News and Features

Central Piedmont is partnering with Aviso to provide students, faculty, and staff with a new digital tool to maximize student success and increase retention. It will be our centralized hub to keep students better connected with their success team (navigator and/or academic advisor) and other college resources.

Aviso allows all departments in the college to have a customized, holistic view of our students to better identify their individual needs and provide a streamlined -- and proactive -- way to help them at every step of their college journey. 

Aviso also provides an early alerting system and robust data reporting tools to help us identify students who might be at risk -- early enough for us to most effectively intervene -- allowing us to impact students in a positive way to help them reach their individual goals. 

For students, Aviso will give them personalized access to college resources and easy ways to contact their navigator and/or academic advisor. They’ll get alerts about grades and class progress, and about tasks that need to be completed along their journey at the college. We’ll send reminders about important dates and deadlines through the channels they use most -- text and email -- to make it simple to stay on track and stay connected with their success team. 

“With the implementation of Aviso Retention, Central Piedmont will have the technology-enabled tools required to make a beneficial and crucial difference in the lives of our students,” said Dr. Chris Cathcart, vice president of student affairs. “Student success is not an independent task but instead a communal effort to identify and implement a strategy that best promotes success among our students. Aviso Retention is a helping hand for institutions ready to make that change.”

Aviso rollout and training is underway for employees, and the tool will launch to students during the upcoming fall 2021 semester.

Governor Roy Cooper announced this week the launch of the North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant, a program for eligible 2021 North Carolina high school graduates who plan to attend one of North Carolina’s “Great 58” community colleges starting in the fall 2021 semester. 

Thanks to the new program, high school graduates may be eligible to receive grant funds – not a loan – to cover tuition and fees toward a degree or to attain transfer credit.

Full-time eligible students are guaranteed to receive $700 to $2,800 per academic year, for a total of two years. Part-time students may receive a partial award. The Longleaf Commitment Grant ends at the conclusion of the 2023 spring semester.

In addition, the Longleaf Commitment program will provide matching grants to affiliated colleges to help the institutions expand their student advising, success coaching, and related services to support student success after students have enrolled.

“This is tremendous news for prospective students,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president at Central Piedmont. “The funds provided by the Longleaf Commitment Grant will help our incoming students persist and complete, achieve their academic goals, secure a better paying job, begin a family-sustaining career, or pursue further education.”

Learn more about the North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant, including its eligibility requirements, and get connected to helpful resources.

Contact the Financial Aid office.

On Friday, May 14, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced the following changes to his previously mandated statewide COVID-19 restrictions. This relaxation of safety measures went into effect immediately on May 14.

• No statewide face mask requirement in most settings
• No mandatory indoor or outdoor mass gathering limits
• No mandatory indoor or outdoor capacity limits
• No mandatory social distancing requirements

The Governor’s new executive order is based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.

Effective immediately, Central Piedmont Community College will not impose any restrictions beyond those the Governor has specified. Face coverings and social distancing protocols, while still encouraged for unvaccinated people, are no longer required by the college.

Nothing prevents employees and students from continuing to wear face coverings if they so choose. Please keep in mind individuals should not be asked to disclose their vaccination status or why they are wearing a face covering. This is private information and should be respected.

During this transition time, please be understanding as our employees and students make their decisions concerning face masks on campus. Please continue to monitor yourself for any COVID-19-related symptoms, and stay home if you feel ill at all. Please report if you are exposed to, tested for, or diagnosed with COVID-19 by sending an email to wecare@cpcc.edu.

The Governor and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommend unvaccinated persons eligible for vaccination in the state be vaccinated as soon as possible. All persons in North Carolina age 12 and older are eligible. Likewise, Central Piedmont encourages all members of the college community – students, faculty and staff – to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine by accessing the following resources: StarMed Health, Walgreens, CVS, Novant Health, and Atrium Health.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today, May 14, that he was lifting immediately many of the state’s COVID-19 social-distancing and mask-wearing requirements. In most settings, indoors and outdoors, the state will no longer require people to wear a mask or be socially distant. 

This means there are no pandemic capacity limits for indoor and outdoor spaces. The Governor said fully vaccinated persons no longer need to wear masks in most indoor settings. However, state health officials still recommend that unvaccinated people in North Carolina continue to wear masks.

Masks still will be required in some public spaces such as public transportation, healthcare facilities, and correctional facilities. Masks also are still required in childcare settings such schools, daycare facilities, and summer camps because children younger than 12 still are not eligible for vaccination.

Businesses, retail establishments, and other facilities in the state are still allowed to require social distancing and masks.

Any changes to Central Piedmont’s current social-distancing and mask-wearing requirements will be announced in the coming days.

The Governor and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services strongly recommend that unvaccinated persons eligible for vaccination in the state be vaccinated as soon as possible. All persons in North Carolina age 12 and older can be vaccinated. 

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine by accessing the following resources: StarMed Health, Walgreens, CVS, Novant Health, and Atrium Health.

Central Piedmont Community College hosted multiple commencement ceremonies outdoors on its Overcash Lawn, located in front of Overcash Center on Central Campus, on May 12 and 13, to ensure the celebration of its 2021 graduates was conducted safely and in accordance with NCDHHS and CDC guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The following outdoor commencement ceremonies were held:

• Wednesday, May 12, 2021
  • 11 a.m.: Health Science programs
  • 2 p.m.:  Skilled Trades, College and Career Readiness
     
• Thursday, May 13, 2021
  • 9 a.m.:  Business, Engineering, and Technology
  • 11 a.m.: Transfer Degree Programs
  • 2 p.m.: Transfer Degree Programs

More than 800 students from the 2021 spring semester, as well as the 2020 summer and fall semesters, “marched” and received their college degrees during the first outdoor commencement ceremony the college has hosted in 35 years. (The last outdoor ceremony was held in 1986, on the Central Campus Quad.) More than 2,430 students were eligible to graduate this year.

During the May 12 festivities, Mr. Marco Gallardo Cuervo, who graduated from Central Piedmont with an Associate in Applied Science in Welding Technology degree, addressed his fellow graduates. Ms. Emma Hoff, an Associate in Arts student delivered the May 13 commencement address to her peers.This is the fourth consecutive year Central Piedmont has had student keynote speakers at graduation. 

View photos from the college’s ceremonies.

Central Piedmont Community College will offer an increased number of on-campus, in-person classes during the upcoming summer and fall semesters. The college also plans to offer 1,000 afternoon, evening, and weekend class sections during the fall.

More than a third of Central Piedmont’s summer semester classes, which begin May 17, will include on-campus sessions. The fall 2021 semester will resemble the fall 2019 semester with a majority of class sections being offered on campus. 

With pandemic safety protocols in place, Central Piedmont continued offering on-campus classes in programs that require in-person instruction in May 2020. Now, with everyone in North Carolina age 16 and older eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines, the college will expand its on-campus class offerings to include courses that had been offered primarily online since pandemic began.

The college will continue to follow safety practices, such as requiring masks and social distancing indoors, as long as recommended by the N.C. Department Health & Human Services. By the fall semester, class sizes will be back to their pre-COVID levels; usually 20 or fewer students per class.

“Central Piedmont is happy to bring so many classes back to campus this summer and fall,” said Jeff Lowrance, vice president for communications, marketing and public relations. “Students have told us they prefer to attend classes on campus where they can interact with their classmates, talk easily with their instructors, inquire about services in person, and just gain a better sense and feeling of community.

“At the same time, we know many students will be trying to work while going to school, so the college is making a real effort to offer more afternoon, evening, and weekend classes to better meet students’ busy schedules,” Lowrance added.

Central Piedmont will continue to offer a significant number of classes online for students who prefer remote learning or whose schedules or family responsibilities accommodate online classes more readily.

Central Piedmont’s Military Family and Veterans Services is proud to announce that it has added a SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society to its already impressive list of student clubs and organizations. The Chapter of SALUTE at Central Piedmont will provide veteran students with a rewarding community of resources, opportunities, and support.

“SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society is pleased to be the first and only academic honor society to recognize students who serve their country and community, and who demonstrate outstanding academic performance,” said Karla Schwartz, national director for the SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society. “A Central Piedmont student’s designation into SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society will help distinguish them to employers and educational institutions by signifying their military honorable service, academic excellence, and a commitment to superior success, which can all lead to achieving meaningful employment and educational opportunities in the future.”

The benefits of membership include:

• A certificate and military-style challenge coin commemorating membership
• Access to unique scholarship opportunities
• Assistance with resumes and engagement in local leadership positions
• Opportunities to network, as well as receive and give assistance to fellow student veteran members
• Wear SALUTE Honors regalia to demonstrate academic achievements as a veteran at graduation
• Participate in local and national SALUTE programs

“The Chapter of SALUTE at Central Piedmont will help our student veterans persist and complete,” said Richard Bartell, director of Military Families and Veterans Services at Central Piedmont. “In addition to providing additional scholarships to fund students’ education, the chapter will help them engage and connect with their peers, providing them with the support network they need to achieve their academic goals.”

The honor society application window opens May 2021. For more information on the Chapter of SALUTE at Central Piedmont and how to join, visit Military Families and Veterans Services.

Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center will partner with small business centers in the state’s Southwest region on the 2021 “53 Ideas Pitch Competition.” Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, this pitch competition is intended to help address income inequality and equity through entrepreneurship. Anyone with an idea has the opportunity to compete for cash awards, plus take advantage of training resources, and find social connections to help remove barriers and to launch a viable business. The top prize winner of the competition will receive $10,000 in seed money for a start-up business. 

“Last year, ideas came pouring in across the 10-county region. The community responded, and the response to the ‘53 Ideas’ pitch competition was different. Contestants did not mirror the historical demographics of entrepreneurs,” said Renee Hode, regional director for the NC Small Business Center Network. 

More than half of the participants at last year’s competition were women; more than half of them were minorities, with the majority earning less than $50,000 a year. 

Studies show that four out of five entrepreneurs do not access bank loans or venture capital. Instead, their sources of funding are personal network, generational wealth or connections to networks. The “53 Ideas Pitch Competition” exists to help lessen this inequality in entrepreneurship. 

“Any successful business starts with an idea,” said Lori Thomas, executive director projects and market resources at Central Piedmont. “Share your idea with us, tell us your plan, and Central Piedmont will provide the resources and training to help you make it happen.” 

The “53 Ideas Pitch Competition” is an open call for business ideas from residents across the region. Individuals will have 53 seconds to pitch their idea in the form of a video submission that may be uploaded to 53ideas.com. For open, inclusive access, if someone has an idea but does not have the technology to submit an entry they can visit their local small business center for help and access to enter the competition. 

Judges will review the submissions and select the top 53 pitches. Top entrants will each receive a $50 award, as well as the opportunity to advance in the competition. Training and coaching on pitching, financing, forecasting, and general business will be available to every participant, even if they do not make the top 53. These free resources will be offered by Small Business Centers located at community colleges throughout the region, including Central Piedmont, Cleveland, Gaston, Mitchell, Rowan-Cabarrus, South Piedmont and Stanly. 

After the training period, the top-53 entrants will participate in a closed virtual pitch event, where the judges will narrow the field down to 10. The top 10 will receive $250 each and go on to compete on a virtual stage for the top awards: first place receives $10,000, second place earns $5,000, and third place receives $2,500 in seed funding to help turn their ideas into a viable business. 

To learn more about the “53 Ideas Pitch Competition” or to upload a video submission by the May 31 deadline, visit 53ideas.com.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced today he will ease several statewide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, including increasing the size of gatherings and capacity limits in retail stores and restaurants. The Executive Order will take effect March 26 at 5 p.m. and is set to expire April 30 at 5 p.m.  

“We can move forward with easing restrictions if we do it safely,” Cooper said.

The changes include:

• The gathering-size limit will increase to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. (Previous limits have been 25 indoors and 50 people outdoors).
• Retail stores, salons, museums, and aquariums will be allowed to open at 100-percent capacity (up from 50 percent).
• Restaurants, breweries, and gyms can be open at 75-percent capacity indoors (up from 50 percent) and 100 percent outdoors.
• Bars, conference centers, music venues, and sports arenas will be allowed to open at 50-percent capacity (up from 30 percent).
• The statewide alcohol-sales curfew is being removed. (The curfew has been 11 p.m. since Feb. 26).

The state’s mask/face covering mandate remains in effect. All businesses still must maintain social distancing measures, which could limit the capacity of some establishments.

Central Piedmont encourages all employees and students to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s available to all employees now, as a member of Group 3 through Atrium, Novant, Starmed, and Walgreens. 

A COVID-19 vaccination clinic for Central Piedmont employees will take place in the Worrell Building, on Central Campus, Tuesday, April 6, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Time slots are available. Register for an appointment today.

The vaccine adds one more layer of protection and can further help protect your family, co-workers, and our students. Let’s gain control of the spread and get back to the places and people we miss.

Learn more about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination. Visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov or cdc.gov today.

In the meantime, the college urges you to continue to do your part and practice the 3W’s (wearing masks, washing hands, and waiting — keeping a distance — at least 6-feet apart) until the vaccine becomes available to all. Learn more about the state’s vaccination distribution plan.

In a February 24, news conference, N.C. Governor Roy Cooper announced he will begin to ease some statewide COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The current statewide curfew or state-at-home order was set to expire February 28.

Restrictions being reduced include:

• Alcohol sales cutoff at restaurants and bars will be extended from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Bars will be able to open indoors at 30% capacity or 250 people, whichever is less. The order takes effect Friday at 5 p.m. and lasts until March 26.
• Movie theaters are allowed to operate now at 30% capacity, with a cap of 250 people.
• Outdoor amphitheaters and concert venues can reopen at 30% capacity.
• The statewide curfew for all non-essential travel from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. also is expiring, so restaurants and bars will be able to extend their hours.
• More spectators will be allowed at high school, college and professional sports events. The number allowed will depend on the venue size. Arenas with a capacity of as many as 5,000 people will be able to open with up to 15% capacity, as long as they follow safety protocols.

For more information and resources on COVID-19, please visit the college's coronavirus information page.