RCC’s McPherson featured in Holiday Edition of NCDPS Education Digest
Robeson Community College was recently featured in the 2022 Holiday Edition of Educational Digest by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. The Horticulture program at the Lumberton Correctional Institute with RCC Instructor Jeffrey McPherson was highlighted in the magazine on page 12.
“Mr. McPherson continues to go above and beyond for the college, but especially for the students,” stated his supervisor, Julie Baxley with the Workforce Development program. “I am so very proud to be associated with Robeson Community College, Workforce Development, and the vocational programs at Lumberton Correctional.”
“Congratulations to Mr. McPherson on being featured in this magazine… what an honor, this is awesome,” stated RCC President Melissa Singler.
In the article, McPherson writes about his experiences and the different crops grown at LCI.
“The springtime class differs greatly from the fall class, just as each season varies,” wrote McPherson. “There is a myriad of topics to cover in horticulture. Subjects range from propagation to starting your own landscape maintenance business.”
The students at LCI have planted everything from flowers and sugar cane to cabbage and collards, with guidance from McPherson.
Sugar cane, McPherson says is good public relations.
“We usually harvest between 1,000 and 1,300 stalks of sugar cane each fall,” McPherson stated. “This year we gave about 400 stalks to RCC for all staff… We gave more than 200 stalks to staff at LCI. We saved the rest for my students and me to chew and enjoy.”
For McPherson, teaching and seeing his students learn is what his job is all about.
“I cannot exaggerate my joy over watching each student use a tiller for the first time or designing their My Five Acre project,” McPherson said. “Some are even willing to taste a vegetable they swore they never would eat.”
It’s evident that when McPherson looks at the inmates he works with, he sees the potential they hold, not the deeds of their past.
“I love my job and my students,” McPherson said. “Sometimes there are difficulties, but the good always outweighs the bad.”
One day McPherson plans to retire, but until then, he’s going to keep enjoying his classes and working with the students at LCI.
Click here to read the full article: https://www.flipsnack.com/9EA89FAA9F7/ncdps-education-services-education-digest-2022-holiday-edition.html?p=12
