RALEIGH – Governor Michael E. Easley joins the North Carolina Community College System in honoring the 118 Academic Excellence Award recipients at a luncheon at the Hilton North Raleigh on Tuesday, May 15, 2001. In addition to Governor Easley, legislators, State Board of Community Colleges members, community college presidents and other supporters of the NCCCS will gather at the annual event designed to celebrate the best and brightest among the 760,000 community college students.

Governor Easley, State Board of Community Colleges Chairman Dr. G. Herman Porter and NCCCS President H. Martin Lancaster will each give remarks at the beginning of the noon luncheon. The award ceremony begins at 12:45 PM.

This annual event honors two outstanding students from each of the 58 community colleges and the North Carolina Center for Applied Textile Technology. Three students are selected to represent the group by sharing a personal community college story. The presenters are: Betty Jo Beals, an Information Systems and Computer Programming major at South Piedmont Community College in Polkton; John Henderson, an Information Systems major at Western Piedmont Community College in Morganton; and Steve Davis Wallace, an Early Childhood Associate Degree major at Pitt Community College in Greenville. Each has a 4.0 grade point average.

The Academic Excellence Award (AEA) honorees represent the diversity of the community college student population and the variety of programs offered at the colleges. The event is a high point of the community college calendar and a complement to the graduation season, however this year it comes at a time of crisis for community colleges. Legislative budget leaders are expected to release recommendations for deep cuts in funding for community colleges, universities and public schools early next week.

Last month, budget leaders asked the Community College System to recommend $40 million in cuts. In responding to the request, President Lancaster emphasized that the community college budget is already lean. "These cuts will have a devastating impact on our programs and thus on the economy of this state," said Lancaster.

The AEA luncheon will give college presidents and top students an opportunity to talk one-on-one with lawmakers who hold the future of their institutions in their hands. Each college invites legislative representatives. Many traditionally attend the event to celebrate with their constituents.

The North Carolina Community College System is nationally recognized as one of the premiere providers of workforce training. The NCCCS is the third largest community college system in the country.

-NCCCS-

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