North Carolina Community College System Kicks Off the 2026 Master Instructor Cohort

The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) kicked off the 2026 Master Instructor Cohort earlier this month, a group of faculty leaders nominated by their Chief Academic Officers for their strong teaching, leadership, and commitment to student success. This year’s cohort includes representatives from 31 out of 58 community colleges across the state. 

Over the next six months, instructors will participate in a structured professional learning experience designed to strengthen instructional practice and support student learning across the state. In addition to reviewing course content, candidates are asked to apply these concepts directly in their own classes, submit artifacts that demonstrate implementation, and provide meaningful feedback to fellow instructors, strengthening a statewide learning community built on shared practice. 

The kickoff event brought the cohort together for a day of collaborative learning. Participants engaged in activities that built connection, established shared expectations, and introduced the types of instructional strategies they will explore throughout the program. 

A key component of the Master Instructor Program is developing a shared professional language around effective teaching. Just as workforce sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, and public safety rely on common terminology to support quality and consistency, education benefits from shared vocabulary and practices that can be applied across institutions. NC3MI helps colleges identify and model these strategies so strong instruction can be scaled more effectively across the System. 

“At the end of the day, this work is about students. When our instructors return to their campuses using a shared language for high-quality teaching it makes instruction stronger,” said Dr. Lane Freeman, Director of Online Learning. “And with the capstone project built into the program, these ideas spread far beyond one classroom. We have the opportunity to influence multiple faculty and, more importantly, the hundreds of students they serve. That ripple effect is where NC3MI truly makes a difference.” 

Throughout the day, candidates practiced evidence-based strategies such as cooperative learning, structured discussion, and reflective writing. They also explored how artificial intelligence can serve as a planning tool while keeping faculty expertise central to the learning process. 

The event concluded with remarks from two graduates of last year’s cohort — Britt Honeycutt of Sampson Community College and Jessica Brown of Central Carolina Community College — who described how the program has strengthened their teaching and supported their professional growth. 

Learn more about the Master Instructor Program.