The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation has awarded a $1,000,000 challenge grant to the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation that could lead to scholarships for students like Manning.  The announcement was made at a news conference hosted by Sen. Tony Rand (D-Cumberland) on May 28 in the Legislative Pressroom.

"I think working with children is one of the best things a person can do in life," said Manning. The Vanceboro resident, who is currently pursuing an associate degree at Craven CC, was at the announcement.  "A scholarship would make all the difference for me."

The plan is for the corporate dollars to be paired with public funds to create an endowment to support an expanded role for community colleges in teacher preparation and to increase the number of teachers produced and available to meet the needs of rural and underserved school districts.  The initial endowment will be $2,000,000, but North Carolina Community College System President H. Martin Lancaster hopes the endowment will grow as other gifts are received, so more students can be helped.

"The community college role in training teachers has already begun," said Lancaster.  "This funding will enhance our participation in meeting the crisis of a shortage of teachers.  Our challenge is to locate and educate local residents that will make good teachers and who are also dedicated to the community and will stay there and teach."

Manning is such a student. She says that once she obtains her baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education, she wants to teach in her community.  "I love the area and have personal associations here that I want to maintain." Manning added the partnership enables her to study in her community and not have to travel 45 miles one-way to attend the university.

Lancaster was joined by Dr. Robert Ingram, the Chief Operating Officer and President of Pharmaceutical Operations, GlaxoSmithKline, to announce the grant.  Ingram says the corporation believes that community colleges will make a big difference for the classroom.

"Estimates are that we will need 80,000 new public school teachers in North Carolina in the next 10 years while our colleges and universities are producing only 3,000 education school graduates each year," Ingram said.  "The community colleges can and should play an important role in meeting this critical need. We hope this challenge grant will extend the resources to do just that."

These funds will support adults pursuing the first two years of a pre-education degree or early children/teacher associate degree offered by a community college and the last two years of an education degree offered by a four-year institution in a degree completion program offered on a community college campus.  The most important factor in selection will be motivation to become a certified teacher and to remain in the community.  Recipients will be expected to remain in their community for a minimum of five years after certification or repay the assistance received according to a schedule prorated on years of service.  Funds will also be used in the development of teacher preparation courses to be offered on the Internet and using other distance education technologies.

Partnerships between community colleges and several campuses of the University of North Carolina and private colleges enable prospective teachers in several areas of the state to have the chance to earn associates degrees and complete baccalaureate degrees needed for teacher certification on their local community college campuses.  Many of these individuals would otherwise be unable to travel to a four-year institution to pursue their education.  These programs combine the best of classroom instruction and distance learning. While not yet available at every community college, the number of programs is growing.

"We are extremely grateful to the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation for their recognition of the role community colleges play in providing the education needs of our citizens," said Lancaster.  "We hope other corporations will contribute to this effort."

Also participating in the announcement were: Dr. Mike Ward, State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Phil Kirk, Board of Education Chair and President of North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry; Dr. Hope Williams, President of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities; Dr. Charles Coble, Vice President for University-School Programs, University of North Carolina; Dwight Allen, Chair of the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation, and James Woody, Chair of the State Board of Community Colleges.

Sen. Rand said he participated in the event to give his support to this "innovative partnership" and added that working to get the matching funding would be his "highest priority."

Several other legislators attended the event including: Rep. Phil Baddour (D-Wayne); Rep. Jim Black (D-Mecklenburg); Rep. Harold Brubaker (R-Randolph); Sen. Charles Carter (D-Buncombe), Sen. Walter Dalton (D-Rutherford); and Sen. Linda Garrou (D-Forsyth).

GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies, is committed to fighting disease by bringing innovative medicines and services to patients and to the health care providers who serve them. US headquarters are in Philadelphia, PA, and Research Triangle Park, NC.

The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation supports activities in North Carolina that help meet the educational and health needs of today’s society and future generations.  The Foundation focuses on programs that emphasize the understanding and application of health, science, and education at all academic and professional levels.

The North Carolina Community College System is one of the largest community college systems in the country.  The mission of the System is to open the door to high-quality, accessible educational opportunities that minimize barriers to postsecondary education, maximize student success, and improve the lives and well-being of individuals through education, training and retraining for the workforce. 

-NCCCS-

 Back to previous page.