters in the same category with them, considering them all to be thugs, looters, and terrorists, without any attempt to comprehend why, after centuries of these basic injustices, there would be such an emotional outpouring of deep-seated anger, frustration, agony, and grief. As the protesters have reasonably said, peace will come to our nation when there is justice for all.

Not all black people, not all white people, not all protestors, and not all police can be categorized or judged in one fell swoop. We are a multiracial, multicultural society and must learn to live together in harmony, peace, and brotherhood, offering the best of ourselves and bringing out the best in one another. If America is going to thrive, it must thrive for all of us. We are a great nation, but we can do better … we must do better … I pray we will do better.

Thirteen years ago, Randolph Community College adopted a Civility Policy. We made a very deliberate commitment to be a civil campus with a culture of inclusiveness and respect for all. We want every person who steps on our campus to know that we will treat all with honor and dignity. We celebrate diversity and the unique value of each individual.

All are welcome. Whoever you are, you are enough; you are worthy! Racism, sexism, xenophobia, and any other kind of discrimination will not be tolerated on our campus.

Your presence among us will not be just reluctantly permitted, but rather, your presence will be celebrated.

We welcome and gladly serve people of all races, national origins, socioeconomic statuses, sexual orientations, religious affiliations, and political persuasions. We believe that education is the great equalizer, giving amazing opportunities to all people, regardless of who they are or where they came from, to live a better life with better career and economic advantages.

The words of the Declaration of Independence declare a sacred principle: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” We truly believe these words and will abide by them.

I have no control over the affairs of the nation or the hearts of individual people, but to the best of my ability, I will assure that Randolph Community College will be a place where you will experience inclusion, respect, dignity, equality, and honor.

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BY MEGAN CROTTY

A

cross the country, the Class of 2020 saw its graduation ceremonies canceled, rescheduled, or turned into virtual or drive-thru events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Randolph Community College was no different, canceling its May ceremony, which was slated for a return to the Fieldhouse in the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

The College debuted its 2020 Curriculum Graduation virtually June 8. In all, 422 students received their degrees, diplomas, and certificates.

Two of those graduates were Student Government Association President and Randolph Early College High School student Yasmin Cervantes and RECHS classmate Saray Morales.

“When I first found out that graduation was canceled, I was pretty disappointed,” Morales said. “I had worked hard throughout high school to complete my Associate in Science, and had just found out that I’m actually receiving both my associate degrees in science and in arts.”

Morales, now a University of North Carolina Wilmington student, said she watched RCC’s virtual graduation.

“Although it wasn’t the same as a formal graduation, I still felt satisfied with my accomplishments and my friends’ accomplishments as well,” said Morales, who plans on majoring in nursing on a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner track. “Due to the graduation ceremony being canceled my friends and I decided to have a small gettogether to celebrate. My family is also throwing me a small celebration when things get better.”

Cervantes said she, too, was disappointed that graduation was canceled.

“I, like many other graduates, was expecting a traditional graduation at the Greensboro Coliseum,” she said. “I thought that the college was not doing enough to give us our expected graduation, but when I saw the sudden spike of COVID 8 | RCC • FALL 2020

cases the week after we got word graduation was canceled, I felt relief. I would not have to choose between a ceremony and my health. I would not have to make my family choose between seeing me graduate and their wellbeing.”

Cervantes, currently a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, participated in the virtual ceremony, addressing her classmates.

“I went in for the recording of the speech and didn’t let my friends or family truly read it until it was released,” she said. “When it was released, I shared links and downloads with my family virtually. Because I am Latina/Hispanic and the majority of my family only speaks Spanish, I translated the speech into Spanish to make sure they felt included in our virtual celebration.”

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RCC President Dr. Robert S. flourish into more experienced and Shackleford Jr. opened the virtual flexible people.” ceremony, welcoming the viewers to Shackleford followed, calling “You made a decision the presentation, which was recorded attention to some of the graduates’ to attend RCC and to in the R. Alton Cox Learning special accomplishments and honors graduate. You did it, and Resources Center Auditorium on the as noted in the graduation program, we’re all so proud of you.

Asheboro Campus. which was mailed to each graduate Wherever your path “While this is not the kind along with their diploma. takes you, I encourage of graduation ceremony that Vice President for Instructional you to always strive to any of us anticipated even a Services Suzanne Rohrbaugh make a positive change few months ago, our pride and then presented the candidates for in the lives of those in celebration of our students’ success graduation and conferring of the your community.” is as real and as intense and as degrees, and Dean of Curriculum overflowing as it ever could be if Programs Melinda Eudy read the we were all gathered together in an names of the graduates, followed by auditorium,” he said.

RCC Board of Trustees Chairman F. Shackleford then thanked the College’s faculty and Mac Sherrill proclaiming the students graduates of RCC on staff, Board of Trustees, and Senior Leadership Team. behalf of the Board and congratulating them.

Cervantes then gave the commencement address to Vice President of Student Services G. Chad Williams her fellow graduates. closed the ceremony.

“I understand the feelings of disillusion and anxiety “Graduates, thank you for making the most of this the situation we are in may cause, but I am so grateful that opportunity to further your education,” he said. “Remember, we were given the opportunity to celebrate our success greatness is not your destiny. It’s a decision you have to make. virtually,” she said. “At the beginning of 2020, we set up You made a decision to attend RCC and to graduate. You did goals for the new semester, plans for spring break, and it, and we’re all so proud of you. Wherever your path takes how we would spend our summer. This global tragedy you, I encourage you to always strive to make a positive ruined all of that. But that’s what life is: Just when we think change in the lives of those in your community.” we have it all figured out; something happens. We will To view the ceremony, go to youtu.be/x-KSE1uUhNs. 10 | RCC • FALL 2020

BY MEGAN CROTTY

T

wenty-one area students signed as registered apprentices on Apprenticeship Randolph’s annual Signing Day Aug. 3 in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center Auditorium at Randolph Community College. The ceremony then aired Aug. 11 on Apprenticeship Randolph’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

The apprentices and industry partners took the stage at 15-minute interval appointment times with family and friends looking on in the audience. Masks were required and wellness checks were made at the door per COVID-19 pandemic guidelines.

The fourth Apprenticeship Randolph class represented the three local school systems — Asheboro City Schools, Randolph County Schools, and Uwharrie Charter

Academy. In all, 17 apprentices are taking the Advanced Manufacturing track with four apprenticing in the newest track, Information Technology (IT). Sixteen students signed up in 2017 — the first year of the program, and 17 signed in 2018. With the addition of Automotive Systems Technology in 2019, 22 signed.

Apprenticeship Randolph began in June 2016 as a collaboration among Randolph Community College, the Randolph County School System, Asheboro City Schools, the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce, and local manufacturers. The goal was 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. With tuition funded through Career and College Promise and the N.C. Youth Apprenticeship Tuition Waiver Program and books paid for by the school systems RANDOLPH.EDU | 11

and the participating companies, Apprenticeship Randolph produces an educated, skilled, debt-free workforce.

The program, which is for high school juniors and seniors, begins with a six-week, pre-apprenticeship summer program that consists of RCC classes and 40 hours per week of on-the-job training. Once a business selects its apprentice after this trial period, the program is spread over four years with students receiving paid, on-the-job training while earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Manufacturing Technology, in Automotive Systems Technology, or Information Technology through RCC and a Journeyworker Certificate from the N.C. Community College System and U.S. Department of Labor.

This year, more than 100 applications from across the county were submitted for 17 Manufacturing positions and four Information Technology positions. This year’s preapprentices (with high school) and industry partners were as follows: • Elastic Therapy Inc. — Kamden Carlyle (Southwestern Randolph High School), Danny Prieto Torres (Asheboro High School) • Energizer — Jerry Mize (Providence Grove High School), Sarah Primera (Eastern Randolph High School) • Jowat Adhesives — Travis Jackson (Wheatmore High School), Damion McCafferty (Trinity High School), Josiah Meraz (Uwharrie Ridge 6-12 School), Logan Sink (Wheatmore High School)

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• Mohawk Industries — Noah Guinn (Wheatmore High School), Payton Murdock (Randleman High School).

• Oliver Rubber — Darius Fernandez (Asheboro High School), Monye McQuaig-Graham (Randleman High School), Dean Wiseman (Asheboro High School) • Post Consumer Brands — Christian Foley (Uwharrie Charter Academy), Ubaldo Gutierrez (Asheboro High School) • Sapona Plastics — Joshua Hogan (Southwestern Randolph High School) • Randolph Community College — Daniel Botchway (Asheboro High School) • Technimark — Kenneth Houston (Eastern Randolph High School), Aiden Register (Eastern Randolph High School), Orion Simmons (Eastern Randolph High School) • United Brass Works — Tyler Hulin (Randleman High School) To view the ceremony, go to Apprenticeship Randolph’s YouTube page at youtube.com/channel/ UCWlTx7d9qdOvdjeBFFIc9bQ or visit its Facebook page at facebook.com/ ApprenticeshipRandolph.

For more information, visit apprenticeshiprandolph.com, contact RCC Pathways Activities Coordinator Stacey Miller at 336-318-4958, or email apprenticeshiprandolph@gmail.com.

Apprenticeship Randolph is always looking to add company partners.

Interested students should speak with their Career Development Coordinators at their high schools to indicate interest in this program.

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BY FRED WATTS

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ast March, the biggest worry my wife and I had was the virus and its spread. My last Brief Calculus (MAT-263) lecture before leaving for Arizona was on a type of exponential equation, a logistical growth equation. I am always looking for current examples of the application of mathematics to everyday life.

After that lecture, I found where someone had modelled the spread of the coronavirus on the cruise ship that was of the coast of Japan in late February. They used multiple models, but a logistics model had the best fit to the real data. The prediction was that in roughly 60 days everyone on that ship would get the virus.

The School of Public Health from my Alma Mater sent information to alumni about what to expect from the virus, given the information available at the time. Based on that information, we (my wife and I) had an estimated 3% to 8% probability of dying, if we became infected. Given the previous model showed that everyone on that cruise ship would become infected, I extrapolated that to the entire country (a rather extreme extrapolation). We’d all get the coronavirus within the next three months and some of us would die.

It was time to delve a little deeper into the mathematical modelling associated with the spread of a virus. Most folks just heard the phrase “flatten the curve” without knowing what it really meant. I spent time trying to understand the mathematical modelling underneath this phrase. The SIR [S – Susceptible; I – Infected; R – Recovered] Model best described what was being used.

There are more sophisticated models that differentiate recovery and death.

You need to understand differential equations to fully understand the SIR Model. What everyone should realize is the rate of the spread of the infection is key to determining potential effects of the virus. The goal has to be to slow the

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rate of infection. At the end of March, I used the SIR Model to estimate what might happen at various speeds of infection. Back then, I estimated that mid-June to July 1 would be the time when government agencies would lighten up on quarantine requirements. I did not do any additional modelling after March.

More recently, I take a simplistic review of the worldwide data associated with the virus. By simplistic, I mean that I look at ratios.

What is the count of the number of people that have been infected? What is the count of the number of people that have died? Given the very large numbers of people infected in various countries, I would expect those ratios to be relatively close.

Based on the data as I am writing, the ratio of number of deaths to the number of recorded cases of the coronavirus are shown below. The five countries shown have the highest number of recorded infections of the coronavirus and are 53.8% of the worldwide numbers of infected individuals.

• Worldwide: 5.34% • USA: 5.33% • Brazil: 4.71% • Russia: 1.39% • India: 3.25% • UK: 14.05% One of the topics covered in our introductory statistics course (MAT152) is called hypothesis testing. For the data above, the question might be: What is the probability of selecting a sample from the worldwide population that has the characteristics shown?

Stated differently, is the reported data from individual countries unusual?

Notice that the data from each country could be considered a sample from the worldwide data.

Most folks can eyeball the data above and very quickly decide there must be something wrong with the posted data from the UK and Russia.

Their ratios are much too different from the worldwide ratio. The United

States is about 25% of the worldwide reported cases. It would seem to be reasonable that the United States data would more closely match the worldwide ratio. Many people might be slightly OK with the ratio from India.

More people would be OK with the ratio from Brazil.

With the exception of the United States, none of the reported data from the other four countries would be considered normal. Given the large number of people identified in any of these countries, all of the ratios should have been very close to the 5.34%. Since this did not happen, the implication is that world has a problem counting. How do countries count the number of people that have the coronavirus? How do countries count the number of people that have died as a result of contracting the coronavirus?

It would appear that there is not a standard method on one or either of these counting approaches.

To know if we have improved in our efforts to fight the coronavirus, we have to measure our status.

The inconsistency of counting methodologies is a problem. What worries me more is the inability of too many people to recognize the value of the measurements and a measurement system.

Flattening the curve does not mean the virus has disappeared.

It only means that the rate of transmission has been reduced. This causes me to fear the ignorance of a portion of the population that does not recognize this fact.

Using the worldwide data shown above, the odds of dying from the coronavirus are 19-to-1. I fear that these odds tend to make some people take a casual attitude towards taking the action that could limit the rate of infection and limit the number of deaths that might occur. Lastly, I have already heard a version of this: “You know he/she brought the virus to their parent/grandparent. That’s why they died.” I don’t want to hear this again, but I’m afraid this wish might not come true.

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IF I COULD REACH OUT AND HELP SOMEBODY, THEN I’VE HAD A GOOD DAY

BY CLARK ADAMS

I

first met Waymon Martin in July 2004, when I came on campus to interview for the position of English Instructor.

Dacia Murphy walked me over to the Merton H. Branson Business Education Center (BEC) to look at room 111, where the majority of my classes would be held. As we approached the building, I noticed two men in suits standing outside at the front of the building who looked like greeters.

One was Waymon Martin and the other was Dr. Ralphael Brown, retired head of the Business Department. Waymon instantly greeted me with a smile and I shook his hand.

Little did I know that I would spend many days in this same spot through the years having many conversations with Waymon. There are some people we meet in life and our only interaction with them may be a “hello” and “goodbye.” There are others who leave an immeasurable impact. Over the next 16 years, Waymon would leave that impact on me.

My first day at RCC was Aug. 1, 2004. My first Monday morning class began that semester and I headed to the BEC building for English 111: Expository Writing (the old title of the class). Waymon’s office was on the left as soon as I walked in the door and I saw him there, doing what he did so often, talking with a student. After my class, as I left the building, he was there in his office again, talking with the same student. As the weeks progressed, I would often stop in the doorway of Waymon’s office for a quick conversation between classes and discovered that he had retired from a career in business and came to work at RCC in 2001. Although he taught Business Administration courses, he was really in the business of helping others, especially students. Anyone who ever met Waymon knew that they had met a professional. His tall stature, signature walk, suits, ties, and shoes that were shined to perfection made most think that he was “all business.” In my English 114: Professional Research and Reporting class, students participate in a mock interview with an outsider interviewer. In the fall of 2004, when Grover Yancey, retired Student Services Counselor, was not available to help with the interviews, I asked Waymon if he would be willing to help. He agreed and we set up the interviews in a classroom in BEC. Students found actual job vacancies online and prepared for the interview. I did not tell the

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students who Waymon was, and many thought he was an actual employee of the organizations in which they had expressed interest for the assignment. Waymon played the role so well that he continued to help me with interviews for the next 13 years until he retired. At the end of all the interviews, I would ask Waymon to come in and share tips with the students and he always did a wonderful job. This was just one of the many examples of how Waymon went out of his way to help others.

To thank Waymon for his help with the interviews, I always took him out to lunch. We traveled to many

restaurants for lunches for 13 years and this gave us a chance to talk about work and life. The conversations were always uplifting and humorous as Waymon had a great sense of humor. He became someone in whom I could confide and share ideas with and always gave sound advice. Our friendship developed and over the years Waymon became like a second father. Even after his retirement in 2017, he still found time to drive down and have lunch from time to time.

I would challenge anyone to find someone who was more student-focused than Waymon Martin. Through our 13 years of working together, I saw Waymon work tirelessly to advise, counsel, and encourage students in not only his Business Administration program, but any student on RCC’s campus. Waymon understood what “radical hospitality” meant long before it became a part of RCC’s campus culture. He genuinely cared about people, and he believed that it was important to do all that he could to help those who were struggling. His positive attitude and kind demeanor made students feel that they had someone in their corner to motivate and push them to keep going.

Waymon advised many students who were not even in his program area, simply because he was always there and students knew they could count on him. He spent long hours at RCC, coming in before 8 a.m. and many days, he was still at RCC at 8 p.m. Students knew that if they needed something in the BEC building, Waymon would be sitting in his office, still working into the evening. When faculty work schedules changed to a 30-hour or 40-hour week in 2009, Waymon realized that his schedule did not fit either because his philosophy was that he would stay on campus as long as it took to get the job done, even it meant much more than 40 hours. Once he reached his mid-70’s, Waymon’s wife used to ask him why he spent so much

time at RCC. His response was that the students kept him young, and Waymon was young at heart. He loved sharing his knowledge and experiences with students; but even more, he loved to help them and provide that individualized guidance that he was so good at providing.

Waymon served as a Phi Theta Kappa adviser from 2002-2017, and from 2002-2009, Carol Savchack, Sociology Instructor, assisted him. When Savchack resigned in late 2009, Melissa Earliwine, Developmental Mathematics Instructor, and I signed on in January 2010 to become advisers in order to assist Waymon. From 2010-2017, Waymon and I worked closely with Phi Theta Kappa, recruiting students, assisting with projects, and planning induction ceremonies. We spent hours in orientations sessions, meetings, and spent many days together way past 5 p.m. making phone calls to prospective members, making certificates for new members, working on projects, and completing required paperwork. We went on a number of weekend trips to conventions to Louisburg College, and to other conventions held in Clemmons and Cary. Waymon was dedicated to Phi Theta Kappa and spent many hours over his scheduled on-campus time to make sure we got everything completed. His dream was to induct 100 students in one semester and we finally hit that mark in April 2014. Waymon was so proud at that induction ceremony.

One of the hallmarks of Phi Theta Kappa is service and Waymon loved this aspect of Phi Theta Kappa. The true epitome of a servant leader, Waymon constantly sought out opportunities for students to give back to their community.

One of his favorite projects was our Habitat for Humanity work days, in which we have participated for the past 18 years. I have many memories of Waymon and I shoveling gravel to form a driveway, standing at the very top of a RANDOLPH.EDU | 17

scaffold on the side of a house, hauling rocks out of a backyard, putting shingles on a roof, and installing insulation under a house. Another organization that was important to Waymon was the local Boys and Girls Club and we completed several projects there through the years. I can still remember Waymon spreading mulch as we landscaped the front of the building and he especially loved the day we took the kids at the Boys and Girls Club on a fishing trip.

Upon Waymon’s retirement, he received a 15 year adviser service pin for Phi Theta Kappa, Honorary Membership, and we renamed the RCC Phi Theta Kappa scholarship in his honor. Even after he retired, he continued to attend our Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremonies and offered to help in any way that he could.

On Nov. 23, 2019, our Phi Theta Kappa chapter celebrated its 20th Anniversary. I invited Waymon to come back and speak at the induction ceremony, and he shared with me the bad news that he was beginning to experience more health problems. However, he really wanted to be a part of the ceremony and talk with students about how Phi Theta Kappa and RCC could help them be successful. Even in his sickness, Waymon was still trying to serve others and help somebody. I will never forget that, and will treasure that as his last induction ceremony.

I saw Waymon for the last time on Dec. 23, 2019 when we met for lunch at Applebee’s in Greensboro. I could tell that Waymon was not feeling too well, but we had a nice talk and reminisced about our years at RCC and working with Phi Theta Kappa. We laughed about many funny moments and situations that we faced together through the years and 18 | RCC • FALL 2020

Waymon was optimistic about his upcoming treatments which were scheduled to start that following Saturday after Christmas. Although he was moving a little more slowly and fighting the battle, as soon as we started talking about RCC and students, he lit up and his energy came right back, as did his signature smile and the twinkle in his eye. As we left the restaurant, I shook his hand for the last time and thanked him for all he had done to help me through the years. I wished him well with his treatment that upcoming Saturday and said goodbye. I never thought that would be the last time I saw him. There are still things I wish I would have said to him had I known that. He was the true definition of a friend, someone who would be willing to help anyone with anything at any time, without hesitation.

I called Waymon again to check on him a few times in January 2020 and everything seemed to be OK. In February, I received the news one morning that Waymon had passed away. I was devastated as we had planned to get together for many more lunches and conversations. He taught me so much just by the way he lived his life. He demonstrated how to treat others, how to put others before self, how to be empathetic, and how to enjoy the time that we do have on this earth. I miss my friend every day and I am so thankful that I got a chance to know Waymon Martin. I wish he was still at RCC and that our current students had a chance to know what a wonderful person he was. I am thankful that Waymon’s legacy will live on through the Waymon C. Martin Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship. Even though he is no longer with us, through this scholarship, he is still creating opportunities and changing lives.

BY MEGAN CROTTY

If any person was destined to teach, it’s W. Clark Adams.

A

dams’ grandfather, W. H. Adams Sr., taught vocational agriculture in North Carolina high schools from 1935 to 1974, and his father, Dr. Bill Adams, began his teaching career in 1965 and worked in the state’s community college system from 1969-2018.

As a toddler, Clark attended the Davidson County Community College childcare center and as a kid, he followed his dad around DCCC on Saturdays while his dad, who was chair of the Agriculture Technology Department, took care of the plants in the greenhouse. So it’s no surprise that Adams became not only a teacher, but also one at a community college.

And it’s probably no surprise either that Adams, who has been teaching at Randolph Community College for 16 years, was given the 2020 Excellence in Teaching Award.

••• Adams grew up in Lexington, graduated from LHS, and then, attending DCCC, earned his Associate in Arts.

“My first semester there was when I made a choice to teach English on that level,” he said. “I had the good fortune of having some professors who had been there since the ’60s; they were legendary. That laid a good foundation for me to finish up there and go to [the University of North Carolina at Greensboro].”

Adams went through the English Education Program at UNCG, student teaching and getting his teaching license. He said his initial goal was to finish at UNCG and teach high school.

After student teaching, going through several semesters of observation, and teaching summer school, Adams became an instructor at DCCC in 2003, teaching English and Humanities and directing the Writing Center.

A year later, Adams was hired at RCC, and he recently celebrated his 15-year milestone at the College.

“I didn’t have any plans of leaving if I liked it; I have enjoyed it very much,” he said. “I’ve been on the campuses of a lot of the other community colleges in the state.

We’re at a point where we’ve grown a lot since I’ve been here, but we’re still a good size to where I know all the students and I think they still feel like most of us know who they are.

Once you go beyond that, you’re a number, and at that point you lose that personal connection.”

Adams said that his coworkers are another reason he has stayed at RCC, especially English Department Head Dacia Murphy and Arts, Social

Sciences & Public Services Division Chair Grey Lane.

“I have to say they deserve credit for making it as much fun as it is,” he said.

Currently, Adams teaches English 111 (Writing and Inquiry), 112 (Writing/Research in the Disc), 114 (Professional Research & Reporting), 131 (American Literature), and Public speaking (Communications 231).

“It’s hard to pick a favorite,” he said. “I’d be happy teaching anything with the exception of math.”

Adams is a tough teacher, and sometimes convincing students that writing is, indeed, fundamental — and a long process — is a challenge.

“It’s always a hard sell,” he said. “I try to make it personal to them, where RANDOLPH.EDU | 19

they can tie in topics that they’re into already or are their career interests and fields.

“People ask the photography instructors, ‘Why are you still teaching film? Why isn’t everything digital?’

[Department Head] Kevin Eames will tell you that you have to get them to slow down and realize the steps involved. They want to jump, of course, immediately to, ‘Let me just get on my computer and type something out and here it is.’ That’s not going to work.”

Adams’ students go through the steps of brainstorming, outlining, and prewriting, and then the typing can begin. Sometimes he even has them write by hand.

“Writing by hand allows them to slow down and actually see that this 20 | RCC • FALL 2020

is evolving and taking shape,” he said.

“I try to get them to think about it in terms of working with pottery. Writing is a very old-world craft in my mind because you have to mold it and shape it, and what you turn in the first time is never going to be the best. That takes a lot of convincing.

“My goal is not for them to just get a passing grade on something. It’s that they actually be able to write, where they are able to do well at the four-year level. I always take that approach, no matter what program the student is in.”

Despite technology (i.e., cell phones), some things never change.

“The biggest thing I run into with their work is comma splices, run-ons, and fragments,” Adams said.

“Of course, that’s texting showing up

because they’re writing fragments; they’re not thinking about comma placement. I don’t see a lot of letter U’s or shortened words. But, those three issues were problems 50 years ago.

That part hasn’t changed much.”

••• “It’s a heck of a lot of work. It’s a heck of a lot of time.”

So why teach?

“Part of it stems from being a community college student myself,” he said. “I’ve been through some of these classes that they take, and I was able to transfer to UNCG with a strong foundation and fundamentals that I needed to be able to survive there. I think going to a university

freshman year would have been much different.”

Adams tries to equip his students with those same tools to prepare them for the next step whether it be a university or a job.

“We don’t want you coming back here saying, ‘I’m drowning at N.C. State or UNCG.’ That means we haven’t done what we’re supposed to do,” he said.

“Your first two years in college are not only getting you adapted to collegelevel work, but also things like time management, social skills, and a basic good work ethic. This is kind of like your scrimmage before the university level and also for work. Make all these mistakes here with us instead of making them at your job where, if you’re late you might lose your job.”

At a recent health fair, a former student flagged down Adams. The 2006 graduate is now the executive director of an assisted living facility and working on getting his masters.

“I remember this kid wearing a ballcap, wearing his T-shirt, and being a little mischievous,” Adams said. “Those are the reasons why you do it. You’re helping somebody get a little closer to their goals and getting closer to something that they’re working toward.

“So many of our students come to RCC and have not a clue what they want to do with themselves. That’s another part of the reason why I do what I do and that extends beyond just teaching English and Communication,” he added. “Part of what we try to do is help them find their niche. When that transition happens, you can look at them and see a night and day difference — how they carry themselves, the look on their faces, more confidence.”

Adams tells the story of one of his advisees who said he wanted to be a nurse, but was more interested in cars. Adams took the student to talk to some of the nursing faculty. After that visit, he brought him to speak with Automotive Technology Department Head Don Ashley. When the student saw the facilities, “his eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store.”

The student went on to teach not only at a local high school, but at RCC. “I’ve seen it where they drop out, and then they’ll come back a year or two later and then try something else and it clicks,” Adams said. “A lot of times you’ll hear [RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr.] talk about the right seat on the right bus. Well, I don’t think that applies to just employees.

Once they find something that works for them, (snaps fingers) you’ll see their grades start to go up. It’s nothing different that I’ve done. It’s all them.

That’s the big part of what we do here — it’s not just about putting the period at the end of the sentence. Sometimes they’re bigger-picture issues.”

In fact, several of Adams’ former students are now instructors, while

others have gone on to earn their master’s and doctorate degrees. And the teacher gets to see many former students who now work at RCC. “I have been blessed to teach many students over the past 16 years at RCC, and so many of them have gone on to accomplish their dreams in their respective career field,” Adams said.

The mentoring Adams has done extends beyond the classroom as he has been involved with the RCC’s five-star chapter of Phi Theta Kappa for more than 10 years, becoming an adviser in 2009. He also was involved in Student Leadership Academy, started a college archives collection in 2005, attends the system conference every year, is involved in the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, and is a musician.

“What makes RCC so special is the fact that we have such a great group of employees, and the past 16 years have given me the opportunity to work with some amazingly talented individuals and great mentors,” Adams said. “Many have retired over the past 16 years, but they taught me so much and each day I step on campus, I think of my past and current co-workers who put so much of their life into this college for the improvement of the students and community that we serve. It is an honor and privilege to work alongside of them each day.”

The College also introduced its first-ever Adjunct Faculty of the Year award winner, Betty Wainwright. Wainwright has been teaching developmental English classes at RCC for more than 10 years. She has been instrumental in the College achieving a Green Dot Status for success in English classes. With more than 40 years of teaching experience, Wainwright also helps at RCC’s Writing Center, going the extra mile for her students every day to not only help them succeed in the classroom, but also the real world.

RANDOLPH.EDU | 21

BY MEGAN CROTTY

F

olks on the outside might see financial aid offices as nothing but places filled with paperwork and numbers — and a lot of “No’s.”

The employees in the Randolph Community College’s Office of Financial Aid and Veterans’ Affairs don’t see it that way, and much of that attitude has to do with Director Joey Trogdon, who was named the 2020 Employee of the Year.

“I feel like it’s a noble cause to help people chase dreams,” he said. “You’re helping people who are the most vulnerable in society. The people we deal with are the ones who truly are seeking assistance and they just don’t have a lot of resources — first generation students, people with socioeconomic challenges. It’s easy to see people as a number sometimes. It’s always good to try to step back and see a person rather than just a file.”

Trogdon earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Administration at Mars Hill University, and then his master’s in Community College Administration at Lenoir-Rhyne University.

“There is no major for financial aid,” he said. “It’s one of those things you get into because you love it. It’s something that people gravitate toward who either, one, got financial aid and remembered how much it helped them or, two, it’s people who have a heart for helping people. If you asked everybody in my office, they all have different reasons why they got into it.”

After college, Trogdon was an admissions counselor at Mars Hill, and then a financial aid counselor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro before coming to RCC in 2006 as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. The draw of coming back to his hometown factored into his decision to return to Randolph County, but so did something else.

“I’ve worked at a four-year private, four-year public, and two-year public, and I really do feel I fit better in a twoyear public setting,” Trogdon said. “It’s a little bit different working with an adult who’s coming back to school versus an 18 year old.”

22 | RCC • FALL 2020

“I feel like it’s a noble cause to help people chase dreams. You’re helping people who are the most vulnerable in society.”

RANDOLPH.EDU | 23

Trogdon, who says seeing how the College can help students with financial aid becomes “an obsession,” has his own reasons and inspirations for doing what he does. His dad, Joel Trogdon III, worked at Black & Decker, but felt like he was getting passed over for promotions because he didn’t have a college degree. So, Joel went back to college, earning a bachelor’s degree when he was in his 40s.

“Whenever he had projects in school, he would take me along with him,” Joey said. “So I got to see plays like ‘The King and I’ as part of a class project. So, now, it’s cool to feel like I’m helping someone else’s dad or mom go to school.”

Trogdon’s dad also used family trips to teach his children.

“When we’d go on vacation, we’d always go to museums or historic places,” he said, noting the family visited 42 states and six countries. “So, when we took my son to Universal Studios, we went by the Kennedy Space Center. When we went to Pennsylvania we went to Hershey Park, but then we went to Philadelphia and saw Independence Hall. My dad put that into me, so I’m doing that with my kids. Education has always been around me.”

Trogdon’s mom worked at the Randolph County Board of Education, while his sister, brother-in-law, and niece are all teachers.

He also understands the heft of student loans after attending two private universities, giving him “twice the debt.” During that time, the Black & Decker plant shut down, changing Trogdon’s financial aid profile in a heartbeat, which allows him to empathize with the people who walk into his office.

“Everybody who’s in financial aid, regardless if they’re here at Randolph Community College or somewhere else, can tell you that they wear several hats,” he said. “One of them can be counselor, one of them can be financial adviser — not in the literal sense, but in the sense that you can help people try to make better decisions with financial literacy. We try to wear as 24 | RCC • FALL 2020

“I think that’d be great if we can figure out how to break the cycle of poverty. And the main thing that comes to mind for me is education.”

many hats as we can without getting too far into the weeds.”

The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs has plenty of stories of high school dropouts coming back to school, people who have been abused or assaulted, veterans who open up about their experiences, and people who have been recently diagnosed with cancer.

“We had a lady come in and tell me she had some type of cancer on her tongue and they might have to remove part of it,” Trogdon said. “She said, ‘This might be the last conversation I have’ because the surgery was the next morning. You hear so many real stories.

We had one veteran bring in his Purple Heart. It’s not just that you’re helping someone go to school.

“When I was in graduate school, we had a professor who said that community college is the only place that has what’s called an egalitarian entry, and a meritocratic exit. So, basically, it means we take everybody here and you earn your way out.

We’re the only ones who literally take you wherever you are to where you want to go. I find it more impressive to watch a student who can’t read or write at an eighth-grade level come in here, go through the adult high school, graduate, come get an associate degree, and then move on than someone with a perfect SAT score getting a master’s in physics. There’s something about helping those people — they’re sincere and the most vulnerable.”

Having attended and worked at an array of higher education institutions, Trogdon is well-versed in the ins and outs of financial aid.

“Financial aid at community colleges is a little different from everywhere else,” he said, “and everybody has their own unique thing.

Still, everybody fills out the FAFSA basically the same way, everyone can get a Pell Grant. Community colleges are a little different in the sense that we have what’s called the North Carolina Community College Grant and the [University of North Carolina] System has what’s called the UNC Need-Based Grant. Different sectors have different award programs appropriated by the state.”

What makes RCC different from all of those other schools? The Foundation.

“We have such a vibrant Foundation,” he said. “I was in a meeting and someone was saying that they have zero dollars contributed from their Foundations. We get six figures. We are blessed that we have the Foundation and a supportive Board of Trustees. Everybody makes it so we’re able to help students in unique situations where other colleges can’t.”

Trogdon uses the example of someone who has a bachelor’s degree and can’t get another student loan, or whose Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is just outside the range of being able to get help.

“We try to make sure that people who are working, but can’t afford extra expenses can attend RCC. For example, they can pay for their car, they can pay their rent, but they can’t take on $1,000 in tuition,” he said. “We try to help people and not saddle them with debt. We are blessed that there are so many levers we can pull here.

“The fact that I can help someone come in here and get two years’ worth of education and get out of here with no debt — how much of a difference is that compared to someone coming out with $20,000?”

Recently, he was asked to be an instructor at the North Carolina Community College System Financial Aid Leadership Academy.

“It was pretty humbling,” Trogdon said. “There were people there from all over the state. I learned as much teaching it as if I’d been through it. It

challenges you to think about what you’re doing and why.”

Trogdon also has been the president, vice president, conference committee member, public sector representative, and legislative advisory chair of the North Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NCASFA), and on the Board and advisory committee of the Southern Association of Student Financial Administrators (SASFA). He also recently completed Leadership Randolph, where, through its simulated societies and visit to the jail, Trogdon learned more about the need for affordable education.

That left him with a question: How do you attack generational poverty?

“I think that’d be great if we can figure out how to break the cycle of poverty. And the main thing that comes to mind for me is education,” he said.

“Sometimes our financial literacy is teaching a person who’s never had any money, never seen any money,

never had anybody around them with money, be responsible with the $1,500 financial aid check.”

Trogdon’s goal is to make sure nothing keeps RCC students from coming to class — particularly transportation as public transportation in Randolph County is scarce. He recently started talking with Regional Coordinated Area Transportation System (RCATS), presenting a map that showed where RCC students live, especially clustered and low-income areas. Trogdon hopes RCATS can take deviated routes to help RCC students without transportation reach class.

“There was a study recently that showed that there’s a certain percentage of Americans who don’t even have $400 cash that they can access in case of emergency,” he said. “If their car blew up, it’s $800 they don’t have. So now you’ve got a person who can’t afford to go to school and can’t go to school. After you go visit the jail, it’s even more pressing. If

you can get someone into a technical trade — something that they are really good at and comfortable doing — instead of people having to feel like they have to turn to drugs or selling drugs or anything like that, you can break that cycle.”

Which is why, for Trogdon, despite all of those forms and numbers, this is the best job ever.

“It’s getting harder for people to chase the American Dream,” he said.

“The American Dream is sometimes tied to your education. How many people go out there and a company doesn’t even interview them unless they have a degree? It’s not getting cheaper and more and more people can’t afford it.

“I’m a techie person. I like messing in the system and creating rules and writing reports, doing HTML code. But the other part is … everyone that you get to say ‘Yes’ to is another person that you can help move on and chase a dream.”

RANDOLPH.EDU | 25

T

he services and curriculums offered at Randolph Community College were deeply affected by COVID-19. Read on to find out how RCC has been coping with the changes.

STUDENT SERVICES

BY CHAD WILLIAMS VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT SERVICES

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all of us to reimagine how we offer assistance and support to students. While it certainly presents challenges, it has also been an opportunity to break out of old habits and utilize technology to help fulfill our mission.

Once the COVID-19 national emergency was in effect, the option for in-person appointments was removed, but Student Services was able to make the easy push to phone appointments.

During these phone appointments our Student Services staff has been able to help students with questions pertaining to admissions, registration, career services, tutoring, disabilities accommodations, financial aid, and veterans benefits; but, also help students learn to navigate their SelfService portal more efficiently so that they can find answers on their own. Students have also been offered videoconference sessions through Microsoft Teams, but most appointments have been by phone. In

26 | RCC • FALL 2020

addition to this, Student Services has been using the SignalVine software to send and respond to text messages from students that have indicated they would like to communicate in this manner, which has been very effective. Some additional changes made in response to COVID-19 were: • The tutoring office moved to virtual meetings for math and science using Blackboard Collaborate.

• Disability Services began accepting electronic records of documentation and requests for accommodations.

• Each department in Student Services participated in a virtual senior outreach event via Blackboard Collaborate, organized by the High School Hub staff to assist local students making the transition from high school to college.

HIGH SCHOOL HUB

BY ISAÍ ROBLEDO DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND INITIATIVES

RCC’s Career Coaches quickly embraced various technologies available to diminish the communication gap that physical distancing created. We incorporated ScreenCast-O-Matic and Screecastify, which allowed us to add audio to computer screen recordings, to guide students through career assessments and to help with academic advising. We also used Google Voice and Remind 101 to help us call/text students since that is what they are most familiar with. We also partnered with our school systems for them to post announcements in Canvas, which is where a lot of their high school course work was being submitted. We set up virtual break out rooms where students could attend a room for Admissions/RDS, Career Advising/ Registration, and Financial Aid. We found this to be very beneficial for students and cost efficient for the college, so we definitely plan to host more live, virtual events like this in the future.

RANDOLPH.EDU | 27

ADVERTISING & GRAPHIC DESIGN

BY LISA HUGHES DESIGN PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT HEAD

L

ike everyone else, the Advertising and Graphic Design program went fully online in the spring of 2020. By summer, all lectures remained online, however, we brought our labs back to the classroom due to the nature of our business. We social distanced, cleaned computer areas, divided larger classes into four smaller ones, provided students with hand sanitizer and masks, and asked everyone to self-report any health-related issues.

This fall we are stepping up precautions even more. AGD has removed keyboards and mice to stations that will be off limits and we have covered each computer with a trash bag.

Students are securing supplies so there will be no sharing. The Design Center has closed the snack area and student lounge. Students will submit all digital work on Moodle — and place drawings in their own designated drawers to limit contact. AGD has requested a GoPro to help instructors when they need to demonstrate but still social distance.

COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

BY JORDAN WILLIAMSON DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

T

he College and Career Readiness programs include ABLE, ESOL, GED/HSE, and Adult High School.

This student population includes those who are going back to school to earn their high school diploma, those who are learning English as a second language, and adults who are mentally or physically handicapped.

In 72 hours, our instructors changed their entire curriculum for the remainder of the semester. Simply moving classes online was not an option

28 | RCC • FALL 2020

for our population, due to having a high number of students in our program who lack resources and technology at home.

Therefore, we shifted to a remote learning packet and created a new curriculum around this plan. We also held curbside packet pickups for students in our programs, so that they would still be able to continue their education on a remote platform.

Our department was featured on FOX8 news: myfox8.com/ community/small-business-spotlight/small-business-spotlightrandolph-community-college/.

As FOX8 put it, we reinvented learning during this incredibly difficult time for our students and programs. Our in-person graduation was moved to a virtual platform, and we were able to still celebrate our students virtually!: youtube.com/ watch?v=IXwpZWEzlAI. We continued to test and graduate students during the pandemic. Sierra Miller was our very first graduate to complete after the classes were moved to packet instruction and online.

She is now an Adult High School graduate!

With the help of RCC staff and faculty, Sierra Miller’s journey at RCC ended with a diploma.

“When quarantine started, we had a total of six people doing school in my home. My sister in college, myself in the Adult High School program, my 10-year-old cousin in fourth grade, my 9-year-old brother in third grade, my 8-year-old cousin in second grade, and my youngest brother in Pre-K. At first, I began to slip away from school. I stopped working on my coursework almost completely during the first couple of weeks. But then Mrs. Angela Reeder and Ms. Emma Lambirth started sending heartfelt motivational quotes and always offering to help. That’s when I really started working, completing multiple quizzes and journals a day. When I started to get close to the end of my very last class, I made a schedule. If I completed six quizzes a day, and a journal every other day, then I would be done in six days. I did it!! And six days later I was talking to Mrs. Reeder about graduation and my next steps for college.”

RANDOLPH.EDU | 29

NURSING

BY KIM KIMREY

DEPARTMENT HEAD, NURSING

T

he effect of the pandemic has unmistakably had a direct impact to our nursing program, including both students and their families, along with nursing faculty. Our students were placed in a particularly vulnerable position this past spring, one that brought fear and pride. Our students and faculty learned under tense situations, such as setting up new learning or office environments, learning how to apply technology in a virtual classroom, and identifying new ways to evaluate our students, along with ensuring technological strategies were assisting our students to be successful.

Our program faculty worked various hours throughout the day, attending webinars, collaborating with school officials, attending online meetings with professional colleagues, just to name a few to assist in planning for a new way to offer coursework.

Due to this, our students were directly impacted by the volume of information being shared with them daily. However, they responded with eagerness and patience, just as our faculty.

While our program does not fully operate online, we were fortunate that we implemented measures this past year that would allow our students to learn various aspects of the curriculum using remote learning. However, we were not equipped to provide learning fully online, but we quickly pivoted to a new way to help our students meet course outcomes.

Our second-year (last semester) students were impacted the greatest.

I was uncertain if their graduation requirements could be met, particularly ensuring clinical competence. Our first-year students were also impacted, but the trajectory of graduation allowed for more time to determine next steps.

We were fortunate that the North Carolina Board of Nursing granted nursing programs temporary waivers

30 | RCC • FALL 2020

that would allow students to continue to meet clinical and program outcomes, graduate, and join the workforce.

Despite the uncertainty, our students, particularly the second-year students, were eager to complete the program so that they could openly join the nursing profession to offer assistance to their soon-to-be colleagues.

Our faculty needed to ensure both levels of students could meet the clinical outcomes of the course, thus, faculty created virtual clinical environments using virtual simulation applications. While the students and faculty would likely share that the virtual simulation environment was challenging, it certainly forced the student to “think on their own.”

Faculty were present to offer assistance and feedback through Zoom, but, essentially, students were not in an acute-care facility completing clinical rotations. Thus, they didn’t have a lot of the resources, such as clinical instructors, nurses, doctors, or allied health professionals, with whom they are accustomed to having dialogue throughout a clinical experience.

Overall, our students were able to adjust to the many changes in delivery methods of content, pickup and utilize new online resources and manage the “pandemic” way of life.

We were fortunate that the summer semester allowed our students to return to the clinical setting.

Students enjoyed being in the hospital versus being in a virtual clinical setting, but also understood that new guidelines to minimize their risk to acquiring COVID-19 would look and feel different. This meant that they had to take measures to ensure that, while they were not in the clinical setting, they were following all of the recommendations set forth by the Center for Disease Control, along with the hospital’s restrictions in order to attend clinical.

Our program was unsure how the fall semester was going to operate, but we knew we had students who were prepared to enter the program despite the new learning environment

that the pandemic has created. While our faculty still do not necessarily have all the answers, we continue to work through the immediate safety concerns and implications for future clinical placements and scheduled face-to-face assignments. Despite the many challenges our second-year students faced, they each now have an opportunity to create change … they

are all working as a Registered Nurse, successfully passing their licensure examination. Our first-year students have now moved into the role of a second-year student and we have accepted students who started this fall.

The pandemic caused us to quickly change how we offer our program, but our faculty have managed to continue to meet the needs of our students.

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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BY LORIE MCCROSKEY

“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country.

This is your democracy. Make it.

Protect it. Pass it on.”

— Thurgood Marshall

O

n May 25, 2020, a white Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, killed a black man, George Floyd, while arresting him for a non-violent offense by pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd repeatedly cried out that he could not breathe.

People from all walks of life were moved to action. For the first time in history, a cross-section of people from all races, socio-economic backgrounds, and communities cried out to stop the violence against black lives by police officers. People turned out for marches and rallies all over the country.

In Randolph County, a group from Asheboro’s Eastside Community organized a unity march to show

32 | RCC • FALL 2020

support for the movement. The march was held on Saturday, June 6. Starting at Eastside Park, the marchers made their way to the historic courthouse in downtown Asheboro, where the group stopped for an 8-minute, 46-second vigil. The march ended at the municipal building.

Several students, faculty, and staff members participated. Director of Student Success Counseling Rebecca Kingston attended the march. “I have never participated in an event like this before. I have lived in Asheboro all my life and have never witnessed an event like this of this size in our town.”

She thought the movement was a way for her to learn and grow. “I decided it was important to participate in the Eastside March to show my support for this movement, to acknowledge that racism exists and inequities are very real, and to listen and learn from others’ experiences.

I was extremely impressed with the organizers of the Eastside March. I hope that partnerships continue to grow across our community and that Asheboro can continue to show that peaceful, positive events such as this one can inspire change.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT PELKEY

RANDOLPH.EDU | 33

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

K

hadejeh Nikouyeh graduated from RCC’s Photojournalism Program in 2018. She is currently a Staff Photographer with the Greensboro News & Record. Recently, Nikouyeh documented the Black Lives Matter protests not only in Greensboro, but also Minneapolis, receiving national attention for her photo of riot police in front of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum.

1. Let’s start with some of your background. (Your parents, where you grew up, how you became interested in photography, etc.)

I grew up in Thomasville, with my dad, Ahmad; my mom, Jeannie, and my two older brothers, Jonathan and Jonah. My dad moved here from Iran and met my mom in the early ‘80s, and they were married three months after they met. My mom was a firecracker, and she stood up for herself and her family — she taught me to do the same.

Growing up as a first-generation American in a small southern town, I definitely wasn’t a stranger to racism even as a white-passing kid. When I was in elementary school, I remember being so proud of my name and heritage. I loved when I got to tell a new teacher about my background and the origin of my name. As I got older, I wished I had a different name. It was around middle school when I started getting called a terrorist, a towel head, and other really hurtful things that a kid should never have to hear. While it was awful to endure at the time, I value these experiences because it shaped the way I make photos and tell stories about minority communities.

My passion is changing the narrative of what’s shown

34 | RCC • FALL 2020

in the media of people of color by showing their stories outside of what we usually see. I document real moments of real people simply living their lives.

One of my favorite things was pulling out the family photo albums my mom inherited from my grandma and asking my mom to tell me stories about my family. Even though she didn’t have the greatest eye for photography, my grandma was the family documentarian, and she collected moments that could be revisited and shared with new generations. I loved the tales my mom would tell. The photos helped me put a face to the names, but I was always more interested in the stories. I didn’t know it at the time, but that was when I became interested in photojournalism.

As long as I can remember, anytime someone had a camera out, I either wanted to take a photo or be in a photo.

My parents used to buy me disposable film cameras for every holiday. I would keep shooting even after the film was used up. I never really cared about the photographs being developed, I was just happy making them.

2. What led you to study photography at RCC, and how did your education mold you for what you do now as a photojournalist?

I got my first camera when I was 14. My parents saved for months to buy me a $200 point and shoot. Even though we didn’t have much my parents always found a way to fuel any passion I had.

I spent all my time photographing my friends at school — all candid photos. I eventually tried to shoot some fashion and posed portraits, but it never felt right to me. I was much happier photographing a moment instead of something manufactured. I spent a lot of time taking photos of myself in the backyard with a self-timer to practice composition and to see how light worked.

RANDOLPH.EDU | 35

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

Initially, I went to UNCG for fine art photography and that didn’t feel right to me. I knew I wanted to be a photographer, I just didn’t believe I could make a living making photos of moments, people, and stories. While I was there, I took a Documentary Photography class with a section on photojournalism. In that class, everything felt right. It helped me realize that I wanted to be a photojournalist. I just didn’t believe in myself. At the time, it felt like a pipe dream.

I eventually dropped out of school at UNCG and worked as a barista and second shot weddings here and there. Basically, I had given up on being a photojournalist.

It wasn’t until my mom passed away five years ago that I decided I wanted to go back to school. One of the last things she ever said to me was, “You have all of my best qualities and you’re everything I wish I could’ve been.”

She had some health issues that held her back from a lot of things she wanted to do in life. I had no excuse, and I wanted to make her proud. So, one night, I sat on the edge of my bed and filled out the application for the RCC photo program — on my phone.

A couple of weeks later, I came to take a tour of the photo department later led by the Department Head, Kevin Eames. RCC felt right. It was home before I ever stepped foot into a classroom.

The program is so special and carefully designed. I can’t imagine telling anyone to go somewhere else. The instructors are so passionate and want everyone to succeed. It wasn’t uncommon to see an instructor at nearly 10 p.m. helping a struggling student fully grasp a concept or skill. I owe a lot of my successes at RCC and in my career to my instructors simply believing in me.

Before I declared my major as photojournalism, I was out making photos wherever I could. Any event that sounded remotely visual, I was there. Once I got into my 36 | RCC • FALL 2020

major, time flew by. The Photojournalism Instructor, Jay Capers, does an incredible job of teaching a huge skillset in such a short time. I ate, slept, and breathed photojournalism.

I broke up with my boyfriend at the time because I wanted all of my focus to be on cultivating my craft and building my portfolio. I knew there would be other students coming out of four-year photojournalism programs with a more robust portfolio, simply because they had more time to

work on it, and I wanted to be able to compete with their body of work. Thankfully, RCC sets students up for success by making internships an integral part of the program.

After a semester and half I was out on an internship at the Charlotte Observer. One of my first assignments was the NCAA Championship. I couldn’t believe it. I was covering newsworthy events! I owe my ability to confidently go out into the world as a photojournalist to RCC.

My second internship was at the Greensboro News & Record. On the last day of my internship, I was offered a full-time position as a staff photographer. I’ve lived in Greensboro for the past 10 years, so it’s home to me. It’s been such a great opportunity to show all the little things that make Greensboro such a great city. If it wasn’t for the internship program at RCC, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today!

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

3. You have taken some amazing photos, especially recently documenting the protests following George Floyd’s death. What motivated you to jump on a plane by yourself and fly to Minneapolis in the midst of the protests there?

Even though I have a full time staff position at the Greensboro News & Record, I’m constantly following and chasing news outside of our coverage area. However, the farthest I had ever travelled for news was to Nashville, while I was still a student at RCC, to cover the full solar eclipse.

I woke up the morning before I went to Minneapolis and decided I was tired of watching a revolution unfold from my phone screen — this was a huge part of history and I wanted to be there, if only just to bear witness to the events unfolding. I had a three-day weekend, so I figured, what the heck, maybe I’ll really go. I looked up how long the drive would be and that was a no-go, 17 hours. And then I looked up a flight and it was surprisingly reasonable.

I called a few friends and mentors to get their opinion on going. No one was remotely surprised I was considering it, and everyone told me to do it. I was overwhelmed by the amount of support I got. I couldn’t believe how many people were interested in seeing how I would cover such a historic moment.

As photo staffs shrink, more than ever, it’s important that we have all of the watchdogs we can get out in the field.

As a petite female photographer of color, this wasn’t the type of assignment I would ever be assigned, probably in my whole career — no matter what outlet I was working for.

So, I assigned it to myself. My Photojournalism Instructor, Jay Capers, always said, “Don’t wait for an assignment to come to you, make the work on your own.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

4. What are your best/worst experiences in Minneapolis?

I made a lot of photos in Minneapolis but I spent even more time having conversations and listening to the pain that this community was going through. I heard countless stories from black men and women about how close they came to being another George Floyd or Breonna Taylor.

Learning how to navigate and empathize within a community that wasn’t my own was extremely valuable to me.

My friend and fellow classmate, Becca Benson, who is also a photojournalist, drove up from Toledo, Ohio, to be there with me on my second night there. We shot most of our assignments together in school, and it felt right for us to cover the protests in Minneapolis together.

On the second night, most of the protesters were all gathered in an intersection. I tried to steer clear of the working media, so I wasn’t in their way. They were all gathered in one area of the intersection. A wall of riot police came to arrest anyone in the streets after the 8 p.m. curfew. They gave no warnings and immediately started shooting rubber bullets and tear gas. One of their first targets was the group of media documenting the protesters in the intersection. That was definitely the scariest part. The police made it clear they didn’t care that the media had a right to be there. By targeting them, the police were actively censoring the stories that could be told about what was happening.

Becca and I ran away and would stop to make photos as long as we could before we saw the police turn a corner and then we would run some more. We didn’t have the necessary safety equipment to keep making photos as things escalated. Once we got away, we went back to the car.

5. From there you came home to Greensboro where protests were beginning and again, you jumped right in to document history. What are your best/worst experiences in Greensboro?

I changed my flight to come back early as soon as demonstrations began in Greensboro. This is my home, my community, and I needed to be there as soon as possible.

I have some regret that I wasn’t in Greensboro the night the demonstrations began, but everything I learned and saw in Minneapolis prepared me for what to expect in Greensboro.

One of my best experiences in Greensboro was when I went to cover a group of protesters that shut down part of Wendover and I-40. Organizers were talking about their mistrust of the media on bullhorns. I pulled the main 40 | RCC • FALL 2020

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

organizer aside and said, “I just want you to know, I am with the media and I’m just here to tell the truth.” He responded, “OK, I got you.” A little later they offered me a ride on the back of one of their pickup trucks so I could get a better angle of the crowd and rest a bit. They burned sage and one of the organizers waved it around me and said “We need her.” It almost made me cry — that statement meant they trusted me to tell their story ethically.

The worst part of covering the protests in Greensboro is feeling like I’m not doing enough. I feel guilty when I take time for myself. I really hate feeling like I’m going to miss something. I realize the importance of taking time to rest and process everything I’ve seen in the past few months, especially since all of this is unfolding in the midst of a pandemic.

6. In reference to your photo of the police in front of the old Woolworth’s building ... how does that make you feel when you look back at a photo like

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that and realize that you have documented a piece of history?

When that wall of riot police stopped in front of what is now the Civil Rights Museum, it all came together. I ran to get as close I could to make the photo.

I think I kept shooting until they started to advance again. I wanted to make sure it was perfect, and then I moved on. I knew I liked the photo and the meaning behind it, but I didn’t expect it to mean so much to others. It’s an incredible feeling to know that one of my photos touches readers in an impactful way.

7. As a young female and part of the media, did you experience any positive or negative reactions during your coverage of the protests?

I heard comments here and there about how I’m only concerned with making photos for awards or my portfolio from people that weren’t familiar with me or my work. I wanted to show that I had the initiative and

courage to cover a major event that had inherent dangers. Like I said before, as a young, petite female, this isn’t an assignment I would likely ever have.

As a young woman, I’ve had to prove myself a lot more than my male peers. When I cover sports, I’m usually the only woman in the media workroom. It’s not uncommon for my credentials to get double-checked by

security for some events that I cover.

During high school sports especially, but out in the field in general, I always hear a wide range of comments: “How did you get a job?”

“You’re such a little girl, how can you carry all that gear?”

“You should be in front of the camera instead of behind it.”

8. What takeaways would you like to share with everyone?

2020 has been wild. I’ve covered more history in the past few months than most photojournalists have in their entire career. A pandemic and a revolution, who would’ve thought this would happen? I miss seeing faces and giving an occasional hug or even a

handshake on assignments. In the end, everything I have done has been worth having a career that I love.

9. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

If you have a dream, go for it. If you’re passionate and you put in the work, the rest will come.

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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BY FRED WATTS

s a youngster, my mother taught me to always be very respectful of police officers. Remember to say, “Yes Sir” and “No Sir” to any of their questions. Do whatever they tell you to do. I spoke to my mom (age 89) just after the George Floyd murder. My mom and I “reminisced” about these directions she and my father gave me. The real issue was to avoid having any problems when dealing with the police.

Do not give an officer any reason to do any harm to you. She made it clear that she and my dad were worried about things that might happen to their son.

Years later, as a father, I had similar concerns for my sons.

My approach was somewhat academic. I wanted them to know a concept I learned in English class when discussing the “Odyssey” by Homer. We coined the phrase, “the Penelope Principle.” Don’t do anything that might seem like you are doing something wrong. Misinterpretation of someone’s actions can lead to a very bad outcome. I did not want my sons to be the object of some very bad outcome.

These are examples of the two speeches that African American parents give to their sons. Speech one is about the proverbial “birds and bees.” Speech two is that they need to know that there are people that will hate them and potentially do bad things to them, just because of their race.

What I learned over time is that nearly all parents give two speeches to their sons (and daughters). The second speech most other parents give is more like a warning. They give the progeny a “heads up” speech. The general message these parents give is that somebody will dislike their children because of how they look, where they come from, the language they speak, or various other differences they may have from other people they encounter in their environment. Over the years, I’ve heard versions of this speech when comparing parenting experiences. The big difference is that this speech did not include commentary about their child’s mortality.

Concerns about mortality are very real. After the George Floyd murder, my wife had me share with our adult children a 1963 article about an event in her life. My wife and her parents were fishing at lake in a public state park north of Detroit. A gentleman decided that it was not appropriate for them to be there and asked them to leave. After voicing his viewpoint he left and returned with a 22-caliber rifle. He enforced his belief by shooting at her family. They escaped.

A state trooper was notified. Eventually there was a trial, at which my wife testified.

A

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The worldwide protests about George Floyd are about fundamental worries: • Next time it could be me.

• We’ve had enough.

• This has to stop!

The solutions I’ve heard, so far, take two forms: 1. Change the policing system and 2. Change the social narrative.

A summary of what I have heard to address changing the policing system requires a recognition that many requests of the police are really social services requests.

Some funding currently allocated to police departments should be moved to social services entities. Generally, those agencies will have to beef up their capabilities so that they can apply their expertise on a 24/7 basis. This might actually result in increased funding for what we currently consider a police responsibility. Additionally, a concept of licensure should be applied to the profession of being a police officer. Failure to meet the requirements of the license exempts an individual from practicing that profession anywhere.

The unspoken social narrative associated with homicides at the hands of police is that black men (or any black person) are dangerous and/or criminal. One quote associated with Helen of Troy (from the “Odyssey”) asked if she was the face that launched a thousand ships. The Amy Cooper Central Park video was an example of a woman trying to launch a proverbial thousand ships against Christian Cooper. In the past there have been hundreds of launchings by the “right” woman that resulted in lynchings and city massacres. Part of this summer’s unrest is associated with the palpable unease that your life can be taken because of some erroneous perception of your being. The social narrative effectively says that society has to be protected from you.

I am unaware of anybody that has a plan to change the social narrative. Remember the generalized version of speech number two — somebody is not going to like you because of one of your characteristics. My claim is that nobody has the opportunity to make a first impression. At best you can modify another person’s preconceived notions.

The current discussion in the USA is focused on nonEuropean looking individuals. The social narrative has to encompass a larger group — everybody.

To change the social narrative, we have to measure its condition. Bhutan has a Gross National Happiness Index. We need an analogous measurement of our social narrative(s) [plural intended]. That measurement should be announced on a regular basis, just like we regularly announce financial measurements. When we have some way to show each other how we’re doing on improving our collective social narratives, we might be able to improve our social condition. In the meantime, I hope we all check our personal narratives. The second great commandment says to love thy neighbor as thyself. Let’s do it.

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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BY PAM BURLESON

M

y perspective about life has changed since last year on Feb. 9, 2019, the day I lost my sister to influenza. My younger sister had just turned 40 a couple months earlier in November. We threw her a big party to celebrate, which is exactly what she had done a couple years earlier on my 40th birthday. She went out of her way

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to make me feel like a special old lady.

When I called to check on my sister on Friday, Feb. 8, I had no idea that it would be her last night. I have learned firsthand that we all put too much confidence in the possibility of our tomorrow. I also believe that because of this sense of security, we all behave differently.

I remember that week when the coronavirus started to be prevalent in

the United States. I’ll never forget what my husband said to me. He said, “I’m sorry that you and your family are going through this so soon after Sam.” That

was my sister Samantha’s nickname. We grew up as Sam and Pam. My husband knew that it would be very hard for us, this “new” respiratory virus. He was spot-on. The very thought of another respiratory virus taking someone else I love is at the very least excruciating to me and my family. I don’t even feel comfortable typing that sentence this very moment. It is not a thought I feel comfortable sharing “out loud.” You might think of my young sister as just a statistic. But I don’t have the luxury of feeling that way. You see, when something unexpected like this touches you, your whole perspective changes.

Of course, I was not prepared for this.

Nobody is ever prepared for something like this.

It isn’t that I didn’t care about worldwide casualties of the influenza virus until I lost Sam. But it is very different when it becomes your personal story. As the coronavirus spread through the U.S. and the death rate increased, I couldn’t help but to think about all the people who were affected by the forever loss of their loved ones. Meanwhile, it seemed like the rest of the world was only growing more focused on politics.

Then, there was the murder of George Floyd and the unrest that surrounded it. Once again, my thoughts about this were familiar — It is different when it becomes your personal story. Even if I couldn’t feel the pain surrounding this man’s death, I could see this tragedy and feel for the black people in our country.

I think I now have a different lens that I see everything through. It is not better, though because it is wrapped up in loss, pain and sorrow. But maybe I can see the pain of others more clearly.

I realize that until all of humanity is willing to see through a different lens and share in the suffering of others, then we will not be able to demonstrate compassion towards others. I was recently reading my “Jesus in Red” devotional and it read the following on July 8, “Compassion comes with a cost.

If we have the virtue of compassion, it means that we feel for those who are suffering. We weep with those that weep.

It is deeper than a distant sympathy because compassion enters the sufferings of others. It feels the hunger.”

I feel I have been learning this personally since Feb. 9, 2019. I remind myself often that I can apply it to my reaction to everything that is going on in the world. I can get up in the morning and ask myself what I need to do every day I have left of my life. I owe that to Sam. You see, I want to share with you that she was a very compassionate person by nature. One example of this

is Sam would go out of her way to buy something from an Etsy seller before she would consider going to the store to buy a similar thing. She was generous and would always give stuff away. She never sold anything she no longer wanted.

She saw others through a lens that I didn’t naturally have. She saw so much beauty in everyone and she really did see even the smallest contributions others made in their everyday lives. I tell mine and Sam’s story and I pray it is not out of your personal loss, pain, or sorrow, that you develop your lens of greater compassion.

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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BY LORIE MCCROSKEY

T

wo new endowed scholarships have been created over the summer to help minority students further their education.

The O’Brient Endowment and the Larry D. Reid Minority Scholarship were both created in an effort to encourage minority students during this difficult time. Reid is the Station Manager and Morning Show host of The NEW 94.9 FM/1260-AM WKXR Radio, and he was thrilled that community leaders established the scholarship in his honor.

“I am at a loss for words,” Reid said. “Never in a million years would I have thought something like this could or would happen to me.

Education, family, friends, and community are all immeasurable to me.”

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CHANGING THE NARRATIVE

BY LORIE MCCROSKEY

F

rom Fred Rutledge’s earliest days at the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, it was always clear that his main objective was helping people. As he rose through the ranks from patrol deputy to chief deputy with a colonel’s rank, Rutledge never stopped helping the citizens of Randolph County.

Even in his last years of life, instead of relaxing by spending his days at a beach somewhere, Rutledge spent much of his retirement days teaching prospective law enforcement officers at RCC. Former Governor Pat McCrory recognized Rutledge’s selflessness when he awarded him the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, given to individuals who have shown extraordinary service to the state of North Carolina. It is only fitting that friends and family members would honor Fred after his death by establishing a scholarship in his memory to help future generations of law enforcement officers train and learn. Randolph County District Attorney Andy Gregson is spearheading the scholarship effort.

“Freddie is a great example of everything that a law enforcement officer should be, and he maintained that over his entire career,” Gregson said. “He especially loved the last few years teaching students about law enforcement. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor his life and career.”

This new endowment will be a lasting legacy to a man who made a huge impact on the field of law enforcement in Randolph County and many other surrounding communities. You can donate to the Col. Fred W. Rutledge Memorial Scholarship by sending a check to the RCC Foundation or online at randolphccfoundation.org.

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BY MEGAN CROTTY

F

ive exceptional Randolph County high school students were chosen in a competitive process as Presidential Scholars at Randolph Community College for the 20202021 school year. Luna Corona and Alberto Olivarez, both from Asheboro High School; Josie Parrish from Eastern Randolph High School, Rose Catherwood from Uwharrie Charter Academy, and Jeremiah Hodge from Wheatmore High School will receive two-year RCC scholarships through the Presidential Scholars Program, funded by the Randolph Community College Foundation.

High school students from public, private, and home schools throughout Randolph County were invited to apply for the scholarships. Students who met the preliminary requirements attended a Presidential Scholars Day at RCC on March 10, where they learned more about the College and were interviewed by a committee of faculty and staff members. Finalists were chosen and invited back for a second interview with RCC President Dr. Robert Shackleford Jr., who chose the five recipients.

Students’ academic records and extracurricular/ community activities were factored into the selection of recipients, as were the interviews.

Luna Corona of Asheboro plans to go into the health science field. A varsity athlete, she also is president of the Key Club, is a member of the GlamourGals and Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, and holds a job at Cinemark Theater. She has volunteered at Lindley Park Elementary School, the Randolph County Public Library, the OneBlood Blood Drive, and Christians United Outreach Center.

“I am looking forward to graduating and pursuing my dream career and hope to make my parents proud in doing so,” she said. “I know that Randolph Community College will give me the best education and help me achieve my dream career. Everyone has to start small and grow big.”

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Corona said her parents are her role models, especially her dad, who did not get the opportunity to finish high school because he needed to help his parents and attend to the needs of his younger siblings. Both of Corona’s parents left their lives in their home country to come to the United States to give their children better opportunities.

“When I was younger, my father would always come home tired, but he never let that stop him from spending time with my brother and me,” Corona said. “He was still teaching us new games and fun skills, one of them being how to swim. Whenever I feel confused or feel like I need help with something, he’s the person I look for to find the answer. If it weren’t for him, I would not have the confidence I have today.

“I want to be able to show them how grateful I am for all their sacrifices by being the best I can. Their goal is for my siblings and me to have an education. One day the roles will be switched, and I will take care of and provide for them as they did for me.”

Alberto Olivarez of Asheboro, who is the first in his family to go to college, plans to work on a college-transfer degree and study business. He has been a member of the Distributive Education Clubs of America and the AHS Yearbook Staff, along with working at Bojangles and Food Lion. Olivarez is Venture program, financial literacy, and Word and PowerPoint certified.

“I’ve had to overcome may obstacles in my life,” Olivarez said. “The hardest one that I have had to face so far has been accepting who I am as a person. As a little kid I knew that I was different from the other kids around me. I just didn’t know how much it would affect my childhood. Over the course of years of me proceeding to grow up, it got harder to ignore who I was. I’m gay and now I can truly say that I am proud to be who I am. I’m confident in myself as a person and who I have become. Although I know that it is hard for people to understand what I consider my ‘normal,’ I find it easy to help educate them on what being in the LGBT community means.”

Josie Parrish of Franklinville is pursuing a nursing degree. At ERHS, she is involved in Beta Club, Junior Civitan, and the National FFA Organization, while playing tennis and managing the football team. Parrish has worked at Sagebrush and Central Bakery, and is a fourth-generation firefighter with the Ramseur Fire Department, working alongside her dad.

“My experiences in the fire service has been both pleasant and also challenging in multiple ways,” she said. “It has helped shape me into the person I am today. I get to serve others by doing something that I love.”

Parrish said her family wasn’t surprised when she said she wanted to become a firefighter, but they were worried — and so was she. Firefighters do a lot more than respond to fires. Parrish rescues people from car wrecks, provides emergency medical care, responds to hazardous material spills, inspects buildings, provides fire safety education to the community, completes station work, washes the trucks, and provides maintenance on the fire equipment.

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“I was motivated by the challenge,” Parrish said. “Women firefighters face unique challenges in serving one of the oldest and most honorable professions. For one thing, their physical strength and abilities are constantly being called into question. I cannot tell you how many times a man has asked me: ‘Would you be able to carry me out of a burning building?’ There’s no doubt that firefighting requires extraordinary physical and mental strength, but firefighting is not just about brute strength. It also requires a very special person who has the passion to save lives, compassion for people, and an ultimate love for the job.

“When people call 911 with an emergency, they don’t care if the firefighter responding is male or female, black or white — they just want highly trained firefighters to respond. I will continue to fight the female stigma in women firefighting by pushing forward for the citizens in my community, for my loved ones, for anyone that I may come across in my career.”

Drive; teaches at Pointe South Dance and Tumble, is a school flex-day volunteer, and is a teacher’s assistant.

Catherwood also works at Chick-fil-A. “I feel like teaching is my calling,” Catherwood said. “I enjoy working with children, which I have been doing for the past couple of years in dance classes. I help teach young children the basics of dance, while sharing my love for it. Making a difference in other people’s lives is something I strive for.”

Catherwood, who has been inducted into the RCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and is a Merit Scholar, has traveled to Puerto Rico twice on mission trips, helping build a church with her youth group and playing with the children attending vacation Bible school.

“I learned that I am not as lucky as others and I should be grateful for what I have,” she said. “If I pursue a career in teaching, I would give my all to help kids be successful in school and in life. I find that not all kids have someone who is there for them and I would like to be that person.”

Rose Catherwood of Asheboro is pursuing a degree in elementary education. She has been involved in Beta Club, student government, the dance team, her church youth group, and the American Red Cross Blood

Jeremiah Hodge of Thomasville is working on a college-transfer degree with the hopes of studying marketing. He has been the president of the Junior Civitan Club, vice president of the Beta Club, and the

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The RCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides a margin of excellence for Randolph Community College by building a strong relationship with the local community, acquiring and managing contributions, and funding activities that support the College.

senior representative on the Student Council while volunteering at his church. Hodge also has worked as an umpire and as a cashier/crew member at Cook Out. “I know what it takes to motivate people, excel academically, and serve others before myself,” he said. “The traumatizing events that happened in my childhood still affect me today, but I didn’t allow them to define who I was. My family and I are very proud of the person I’ve become regardless of the struggle.”

Hodge said his mother is his role model as she raised six boys on her own.

“The compassion she shows for others and her ability to serve others before herself always has been an inspiration for me,” he said. “Seeing my mother take care of me and my five other brothers by herself will always be the most motivating and inspiring moments of my life. She always told us, ‘No matter where you are in life or what happens, always put others before yourself.’ I practice selflessness and compassion daily because of the values she taught me.”

RCC Presidential Scholars receive a $2,500 scholarship for their first year of study ($1,250 for fall and $1,250 for spring) that is renewable for their second year of study. The students have the opportunity to serve as Ambassadors for the College, and meet regularly with President Shackleford.

BY MEGAN CROTTY

N

ot every student who comes to Randolph Community College is fresh out of high school. And not every student takes a straight path to their final destination. That’s why the College meets students where they are and takes them where they want to go.

That motto fits RCC graduate Billy Davis, the College’s 2020 Academic Excellence Award winner, perfectly.

Davis finished high school 10 years before his classmates when he arrived on campus in the fall of 2017. Between high school and college, he did freelance writing and design work for his mom and grandfather.

“I had a lot of struggles talking to people,” he said. “Social skills weren’t something that came inherently.

“I just wasn’t doing enough; I wasn’t moving anywhere.

I wasn’t getting an education, and I really wanted to do that.

Eventually, I just had to overcome the anxiety. … I love college. I love learning. I watch lectures on YouTube for fun for hours and hours.”

So, Davis, with the help of his mom, mustered the courage to come to RCC. After going through an assessment with Student Services Counselors Dean Beck and Elaine Sill, Davis was pointed toward Advertising and Graphic Design. “[My counselor] told me a story about the company his daughter works for,” Davis said. “It captured my whole imagination, and it still does today. He talked about how they would put plates on your table and the shape of the plate, and the color of the plate would make you hungrier or entice you to eat. That hooked me forever — the theory.”

Once Davis got started in the program, however, he struggled. Drawing and paint-mixing became an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. grind, and he learned that, despite dabbling in drawing as a kid, there was a steep learning curve.

“I realized how much I liked the sales and advertising side of things,” he said. “I was at Mattress Firm and I sat down on this really hard chair. And I’m like, ‘This chair is so hard so the beds seem softer.’ If you look at advertising, the designs, you can see the rule of thirds in a poster and then they’re using coordinated blues to signal trust. I love that theory.

“But I didn’t like all the hands-on stuff. I worked so long and only created meager products with my hands. I realized, ‘I’m just not good.’ ” RANDOLPH.EDU | 53

In the meantime, English Instructor Dr. Warlock Vance was taking Davis under his wing, cultivating his writing hobby and learning that maybe that was the better direction for his career.

“He would just help me any time I needed,” Davis said.

“And he believed in me and loved all of my stuff. Anything I wrote on the side; he would check it out. He would send me his stuff and let me check that out so I could figure out how I can improve. Dr. Vance is a hero to me; he’s a complete role model.”

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Davis’ friend was earning his Accounting and Finance degree, meaning he was learning about business alongside his buddy. Still, Davis wanted to leave room in his brain for the creative side — just not in graphic design.

Social/Behavioral Sciences Department Head Scotty Duyck “told us your brain only holds so much like RAM on a computer — you have to give something up to learn some new stuff,” he said. “I don’t really want to learn all of business and just focus on that. I really like the artistic and creative end, too. I want to marry the two.

“[Design Programs Department Head Lisa] Hughes is such an inspiration. She’s really into the business end of creative ventures, too. She would talk about how the companies were run and why they made those decisions, and I love that.”

In the spring of 2018, Davis decided to make the switch to Associate in Arts college transfer, taking summer courses in the new program to catch up.

“I really, really like the advertising and marketing part of design; I just don’t like the hands-on,” he said. “I would love

to curate content and say, ‘You draw that, and I’ll use theory and make sure it goes where it’s supposed to go.’

“Miss Hughes created the necessary amount of friction to not make it too easy to just flip [programs] on a whim, but then as soon as she saw I was serious about it, she supported me all the way.”

Still, there was one class Davis was convinced to finish: Color Theory. He said its was the hardest class he’d ever taken, especially the Gray Project where the students had to make the color gray. Gray can lean every direction of the color wheel and his kept getting too green. “[Instructor Susan] Shaw told me, ‘You’re growing and you’re learning,’ ” Davis said. “And I’m like, ‘I don’t see it.’ I’m trying not to jump out of the window. She could see I was improving because she’s seen it a hundred times. She was right.

“I think about color every single day. Every day, every time I see anything, I’m breaking down how they’re put together. I love color. … It was rough and it was strenuous, but what I learned, I will take with me. That was the most stressful time of my life, but I also learned the most.”

Not that the new path was a cakewalk. Davis said learning a new language — Spanish — in his late 20s was a challenge. His instructors, Delores de Haro and Alma Nall, were patient, though.

“It would take three or four hours to write a one-page essay because I would have written it all out in English and then perfect it,” he said. “And then I would try to translate that into Spanish. That was really rough, but I learned it. That was the other area where I grew a ton.”

While pursuing his AA, Davis joined RCC’s Writing Club and was its representative. He said he was skeptical at first, but the club helped him improve his writing despite the age gap.

“It was motivation to write, it was motivation to share, it was motivation to learn from other kids,” he said. “Even if they’re 10 years younger than me, they’re really hip. They’ve got their pulse on the vein of America, not just America, but the Western world.

“Those are fundamentally little seeds of people who grow into great trees.”

Davis’ experience at RCC lead to two resumés (one from his Design experience, on from his AA track), membership in Phi Theta Kappa, a spot on the President’s List, and the Academic Excellence Award. He said he also learned how to network, and how important the skill is.

“At first it made me feel kind of depressed — that was all I had,” he said of his post-RCC resumé. “And then I looked at it, ‘That’s kind of cool. I’m kind of proud of you, dude.’ ” Davis graduated in 2020.

“My family was lavishing me with compliments,” he said. “I felt really good, but it sort of makes me anxious because I’m not done. ‘Hold that praise. Give me a few more years and I’ll give you something to really be proud of.’

“Just having the opportunity with FAFSA and government money available — there isn’t a barrier. I didn’t even know that was available for years, but when I found out it was, I realized the only thing stopping me was myself. I am eternally grateful for that opportunity.”

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BY MEGAN CROTTY

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any college freshmen start off with mile-high aspirations. But sometimes, things don’t always turn out the way they’d hoped.

After graduating from Randleman High School in 2015, Dustin Kirkman didn’t foresee becoming a 2020 Randolph Community College graduate.

He didn’t predict being the College’s Dallas Herring Award winner either. Still, along the way, he learned not only life lessons, but also that change, though difficult, is sometimes the best thing.

Kirkman attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte after high school, hoping to become a Mechanical Engineer. After two years, he realized he didn’t belong.

“I didn’t really investigate or put much thought into what I’d have to do — I figured it was mostly math, and I’m good at math,” he said. “It hit me really quickly when I got there — it’s not all math. ... I figured out that it probably wasn’t going to work out, and I needed to do something new that I’d enjoy and still make a living.

“I’ve always had an interest in electricity. I never really understood exactly how it worked and I wanted to learn more.”

Kirkman researched the Electrical Systems Technology (EST) program at Randolph Community College, talked to EST Instructor Tom Jones, and enrolled in the fall of 2018.

The effect was immediate.

“Community college is more hands-on,” he said. “It’s hard for me to sit there and listen to somebody talk about something and never really

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understand what they’re saying or being able to see it visually. From past experience, hands-on is very helpful to me. I understand it better.”

That understanding led to a job.

In the summer of 2019, Kirkman took a class from Industrial Programs Department Head Wesley Moore in which students worked on control panels four days a week. At the end of the semester, Moore helped Kirkman find a part-time job at Triad Power & Controls in Greensboro. Kirkman builds control panels for automation, which can be as large as 6 feet by 8 feet with thousands of wires. He said the job experience has helped with his RCC classes — and vice versa.

“I think it’s easy,” Kirkman said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot. My job has been really understanding. If I need some time to work on something [for school], they’ll give me the time.”

The smaller classes at RCC helped him excel as well.

“What really bothered me at Charlotte was that there are so many people,” Kirkman said “There are 26,000 people; you don’t have time to talk to everybody. Here, there are smaller classes — 12 to 16 people in a classroom. I know everybody. That’s helped me — knowing everybody and being able to talk with them and understand more concepts.”

In turn, Kirkman has helped his classmates learn. That give-help attitude is something Kirkman’s instructors have noticed in the classroom, which led to his nomination for the Herring Award.

“It’s a really good idea to help people out,” Kirkman said. “It’s an easier way to learn. If you’re having to explain it,

you need to understand it. If somebody needs help, of course I’m going to help them. I’m not going to do that for an award. Winning the award is pretty cool, though; it’s still unbelievable.”

In May, Kirkman graduated with an associate degree in Electrical Systems Technology. After RCC, he hopes to go full time at his current job. Kirkman also wants to rack up the 4,000 hours for a plumbing license and the same for electrical. Ultimately, inspired by the HGTV shows he watches, Kirkman wants to build and rebuild houses.

“I think that’s what brought me here — you don’t need a four-year degree to succeed in life,” he said. “I never understood the saying, ‘If you love what you’re doing, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ But, when I got [to RCC], I understood that. It’s changed my view. I don’t have to make money to be happy in life — I’ve just got to find what I love doing.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIMMIE CRAWFORD

BY DOROTHY HANS

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ometimes a small gift or a chance encounter can be life altering. To be fair, we still must do a decent amount of work in cultivating this transformation. However, if we’re truly passionate about it and put the effort in then not only will change come to our lives, but it will allow us to flourish as we live out our true passions. Jimmie Crawford, a 1979 alum of Randolph Community College’s photography program, is doing just that.

When Crawford was 10 years old, his aunt gave him a camera. It was a Sears Snappy, a 120 roll film point and shoot with fixed shutter speed and aperture. This gift began Crawford’s lifelong passion for photography. When he wasn’t RANDOLPH.EDU | 57

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIMMIE CRAWFORD

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in school pursuing his education, his thirst for taking pictures led him to work odd jobs (everything from selling vegetables to mowing lawns) just so he could be able to buy film and the chemicals needed to develop his pictures. Like a fearless cliff diver, Crawford jumped right into teaching himself everything he could about photography.

Despite Crawford’s passion for his new hobby, it wasn’t a given that he would be able to pursue a formal education in photography, never mind find a career in the field. At the end of high school, the native North Carolinian did what he was expected to do by his family and guidance counselor; he started working in manufacturing. For five years he toiled in a dead-end job and put his love of photography on hold. But, like all great loves, Crawford couldn’t ignore it forever. Soon he found himself researching programs that would allow him to learn more about taking photographs and possibly pursuing it as a career. Without any guidance or help from others, Crawford took it upon himself to do all the necessary research and find out what it would take to actually be able to attend and pay for college — a terrifying step for any first-generation college student.

Once he collected enough knowledge and saved the necessary money, Crawford finally found himself enrolled in RCC in the late ‘70s.

While at RCC, then Randolph Technical College, he first studied photo finishing under Cecil Allen which he says was a “really great experience.” It was so great apparently that he decided to continue on from that one-year program and pursue commercial photography under Bob Heist and Jerry Howe.

Although different in their tactics, Crawford says he “enjoyed their input” on his work.

Of Heist he says he “made you buckle down and try harder on all your assignments.” While Howe was always “complimentary and saw things that others didn’t.” About his time at RTC, Crawford says, “I feel I was well prepared to enter the photography profession with the education and training I received at RTC.” In fact, he often felt he was more prepared than individuals he encountered who had graduated from other photography schools with four-year degrees.

For 37 years, Crawford worked as a staff photographer at RTI, an independent nonprofit research institute dedicated to finding research-based solutions to the world’s problems. His primary duties involved taking pictures of facilities and portraits of the researchers. Based in North Carolina, his work occasionally had him driving up and down the Eastern Seaboard, but that travel was nothing compared to what Crawford’s been up to since he retired four years ago.

To many, Jimmie Crawford is currently living the dream while traveling the country in his 2014 Itasca Sunstar 35-foot gas motorhome, a Winnebago brand RV. He’s been to 48 states with the exceptions

being North Dakota and Hawaii. Some weeks find him waking up in Idaho surrounded by the brilliant yellows of canola fields. Other weeks he may fall asleep listening to the ocean in one of his favorite places, Ocracoke Island — the place that gave birth to this retirement dream of his.

About 20 years ago, Crawford and his children were traveling to Ocracoke Island for a Labor Day weekend adventure. While heading to the ferry, they found themselves stuck behind a slow-moving RV. After the initial annoyance, stress and worry that they weren’t going to make the ferry because of the RV, Crawford eventually wound up talking to the owners while traveling to the island. In the course of their conversation, Crawford says he had an epiphany, much like the one he had when his aunt gave him his first camera. This chance encounter led to 15 or so years of research and planning. If there was an RV show, he was there. If there was an RV magazine, he read it. He prepared his children and carefully planned out his retirement.

On Feb. 1, 2016, Jimmie Crawford retired. On Feb. 5, the forecast called for snow and so Crawford did what many people in the south want to do when they hear that snow is coming; he drove away and his dream came to life. Crawford ‘s first stop came a few hours later at Myrtle Beach, but not long after he made it to Florida. Since then, he’s been everywhere.

It’s not always easy living on the road, but in talking to Crawford it sounds like he has it all dialed in. His advice to anyone embarking on this lifestyle is, “slow down.” During the first three years he said he “always had a carrot dangling” in front of him. He always wanted to get to the next place he hadn’t been. Now that he’s been most places, he can find a place to “stay a week or two to explore and see all the things that there are to see.”

If someone walks into the Ann Hoover Welcome Center at RCC or visits the website, they will more than likely see the words “Creating Opportunities.

Changing Lives.” In so many ways, Crawford’s RCC photography degree changed his life and continues to create opportunities in it. As he transitioned into what he called “the afterlife of retirement,” Crawford was determined that his retirement wasn’t going to be an ending; instead, it was going to be a continuation of the education he began pursuing over 40 years ago. He’s determined to continue improving his skills.

He documents all the places he visits in pictures and words. You can follow his travels on his website, rollmeaway.com, or on Instagram (@rollmeawayrv).

Once you take a look, you can see how much Crawford is living and learning. It’s something he’s been passionate about since he was 10 years old and will continue to be passionate about as he travels across the country.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIMMIE CRAWFORD

RANDOLPH.EDU | 59

BY KELLY HEATH

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tudents began using the Dr. Robert S. Shackleford Jr. Allied Health Center in August, and while the halls are not as busy as they would normally be with the COVID-19 pandemic, this spectacular facility is already being appreciated by students, faculty, and staff.

Planning for the facility actually began in early 2014 when Dr. Shackleford cast a vision. He described this state-of-the-art facility encompassing all of RCC’s health care programs, and, in April of that year, the College started the advance planning process.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Aug. 23, 2018, and construction began the next day.

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“I am still so honored to have my name on this wonderful facility that is going to advance our offerings in health care for so many students for years to come,” Dr. Shackleford said. “Projects like this don’t just happen. It happens when everybody works together, and this is an investment in the economic and workforce development of Randolph County.”

The $14.4 million facility houses the College’s Associate Degree Nursing, Radiography, Medical Assisting, and Emergency Medical Services programs, and, at 45,000 square-feet, the new building increased space for RCC’s healthcare programs by 86 percent. The building was designed by Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, and the general contractor was Clancy & Theys Construction Company.

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The experience of the new building for students, faculty, and staff has already been a rich one. Vice President for Instructional Services Suzanne Rohrbaugh said she and her staff remain excited to have this opportunity for RCC students and to be able to provide a quality educational experience that will meet local and regional workforce needs.

“Students are learning in an environment that utilizes state-of-the-art equipment and technology, simulating real patient scenarios in a safe setting,” Rohrbaugh said. She added that multiple disciplines have the opportunity to work together as they will do when entering the workplace.

The first floor of the facility features a lecture hall and emergency medical services classrooms. Vice President for Workforce Development and Continuing Education Elbert Lassiter said the new space has allowed the emergency medical services programs to expand in more ways than one.

“We can now expand our training to meet the growing trend of community population health,” Lassiter said. “Our EMT and Paramedic students can now train on high fidelity mannequins that have the capacity to customize different scenarios, and practice transporting patients from an apartment setting to a simulated hospital setting right here on our campus.”

The nursing program lab, radiography labs, multiple medical simulation areas, and classrooms round out the first-floor space.

The second floor features the medical assisting program labs and classrooms, including a simulated 62 | RCC • FALL 2020

medical office environment. Student study rooms, more classrooms, a rooftop garden, and rooms for future growth of healthcare programs also are on the second floor.

The building does not just feature expanded and improved spaces. Vice President for Administrative Services Daffie Garris said the building also is the second LEED building at RCC. “We wanted to reduce our carbon footprint and yet still build an amazing facility,” Garris said. “It is LEED silver and includes student friendly-features like a green roof, solar skylights, electric car chargers, and exterior learning spaces.”

Many other sustainable features include water reduction fixtures, Phase Change insulation, and LED lighting with occupancy and timing controls, all which are highly energy efficient. Garris added that interactive student learning spaces, high definition teaching displays, and a video capturing system that allows students and faculty to critique their hands-on learning truly offers our students the absolute best learning environment.

Shackleford said, while the College had state money and Connect NC Bond funding to help with the construction costs for this facility, the building would not exist without the many donors who chose to show their support in so many generous ways.

The College plans to host an event in 2021 to show the facility to the public.

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Randolph Community College & RCC Foundation

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People create sidewalk chalk art during the cleanup and Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis on May 30.

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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.

RCC • FALL 2020