Make 2023 The Year of You, 22 stories of success from RCC
It’s almost time to ring in the new year, and when the clock strikes midnight on Saturday night, what will your new year’s resolutions be?
If your resolution is to earn a degree, get a better job, gain new skills, or learn a new trade, then Robeson Community College can help you in reaching those goals in 2023.
“Make 2023 the year of YOU,” RCC President Melissa Singler said. “Give yourself the gift of education in the new year.”
Education comes in all forms, from hands-on training to lectures and labs, RCC offers something for everyone from free small business workshops to short-term training to more formal programs that lead to an associate degree, diplomas, and certificates.
“Education changes the trajectory of a family for generations,” stated Singler. “Once you take that step, your life and the life of your family unit will never be the same. New doors of opportunity will open for you and you will go on to do greater things than before.”
Robeson Community College offers a plethora of opportunities. For anyone interested in becoming a student at Robeson Community College, registration will be open on January 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Curriculum classes will begin on January 9. The schedule can be found here: https://www.robeson.edu/docs/CUSchedule.html.
New continuing education classes will start throughout the semester and the schedule can be found at this link: https://www.robeson.edu/docs/CESchedule.html
If you need some inspiration to get started on your journey, just take a look at these 22 success stories of 2022 from students who attended Robeson Community College. Just think, your story might make headlines in 2023. Start your journey today at www.robeson.edu.
Stories are listed chronologically in the order they were published.
Jessie and Percell Hunt’s Story from Couples love pushes them to new heights
This story featured in the Robesonian and on WFXB.
Story #1 – Jessie Hunt
“By the time we realized the importance of education, we were already grown. We struggled through times and having to raise a family, all we could do was think about work and paying bills,” said Jessie Hunt, an alum of RCC. “When you get older, it’s time to do better for yourself and make a change.”
Jessie did decide to make a change, one that started with completing her GED at Robeson Community College. Although she didn’t realize it at the time, it was a decision that would transform her life as she knew it.
“It all started because I was in competition with my children,” said Jessie. “I basically wanted to support them, but they got to the point where they disliked school, so I told them, I bet you that I can actually go back to school too and receive my GED and graduate before you. So, it was a competition at first.”
After passing all the tests needed to receive the GED, Jessie says the coordinators of the program coached her into coming to RCC to receive her associate’s degree in business administration.
“Our oldest son was getting ready to graduate high school and he wanted to go to a technical college, so I put forth the effort and said ‘ok’ and told him ‘I bet I’ll you beat you graduating from college,’ so that is when I actually came out to the college,” Jessie stated.
“I loved the experience, it made me feel a little bit younger. Even though I knew some of the programs, I didn’t know the terminology so it helped me be more professional with the terminology that they used.”
Jessie ended up losing the bet though. Her son actually finished college before she did, but only by 4 months. “He beat me to the punch,” Jessie said as she laughed.
Jessie went on to complete her bachelors degree at UNC-Pembroke and is now employed at Robeson Community College in the Financial Aid Office.
Story #2 – Percell Hunt
Percell had worked in construction all his life, but when he started having problems with his back, he couldn’t do the job that he loved anymore. That’s when his wife started to encourage him to go back to school.
“It was a struggle for me because obviously I was 40 years old, and I did not want to go back to school, so my wife kept on and on and for about 6 months,” said Percell. “I was just sitting around the house thinking about it, and the whole time she did kind of nag me and I was like, well, ok, I said ‘if you’ll pay for me to just walk in and take the test, then I’ll go take the test,’ because I didn’t want to take any classes, and she actually paid for me to take the test.”
Percell says he studied for about a week or two, took the test, and received his GED.
“Then my wife said, ‘well whatcha gonna do now?’” “So, I thought ‘I haven’t given it any thought, I got the GED, that’s what you wanted.’ And so, then she was like, ‘why don’t you go to school and get a degree,’ and I was like, ‘well then, that means I would have to go to school,” Percell said laughing.
“She kept getting on me about getting a degree, so I said ‘if you’ll do the paperwork and get my financial aid, I’ll go back and give it a try.’ She did all my paperwork and I started at RCC in January 2018.”
Ironically, Percell says that he came to RCC to get one degree, but ended up with two.
“I came for the associate degree in support and services, but my last semester out here, my advisor told me ‘If you take just one more class, you can graduate with two degrees.’ And I didn’t want to take another class, to be honest about it, but I thought since I’ve got to come out here for the other classes anyway, why not, so he signed me up for one more class.”
In 2020, Percell graduated with a degree in support and services and a degree in network management. He currently works at Robeson Community College in the IT department.
Fire/rescue agencies train together during expo at RCC
This story was featured in the Robesonian and on WBTW.
Story #3 – Billy Currie’s Testimony
“It took an hour and twenty minutes to get to the college, but it was definitely worth it,” said Billy Currie, a firefighter, and EMT from the Ocean Isle Fire Department who enrolled in the CPR Instructor Certification Course during the 48th Southeastern Fire and Rescue College.
“I was pleased with the variety of classes the college had to offer; the instructors were top of the line. The instructors knew how to explain the information at a beginner’s level… They broke it down and made it easy to learn… We had a blast.”
Currie added, “I look forward to getting another flyer and attending again next year.”
RCC student Allan Inestroza builds drone from scratch
This story was featured in the Robesonian and on WPDE / ABC 15.
Story #4 – Allan Inestroza
Allan Inestroza built an FPV drone that can go up to 200 miles per hour as his project for the capstone course in his Industrial Technologies class.
The drone comes complete with a flight controller, electronic speed controller, motors, frame, propellers, batteries, receiver, and GPS board.
And if that’s not enough, as he built it, he also installed a video transmitter, attaching a Go-Pro video camera, connected to special goggles that he wears to fly it. The camera transmits the video to the goggles.
He also added software to program the flight controller “because you have to tell the drone exactly what type of components you have and what type of communication they are receiving and sending.”
“This is my final year,” said Inestroza. “This project was very fun… I wanted to make a drone, it is a hobby just to record video, and this is something that I wanted to do.”
“This is just a really fun program to be in, the teachers are great, they teach you how to take complex systems and turn them into simpler problems… I feel like I was really prepared to make something like this.”
“At first I thought it was going to be really tough,” said Inestrova. “You just have to do your job… You have to put the work in and do the research prior because research is everything in trying to find out exactly what to do and then doing it.”
Joining National Guard gave RCC’s Makayla Hunt purpose, stability
This story was featured in the Robesonian and on EdNC.
Story #5 – Makayla Hunt
Makayla Hunt serves in the North Carolina National Guard and in 2022, she graduated from Robeson Community College. At any moment in time, she knows she can be deployed and had several instances where she missed classes when she received orders to deploy for training or to assist in a natural disaster.
Why RCC?
“Whenever it came to me being in North Carolina and having to leave a moment’s notice, my teachers were very understanding after giving them copies of my orders. They worked with me and gave me ample time to complete the assignments.”
“I just feel like they really wanted to see me succeed, like they understood and supported me.”
Makayla says that choosing a college that is supportive is something all active-duty military members and veterans should look for when considering a school to attend.
“Education is the one thing people cannot take from you,” said Makayla. “The military will work with you and get you the resources you need, as far as education goes. Always pick a school willing to work with you and your military schedule. Pick a school that is military-friendly and who supports military and veterans.”
Makayla adds, “RCC is military-friendly, they have always been supportive of me.”
Makayla says that only 1% of the population goes into the military in the United States. It’s a calling that only a select few are willing to accept.
“I am glad that I have taken the road less traveled, I have pushed forward, my soldiers look up to me because now I am a leader. I would not be the person that I am today without the military training and the discipline I have received.”
No matter what the future holds for Makayla, she says she is ready, prepared, and most of all proud to serve her country, saying, “if the Army needs me for anything, I’ll go.”
2nd Battle of the Butts competition held at RCC
This story was featured in the Robesonian and in the Bladen Journal.
Story #6 – Hannah Hopkins
Hannah Hopkins is a culinary arts student at RCC and she was named the 2022 winner of the “Battle of the Butts” competition. Hannah’s Carolina Gold sauce and rub, a mustard-base sauce, that she prepared was a hit with the judges.
Hopkins says her inspiration came from wanting to change things up a bit.
“Growing up, I never liked Carolina vinegar-based sauce, but I’ve always liked the mustard flavor and honey mustard and I just wanted to do something that was different and not to be expected,” said Hopkins. “For the rub, really what inspired me was that I just went in my kitchen and looked at a whole bunch of spices and just started tasted it and whatever I liked I put it together.”
Ironically, Hopkins says she almost didn’t enter the competition because she didn’t think she had a chance.
“It’s surreal,” said Hopkins. “I honestly, I can’t believe I did win. I’m thankful, I know the rest of them [the students] they all did a good job, and I’m proud of them as well.
Hopkins hadn’t always planned on majoring in culinary, but now she says it was the best decision she made.
“I always loved cooking but never really considered it as a career, but I said, why not just give it a shot? And since last fall semester, I have absolutely fallen in love with it.”
Hopkins says she is looking forward to her future in culinary and after completing her degree, she plans on pursuing two other degrees at Robeson Community College – one in baking and pastry arts and another in hospitality management.
RCC student Ky’aisa Roberts earns $10,000 scholarship to ECU
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #7 – Ky’Aisa Roberts
For Ky’Aisa Roberts, during her search for a college, all signs were pointing to East Carolina University.
Ky’Aisa graduated in May 2022 from Robeson Community College and the RCC early college. She had been dually enrolled. During her last year in high school, she did what most seniors – she started the process of applying to colleges and universities early, with one of those colleges being East Carolina.
“After being accepted by ECU, I was invited to apply for the honors college program,” said Ky’Aisa.
“I got accepted in January,” exclaimed Ky’Aisa. “I was one of 200 students that got accepted into the honor’s program at East Carolina. I was excited. The Honors College is very prestigious, very selective, and I’m honored to be a part of it already.”
With the acceptance into the Honors College also came a $10,000 scholarship.
“I got a Centennial Fellows scholarship into the program,” said Ky’Aisa, who will receive a $2500 scholarship each year for up to four years, along with all the benefits associated with participation in the Honors College, which include a specialized housing; high impact experiences such as study abroad opportunities, internships, and international programs; priority registration, priority admission to graduate programs; and additional advising from peers.
“I’m excited to meet a lot of different people from different walks of life and expand my horizons and learn new things, because being in Robeson County, you are kind of in a little bubble, and it’s a great bubble, but sometimes you get to a point where you need to burst it and see what else is out there.”
And as she does begin to explore the world around her, she has some heartfelt words of wisdom she would like to share, “If you know of anybody that is passionate in the arts, please support them. It will mean a lot to them in the end.”
RCC student Michael Elliott builds remote controlled boat
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #8- Michael Elliott
Michael Elliott graduated from RCC in May 2022 with an associates degree and high school diploma. He designed a remote controlled boat as part of his capstone project for the Industrial Technologies class.
“Vroom, vroom, vroom,” is what you hear once Michael Elliott places his made from scratch, remote-controlled boat in the pond located on campus.
“It can probably go about 70 mph, just because of the weight and the power distribution,” said Elliott.
And from the sound of it, the boat was traveling at maximum speeds, creating a great deal of engine noise as Elliott was revving up the motor.
During the test run, the boat stopped working after several successful runs up and down the pond, but as Elliott stated, “It’s an easy fix.”
“I’ve had some problems with that in the past, just with it getting wet, it’s hard to seal up…When I turned it around a while ago, I got water inside the internals. It isn’t a big deal because everything is waterproof,” said Elliott.
Once the boat was recovered from the pond, Elliott was able to discover the root problem.
“I unplugged it and re-did it. I had a lost connection because it was wet, and now we will see if it will dry out and continue to work some,” said Elliott. “I got in over my head for sure, it was definitely a difficult process but I have made it work.”
Elliott says that even though he experienced trouble with the boat this morning, it is yet another opportunity for a lesson learned.
Heath and Cameron Graham’s story from Father, Son set to graduate, earn associate degrees from RCC
This story was featured in the Robesonian and EdNC
Story #9 – Heath Graham
Heath Graham had completed basic law enforcement training at RCC in December 2007 and immediately started working with the Lumberton Police Department in January 2008.
“I was looking for something more stable,” Heath said. “I used to work in construction hanging sheetrock. It was a day-by-day, week-by-week kind of thing with no benefits, so you never knew when someone would call and say hey, we got work.”
Heath has been with the force for 15 years now and says, “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” and that’s why he decided to continue in that field with his education.
“My wife kept pushing me… I knew the deadline to enroll was coming up so I just said ‘go for it’ of course, I had to get someone to help me get registered and those kinds of things done, and when my wife got home, I was like, ‘Oh yeah, by the way, I’ve registered for RCC’ and she’s like ‘What? I’m so proud of you!”
“I just made a big leap into the unknown,” said Heath. “It was a big step forward.”
Heath graduated in 2022 with an associates degree in criminal justice along with his son, Cameron Graham.
#10 – Cameron Graham
Cameron Graham chose to attend RCC to take advantage of the opportunities through the Early College on campus.
“My brother went here and my Mom worked at the Early College,” said Cameron. “It was cheaper this way for me to attend here and then go off to college so it wouldn’t be a burden on my family so much.”
“The biology classes were very important to me, especially using like microscopes,” said Cameron. “That was one of my favorite parts of class.”
Cameron says that he plans on transferring to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, majoring in his favorite subject – biology – following in his mother’s footsteps.
“Biology is something that I’m naturally really good at,” said Cameron. “I want to work in a lab and become a forensics specialist.”
Cameron says that the choice to attend the Early College was one of the best decisions he could have made, but there were growing pains along the way, as the subject matter stretched him and his abilities.
“At times it was very stressful,” said Cameron. “The Early College can be a lot to handle at once. It is not for the faint at heart, but it is worth it in the end. Especially when you walk across that stage, that’s why it’s a very important moment for most of us.”
Cameron graduated in May 2022 with a high school diploma and associate degree, alongside with his father Heath.
2022 RCC grad Corina Brown pays tribute to Grandmother
This story was featured in the Robesonian and on WFXB
Story #11 – Corina Brown
For years Corina Brown struggled trying to find her purpose.
“I’ve always wanted to go medical. I actually started off going to veterinary school, but graduate school is pretty expensive. It didn’t pan out. I also had a love for teaching as well,” said Corina. “That’s why my second-choice degree was actually teaching and I was trying so hard to be a public-school teacher and even when I was subbing, all of my insides were like, this is not it. And I was like, this is gonna be it. I’m going to make it my it, and it didn’t end up being that.”
Corina says she felt like she was trying to force square pegs in round holes. She just couldn’t find the one thing that she loved and wanted to spend her life doing.
“The whole time my parents were like, you’d be a great nurse. You’d be a great nurse. And I didn’t really believe it. And then I was like, you know what, let’s try it.”
And that’s when she discovered Robeson Community College.
“I was working at Starbucks the first time that I heard about RCC’s nursing program. There was actually a former nursing student sitting in the Starbucks and I made conversation with her and she said that she loved the program. And then when I asked my coworkers, they were talking about how much they’ve heard about RCC’s nursing program. And they said it was like the best in the state. So it was serendipitous that it was only 10 minutes away from my house.”
“Within the first week, I fell in love with it. After my first clinical, I was like, there’s medicine, there’s teaching, there’s interaction with patients, this is definitely my calling and what I need to be doing with my life.”
Corina graduated in May 2022 with an associate degree in nursing.
RCC Grad Krystal Clark named 2022 Academic Excellence Award Winner
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #12 – Krystal Clark
When Krystal Clark started on her journey to Robeson Community College, she says she didn’t quite know what to expect, but she just knew that this was where she needed to be.
“It was a new environment for me,” said Krystal. “I was always interested in the medical field, so I said let me try nursing. Everyone always says that nursing is really hard, but I’m the type of person that really loves a challenge.”
Krystal came to RCC as a licensed practical nurse seeking more opportunities through the registered nurse credential. Although she could have opted for the bridge program at RCC, she actually wanted to start over.
“I started from the beginning and I just succeeded,” said Krystal.
Little did Krystal know at the time she enrolled, that in just two years, she would be named the 2022 North Carolina Community College Academic Excellence Winner, a distinct honor that is only given to one student per year from each of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina.
“I was very surprised at first because I know a lot of people were applying to win, so I was just very ecstatic that I won. I could not stop smiling,” said Krystal. “It was the best experience I have ever been able to feel, to be recognized out of the entire graduating class and to win the award. I was nervous going on stage like I was shaking.”
“I knew that I had made my family proud.”
“I started my journey with many obstacles,” said Krystal. “Before becoming a nurse, I was living paycheck to paycheck and it is hard. As a single parent and first-generation student, I was unsure if an education beyond high school was even an option for me. I did not know how I would be able to afford tuition, books, childcare, and other expenses associated with school. However, thanks to my advisor and other staff at RCC, I was shown that my dream could become a reality.”
Krystal says she’s had many job offers, many locally, and she has even been offered a job as far away as Augusta, Georgia.
“Before, I wasn’t really thinking outside the box, but coming to Robeson and being open to all this opportunity… it just makes me want to go forward and has changed the way I view things.”
Krystal wants to continue with her education and hopes to one day obtain a doctorate degree in nursing and become a nurse practitioner.
“I can definitely say that time brings about a change.”
RCC Alum Meredith Malinsky overcomes obstacles, becomes Certified Professional Coder
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #13 – Meredith Malinsky
When Meredith Malinsky was 18 years old, she set off to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She dreamed of becoming a professional writer and moving to New York City to become immersed in the arts, the lights and sounds, and the culture of the Big Apple.
But Meredith’s time at UNC was short-lived. She became very sick and returned home to seek treatment. Unfortunately, she never got to the point to where she could go back to UNC.
At the age of 38, Meredith was finally healthy enough to go back to school and she selected to attend Robeson Community College.
“I was very indecisive at first,” said Meredith. “I could not decide upon my path and the time was approaching at a point in my life where I needed to make a decision.”
“I wanted a career; a career has always been important to me. I was at a crossroads, and that’s how I chose medical coding,” she said.
Meredith graduated from the Medical Office Administration – Medical Billing and Coding associate degree program at RCC in 2021. It’s a program that prepares individuals for employment in various medical office settings with an emphasis placed on medical billing and coding in preparing students for the national exam – the Certified Professional Coder Exam. It’s an exam that Meredith recently passed with flying colors earlier this year.
“I couldn’t have done it without the help of Mrs. Sheila Harris and Scott Lamm. They were a very big part of helping me through the program,” stated Meredith. “It was quite difficult. I spent several months studying. I ordered all the materials from the AAPC website and allotted time each morning to study. I watched videos, read tutorials and took practice exams,” said Meredith.
With the passing of the certification exam, Meredith has a lot to celebrate.
“Education was always paramount, but I had to overcome an obstacle that kept me from my goals… Sometimes life takes us on a different journey than what we planned,” said Meredith.
Online learning gateway for Madison Williams to earn degree
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #14 – Madison Williams
Online learning continues to be a popular option for students, like 23-year-old Madison Williams, a university transfer student at Robeson Community College, who is working towards obtaining an associate of arts.
“It gives me the ability to go to work, spend time with my kid, once he’s in bed, I can do my classes online,” said Madison. “Even when I’m done with my classes, I still have about 30 minutes to hang out and relax.”
Online classes have been the gateway for Madison to earn a degree. She has a busy lifestyle – she’s a wife and a mother, she works full-time, and now she is attending college. Online classes give her the flexibility she needs to achieve her goals while maintaining a good work/life balance.
With all the options available for distance learning, why choose Robeson Community College?
“I decided to go to RCC because if I ever did have to go in person, it was the closest school to me,” said Madison. “I also know a lot of people who have gone to RCC and they are doing really well right now.”
She says the faculty and staff have made a big difference, too. Recalling a time when she felt like giving up, she was struggling and didn’t see any reason to keep attending.
“I was taking a math class with Vanessa Chavis,” said Madison. “She called me and said, ‘I don’t want you to quit school, at least finish this semester.’”
“If it had not been for that phone call, I would have dropped out and been done with school,” said Madison. “It showed she cared what I did.”
But she says that her time at Robeson Community College has taught her a valuable lesson.
“Something I have learned, in my classes some students are older, some are younger, and that showed me that you don’t have to have everything figured out exactly right now,” said Madison.
Madison said she is going to take it one day at a time, as she seeks to discover the next step she should take in her academic journey, as they say, life is a mystery to be lived, not a mystery to be solved.
Snider drove over 160 miles a day to complete BLET at RCC
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #15 – Daniel Snider
Dedication, determination, and perseverance would be words you could use to describe Daniel Snider, a recent graduate of the basic law enforcement program at Robeson Community College.
Not only did Daniel complete the BLET program with flying colors, but he was chosen to be the student speaker for his class graduation, and he never missed class despite driving over 160 miles to and from school, every day.
“I drove for over 5 months for an hour and a half one way for the Basic Law Enforcement Training,” said Daniel, who lives along the Pender County / New Hanover County line, close to Wilmington.
As Daniel admits, BLET is not an easy program to pass.
“I chose RCC personally, but I didn’t quite know what I was getting into,” said Daniel of when he first started the program. “It’s probably the toughest academy there is, but I really enjoyed it.”
After driving for over 160 miles a day for five months, Daniel says without a doubt, “Robeson Community College was worth the drive.”
Special credit students uncover NC gem: RCC
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
#16 – Alexis Green
Throughout North Carolina, students everywhere are discovering the quality, affordable education that’s available at Robeson Community College. For the academic year 2021-2022, RCC served curriculum students in over 30 counties throughout the state, many of which were special credit students, like Alexis Green from Brunswick County.
“Robeson Community College was the only community college that had the class I needed at the time,” said Alexis, who enrolled in a criminal justice course at the college. “I really liked it; the teachers were really good.”
Alexis plans on transferring to North Carolina Central University, and it was that one class at RCC that helped fill in the gap, making her next steps possible.
“I plan on completing law school,” said Alexis.
Alexis wants to become a lawyer for the Army, and after completing NCCU, she says she’ll have the qualification to be considered a commissioned officer with a rank of L3.
“I did ROTC in high school and I always wanted to become a lawyer, so I just put two and two together.”
Without becoming a special credit student at RCC, Alexis would have had to wait to take the course, delaying the pursuit of her dreams.
RCC grad, Veteran Traven Monroe discovers passion for healthcare
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #17 – Traven Monroe
Asthma. Pulmonary Disorders. Bronchitis. Spinal muscular dystrophy. Cystic Fibrosis. Parkinson Disease.
These are just a few of the diseases, disorders, and viruses that respiratory therapists are trained to treat. But for one recent graduate of the Respiratory Therapy program at Robeson Community College, Traven Monroe, he plans on finding out how respiratory therapy paired with holistic methods can help change the lives of veterans.
“I’m passionate about discovering alternative medicinal treatments for disabled veterans,” said Traven, who graduated this past May.
Traven is a disabled veteran. He served in the United States Marine Corps, completing four years as an active-duty service member and serving in the reserves for another 4 years. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune, living in the Onslow County community of Hubert, a suburb of Jacksonville. During his tour with the Marine Corps, he was deployed to Okinawa, Japan.
The exposure to field artillery exercises during the deployment caused extensive damage to Traven’s hearing and spinal cord, including nerve damage, rheumatoid arthritis, anxiety, and PTSD.
Because of his suffering, he has sought ways to make a difference in the lives of others.
“I wanted to help out other veterans besides myself,” he said. “When I found out about the respiratory therapy program at Robeson Community College, I applied for it and got in,” said Traven. “I have done research and discovered that there are so many ways that respiratory therapy can help with neurological disorders, with cancer, and anxiety through aerosolized treatments using holistic methods.”
“I found out these methods were a healthy way to treat disorders, topical agents, sublingual inhalers, all different forms that I discovered through my research in Respiratory Therapy.”
Traven says the program at Robeson Community College inspired him in his quest to discover new medicinal methods, and to go above and beyond.
“It’s a really good and strenuous program that really sets you up for success,” said Traven. “If you needed help and you took the initiative, the professors were there for you, and that really stood out to me as a student.”
“I 100% would encourage other veterans to attend Robeson Community College,” said Traven, who paid for his schooling using the GI Bill®. He says the process to use the GI Bill® was fairly simple.
After graduating from RCC, Traven found work in Jacksonville, Florida as a respiratory therapist at a hospital.
Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration student earns $10,000 scholarship
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #18 – Noelia Mojarra Pevia
A student at Robeson Community College received the gift of a lifetime – a $10,000 scholarship to be used in her pursuit of a degree in Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration.
Noelia Mojarro Pevia, a graduate of South View high school in Hope Mills, was awarded the scholarship by the North Carolina Healthcare Engineering Association. Winning the scholarship, Noelia says left her a little speechless.
“Well, it kind of made me feel a little emotional and overwhelmed,” she said on being chosen.
In her scholarship application, Noelia wrote, “I am interested in the healthcare engineering field because people ́s lives matter. Treatment is important to patients and it goes hand in hand with the quality of that facility. Depending on what condition the patient is diagnosed with they need for the inside of their room to be a certain temperature. Inspections of systems need to be performed routinely. If something was to fail we would need to get it repaired because lives depend on it… Healthcare touches me because people everyday risk their own health and life to ensure others are taken care of. Without healthcare where would we be at?”
She ended her essay with “The best tool doesn’t come from Lowe ́s or Home Depot, the best tool is your brain and how well you use that tool will open doors you didn’t even know were there.”
As for going into Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration, Noelia says “I decided to go into the HVAC field because I love working with my hands. It’s not the same problem every time … there’s like different troubleshooting behind it so, it’s not the same as sitting behind a desk.”
With big hopes and dreams, Noelia wants to work for a company for a few years before venturing out and starting her own business.
“I want have my own company van, business cards, clients, and maybe get to the point where somebody’s working under me,” Noelia said.
RCC Alum, Chef Nate Jordan living the dream
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #19 – Nate Jordan
If you want to know the recipe for success, look no further than Nate Jordan, a 2022 graduate from Robeson Community College’s Culinary Arts program.
When Nate Jordan first came to RCC, he wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to do with his life, but the day he toured the culinary program, everything just seemed to fall into place.
“My Grandfather said he would never forget my face when I walked into the kitchen,” said Nate. “He told me that I just had a look of joy on my face that he had never seen before, it was just like I belonged there.”
With a growing economy in Robeson County, Nate says that he can see that the tourism and hospitality sectors will only continue to increase in response to demand. “It’s a growing industry, so with that comes a need for jobs in restaurants, food service, and hotel and restaurant management,” stated Nate.
“This is a great time to start a new restaurant or food truck business…. Lumberton and Robeson County it is just a great location.”
Nate says that his time in the culinary arts program at Robeson Community College helped him expand his horizons.
“Once I got into culinary, I saw that it was more than just what I knew. It introduced me to French cuisine, Japanese Cuisine, and just so much that I never thought of before…. The program was perfect, more than perfect,” Nate said.
“I graduated at the top of my class, and I met the love of my life,” stated Nate. “RCC has done a lot for me.”
Single mom of 5, Denise Troy, determined to achieve goals
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
#20 – Denise Troy
A growing number of parents, like RCC student Denise Troy, are deciding it’s not too late to return to the classroom to retrain for the workforce. In fact, they see it as the perfect time to do so and are re-defining what it means to be a college student.
For Denise, a single mother of 5, Robeson Community College has become the gateway to achieving her goal of becoming a nurse.
“When I was younger, I always wanted to help people, but with having a child at a young age, I had to reconsider my goals,” stated Denise, who is now in her early 40s.
While in high school, Denise became a Certified Nursing Assistant and held jobs in home health and hospice throughout her 20s. She continued to move up in healthcare, going back to school to learn phlebotomy through a continuing education course at RCC, which she says helped her in her current role as a Certified Dialysis Tech.
“I received on-the-job training for Dialysis Tech, but learning phlebotomy helped me because many of the same principles carry over into that profession,” said Denise. “I have been in the medical field all my life, but my goal was always to be a nurse.”
In 2004, Denise attended Robeson Community College but had to stop when she had another child. With many of her children now grown, Denise decided it was time to finish what she started so many years ago.
“I applied to RCC, completed financial aid, signed up for classes, and the story goes on,” said Denise.
“I was very discouraged at first about coming back to school, being older, and having to take online classes and trying to get into the nursing program,” Denise explained, as she reflected on how much college had changed from when she initially enrolled and some of the challenges she has faced. “My oldest girls are college students too and they give me encouragement, saying, you can do it, it’s always what you wanted to do, and that I can do whatever I put my mind to,” stated Denise. “They told me to stop making excuses…”
After being back in school for a few months, and conquering her fears, Denise has also realized another important fact about life.
“It’s never too late to finish your dreams or follow your passion, it’s never too late,” says Denise. “The only failed dream is the dream not attempted.”
RCC student Stephen Strickland keeps heritage, culture alive
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #21 – Stephen Strickland
Meet Stephen Strickland. He’s 18 years old and just graduated from Purnell Swett High School in Maxton this past Spring. He’s studying air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration at Robeson Community College and hopes to become an HVAC technician upon completion of the program.
Stephen is also Native American and a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. You might could say he marches to the beat of a different drum – he stands out from the crowd and he’s determined to make a difference in his community.
“People know Native Americans are around, what I’m trying to do is educate them,” Stephen said. “It is a privilege to carry on the traditions and the culture of the past. Today people are more accepting as we freely do our powwows and share our culture.”
In September, Stephen had an opportunity to perform for a group of educators from North Carolina during the PRIMA Conference that was held in Lumberton. He played the drums, and the flute and did a stickball demonstration.
“That was a great opportunity to share with others who had a lack of knowledge about the culture in this area,” said Stephen. “The area that we are in is very culturally rich and there’s so much to learn about the Lumbee Tribe.”
Stephen hopes to continue to work for the Lumbee Tribe as he gets older. He says he would love to become an HVAC tech for the enterprise.
“It’s one of my options that I’m looking at,” Stephen said. “I would like to also start my own HVAC business in the Robeson County area one day.”
RCC student Kristy Blue’s mission to become a cyber defender
This story was featured in the Robesonian.
Story #22 – Kristy Blue
With data breaches and ransomware attacks estimated to surge in 2023, IT experts are in high demand.
For Kristy Blue, cybersecurity is priority number one. It’s her passion and it’s why she chose to study Information Technology at Robeson Community College.
“Every since I was little, I’ve loved computers,” said Kristy. “I’m interested in preventing people from hacking databases and protecting personal data.”
RCC has been great, it is like family,” Kristy said. “They help you when you need it and they encourage you.”
In regards to the IT degree, Kristy says “It is a great program, especially if you are into computers and the routing side. It is a great opportunity for anyone to get into.”
She adds, “I love the staff and faculty.”
“I would like to one day become a programmer,” Kristy said. “If I have to move to get a job in my field, I will, but I would like to see if I can find a job working remotely.”
Kristy says she would welcome the opportunity to work for Microsoft, Apple, or as a contractor for the military.
“You have to follow your dreams,” Kristy said. “I don’t care what age you are, it’s never too late to achieve what you want in life.”
