Freeman named VP of Workforce Development, Continuing Education & Institutional Services

Robeson Community College is excited to announce that Eric Freeman has been named the Vice President of Workforce Development, Continuing Education, and Institutional Services.

Freeman has served as an interim vice president for the college since November, and replaces Steven Hunt who left to pursue other opportunities.

“I’m excited, it’s another chapter in life that I’m looking forward to,” said Freeman on his appointment. “There’s a lot of good energy here and there’s a lot of good things happening at Robeson Community College.”

Freeman says he is looking forward to learning more about his role in regards to how it relates on the state level so that he can help bring more opportunities to the residents of Robeson County.

“We’re doing some good things on the state level here at the college,” said Freeman. “On a state level, I want them to know that we want a seat at the table, and that we are willing to be involved the pilot programs when they are launched. When decisions are made that’s going to affect the rural community colleges and the smaller community college, I want to make sure we are involved, because we don’t want to miss out.”

He also hopes to bring more personal enrichment offerings to the college.

“I’m really into the community response programs. Some people call them fun classes, but they are programs to engage the community,” said Freeman, as he acknowledges that not everyone is looking to get a certification or to go back to school.

“I would really like to do some family-oriented classes, like on cooking, baking, and grilling classes that get parents and their children involved,” said Freeman. “I think that’s a piece of the puzzle that I would like to add to our already growing portfolio of classes.”  

Outside of that, Eric says the plan is to continue focusing on what they already do best.

“We’re focusing on our trades, certifications and professional development,” said Freeman. “I want to re-analyze our programs and make sure they are all running efficiently and make sure that we are not missing something.” 

Freeman adds, “I think we’re growing here at college. I think I can help bring something to the table, whether it’s new facilities, new programs. We’re growing student body wise and I’m excited to be a part of that in transitioning the college into a different era.”

From Baseball to Education

“Oh man, that’s a long road,” laughed Freeman who played professionally for the Kansas City Royals as a pitcher.

“From the baseball side, I think it instilled in me the team concept,” said Freeman. “And it’s how everybody needs everybody regardless, you know. It’s just kind of rolled over for me from baseball to my professional life in general.”

And as part of the team concept Freeman says you have to learn to rely and trust others, as you work together.

“You can’t play everybody’s position in sports and you can’t do everybody’s job at work,” said Freeman. “So, I think from a foundational standpoint, that was the biggest thing that carried over from the baseball side.”

When Freeman retired from baseball in 2002, he came back home to Robeson County, which created the path for where he is today.

“Outside of baseball, my first job was at Lumberton City Fire Department. I was a firefighter,” said Freeman. “And a requirement of that job was that you had to become an EMT, so after my first year there, they sent me to EMT school.”

Freeman stayed with the Lumberton FD for 7 years.

“When I left the fire department, I went into the EMS world,” said Freeman, who went on to take positions at American Medical Response in Raeford as a Training Officer and Clinical Education Specialist and McLeod Health HeartReach / AirReach in Florence, SC as a Critical Care Paramedic.

After getting married and starting a family, Eric says he was ready for a change of pace, and that’s when he decided to go into education.

“I was looking for a better schedule for a work-life balance,” said Freeman. “In EMS, Fire, any kind of public safety, you know it’s 24/7. Somebody’s got to be on call.”

Eric says when the opportunity came open with the Public Schools of Robeson County to help start a public safety program, “it kind of migrated into my career from that point on.” He taught at PSRC for a year as an EMT and Public Safety Teacher before finding his way home to Robeson Community College.

Eric joined the faculty at RCC in 2014 as an EMS instructor. In 2015 he was named the Director of the Emergency Medical Services program and in 2019 he was promoted to Department Chair of EMS and Health Occupations. In 2021, Freeman became the Assistant Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development.

During his tenure at RCC, Freeman has helped to build the workforce and continuing education to what it is today. Since serving as interim vice president, FTE for the division has skyrocketed to a 62.9% increase compared to the previous three years. Much of the FTE generated has been through the development of new programs that Freeman has spearheaded including credentials in EMT and paramedic, which is where it all began for him.

“From my standpoint, I think the post-secondary credential for me was a gateway to my college degree,” said Freeman. “It got me into the pipeline quicker, it put me to work, and it put money in my pocket faster.”

“It also opened up the door for me to go back to college and finish my degrees in a profession that I loved,” said Freeman.

In many ways, Freeman is the perfect example of what community college can help you achieve and how earning just one post-secondary credential can change the trajectory of your life.

Freeman started his academic career at a community college and then transferred to a 4-year university, attending college on a baseball scholarship, even though it wasn’t quite what he was interested in.

“I went to Methodist for business knowing I was never going to work in a bank or anything,” said Freeman.

Despite earning over 90 hours of college credit, he did not finish any degrees.

But once he found his passion in emergency medical services, it essentially put him on the road to becoming a leader for Robeson Community College.  

“Once I got my credentials as a paramedic and EMT, it gave me a path. So, when I discovered that I loved EMS, I asked myself how could I stay on that path,” Freeman stated.

“I went back to school and attended Western Carolina University, and I got my bachelors in emergency medical science,” said Freeman.

“I think that’s why it’s important to consider short-term training options. I think post-secondary credentials really allow folks to get on the education path and discover what they love and find out what they are interested in pursuing as a career.”

“Community College gives you a sustainable pathway, at least I know it did for me,” Freeman added.

Freeman is now on the path to completing his master’s degree in Adult and Continuing Professional Education at North Carolina State University, which is something he never dreamed he would be doing today.

“I’ve come a long way from playing baseball to now becoming a Vice President for Robeson Community College,” said Freeman. “But I wouldn’t change any of it for the world.”