Congratulations to Central Piedmont Community College student Koichi Takara who was recently recognized for outstanding leadership and service by North Carolina Campus Compact, a statewide network of colleges and universities with a shared commitment to civic engagement.

Takara received the organization’s 2019 Community Impact Student Award, which honors one student leader at each school, who has demonstrated a deep commitment to community involvement and an ability to inspire others.

Takara has made significant leadership and service contributions both inside and outside the Central Piedmont community since becoming a student in 2018. He is a Foundation Scholar for Peer Mentoring, was elected President of the Student Government Association, and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Rotaract, and the NC Scholars of Global Distinction program.

As SGA Student Body President, he not only leads the constitutional revision committee to address the needs of the student body, but also strives to engage all six of the college’s campuses by boosting student engagement in the many opportunities and campus organizations the college offers. His efforts have resulted in more students being involved civically and adopting leadership roles.

Says Jesse Bennett, the director of service-learning at Central Piedmont who nominated Takara for the award, “Koichi’s approach is always enthusiastic and compassionate. He possesses a willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise on a wide array of subject matter.”

Takara, a Huntersville resident, plans to major in political science and international relations and eventually attend law school after completing his associate in arts degree at Central Piedmont.

A donor who wishes to remain anonymous has made a significant gift commitment to Central Piedmont Community College to support the creation of a new Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. The center will advance the best practices of impactful teaching at the college to inspire, guide, and support instructors in the key areas of pedagogy, course content and information delivery.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Central Piedmont will facilitate the professional development of the college’s full- and part-time faculty, with the goal of enriching students’ learning and overall educational experience, motivating them to persist and complete their programs of study.

The gift to help create the center comes as part of Central Piedmont’s ongoing “Powering a Stronger Future” campaign. The five-year fundraising effort seeks to raise $40 million – the most ambitious and comprehensive campaign in the college’s 56-year history. The campaign will run through June 2022, and has raised more than $23.5 million to date.

The center’s focus areas will include:

• developing pedagogy that is inclusive, equitable, and centered on student learning and success,
• using technological tools and resources to enhance classroom teaching,
• encouraging and supporting instructional innovation,
• furthering the continued growth and instructional effectiveness of all faculty,
• fostering and disseminating strategies that improve classroom experiences for students,
• promoting the ongoing assessment of teaching strategies and student learning, and
• developing instructional content and methods that promote critical thinking and skills needed for careers and further education.

Current programming plans for the center include:

• conducting workshops for instructors,
• sponsoring guest speakers to share best practices,
• providing semester-long orientation and training programs for new instructors and skills-refreshment programs for established faculty,
• establishing mentoring relationships for new instructors with successful classroom instructors,
• conducting training sessions focused on the needs of part-time instructors, and
• sharing scholarly research and articles related to best practices in classroom teaching and learning.

“The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will be a permanent resource and catalyst for instructional excellence at Central Piedmont,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. “The center will be based on Central Campus, but it will serve instructors and offer programming at all of the college’s campuses.  The center will be critical to ensuring outstanding classroom instruction and learning for all of our students.”

The college will hold a ceremony to dedicate the center during the 2020 spring semester. 

Congratulations to Central Piedmont alumnus and 2018 Hagemeyer Award winner Chris Coleman for winning Food Network's "Chopped!"

We are so proud of our alumni and all that they are doing to conquer possibility.

Read the complete Charlotte Observer article.

Representatives from Central Piedmont Community College and Junior Achievement of the Central Carolinas gathered at the organization’s JA Finance Park® at the JA TowneBank Opportunity headquarters in Camp North End to participate in a special ribbon-cutting event to welcome Central Piedmont to the space.

JA Finance Park® and JA BizTown® are two programs spearheaded by Junior Achievement USA to prepare young people for the real world by teaching them how to follow a monthly budget, understand the actual “costs of living,” and think critically and solve problems. In addition, students are asked to make decisions regarding housing, transportation, education, insurance, and more.

JA of the Carolinas recently launched these two programs in the Charlotte area, creating a simulated town that helps students (grades 4-12) connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world. During their visit to the “town,” students have the opportunity to visit a variety of storefronts, including  SunTrust, Publix, AT&T, Equifax, and many more.

The Central Piedmont space is overseen by part-time Central Piedmont employees who are on-site to not only educate students on the different educational paths available to them, but also to help high school students apply to the college for free and assist them with filling out their financial aid applications.

This is an exciting partnership with Central Piedmont and the Junior League. Central Piedmont is the first community college in the country to participate in these national programs, which strive to instill sound financial literacy and money management skills in today’s youth so they may succeed in the future.

Learn more about JA Finance Park® and JA Biztown®.

Central Piedmont alumna Desiree Kinker, a chef at one of the tailgating groups at the Panthers' games, talks about her life transition from a recovering drug addict to a tailgating star in this Nov. 8 Charlotte Observer article. 

Read how Desiree, a graduate of the college's culinary arts program, is using her Central Piedmont education to conquer possibility.

Last month, Central Piedmont Model United Nations Club members attended the UNC Carolinas Conference, together with high schools and colleges from across North Carolina. The event gave the college’s first-time and returning Central Piedmont Model United Nations delegates the opportunity to further develop their negotiating, problem solving, and public speaking skills within each committee. 

Students researched, debated, and wrote mock UN resolutions at the conference about a variety of current global topics, such as gender and the role of women in disarmament, the effects of global warming on human health, the rising tensions between China and the U.S., and preventing spillover violence from the Sudan conflict.

“I learned about topics I otherwise would not have been aware of beforehand,” said Returning Model UN member Yasmine Outtara.

Three of the newer members of the Central Piedmont Model UN team – Katherine Beekman, Emma Hoff, and Christopher St. Hilaire – were named Outstanding Delegates for representing South Africa in the Security Council and General Assembly 1st respectively.

How to Join the Central Piedmont Model UN Team

Any Central Piedmont student is welcome to join the Model UN Club. Club meetings are:

Central Campus: Mondays, 2:30 - 4 p.m., in Zeiss, Room 3120

Levine Campus: Fridays, 1-2 p.m., in Levine II, Room 1307

Learn more about how to join the Central Piedmont Model UN team.

Upcoming Conferences

Central Piedmont students will be attending two more conferences in spring 2020: the Harvard National Model UN Conference in February and the Southern Regional Model UN Conference in Charlotte in March. 

Central Piedmont Community College has launched the public phase of its “Powering a Stronger Future” campaign. The five-year fundraising effort seeks to raise $40 million – the most ambitious and comprehensive campaign in the college’s 56-year history.

The campaign will run through June 2022, and has raised $23.5 million during its two-year quiet phase.

“The Powering a Stronger Future campaign is about students and addressing the upward mobility challenges in Mecklenburg County,” Central Piedmont President Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer explained. “For those who want our community to thrive and want to make an investment – education is a game changer. Central Piedmont is a great place to help students thrive and be successful in our community. I think there is no better investment for Mecklenburg’s future.”

The Powering a Stronger Future campaign priorities include:

• $15 million to fund student scholarships and support the student emergency fund;
• $9.5 million for student support services, such as academic and career advising, leadership opportunities, out-of-classroom experiences, enhanced disability services, and the Summer Bridge program that helps students prepare for their first semester of college;
• $9.5 million to further instructional excellence through support for programs, equipment and other resources and faculty;
• $5 million for specific programs that foster economic mobility, such as the Accelerated Career Training program for under- and unemployed adults, the early childhood education program that trains pre-K teachers, and strategic workforce partnerships; and
• $1 million for the college’s annual fund to respond to evolving priorities and needs.

Pat Rodgers, president and CEO of Rodgers Builders and a Central Piedmont alumna, is serving as the honorary campaign chair. The campaign chairpersons are Weston Andress, regional president, PNC Financial Services; Linda Lockman-Brooks, president, Lockman-Brooks Marketing Services; and Carl Showalter, president, Showalter Construction.

“Central Piedmont is a solid investment for donors because you see the results. You see the results in the lives of Central Piedmont graduates,” Rodgers shared. “What they carry with them from Central Piedmont is the education of a lifetime, and it changes their lives and the lives around them.

“My time at Central Piedmont was life changing. It meant so much to me to have the opportunity to go to the Central Piedmont of my day. When I look at what Central Piedmont is now and the impact it makes, it is just amazing. I know the impact it had on my life, and I think it’s fair to say, if you live in this community, Central Piedmont impacts your life as well,” Rodgers added.

For more information about the Central Piedmont’s Powering a Stronger Future campaign, call the Central Piedmont Foundation at 704-330-6869.

“Central Piedmont is a trusted entity,” Deitemeyer said. “When this community considers the number of people we need going into the workforce and how we’re going to move this great city to the next level that offers prosperity to all, it’s going to take an education provider like Central Piedmont. So this campaign is about people and providing pathways to opportunity and greater economic mobility and personal success.”

In an ongoing effort to ensure local residents are equipped with the digital skills needed to compete in today’s economy, Central Piedmont Community College has partnered with Facebook to offer a short-term workforce Digital Marketing Certificate program led through the college’s Small Business Center.

According to Burning Glass Labor Insights, digital marketing skills were required in more than 20 percent of the job posts listed across 30 different occupations in 2018. A similar study conducted by Emsi (economicmodeling.com) on the local level, found that Charlotte organizations, including banks and retailers, posted more than 6,600 jobs over the past 12 months that sought candidates with digital and social media marketing skills.

Recognizing the need for more digital marketing professionals in the marketplace, Central Piedmont’s Small Business Center will offer the Digital Marketing Certificate beginning Jan. 1, 2020. Designed for working adults, the six-month program will be offered as a non-degree program. No transcript or college application is required. Mostly delivered online, the program will include seven in-person sessions. The program will cost $2,250, with partial $1,000 and $2,000 scholarships available.

Top marketing professionals from Facebook, LinkedIn, Zillow, Spanx, and others created the program content which will cover a variety of topics, ranging from email marketing and social media marketing, to marketing analytics and paid search/display advertising.

Participants who complete the program will:

• Boost their portfolio with real-world projects, including a digital marketing plan, Facebook ad, email marketing campaign, and more to add to their portfolio
• earn a certificate endorsed and co-branded by Facebook and Central Piedmont
• prove they are top candidates and job-ready with core marketing concepts and practical technical skills

Central Piedmont’s Small Business Center will begin accepting scholarship applications Thursday, October 10 at cpcc.edu/digital-marketing. To reserve a spot or to learn more, visit cpcc.edu/digital-marketing.

On October 2, 2019, the Central Piedmont Community College Criminal Justice Technology department hosted a Town Hall-style question and answer session with Arizona Appellate Court Judge Samuel Thumma. Program chair Jeri Guido and instructor Anne Marie Garmon welcomed the judge to the Levine Campus. Adjunct faculty member Sean Quarmby moderated the event. Students from Central Piedmont and UNC Charlotte were in attendance and asked the judge several intuitive questions regarding law enforcement, juvenile justice, probation and parole, and the law in general. 

The students would later be commended by the judge for their thoughtful questions. One student asked a question relating to one of Judge Thumma's written opinions. It was evident the judge was quite pleased and impressed with this student. Program chair Guido commended all of the students for their participation and attentiveness during the session.

The Central Piedmont criminal justice technology department is planning on hosting similar events in the future.      

Central Piedmont and Junior Achievement of the Central Carolinas have partnered to provide 10th–12th grade students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, charter schools, and surrounding counties with an interactive learning experience about the community college.

Junior Achievement, the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students in grades K–12 about work readiness and financial literacy, will host 50–100 students daily in their Finance Park facility between October and June.

Central Piedmont debuted its storefront location within the facility during the week of October 7. Central Piedmont developed the space to educate students, teachers, volunteers, and parents about the college’s academic offerings, outreach programs, and financial investment.