CPCC names 2012 Co-op Student, Employer of the Year

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) held its annual Cooperative (Co-op) Education Awards ceremony on April 25. During the event, College leaders gathered to recognize CPCC students, community partners and local business and industry that have demonstrated excellence in cooperative education at CPCC.

One such recipient was Nadia Guy of Charlotte, N.C., a CPCC Advertising and Graphic Design student, who was presented with the 2012 “M.E. Hessberg Co-op of the Year Award.” Nadia was recognized for her work as a co-op in the College’s Career Services department where she developed a line of marketing materials that promoted the state’s online job board, developed by a consortium of N.C. community colleges. According to her peers, Nadia’s commitment to the project was extraordinary and she received praise on her quality of work, positive attitude and level of professionalism.

Hendrick Automotive Group also received accolades during the event for bringing great integrity, trust and leadership to the job training process. Because of this, College officials awarded the company the “Co-op Employer of the Year Award.” Since 2010, nine dealerships in the Charlotte area have participated as co-op employers for 36 CPCC students. Of those 36 students, 33 have been hired as permanent employees. This high success rate demonstrates Hendrick Automotive Group’s strong mentoring capabilities and its ability to connect CPCC students to meaningful careers in the automotive field.

Other award recipients included:

Co-op Student of the Year-Honorable Mention: Clark Anderson, Paralegal Technology

Co-op Faculty Coordinator of the Year: Craig Nannini, Electronic Engineering Technology

Co-op Champion of the Year: CPCC Paralegal Technology Department

Co-op Sponsor Award: Compass Group, North America

Student Invitation Design Recognition: Nick Losito, Advertising and Graphic Design

Co-op Students of Merit:

Cindy Avila – Culinary

Ryan Barker – Construction Management

Pamela Barney – Advertising and Graphic Design

Tanya Beauvais – Baking and Pastry
Elena Buzuleciu – Hospitality

Hannah Carr – Culinary

Michael Dellinger – Turfgrass Management

Jessica Dover – Human Services

Irina Englesby – Paralegal

Earl Fields – Paralegal

Latasha Fields – Paralegal

Nicole Gargano – Interpreter Education

Michael Goodman – Computer Integration Technology

John Hundley – Human Services

Michael Lynch – Human Services

Bradley Mesik – Paralegal

Kathleen Murphy – Human Services

John Myers – Hospitality

Gail Oliver – Paralegal

Ryan Richie – Graphic Arts and Imaging

Ashley Robinette – Paralegal

Matthew Webb - HEATT

CPCC’s Co-op program blends classroom learning with practical work experience. Instead of attending class in a traditional classroom, students work with an employer in a position directly related to their field of study, receiving academic credit either as an elective or as a required class.