News and Features

The new “Next NC Scholarship” is a financial aid program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue higher education by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college in the state. The assistance is not a loan, so students will not have to pay the money back. 

The Next NC Scholarship combines the federal Pell Grant with the state-funded financial aid program to form a simplified and predictable scholarship award that is easier to understand and makes education more affordable so a greater number of North Carolina students can pursue a degree or shorter-term credential. 

Qualifying students attending Central Piedmont or any other N.C. community college will receive at least $3,000 combined aid from the state NextNC Scholarship and the Federal Pell Grant if they have a Student Aid Index (SAI) equal to or less than $7,500 and an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) equal to or less than $80,000. For students who meet this criteria, their tuition and fees will be 100% covered. Students can also use the scholarship award to pay for books, food, and housing.

To apply for a Next NC Scholarship, students simply need to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. If students are eligible, they will receive the Next NC Scholarship with no additional forms to fill out. The Next NC Scholarship priority filing date is Aug. 15, 2024, for N.C. community colleges.

To receive the Next NC Scholarship, students must be: 

• A North Carolina resident who is eligible for in-state tuition 
• A high school graduate (high school equivalency completers are eligible) 
• From a household with an annual adjusted gross income (AGI) of $80,000 or less 
• Enrolled in an eligible community college curriculum program for the 2024-2025 academic year
• Taking at least six credit hours per semester (part-time students will receive a partial award) 
• Meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards of the school, the student attends 
• A student who has completed the 2024- 2025 FAFSA, with a resulting Student Aid Index (SAI) at or below 7,500 (once complete, Central Piedmont’s financial aid office will determine and confirm eligibility.)

For more information about the Next NC Scholarship Program and other financial aid opportunities at Central Piedmont Community College, visit the Grants page or contact a financial aid counselor via email.

Central Piedmont Community College will expand its nursing programs to accommodate more students and help meet the need for more registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region.

Central Piedmont will expand its Associate Degree in Nursing Program from 200 to 300 students beginning May 2024. In turn, Central Piedmont will more than double the size of its Practical Nursing Program from 24 to 64 students. The Dickson Practical Nursing Program will add a second start date, giving students the option of beginning the program in either January or August.

By expanding its nursing programs, Central Piedmont will offer two new options for students – an accelerated associate degree in nursing track and an LPN-to-associate-degree in nursing bridge program.

The accelerated associate degree in nursing program will give motivated students who can attend school full-time (up to 37 hours per week) the opportunity to complete their studies in 14-15 months. In addition to the rigorous class schedule, students will need to study outside of class 10-15 hours per week. The program will open with its first class in May 2024.

The LPN-to-ADN bridge option is designed to give licensed practical nurses a path to earn their associate degree in nursing and become registered nurses. The program will span three semesters and take one year to complete. The program, which will include on-campus and online classes, will open May 2025.

“Central Piedmont is excited to offer more opportunities for individuals to pursue careers in nursing,” said Karen Summers, Central Piedmont dean of health sciences. “Nursing is a high-demand, high-need health career field, particularly in the Mecklenburg County region. We look forward to welcoming more students into our nursing programs.”

See the Central Piedmont website for information about the more than 20 healthcare programs offered by the college or contact the college via email.

For information specifically about the accelerated associate degree in nursing program that will open in May, visit the college website.

Central Piedmont Community College held its 2023 winter commencement on Dec. 14, in Charlotte. Approximately 630 students “marched” and received their college credentials during the morning ceremony. More than 1,380 students were eligible to graduate.

Yamileth Navarrete, a new 2023 associate degree graduate in Construction Management Technology, addressed her peers by delivering the commencement address. It has become Central Piedmont’s tradition to have graduating students serve as commencement keynote speakers.

“Just like me, my fellow classmates have conquered possibilities. Some are single parents looking to better themselves for the sake of their children. Others decided that at 30-years old they wanted a career change, or some deciding to turn their life around and go to college after all no matter the mistakes they have made or what life has thrown at them. We all have that motivation and discipline that has led to us standing here as Central Piedmont graduates,” Navarrete shared. “For me, my motivation has been my family. I am the youngest of three girls, or as my dad likes to joke about now that I’m in construction, the closest he got to a son.”

The ceremony marked only the second time Central Piedmont has held a winter graduation. The college hosted its first-ever December commencement in 2022 to honor its graduates who completed their programs during the summer and fall semesters. The addition of a winter ceremony allows the college to celebrate its summer and fall graduates in the same timely way as its spring graduates.

Central Piedmont’s 2024 spring semester classes will start Jan. 8. See the Central Piedmont website for information on how to apply and register for spring classes.

Queens University of Charlotte announced that Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont Community College, has been selected as the 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year. Now in its 38th year, the award and event celebrate female leaders who have made significant contributions to the Charlotte region through outstanding leadership and achievement.

Dr. Deitemeyer brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as Central Piedmont’s president. Her extensive and diverse background in community college administration spans over three decades across North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida. She and her family moved to Charlotte in 2017, when she began leading the college as its fourth president.

“Kandi is a dynamic leader, educator, businesswoman, and now the senior chief executive of Charlotte’s thriving higher education landscape,” said Queens University President Dan Lugo. “Her strategic vision and unwavering commitment to student success have transformed Central Piedmont into a driving force of economic growth for Charlotte while empowering countless students and their families to achieve greater economic mobility. It is a great privilege and honor to recognize her with this year's Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award.”

Dr. Deitemeyer, a community college graduate herself, values the transformative impact Central Piedmont has had on countless individuals and the community. She is passionate about the student experience and is unwavering in her commitment to ensuring student success.

“When I consider the women selected before me for this award, and when I reflect on the distinguished members of the selection committee, I am both honored and humbled,” said Dr. Deitemeyer. “To be chosen as the 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year is such a wonderful distinction. I am so pleased and appreciative to join such an auspicious group of women.”

Dr. Deitemeyer serves on several local, statewide, and national committees. Locally, she serves on the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, Leading on Opportunity Council, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Executive Committee, Charlotte Center City Partners Board of Directors, Novant Health Greater Charlotte Board of Trustees (Vice Chair), Charlotte Country Day School Board, and the Charlotte Regional Collaborative for a Global Workforce.

She is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents. As a commitment to future community college leadership, she serves as an advisory board member for the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University. Nationally, she is a member of the Roc Solid Foundation Board and has served as an executive board member of the American Association of Community Colleges. 

The distinction of being named Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year has been given to prominent figures in the Charlotte community including Diane Morais, president of Consumer and Commercial Banking at Ally Financial Inc; Tanya S. Blackmon, former executive vice president and chief diversity, inclusion and equity officer for Novant Health; Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager; Peggy Brookhouse, former president of Luquire George Andrews (LGA); and Carol Lovin, executive vice president and system chief of staff for Atrium Health.

The Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award will be presented to Dr. Deitemeyer at a Queens luncheon March 7, 2024. To find out more about the luncheon and previous winners go to: https://www.queens.edu/attend/charlotte-businesswoman-of-the-year/ 

The Town of Matthews recently officially recognized Central Piedmont Community College in honor of the college’s 60th anniversary. On Sept.18, the college marked 60 years since it first opened its doors to students and began its work of service to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.

The proclamation, signed by Matthews Mayor John Higdon, commends the college for providing “a robust education to students in a variety of programs, providing personalized and flexible learning that fits what, when, and how individuals choose to learn.” Further, the proclamation states that Central Piedmont provides “higher education opportunities, occupational programs, community education, workforce, and economic development opportunities that add to the area economy and address crucial workforce needs, empowering students with essential skills for future success.”

Central Piedmont’s Levine Campus opened in 1998 and is located in Matthews and is the college’s second-largest campus. Central Piedmont has provided educational opportunities since 1963 the North Carolina General Assembly passed the historic state community college bill. Opening as a fully integrated institution, the college combined the Central Industrial Education Center programs on Elizabeth Avenue and Mecklenburg College on Beatties Ford Road.

Today, with six campuses and two centers, Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, plus an array of non-degree offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls approximately 43,600 students annually in for-credit programs, continuing education, and basic skills courses, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas. Over the years, over 100,000 individuals have earned credentials at Central Piedmont.

Over the next year, college advertising and printed materials will include an anniversary call out, “60 years of serving our community.”

Read the full proclamation.

The City of Charlotte recently gave official recognition to Central Piedmont Community College in honor of the college’s 60th anniversary.

In a proclamation signed by Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, the city proclaimed Sept. 18 as “Central Piedmont Community College Day,” commending the college on its 60th anniversary, which it celebrated on Sept. 18.

The proclamation commends the college for providing “pathways to rewarding careers and avenues to further education,” and serving as “a bedrock institution in the Charlotte community.” Further, the proclamation references how Central Piedmont “works directly with employers across all industries to provide new and incumbent worker training and serves as Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s primary workforce development partner.”

Central Piedmont has provided educational opportunities since 1963, the year the North Carolina General Assembly passed the historic state community college bill. Opening as a fully integrated institution, the college combined the programs of the Central Industrial Education Center on Elizabeth Avenue and Mecklenburg College on Beatties Ford Road. On Sept.18, the college marked 60 years since it first opened its doors to students and began its work of service to the community.

Today, with six campuses and two centers, Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, plus an array of non-degree offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls approximately 43,600 students annually in for-credit programs as well as continuing education and basic skills courses, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas. Through the years, more than 100,000 individuals have earned credentials at Central Piedmont.

Over the next year, college advertising and printed materials will include an anniversary call out, “60 years of serving our community.”

Central Piedmont Community College, one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas, celebrated its 60th anniversary on September 18, 2023. In recognition of this significant milestone, Mayor Melinda Bales of Huntersville, North Carolina, has proclaimed September 18, 2023, as "Central Piedmont Community College Day."

"Central Piedmont Community College is our community's first stop for postsecondary education and workforce training," Mayor Bales stated in the proclamation. "Central Piedmont has provided 60 years of service, connecting the past, present, and future for this community," she added.

About Central Piedmont Community College

Founded on September 18, 1963, Central Piedmont Community College serves more than 43,600 students across six campuses in Mecklenburg County, including the Merancas Campus in Huntersville, which has been operational since 1990. The institution offers various skill courses, continuing education, and for-credit programs.

A Vital Role in Higher Education

Central Piedmont Community College plays an essential role in the regional higher education landscape, offering an outstanding education to citizens. The institution encourages civic engagement among its students, faculty, and staff. 

Proclamation Highlights

The proclamation signed by Mayor Bales highlights several important aspects of the college's 60-year history, including:

• Its role as a critical provider of postsecondary education and workforce training
• The impact of the Merancas Campus in Huntersville since 1990
• The college's efforts in connecting the past, present, and future of the community

"We're deeply honored by Mayor Bales' proclamation and grateful for the continued support of the Huntersville community," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, President of Central Piedmont Community College. "This is a milestone not just for us but for everyone who has been a part of the college's history. We look forward to many more years of service and community impact."

Read the full proclamation.

Central Piedmont Community College has provided educational opportunities since 1963, when the North Carolina General Assembly passed the historic state community college bill. Opening as a fully integrated institution, the college combined the Central Industrial Education Center programs on Elizabeth Avenue and Mecklenburg College on Beatties Ford Road. On Sept.18, the college will mark 60 years since it first opened its doors to students and began its work of service to the community.

Today, with six campuses and two centers, Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, plus an array of non-degree offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls approximately 43,600 students annually in for-credit programs, continuing education, and basic skills courses, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas. Over the years, over 100,000 individuals have earned credentials at Central Piedmont.

Central Piedmont became a multi-campus community college in the early 1990s, with the conversion of the North Area Learning Center in Huntersville to the North Campus, which then became the Merancas Campus in 2011. Four other campuses subsequently opened—Levine in 1998, Harper in 1999, Harris in 2001, and Cato in 2002. 

In 2012, Central Piedmont acquired WTVI, the Charlotte region’s PBS TV station located on Commonwealth Avenue in Charlotte. In 2013, the college renovated and repurposed its City View Center on Alleghany Street to house a new cosmetology degree program.

In 2013, Mecklenburg County voters dramatically supported Central Piedmont, approving $210 million in bonds for land purchases, new construction, and renovations. The college used the $210 million, plus $70 million in other county funding, to add almost one million square feet of new laboratory, classroom, and office space across five of its six campuses. The final project funded by the 2013 bonds proved to be the largest in the college’s history. The 184,0000-square-foot Parr Center opened on the Central Campus in 2022, providing a new 21st-century library, a student union with a welcome center, a 430-seat theater, an art gallery, and dozens of spaces for students to meet, study, and relax.

Also in 2022, Central Piedmont completed its five-year “Powering a Stronger Future” fundraising campaign. The effort proved a tremendous success, raising more than $66.3 million. More than 3,270 donors made gifts and pledges to the campaign, with more than half of the benefactors giving to the college for the first time. Power a Stronger Future opened with a $40-million goal, making it the most ambitious campaign in Central Piedmont’s history. When the campaign closed, it had surpassed its goal by more than $26 million, setting a new, all-time fundraising record for the college.

“We are proud as the college celebrates its 60th anniversary,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president since 2017. “Over the decades, Central Piedmont has grown into a large, comprehensive college and Mecklenburg County’s primary workforce development partner. Even though Central Piedmont is a mature college and one of the bedrock institutions in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, its best days lie before us. We will continually seek to enhance our service to students, helping them find a path to success and a better future for each of them and their families.”

Using its social media channels, the college has been sharing historical facts and figures for several weeks leading up to Sept. 18. Students and employees will enjoy ice cream socials at each of the six campuses during the anniversary week. Over the next 12 months, college advertising will include an anniversary call out, “60 years of serving our community.”

The one-year-old Hagemeyer Library, located on Central Piedmont Community College’s Central Campus, has earned the distinction of being included in American Libraries’ 2023 Design Showcase. The annual showcase seeks to identify and highlight the most impressive new and renovated libraries in the United States.

“This year’s selections,” according to American Libraries, “represent a return to pre-pandemic normalcy and demonstrate a firm step into the future, with physical spaces designed to draw in communities, celebrate local history, and acknowledge diverse natural environments. For these overhauls and expansions, form and functionality reign.”

The 66,321 square-foot Hagemeyer Library is an anchor of the one-year-old Parr Center, the hub of student life on the Central Campus. A true 21st-century library, the Hagemeyer Library offers an abundance of indoor and outdoor study and collaboration spaces for students and community members. In addition to traditional library services, the three-story Hagemeyer provides students a Makerspace, media studios, event/meeting space, family study room, access to balcony seating, as well as designated quiet rooms, classrooms, and faculty space.

The 183,000-square-foot Parr Center opened in July 2022 and was built with Mecklenburg County bonds and other funds. The visually distinctive facility was designed by Morris Berg and Moody Nolan Architects, with construction management services provided by Rodgers and R.J. Leeper Construction. It is the largest building constructed in the 60-year history of the college.

See the Central Piedmont website for more information about the college’s library services.

Thom Tillis, senior U.S. Senator from North Carolina, came to Central Piedmont’s Central Campus today, where he discussed workforce training programs and saw several facilities in which students are gaining high-demand skills.

Central Piedmont President Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer welcomed Sen. Tillis and members of his staff to the college. The group toured Central Piedmont’s machining and computer-integrated machining technology program areas and discussed how students in those programs acquire skills and knowledge that will lead to well-paying, high-growth careers in advanced manufacturing. 

Senator Tillis also toured Central Piedmont’s Leon Levine Health Sciences Center and its many simulation labs where healthcare program students gain valuable clinical experience. College leaders shared Central Piedmont’s plans to expand its nursing and other healthcare programs in collaboration with educational and community partners.

Other discussion topics included new and emerging industry areas that will need community colleges to move quickly to develop training programs and establish talent pipelines. Central Piedmont was delighted to host Sen. Tillis and his staff members.