CAMPUSConnections

Beaufort County Community CollegeInside Page 2 Twenty-four are cited as BCCC’s Best for April.

Page 3 Gullfest and Gull Run 2015!

Page 4 Local business gets boost from Small Business Center experts.

Page 5 Travel with the Foundation to see Newsies at DPAC.

Page 6 Registration is under way for 12th annual croquet tourney.

Page 7 Five named new Ambassadors for 2015-2016 Academic Year.

May

201

5

Skvarla is BCCC graduation speakerN.C. Secretary of Commerce John E. Skvarla, III, will deliver the commencement

address at the 2015 graduation exercises for Beaufort County Community College to be held Thursday, May 14.

BCCC graduation exercises will be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of Washington High School. Admission is by ticket, available from members of the 2015 graduating class.

Skvarla was named Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce in December 2014 by Gov. Pat McCrory and he assumed those responsibilities in January 2015.

Prior to serving in Gov. McCrory’s administration in his current capacity, Skvarla served as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources for two years.

Skvarla is a noted businessman, most recently serving as chief executive officer for Restoration Systems, an environmental mitigation firm based in Raleigh that helps improve and restore wetlands and waterways.

He also led Wilkinson Hi-Rise, a manufacturer of waste management and automated recycling systems, served as chief operating officer for Proactive Therapy, one of the largest physical therapy providers in the Southeastern United States, and was chief operating officer of The Aviation Group, Inc., a company that emerged as the world’s largest all-cargo airline during his tenure.

Skvarla founded and served as senior partner in the Raleigh-based law firm of Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton where he specialized in corporate and tax mat-ters as well as public and private capital formations.

Skvarla’s accomplishments also include appoint-ments to the Board of Directors for the University of North Carolina School of Law and School of Nursing Foundations and the Law Entrepreneurial Council. He has served as President of the Board of Visitors at Peace College, now William Peace University,

in Raleigh, NC. He is the author of The People’s Prescription for What Really Ails America’s Health Care System, published in 1994 by Signal Books.

Skvarla holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Manhattan College in New York and law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

John E. Skvarla III

Campus Connections Page 2

Beaufort County Community College

is a public comprehensive community college committed to providing accessible and affordable quality

education, effective teaching, relevant training, and lifelong learning opportunities for the

people served by the college.

Campus Connectionsis a monthly newsletter

published by Beaufort County Community College,

5337 U.S. Highway 264 East Washington, N.C. 27889.

Betty Mitchell Gray, public relations coordinatorwriting and design

Twenty-one cited as BCCC’s Best for AprilTwenty-four students at Beaufort County Community College were recognized as “BCCC’s Best” in a ceremony on the

college campus recently. All students were cited for displaying the character trait “hard worker.”

Those honored were Michael Mat-thews, Karen Woolard and Daniel Wright of Chocowinity; Kyle Mooney of Engelhard; Chelquelfre Barrett of Greenville; Belinda Matthews of Grimesland; Tamara Arthur of Pantego; Adam Carawan of Pinetown; Zackary Kuncirs of Plymouth; Samantha Lawrence of Scranton; Tammy Turnage and Laura Wayne of Vanceboro; Denny Bolafka, Millie Ebron, Fashikie Freeman, Lindell Gibbs, Bernadine Hedrick, Brandy Holliday, Arisbeth Monter, Patty Rowe, James Sidney Scales, Donnnie Williams and Kendra Wooden of Washington, and Joshua Holliday of Williamston.

During the ceremony attended by BCCC faculty and staff and guests of the honor-ees, Vice President of Student Services Rick Anderson and the nominating faculty or staff member presented each student with a certificate that contained the description of his or her activities.

Each month “BCCC’s Best” highlights a character trait found in students such as motivation, respect, hard work, com-mitment and involvement in the college. After a hiatus for the summer, BCCC’s Best will return in September.

Twenty-four Beaufort County Community College students were recognized as “BCCC’s Best” and were cited for the character trait “hard worker.” Those who attended April’s ceremony are pictured above with Dean of Arts and Sciences Lisa Hill.

Travel with BCCC to Ireland!The BCCC Study Abroad Program is offering a trip to Ireland in 2016! This 12-day trip will give participants the chance to see both urban and rural living in a European country. Trav-elers may explore the cobblestoned streets of Dublin, cross the hanging bridge of the Giant’s Causeway and kiss the Blarney Stone! This trip is offered in conjunction with HUM 180 - International Cultural Exploration. Students completing the trip and the course will receive three hours of transfer-able humanities elective credit. The cost of the trip is $3,739 but those enrolling before the end of April will receive a $100 discount off the cost of the trip. Students must be at least 18 years old and have a 2.5 grade point average to join the trip. To find out more information, visit www.efcollegestu-dytours.com/1705280EN. For more information, contact Advisor Suzanne Stotesbury at 252-940-6339 or by email at

Suzanne.stotesbury@beaufortccc.edu.

Page 3 Campus Connections

Gullfest and Gull Run!

Campus Connections Page 4

Local businesses get boost from center’s expertsA 50-year veteran of the restaurant business, Bob Doe knows what it takes to make a restaurant successful.That’s why, for the past two years, Doe has

been one of the subject matter experts who Small Business Center Director Lentz Stowe regularly contacts when a client has a question about restaurant operations.

Doe is just one of several such experts on call through the center, located at Beaufort County Community College, who help local businesses with everything from inventory control to reach-ing customers via the Internet.

Angel Borg, owner of Apollo’s restaurant in downtown Washington, says she is one of those who have benefited from experts like Doe, avail-able through the center.

“It was invaluable,” she said of the time she spent talking with Doe. “I was able to learn a lot from his experience.”

“My staff gets something out of it too,” she said. “It opens their eyes to the big picture and they are much clearer about my expectations.”

Doe says he never considered himself a con-sultant.

“The restaurant business is a tough business,” he said. “You have to stay highly disciplined at it.”

Statistics on restaurant failure vary widely with some estimates indicating that 60 to 90 percent fail in the first year and after three years, half of restaurants are no longer in business.

Doe hopes to improve those odds with local restau-rant owners.

“If I can help somebody improve their business, I’ll do it,” Doe said.

Borg sought out counseling from the Small Business Center after meeting Stowe shortly after she opened her restaurant in 2013.

“Being hungry for knowledge to succeed, I sought out the college,” she said.

For his part, Stowe met Doe that same year, after Doe moved to Beaufort County from Massachusetts.

Doe holds a master’s degree in business administra-tion from Babson College and has experience in financial analysis in addition to his experience in the restaurant industry.

After learning of Doe’s background, Stowe thought he would be a good fit for the Small Business Center’s restau-rant clients.

“After meeting with Bob, I thought, ‘I can utilize Bob to possibly give our restaurant and tourism sector an eco-nomic boost.’” Stowe said. “To have a resource like Bob, I can’t put a value on that.”

Stowe estimates that if an individual restaurant owner sought consulting similar to that offered through the Small Business Center, that individual would expect to pay $100 to SEE LOCAL BUSINESSES, PAGE 5

Angel Borg welcomes customers to Apollo’s restaurant in downtown Washington. Borg sought help from the Small Business Center at Beaufort County Community College after opening her restaurant.

Small Business Center Director Lentz Stowe, left, meets with Bob Doe, a 50-year veteran of the restaurant business and one of many subject mat-ter experts available to clients of the center.

Continuing Education

Join the Foundation for a trip to see NewsiesJoin the Beaufort County Community College Foundation, Saturday, June 6, for a trip to Durham to see the stage pro-

duction of the 2012 Tony Award Winning musical, Newsies.The cost of the trip, open to all BCCC students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college, is $200 per person. Final

payment is due by May 18.The price of the trip includes transportation to and from Durham,

lunch and tickets for seats in the orchestra section at the Durham Performing Arts Center in downtown Durham.

The trip will leave the parking lot at BCCC by 9 a.m. and travel to Durham for lunch at The Tobacco Road Sports Café overlooking the Durham Bulls athletic field. A locally-owned restaurant the Tobacco

Road sport Café is inspired by the unique sports climate of North Carolina and its “Tobacco Road” schools. Lunch will be served on the patio.

After lunch, the group will go to DPAC for a matinee performance of Newsies, the exhilarating musical that won two Tony awards in 2012 includ-ing Best Score. With a book by renowned Broad-way impresario Harvey Fierstein, Newsies tells the story of a band of underdogs who become unlikely heroes when they stand up to the most powerful men in New York. Based on true events, it’s a rous-ing tale about fighting for what’s right.

After the performance, participants will depart Durham for the trip home and enjoy light refresh-ments on the bus.

For more information or to register, contact Marcia Norwood, Foundation specialist, at 252-940-6218 or Foundation Executive Director Serena Sullivan at 252-940-6326.

Page 5 Campus Connections

Local Businesses, from Page 4$150 and hour – a fee most local restaurant owners could not afford to pay.

But that expertise is available to Small Business Center clients at no charge.Apollo’s is just one of the area restaurants to benefit from Doe’s exper-

tise. He has consulted with restaurant owners in Belhaven, Creswell and Washington.

For her part, Borg has not only taken advantage of Doe’s consulta-tions, she is also a regular attendee at Small Business Center social media workshops led by Martin Brossman, another subject matter expert available to local business owners.

Borg has become a regular contributor to Facebook after attending Bross-man’s workshop on using social media marketing.

“It was an eye-opening experience,” she said. “I try to use all the things he has taught me pretty regularly.”

She said she appreciates all the help the Small Business Center has given her over the years.

“First and foremost, I don’t feel like I’m alone,” she said. “I can reach out and find resources I need to succeed. I have the best network ever pos-sible.”

For more information about other services offered by BCCC’s Busi-ness and Industry Services’ Small Business Center, including tar-geted seminars for business owners, visit BCCC’s Website at www.beaufortccc.edu/coned/Small Business/workshops.htm or contact

Stowe at 252-940-6306 or by email at lentz.stowe@beaufortccc.edu.

Foundation

Registration underway for 12th croquet tourneyJoin the Beaufort County Community College Foundation for the 12th Annual Cutthroat Croquet Tournament to be held

Saturday, May 16, along the waterfront in Bath.Corporate sponsors of the event are Atlantic Ag Aviation, Crop Production Ser-

vices, P & G Manufacturing, Southern Bank, Tankard Farms and the Tankard Family and the TriCounty Telecom Foundation.

The tournament is an annual fund-raiser to continue the Doro-thy and John Tankard Memorial Scholarship for a Bath or Belhaven student at BCCC and for enhancing Historic Bath, to which the Tankards were dedicated.

For the fifth year, the tournament will have more playing time for those interested in less aggressive play. The first round of the tournament will be used to flight play-

ers into one of two flights - the Cutthroat Flight for more aggressive players or the Rapscallion Flight for those who enjoy more leisurely play. Each flight will offer booty for the top four finalists.

The tournament will be held in conjunction with Bath Fest, a day-long series of activities that will also include historic demonstrations, home tours and a crafts show all within walking distance in Bath. As players complete their play, they may tour the entire area at no charge.

The registration fee for the tournament is $35 for each player. The fee includes at least two rounds of croquet and lunch. Spectators may join participants for lunch for a fee of $25.

A buffet luncheon catered by Chef Paul Cyr will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The lunch menu will include hand-carved Smithfield bourbon glazed ham, prime rib of beef, house-smoked salmon, roasted vegetables, chopped cole slaw, antipasto pasta salad, roasted corn, black bean and green bean salad, fresh fruit salad, salt ‘n’ pepper rolls, biscuits and dessert.

All players must register between 9 and 9:30 a.m. Play begins at 9:30 a.m. and as soon as groups of four have gathered. Play will conclude when a champion is determined in each flight. All play gen-erally concludes by 5 p.m. Standard white croquet attire is requested but not mandatory.

Players and lunch participants are asked to regis-ter by May 11 to help the Foundation with planning.

For more information about the tournament, or to register to play, contact Foundation Director Serena Sullivan at 252-940-6326 or Foundation Specialist Marcia Norwood at 940-6218.

Campus Connections Page 6

Five chosen as new Ambassadors for 2015-2016Five students have been chosen by the Beaufort County Community College Foundation to represent BCCC as new

Ambassadors for the 2015-2016 Academic Year.Those chosen are Nicholas Griekspoor, Christine L. LeCompte,

Lisa J. Reid, Kelsey Riggs and Priscilla Styons. They join Sarah Clingenpeel, Jamaal Cofield and Catherine Spring – who will con-tinue as Ambassadors – in representing the college in the coming year.

For the third year, a student in the Beaufort County Early Col-lege High School, housed on the BCCC campus, was chosen as an Ambassador.

Griekspoor, 18, of Washington, is a fourth year student at Beau-fort County Early College High School and is pursuing an associate in arts degree from BCCC. Griekspoor has worked with his grandfa-ther and uncle as a commercial fisherman and at The Washington Bookstore. At BCCC, Griekspoor is a member of the Travel/Study Club and plans to participate in the group’s upcoming trip to Belize. The son of James Griekspoor of Washington and Julie Hodges of Greenville, Griekspoor plans to attend Appalachian State University after completing his studies at BCCC.

LeCompte, 46, of Washington is pursuing an associate in arts degree with plans to transfer to East Carolina University to obtain a bachelor’s degree. She plans to work as a teacher after complet-ing her studies. A graduate of Bath High School, LeCompte holds Emergency Medical Technician, Nurse Aide I and Nurse Aide II certifications. She has also received training as a substitute teacher. Before enrolling at BCCC, LeCompte was employed as a Human Resources/Recruiter and as a phlebotomist at Vidant Beaufort Hospital. She has also served as a substitute teacher for the Beau-fort County Schools, among other activities. She and her husband, Roland, have three children.

Reid, 44, of Washington, is pursuing an associate in arts degree from BCCC. A graduate of Harry S. Truman High School in New York, N.Y., Reid is employed as a facilitator at Families Understanding Nurturing. Reid has previously served in a public relations and event planning capacity with Cornerstone Family Worship Center and as a parent ambassador for Cornerstone Community Learning Center, among other activities. She plans to seek a bachelor’s degree in social work after graduating from BCCC. Reid has four children.

Riggs, 23, of Ayden, is a student in the Associate Degree Nursing Program at BCCC. A grad-uate of Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, Riggs attended East Carolina University before enrolling at BCCC. She is employed as a Care Partner/Nursing Assistant III at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville and has served as a Nurse Aide II at Greenville Health Care Center and a Nurse Aide I at Pender Memorial Hospital. At BCCC, Riggs is a member of Gamma Beta Phi honor society, the Beaufort County Association of Nursing Students and serves as secretary for BCCC’s ADN freshman class. She is the daughter of Chris and Trudy Riggs of Ayden.

Styons, 30, of Pinetown, is also a student in BCCC’s Associate Degree Nursing Program. A graduate of Northside High School, Styons earned an associate in arts degree from BCCC in 2011. She holds a certificate in manicuring/nail technology from Martin Community College and studied sign language interpreting at Wilson Commu-nity College. She is employed as a nail technician at Inner Banks Nail Care and as a secretary at Beaver Dam Church of Christ. She and her husband, Michael, have two children.

Those chosen as Ambassadors receive a one-year tuition scholarship and help the college market its programs and services. Ambassadors chosen from the ranks of Early College High School students receive a stipend.

As part of the selection process, applicants were asked to submit a resume and to participate in an interview. A panel comprised of members of the BCCC Foundation Board of Directors and local business and civic leaders conducted inter-views in an informal setting with candidates for the position.

Page 7 Campus Connections

Christine LeCompte

Nicholas Griekspoor

Kelsey Riggs

Priscilla Styons

Lisa Reid

Campus Connections Page 8

“Reading Matters” to BCECHS studentsBeaufort County Early College High School students and

faculty celebrated literacy while helping those less fortunate at Reading Matters an event to encourage and celebrate student readers and writers

To attend the event, students were required to bring a book to donate to Ruth’s House, the local domestic violence shelter.

Several local businesses, civic groups and individuals spon-sored prizes for the event including Platinum Sponsor Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy and Attorney Evan Lewis, Dr. Brad Jackson, Wine & Words…& Gourmet, Washington Jewelers, Choco Trade, Gifted Hands Barbershop & Beauty Salon, Belhaven-Pantego Rotary Club, Tar River Animal Hospital, and Ms. Marisol Barr. Prizes included a Kindle E-Reader and 22 books.

Simultaneous translation!Beaufort County Community College Intermediate Span-

ish students received real-life experience in class recently when they were called on to interpret a presentation by Greenville immigration lawyer Janice M. Cole.

Students in the class asked questions of Ms. Cole in Span-ish which were translated into English by other students in the class. Ms. Cole then presented information in English about recent changes in immigration law for the class while students took turns translating her remarks back into Spanish.

The event not only provided students with updated information about the law but simulated real-life translation activities, according to Instructor Jose Mendoza.

The class is part of the curriculum for BCCC’s Commu-nity Spanish Interpreter Program. Students in the program take classes that prepare them to serve as interpreters in a variety of settings including courtrooms and hospitals. They

take six semesters of classes and at the end of their studies, can earn a certificate from BCCC.

Above, Ms. Cole and students present information and translations in the class.

BCCC hosts NCADE ConferenceThe Developmental Education Department at Beaufort County

Community College recently hosted the North Carolina Association of Developmental Education’s Eastern Regional Conference.

About 50 participants from Alamance, Beaufort, Edgecombe, Lenoir, Onslow, Pitt, Wake, Wayne and Wilson counties attended the meeting which featured three concurrent sessions and a keynote address by Denise de Ribert, director of the Kellogg Insti-tute at Appalachian State University.

With the changing face of developmental educa-tion and new placement testing, the conference was particularly valuable to BCCC’s develop-mental education instructors, according to Lead Instructor Dana Sauls.

All of BCCC’s developmental education instruc-tors had the chance to attend sessions as part of their professional development, she said.

Pictured, English teacher Megan Ormond, left, and sophomore ToneAshia Roberson collect book donations for Ruth’s House.

Upcoming EventsMay 1 – FFA Regional Meeting and Competitions, 8 a.m., Multi-Purpose Room, Building 10.May 4 – SharePoint training, 2 p.m., Room 112, Building 2.May 5 – SharePoint training, noon, Room 112, Building 2.May 5 – Men of Success, noon, Room 112, Building 1.May 5 – Gamma Beta Phi, noon, Room 1220, Building 12.May 5 – TRiO Awards Recognition ceremony, 2 p.m., Building 10, Multi-Purpose Room.May 12-13 – Exams.May 13 – Graduation rehearsal, 6 p.m., Washington High School.May 14 – Faculty Work Day.May 14 – Associate Degree Nursing Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m., Turnage Theater.May 14 – Graduation, 7 p.m., Washington High School.May 15 – MLT Pinning Ceremony, 6 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room, Building 10.May 16 – BCCC Foundation 12th Annual Cutthroat Croquet Tournament, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Bon-

ner Point, Bath.May 18 – Registration for Summer Term ends.May 19 – First Day of Classes for Summer Term.May 21 – BLET graduation, 6 p.m., Multi-Purpose Room, Building 10.May 25 – Holiday.Jun e 2 – BCCC Board of Trustees, committees meet consecutively beginning at 5 p.m., dinner

at 6:30 p.m., board meets at 7 p.m.June 6 – BCCC Foundation trip to see Newsies at the Durham Performing Arts Center.To publicize an event, contact Betty Gray no later than the 15th of the month in order to list your event in the next edition of Campus Connections. E-mail your announcements to betty.gray@beaufortccc.edu.

Nurse Aide II graduates recognized in ceremonyThe Nurse Aide Program at Beaufort County Community College held a recognition and open house in honor of stu-

dents completing their Nurse Aide II studies in Washington.

Students completing the program were Nakia Johnson of Engelhard, Latoya Farrow of Pine town and Elizabeth Baucom, Monique Burton and James DeMetro of Washington.

During the recognition ceremony, every graduate was presented a certificate in honor of their completion of the program. A reception in the Nurse Aide Classroom in Building 12 fol-lowed the ceremony.

Recent Nurse Aide II graduates and their instructors pose for a photograph. They are, left to right, Instructor Anne Davenport, students Monique Burton, James DeMetro and Elizabeth Baucom and Healthcare Programs Coordinator Sue Gurley. Not pictured are Latoya Farrow and Nakia Johnson.

For more information about BCCC’s Nurse Aide Program, contact Sue Gurley, Healthcare Programs coordinator, at 252-940-6263 or by email at sueg@beaufortccc.edu.

Page 9 Campus Connections