The Martin Messenger A monthly newsletter for Martin Community College May 2018 MCC Celebrates its 50th Graduation On May 4, Martin Community College (MCC) celebrated its 50th graduation ceremony in the River- side High School auditorium in Wil- liamston, NC. The capacity audi- Inside this Issue: ence cheered on more than 100 New NCCCS President 2 graduates as they crossed the stage to receive 180 degrees, di- April Trustee Meeting 4 plomas, and certificates. Sigma Six tour boat plant 5 As soon as the students pro- cessed in and were seated, gradu- PTA Pinning Ceremony 6 ate Aylonnah Woods started off Matthews at NCCCLP 7 the ceremony with a stirring rendi- Welcome Jermaine Smith 7 tion of the national anthem. Reverend Roy A. Gray, Sr., Hutchins Reception 8 Marcy Simmons Raynor, Pastor of Cedar Hill Baptist Church MCC’s 2018 Checking on Cash 9 in Williamston gave the invocation, Distinguished Graduate Name the Baby Contest 9 and MCC President Paul C. Hutchins welcomed the audience GED 2018 Graduation 10 Dr. Deryl Davis Fulmer, and introduced the commence- MCC’s 2018 PTK and ABG Induction 12 ment speaker. Commencement Cherry joins school board 13 Dr. Deryl Davis Fulmer, Ph.D., Speaker MCC’s Dean of Academic Affairs, ECSU building partnerships 13 gave the commencement speech. SGA Update 14 Fulmer, who joined MCC in July of 2017, holds a B.A. degree in Psy- Church donates GED funds 14 chology from the University of FFA and 4H at MCC 15 North Carolina-Chapel Hill, a M.S. BGCS Students Visit MCC 16 degree in Cultural Foundations of Education, and a Ph.D. in Urban Foundation Scholarships 16 Education from the University of Vet Tech moving forward 17 Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Let’s Talk About SACSCOC 18 Dr. Davis Fulmer congratulated the students for having the persis- MOXIE logo winner 18 tence, courage, and confidence to Dr. Paul Hutchins, MCC President Campus Improvements 19 earn their degree, and she remind- MCCF Golf Tournament 20 ed them that their journey is not over, but rather just beginning. Martin Memos 20 “You might be thinking, ‘I’m done. Nope. You’re not!’ You’ve closed one chapter and opened another.” She went on to cite the obsta- cles overcome by several MCC Continued on page 2… Martin Messenger May 2018 Graduation cont. from pg. 1… tion, Matthew Swain for Commer- New NCCCS students and reminded all of the cial Refrigeration Technology, President graduates, “While you may think Brandi Michelle Whitley for Cos- this a minor accomplishment, metology, Marcy Simmons Raynor you are amongst a class of for Early Childhood Education, greats!” Mitch Moore for Electrical Sys- “You, like George Lucas, tems Technology, Katlyn Noelle creator of Star Wars, attended Ward for Equine Business Tech- community college. Clint East- nology, Alexia Lynne Binns for wood, Morgan Freeman, Michael Equine Training Technology, J. Fox, Tom Hanks, Hallie Barry, Kristin H. Buck for General Occu- Steve Jobs all attended commu- pational Technology, Steve nity college…. and there are O’Neal, III for Industrial Systems more.” Technology, James Christopher Dr. Fulmer closed her com- Holliday for Information Technolo- ments by thanking the gradu- gy, Kayla Brittany Wilder for ates. “What a great honor that Medical Assisting, Iesha you chose Martin Community Roshonda Leigh for Medical Of- College to assist you in reaching fice Administration, and Kaylee your goals, where we strive to Grace Jackson for Physical Ther- build better futures. You have apist Assistant. On May 1, the State Board of helped us to live up to our mis- The Academic Excellence Community Colleges elected Peter sion!” Award was then presented to Abi- Hans to be the ninth NCCCS pres- Dr. Brian Busch, MCC’s Vice gail Spencer. In her essay, Spen- ident. President of Student Services, cer stated, “When I started at Hans’ experience with higher then presented the program MCC, I was 14 years old, a high education includes 18 years of ser- awards and recognized the Dis- school freshman, and had no idea vice on North Carolina’s two gov- tinguished Graduate for 2018. To what I wanted to do with my life. erning boards for higher education. be eligible to receive a Program At first, I didn’t want to be differ- The N.C. House of Representa- Award, a student must be a can- ent. I started out with two classes tives elected him to a six-year term didate for graduation, have a but it wasn’t enough. Soon I was on the State Board of Community minimum overall GPA of 3.00, taking extra classes and moving Colleges in 1997. He served as possess outstanding qualities in myself ahead. Here I am today, vice chair of the board and chair of cooperation and initiative, and be graduating in May of 2018 from the Policy Committee. nominated by a full-time faculty the Northeast Regional School of Hans earned a B.A. degree in member (advisor). The “Program Biotechnology and Agriscience political science from UNC-CH and Award” denotes a student’s ex- (NERSBA) and MCC at the age of a Master of Liberal Arts in Exten- cellence in a particular MCC pro- sixteen. I will be attending Camp- sion Studies from Harvard Univer- gram. bell University this fall where I will sity. The graduates receiving Pro- be majoring in Nursing.” His election occurred following gram Awards were as follows: MCC’s 2018 Distinguished a 6-month search. A 12-person Devan L. Fields for Associate in Graduate award, which is based Transition Committee reviewed Arts, Mary Renee Angeles for on scholarship, civic engagement, more than 30 candidates. Six can- Associate in General Education, and demeanor, was presented to didates were interviewed by the Katrina Rabeler Potter for Asso- Marcy Simmons Raynor. Dr. committee, and the names of three ciate in Science, Amanda Knie- Busch stated, “Marcy has demon- finalists were submitted to the full per Vick for Accounting, Byron strated exemplary leadership skills board for further review. Hans’ an- D. Horton for Automotive Sys- in and out of the classroom set- nual salary is $275,000. tems Technology, Freda Renee ting.” Harden for Business Administra- Page 2 Graduation cont. on next pg... Martin Messenger May 2018 Graduation Cont. from pg. 2… Raynor’s nominator, MCC’s Early Childhood Instructor Elaine Spellman stated, “When I needed a student worker for our annual KidsFest Event, Marcy was the first to sign up and volunteer. When I needed a student to work with the teachers and children in the pre-k classroom, this student participated Pictured above is Reverend Roy in our work study program. In the A. Gray, Sr., Pastor of Cedar Hill 2016-17 school year, when our Lit- Baptist Church in Williamston. erary and Creative Arts Club need- He gave the invocation and ben- ed new members, this student not ediction at MCC’s 50th gradua- only signed up to join the club, she tion. became the vice president.” The nomination letter went on to say, “When this student complet- ed the practicum student teaching Pictured above are three of internship, she was immediately MCC’s outgoing Student Gov- hired within the Martin County ernment Association (SGA) School System. This student is the leaders. From left to right are: true definition of an early childhood Senator Kayla Wilder, President educator.” Raynor was then invited Amanda Vick, and Senator to be seated on the stage and par- Mary Angeles. This year’s SGA ticipate in the remainder of the leadership has been especially Graduation Ceremony. strong and effective. Thanks to Dr.’s Fulmer, Busch, and all of the outgoing SGA officers Hutchins were then joined by MCC and senators for their service! Trustee Board Chairman Helen Da- vis to confer 102 degrees, 39 certif- icates, and 8 diplomas to 124 grad- uates. Reverend Gray then gave the benediction, after which the gradu- MCC’s 2018 Academic Excel- ates processed out of the auditori- lence Award winner is Abigail um amid their congratulatory family Spencer. Spencer, a resident of and friends. Roper, is also a student at Five Marshalls were on hand to NERSBA (Northeast Regional help make the evening run smooth- School of Biotechnology and ly. They were Dustin Mann, Megan Agriscience) in Jamesville. Johnson, John Gurganus, Katie Harris, and Shameka Best. Mar- Pictured above, from left to shall’s are non-graduating MCC right, are the 2018 MCC Mar- students who have a cumulative shalls: Dustin Mann, Megan grade point average (GPA) of at Johnson, John Gurganus, Katie least 3.75 after completing at least Harris, and Shameka Best. Emi- 12 credit hours. Emily Spivey was ly Spivey was also eligible to be also eligible to be a Marshall but a Marshall but was unable to attend. was unable to attend. Page 3 Martin Messenger May 2018 MCC Trustees recognize Amanda Vick on April 17 The MCC Board of Trustees but Chairman Rick Cowan conducted their monthly meeting noted that an awning would on April 17 at the College’s campus be installed over the café en- in Williamston. trance this month, the elec- The business meeting got un- tronic sign is well underway, derway with a number of policy re- and the new doors should be visions ratified under the consent installed this summer. agenda. Trustee Dwayne Baker re- Among the other topics of dis- ported that the finance Com- cussion were: mittee did not meet last President Paul Hutchins month. However, MCC’s thanked the Trustees for their budget expenditures are on service to the College and not- target for the year. The good ed several meetings he has at- news is that MCC has ex- tended in an effort to familiarize pended 14% of its purchases himself with the area.