Education news

HCC celebrates Marshall’s service

Haywood Community College Board of Trustees chairman George Marshall recently completed eight years of service on the board. Originally appointed by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners to a four-year term in July 2013, he was then reappointed by the commissioners to serve an additional four years in July 2017.

While serving on the board, three years of this time was as board chairman. During his tenure, Marshall was instrumental in planning and completing the Public Services Training Facility, the search for and hiring of a new president, and the planning and groundbreaking of the Health Sciences building, which is currently under construction. The framed photo of the College’s millhouse was presented to Marshall at a recent reception.

Pictured with Marshall is HCC President

Dr. Shelley White. Michelle Harris photo

Mission Health accepting scholarship applications

Mission Health is accepting applications from throughout the community for the Kesha Young Health Careers Scholarship, with the aim of making college more affordable for minority high school seniors and college students from Western North Carolina who are pursuing careers in healthcare. Scholarship amounts range from $1,500$2,500 for the 2021-22 school year.

The scholarship is named in honor of Kesha Young, a 22-year-old, bi-racial woman who was born with mental and physical disabilities and underwent multiple surgeries at Mission Hospital. Kesha died just months before she was scheduled to earn her high school diploma.

The application can be found at www.missionhealth.org/scholarships. The completed application, along with all additional materials, must be received by 5 p.m. on Sept. 13 for consideration. Winners will be notified in October 2021. Any member of the WNC community who meets the qualifications is invited to apply.

Mullins awarded reading honor

Marianna Black Library recently recognized participants of the Summer Learning Program for reading a total of almost 30,000 minutes this summer.

Mattie Grace Mullins, of Bryson City, read the most and collected the grand prize of an Amazon gift card.

The library is also currently planning a countywide art gallery contest for children 5-17. Ms. Allison Reid, who is an art major and also works at the library, will be working with the youth department to help make the event a success. Once all entries are received, they will be displayed at the library for gallery night.

For more information on any of this or other services, contact the library at 828.488.3030.

WCU’s principal program receives grant

Western Carolina University is a recipient of a recurring grant from the North Carolina Principal Fellows Program that will provide $4.1 million over the next six years, the University of North Carolina System recently announced.

The grant will help WCU’s North Carolina School Executive Leadership Program prepare effective principals to meet the demands of public education and administration, and to equip top tier candidates for school leadership who positively affect student learning in North Carolina.

“These annual recurring grants will be vital for our universities to help train exceptional candidates to one day become school principals,” said Andrew Kelly, UNC System senior vice president of strategy and policy. “The UNC System is proud to partner with NCPFP and would like to thank them for their continued support of education leadership training throughout the system.”

For information, contact Kim Wood, grant coordinator at woodk@wcu.edu.

Free tuition offered at HCC

Haywood Community College will offer free tuition for curriculum students for the 2021-2022 school year. Through a series of funding sources, including federal, state, and local funds, HCC is in a position to remove as many financial barriers for new and returning students as possible.

“By expanding free tuition, we want to eliminate any financial roadblock keeping someone from registering,” said HCC President Dr. Shelley White. “This is a unique opportunity that may not last beyond this year — if the cost of college has been holding you back, now is a great time to start your new future.”

Complete the college’s admission processes as directed at www.haywood.edu/getting-started/college-credit. Complete the FAFSA form at studentaid.gov. Complete the HCC scholarship application at haywood.academicworks.com. Email hccadvising@haywood.edu for more information. Additional questions concerning eligibility can be directed to hccaid@haywood.edu.

Scholarship for SCC nursing students

The call for medical students has become much more prevalent since the pandemic began.

Charles and Wanda Wolfe heeded that call by giving a gift of $18,000 for nursing students at Southwestern Community College to create the Charles and Wanda Wolfe Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.

“I was a Registered Nurse for 30 years before retiring, including several years at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva,” said Wanda Wolfe. “I experienced first-hand all that was involved in the profession and was able to personally see the difference that nurses can and do make in patients’ lives. We chose the nursing profession in part because of my career.”

Her husband, an SCC Foundation Board Member, also had a personal reason for wanting to support those joining the nursing profession. Last year he stayed at Harris Regional Hospital for nine days due to a severe case of COVID-19.

“The scholarship is a way for the two of us to express our appreciation for the committed and professional care I received while I was being treated for this illness,” Charles said. “I was greatly impressed by — and grateful for — the selflessness of the nurses who were there for me even at the risk of their own health.”

For more information about the SCC Foundation, contact Foundation Director Brett Woods at b_woods@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4241.

• Western Carolina University Board of Trustees appointed Jamie Raynor as its new vice chancellor of advancement during a special-called meeting July 20. Raynor, who served as the interim vice chancellor of advancement for the last two years secured the position after an extensive national search. Her appointment is effective immediately. • Macon County Schools named Mark Sutton, principal at Macon Early College as the 20212022 Principal of the ALSO: Year and Christina Tallent, teacher assistant at Cartoogechaye

Elementary School as the Support Person of the Year for the district. • The Western Carolina University Board of

Trustees recently elected a slate of officers for 2021-22. The board elected Robert Roberts of

Asheville, regional executive vice president for

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co., to serve as chair; Kathy Greeley, owner of Kathryn Greeley

Designs, a full-service interior design firm in

Waynesville, to serve as vice-chair, and

Rebecca Schlosser of Greensboro, a WCU alumna who is a former high school teacher and current community volunteer, to serve as secretary. • The STEAM Club program will return to

Marianna Black Library in Bryson City at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14. The club focuses on

Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and

Math. Each session will include an exploration of STEAM materials, challenges, and activities. For more information or to register, call 828.488.3030.

South College signs agreement with EBCI

South College held a signing ceremony on its Asheville campus with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that formalized an agreement translated into the tribe’s native language to encourage tribal students to enter health care fields of higher education.

Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed and Dr. Lisa Satterfield, president of the Asheville campus, signed the translated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on July 29 in a special ceremony.

“This signing represents both a tangible and symbolically meaningful partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that will prepare Tsalagi tribal members for professional health care careers and address the urgent need for greater equity in health care services for Native Americans,” Satterfield said. “I am especially honored to sign this translated document and look forward to advancing this partnership.”

For more information about South College, visit www.south.edu.