RALEIGH: The State Board of Community Colleges presented the prestigious I. E. Ready Award to three distinguished individuals on Friday, November 21 at the RBC Center. An audience of more than 350 attended the awards luncheon where several other individuals also received special honors.

The I. E. Ready is the highest honor bestowed by the State Board of Community Colleges. Named for Isaac Epps Ready, the first North Carolina Community College System President, it recognizes individuals who have made important contributions to the community college movement locally, statewide and nationally.

The three honorees have exhibited a deep dedication to the mission of the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS).

Dr. G. Herman Porter, a native of Wayne County, was involved with the Community College System before it was formed. He received a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degree from North Carolina State University. He worked closely with Dr. W. Dallas Herring during the years that the need for a community college system was being debated in Raleigh. He was Administrative Assistant to I.E. Ready, whom Porter called his "professional father," and he subsequently worked in various positions at the System Office. Porter was an interim and acting president before serving as president of Wayne Community College from 1987 to 1992. He was a member of the State Board of Community Colleges from 1992 to 2003 and Board Chair 1999 to 2001. During that period he was instrumental in coordinating the community college effort for the passage of the 2000 Higher Education Bond Referendum.

Harry F. Shaw, former Mayor Pro Tem and former member of the Fayetteville City Council, has devoted his life to public service. The Fayetteville native is a Navy veteran of World War II and a graduate of Davidson College. The retired Vice President of Home and Federal Savings and Loan in Fayetteville has been a member of the Board of Trustees at Fayetteville Technical Community College for 34 years. He has served as Chair of the Board for 27 years. Shaw has committed his life to the idea that a community college should reflect the diversity of its community. Shaw has been instrumental Fayetteville Tech’s increase in minority enrollment, staff and faculty since the 1960's. Shaw was elected and served two full terms on the Board and Executive Committee of the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees. He also was active in the Association of Community College Trustees.

The late Russell A. Swindell played a key role in the formation of the North Carolina Community College System. A native of Hyde County, Swindell was a World War II veteran who went to night school to learn blueprint reading and welding. He was a dairy farmer and worked as a vocational education instructor for veterans. Swindell represented Hyde County in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1951 to 1957. After retiring from public office, his public service continued in the Division of Vocational Education in the Department of Public Instruction until 1963. He helped Dr. I.E. Ready, Dr. W. Dallas Herring, Governor Terry Sanford, and others to develop the vocational education system. Swindell used his legislative experience to get financial aid for vocation education programs in high schools and at industrial education centers, which later became community colleges. Swindell was instrumental in persuading members of the General Assembly to establish the North Carolina Community College System in 1963.

Swindell’s son, Sen. A.B. Swindell, accepted the award for his father. He praised the work of the NCCCS, calling it "something wonderful in North Carolina." His quote from his father exemplifies the core of community colleges. He said, "Whatever you do in life, get a skill as well as the best education you can muster."

The Excellence in Teaching (EIT) Award, endowed by R. J. Reynolds was presented at the luncheon. The EIT was established in 1985 by the State Board of Community Colleges to provide recognition for full-time teachers who exemplify the highest standards of instruction and professionalism in the classroom and who consistently demonstrate excellence in service to their colleges and communities. The EIT winner this year received $7,000, and her college foundation will get $1,200. Each EIT finalist received $500.

The 2003 EIT winner is Dr. Pocahontas Jones, the head of the science department and a science instructor at Halifax Community College. Jones is in the first generation of her family to attend college. She was a biology major at North Carolina Central University. She received a master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a doctorate in microbiology from Howard University. Jones has worked as a research fellow and instructor for various institutions in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Illinois. At Halifax CC, Jones teaches in the college transfer, nursing, dental hygiene and medical laboratory technology programs. She is also an advisor and extremely involved in civic activities.

Dr. Jones was chosen from five finalists. The remaining four are: Ross D. Blount, a sociology instructor at Gaston College; Lynne Eggert, the coordinator of clinical education at Forsyth Technical Community College; Catherine W. Johnson, head of the mathematics department at Alamance Community College; and Dr. Kimberly Turnage, an english instructor at Lenoir Community College.

The Staff Person of the Year Award was established in 2001 and endowed by BB&T to recognize the outstanding achievements of a staff member at one of North Carolina's community colleges. The recipient this year received $5,000, and her college foundation will get $1,250.

The 2003 Staff Award recipient is Virginia Lucas, vice president for finance at Sampson Community College. Lucas began as a work-study student at Sampson CC in 1969. After receiving her associate’s degree, she was first hired by the college as a business secretary. She was promoted to assistant bookkeeper and then to bookkeeper. In 1985, Lucas was promoted to controller, and she earned an associate's degree in accounting at Sampson CC. Lucas subsequently received a BA and MA in business administration at Fayetteville State University. She was promoted to business manager, then dean of finance and operations and finally to her current position, as vice president of finance. Lucas received the first Sampson Community College Foundation Excel Award.

The President of the Year Award, endowed by Wachovia, was established in 2001 to recognize an outstanding community college president. The winner this year received $7,000, and his college foundation will get $1,250.

Dr. Kenneth Boham, President of Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute was selected as the 2003 President of the Year. The East Carolina University graduate received his master’s and doctorate from North Carolina State University. Boham worked with the local public school system to establish the innovative Caldwell County Career Center, a public school by day that offers community college courses to high school students through dual enrollment. The center provides community college training in the evening that meets local business and industry needs. He also worked with Appalachian State University to establish The Appalachian Center, which will focus on training teachers to help meet a projected shortage in the area.

The final award presented this afternoon was the President's Leadership Award, selected by System President H. Martin Lancaster. It honors a student who has helped to improve campus life for their fellow students and has made significant contributions to their colleges and surrounding communities. Levi E. Dixon, 92, received his GED at Bladen Community College in 2003. "Mr. Levi," a native of East Arcadia, had to leave school in the seventh grade to support his family. He was a farmer and worked at Armour Fertilizer Plant. He and his late wife, Ethel Shipman Dixon, raised their own ten children and four of his brother’s. Nine of those children are now college graduates. Dixon firmly believes, "we can do anything if we just prepare our minds for success," and he lives what he believes.

The event was also held to recognize all of the community college and System Office retirees for the last year. The 326 individuals who retired between July 2, 2002 and July 1, 2003 amassed nine thousand hours working in the System. Several of the retirees attended the luncheon to receive special recognition.

The luncheon followed the State Board of Community Colleges meeting. State Board action included:

*  The approval of Dr. Bryan Wilson as the new president of McDowell Technical Community College, effective January 1, 2004. Dr. Wilson is the Vice President of Learning at McDowell Tech. He will replace Dr. Virginia Mitchell who retires at the end of the year.

*  The approval of Dr. Marvin Joyner as interim president of Central Carolina Community College. Dr. Joyner officially retires at the end of January and will stay on as interim until the end of June.

-NCCCS-

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