News and Features

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Central Piedmont Community College today announced the appointment of Janet LaBar to its Board of Trustees. The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners appointed LaBar to complete the term vacated by Jim Dunn. LaBar will serve two years, through June 2028.

LaBar is a longtime supporter of Central Piedmont and previously served on the Board of Trustees from 2021-24. During her tenure, she provided strategic guidance as the college navigated the post pandemic environment and strengthened its role as the region’s primary workforce development engine. She has consistently advocated for deeper connections between the college and the business community to ensure Charlotte-Mecklenburg employers have access to the skilled talent they need.

In addition to her board service, LaBar volunteered as a mentor in Central Piedmont’s Ruth G. Shaw Women’s Leadership Program from 2020-21, offering coaching and career guidance to students selected for the program.

LaBar serves as the executive director of the Women’s Impact Fund, a Charlotte-based nonprofit with more than 500 members. Under its collaborative giving model, the Fund has awarded more than $8.5 million in grants to more than 110 local nonprofit organizations.

“Janet LaBar brings decades of leadership experience, a deep understanding of our region’s workforce needs, and a clear passion for Central Piedmont’s mission,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. “Her institutional knowledge and commitment to student success will strengthen our board as we continue advancing our strategic priorities.”

LaBar’s blend of regional business experience, philanthropic leadership, and community perspective will support Central Piedmont as it expands student resources, enhances workforce pathways, and deepens public-private partnerships across the Charlotte region.

As an English instructor at Central Piedmont Community College, Nathan Nicolau reaches a broad cross-section of the student body, including nursing students, automotive students, and those who want to make a career out of writing. For Nathan, communication is at the heart of both every job and the entire human experience.  

"Writing teaches us how to be human,” he said. “We connect with other people, and in turn, we connect with ourselves.”

Nathan has published works ranging from poetry to fiction, non-fiction, and essays, and he has been a full-time faculty member at Central Piedmont since 2023. He also serves as editor-in-chief of The Hammer, the English department's student-only official arts and literature magazine. In 2025, it was honored with a Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) Superior award. The program is organized by the National Council of Teachers of English, and the award was the first for the magazine since its introduction in 2017.

Nathan believes it demonstrates how strong the arts presence is in the college.

“The thing I'm most proud of with this award is that The Hammer truly has solidified itself in Central Piedmont's history, its commitment to student success and expression, and as part of the Charlotte literary community,” he said.

Nathan was born in the Washington, D.C. area but has lived in the Charlotte region for most of his life. In that time, he’s observed a strong literary and arts scene, which influenced his decision to become a full-time writer and English professor. He attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem and received his master’s from UNC Charlotte.

“What I love about the Charlotte area is how diverse we are,” he said. “I have met so many students from all walks of life.”

Nathan began as an adjunct instructor at Central Piedmont in 2022 and was immediately impressed when, in a meeting with faculty, each person expressed themselves openly and demonstrated a true passion for the job and students.  

The students themselves also play a significant role in his appreciation of the college.  

“What I love most about the students is that a lot of them come here because they are driven,” he said. “I think that really speaks to the community college model, where we are open-door and make things affordable. It’s true that this college is here for the community.”

The diversity of the student population is a significant way The Hammer stands out from other literary magazines. It is open to all students across the college studying any discipline. As a result, the topics are as diverse as Central Piedmont itself, a fact noted by the REALM award judges.

Although the magazine can’t accommodate very long pieces, and artwork comes from the juried art show that is part of the Visual Arts program, those are really the only limitations. Any type of poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction is welcome. 

“I don't want it to ever feel strict or like there's only certain things we accept,” Nathan said. “The Hammer will accept anything.”

Next, he hopes to help the magazine have a more significant online presence, while also entering other competitions attached to colleges and building awareness throughout Charlotte.  

“I feel like The Hammer stands out because it just gives us new perspectives on what's going on internally in the students' minds or what they're experiencing externally,” he said.

Those perspectives have now also earned awards. 

Long before she ever held a microphone, Patsy Montesinos was captivated by the stories unfolding on Spanish-language newscasts she watched with her parents. That childhood curiosity has since grown into a flourishing journalism career, where her bilingual background allows her a unique perspective on the stories she covers.

“I've always wanted to tell stories and be able to highlight those that maybe aren't often told,” she said.

Now a multimedia reporter at CBS affiliate NewsChannel 5 in Nashville, Tennessee, Montesinos is quickly making her mark, recently earning three MidSouth Regional Emmy Award nominations. 

Central Piedmont Community College plays a significant role in Patsy’s own story.  

She was born in Concord, North Carolina, but lived in a variety of places in her youth, including Mexico. When she returned to the Charlotte area, attending a four-year university wasn’t an option financially. Instead, she chose to start her college journey at Central Piedmont.

"At first, I was a little bit scared, because I didn't know what to expect,” Patsy said. “But there was a community of a lot of students that were involved in student government or other organizations that I became involved with later.

"It’s definitely a community that you become a part of.” 

Patsy worked at the advising front desk during her time at the college and was an honor society president, among other leadership and academic endeavors.

“I felt like I wasn't just going to class and leaving,” she said.

She studied liberal arts at Central Piedmont, receiving support and guidance from faculty and advisors as she prepared to transfer to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to enter the school’s renowned journalism program.  

She attended transfer fairs and worked with advising to ensure she had all the necessary credits. A Ruth G. Shaw scholar, she received a financial aid package to cover her classes and even some of her books, while working for the rest. Ultimately, she served as the first-ever student commencement speaker for her graduating class in May 2018.

Patsy sees Central Piedmont as preparing her for success before she made the transition to UNC-Chapel Hill in pursuit of her bachelor’s degree. She’d already completed her gen-ed courses, and both class size and quality were comparable once she began studying for her career on the Chapel Hill campus.

“Once I was there, I could just focus on my major and what I wanted to do,” she said.

After receiving her bachelor’s as a Carolina Covenant Scholar, she did a year-long communications fellowship with congressmen in Washington, D.C. She then started her career in news in Roanoke, Virginia. She began her current position in December 2024, and she and her colleagues were honored with three Emmy nominations at this past February’s ceremony.

“I felt really proud just to be in that room,” she said. “Even at my job, I'm the youngest reporter and the only Latina reporter. I always feel proud just being in those spaces.”

Helping people is what matters most to Patsy through her work. That work once felt like an impossible dream, but now, she is recognized for her craft. 

After working as a stay-at-home mom for 12 years, Hannah Watkins was ready to go back to school. At Central Piedmont Community College, she found that teaching was her calling, following in her mother’s footsteps.

“When I first started at Central Piedmont, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew that I wanted to do more with my life,” Hannah says. “I started slowly by taking just one or two classes at a time. When I realized I wanted to be a teacher, I contacted an advisor at East Carolina University, and I started working on the credits I needed to be able to transfer into that program.”

She received her associate degree from Central Piedmont in 2019 and graduated from ECU in 2025. She is currently in her first year of teaching third grade at Steele Creek Elementary School in Charlotte.

Hannah, who is originally from Freetown, Mass., but has lived in the Charlotte area for nearly a decade, utilized full-time online options at both Central Piedmont and ECU. That provided extra flexibility as she raised her three children.

Incidentally, it was her time at Central Piedmont that put her on the teaching path. 

“As I was going through my classes and learning how to be a good student, I saw how important education was,” she says. “I wanted to bring that education to our youth so that they could have a better future, too.” 

Hannah — known to her students as Mrs. Watkins — takes a deep personal interest in each one. Her classroom is bright and engaging, and the class even took a field trip to a Charlotte FC soccer game this year.  

“I chose to be an elementary school teacher because elementary school is where students get the foundation and love for learning,” she explains. 

Hannah’s journey at Central Piedmont reignited her own love for learning as well.

“It was the first time in a long time that I was excited about going to school,” she says.

She devoted herself to being an exemplary learner, taking advice from her instructors and using each class and lesson as a stepping stone toward her goal of attaining a bachelor’s degree. She communicated easily with both her instructors and advisors, who helped her get into the courses she needed to transfer. As a result, transferring credits to East Carolina was a seamless process.

She also received a Pell Grant to help pay for her tuition at Central Piedmont. While at ECU, she utilized a grant from the state supporting future teachers, meaning her entire college experience was very affordable.

Having unlocked her own potential, she is now helping a new generation discover theirs.

“My favorite thing about being a teacher is the students; they bring me a lot of joy,” Hannah says. “I love seeing when they learn something new and have that ‘aha’ moment. It's great knowing that I've made a difference in their lives.” 

• New studio at Cato Campus allows program to serve 200 students
• Expansion delivers high-tech, flexible learning to more students across the region

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Central Piedmont Community College expanded its growing architectural technology program to a second location at its Cato Campus, doubling capacity and increasing access for students across the Charlotte region. The expansion, made possible from the support of an anonymous donor, reflects growing student demand, the region’s construction and development boom, and the college’s deepening investment in hands-on, design-focused education.

“This expansion is about meeting students where they are and giving them the space and tools to imagine, collaborate, and build,” said Dr. Heather Hill, Central Piedmont’s provost. “We’re proud to provide a studio that mirrors real-world practice and makes architectural education more accessible in our community.”

With this second studio, the program can serve up to 200 students. The expansion complements ongoing partnerships in the area, including a 2+2 transfer agreement with UNC Charlotte’s David R. Ravin School of Architecture. This agreement launched in 2022 and gives qualified students a direct pathway to complete a four-year pre-professional architecture degree – students spend two years with Central Piedmont and then two years at the four-year institution.

The new Cato studio, converted from a former law library, features: 

• an open layout with mobile furniture 
• abundant natural light
• high-tech fabrication tools, including 3D printers, plotters, and laser cutters 

These tools complement the program’s emphasis on industry-standard production workflows, including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and computer‑aided drafting (CAD). 

Students in the program also learn industry‑relevant software such as SketchUp, Rhino, AutoCAD, and Revit, ensuring they graduate with real-world technical proficiency.

Beyond the classroom, both locations offer students opportunities to engage with professionals and other students from both UNC Charlotte and Central Piedmont's architecture programs in work sessions and critiques. These experiences help develop soft skills like communication, collaboration, preparation, and critical thinking. Students can network and establish a strong relationship with the existing architectural community in Charlotte.

Students also benefit from opportunities to join the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), where they can build leadership skills, engage in service projects, and strengthen their design portfolios. The program is also affiliated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) and the Coalition of Community College Architecture Programs (CCCAP), giving students access to conferences, design competitions, and professional networking across the field.

“With the new studio opening at the Cato Campus, it’s made attending and commuting to classes much easier,” said Sofia Villaneuva, a first-year student who lives in Iredell County. “My education is much more accessible and convenient than it was before.”

For 21 years, Sarah Wilson has been impacting the lives of students as a career counselor at Central Piedmont Community College. Among her major projects each year is preparing them for Skilled Trades Connect. The February hiring event puts students in skilled trades programs face-to-face with potential employers at Central Piedmont’s Harper Campus.  

“My role with student preparation is helping students feel comfortable with talking to employers about their skill set, whether it is in a 30-second introduction, an elevator pitch, or an interview,” Sarah says. “I want every student to feel comfortable doing that. I want every student to feel really excited about their résumé because they have skills. It's just putting them into a format that's going to speak to our area employers. That's what I focus on with this event, and I do that through a variety of avenues.”

A Charlotte native, Sarah received her master's degree in counseling in Ohio. She then returned to the Queen City, excited to help teach students the skills needed to be desirable in the workforce. She remembers her first day at Central Piedmont and feeling like she “hit the lottery.”  

Helping improve lives in such a diverse student population drew her to the college.     

"Our instructors at Central Piedmont are providing students with high-quality instruction in the classroom, so they are coming out of their programs with marketable skills," she says. “The opportunity to work with them so that they understand how to translate that into employer language and take that into the job market is a really rewarding career.”

One of the many ways she does that is through Skilled Trades Connect, which Sarah is quick to point out is a collaborative effort among faculty, staff, and leadership.

The event has evolved from a tradeshow format in its earliest incarnation to the hiring event it is today. In 2026, the focus is on the five skilled trades housed at Harper Campus — HVAC, construction management, electrical, non-destructive examination, and welding.

The event consistently gets positive feedback from students, faculty, and employers, due in no small part to the human element.

“With all the online applications, sometimes it can be hard to meet up with an employer in person,” Sarah says. “This event allows students to do that. It allows employers to meet our students and our graduates and connect with great results.”

Sarah has developed many relationships through the program. She fondly recalls one event in which a student she had worked with sought her out, eager to explain they were now representing a company hiring there. 

Sarah has worked in a variety of capacities with the event over the years, but her favorite part is what happens beforehand — whether it’s visiting classrooms or meeting with students individually.

“The day of the event is amazing, but I also love the preparation that goes into it,” she says.

In her more than two decades at Central Piedmont, Sarah has been a positive influence on countless students.

“I feel very grateful to have a job that allows me to make a difference in the lives of other people, and it provides meaning in my own life,” she says. “Thank you to Central Piedmont for that.” 
 

Jaison Maxwell, a high school student in Charlotte, has already made a name for himself in the fashion scene. He showcases his work in numerous fashion shows and belongs to the Charlotte Fashion Collective. He studies fashion, design, and digital arts in high school while also attending Central Piedmont Community College through the Dual Enrollment program.

At Central Piedmont, his focus is on business administration and liberal arts. He’ll graduate with an associate degree this spring and attend SCAD Atlanta to double major in fashion design and fashion marketing.

An ambitious learner, Jaison originally hoped to take on a different program, allowing him to take classes for college credit while he still attends Northwest School for the Arts. However, he didn’t have the funds, and his career and technical education coordinator suggested the free opportunity at Central Piedmont instead.

“I was very nervous because [students here come from] all different ages, genders, and backgrounds,” Jaison says of his initial experience at Central Piedmont. “When I answered the introduction discussion post, [people said], ‘Hi, I’m a veteran, or I’m a single mom, or I’m a grocery store worker,’ and I’m a high school student. I didn’t have much to share about my life story.

“I thought that meant that they’re going to be better than me, know more, write more, or get a higher grade. But once I started taking the classes and realized that I could measure up, it definitely lessened my nerves.”

Jaison steadily increased the number of classes he took at Central Piedmont, and he acknowledges it led to some anxiety. Eventually, he created a spreadsheet and learned to plan ahead. Plus, taking many classes online helped.

“Taking classes online through Dual Enrollment has allowed me to pick up and go wherever I need to instead of having to be set to a specific time,” Jaison says.

Jaison also learned there is no perfect way to balance time but rather takes it all day by day. 

“If there are more assignments for my high school, then I have to take more time in high school,” he says. “If there are more assignments at Central Piedmont, then I have to focus on Central Piedmont. If I have to do a fashion collection at the last minute, then I just have to do that.”

He has a very busy schedule, which also includes serving as president of his high school’s DECA chapter. He is part of the Black Student Union, Fashion Club, and National Honor Society as well. 

He says there was no defining moment that made Dual Enrollment the right choice. Rather, he simply started and made the grades to keep going. It all ultimately paid off.

“I would most definitely recommend doing Dual Enrollment,” he says. “It’s helped me so much with not only my high school classes, my GPA, and my confidence with education, but it allows me to have a more flexible way of learning.” 

Central Piedmont will resume normal operations on Wednesday, Feb. 4. All campuses will reopen for in-person classes and events. 

Those on campus for in-person classes and events on Wednesday are encouraged to take care as some walkways may still be hazardous. Students, employees, and visitors should pay attention to signage and avoid closed-off areas.

Students and employees can check their Central Piedmont email for more information. Community members can also follow our social media channels for any future college updates: 

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Central Piedmont will continue reduced operations on Tuesday, Feb. 3. All classes will be shifted to remote learning. In-person events will be canceled, and campuses and buildings will be closed.

During reduced operations, current and prospective students can join virtual lines for many services through the QLess kiosk, including assistance with applications, financial aid, advising, and more.

The college will continue to monitor the weather and provide guidance for Wednesday, Feb. 4 by 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Students and employees are encouraged to check their Central Piedmont email for more information. Updates will also be shared on Central Piedmont’s social media channels: 

• Facebook

• Instagram

• LinkedIn

Daisy Corea always knew she wanted a secure, stable career in healthcare. The Charlotte native found it in the Ophthalmic Medical Personnel program at Central Piedmont Community College.  

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to do something in medicine,” she says. “I’m very passionate about helping people, but I never knew where to start until I got a receptionist job in ophthalmology. I fell in love with everything I saw the assistants doing.”

Ophthalmology focuses on diagnosing and treating degenerative eye conditions and disorders, including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and more. 

Daisy’s desire to get to work as soon as possible led her to the three-semester certification program at Central Piedmont. When she receives her diploma in July 2026, she’ll be eligible to sit for the Certified Ophthalmic Assistant exam. It is administered by the International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (IJCAHPO).

“I really love that everything I'm learning in this program is something that I'll be carrying into my career,” Daisy says.  

She was pleasantly surprised to find that even within her first semester, she was working in a clinic with live patients and putting classroom lessons to use.  

She also had a lot of questions about the administrative side of the program before she started. However, she found the whole experience was remarkably straightforward.

“I didn't have a single question that was left unanswered, and I felt really satisfied with the team that was helping me get started here,” she says.

While Daisy is undeniably driven and focused on her career, she’s also fond of taking advantage of the amenities offered at Central Piedmont’s Central Campus. That includes attending events at the Parr Center or just grabbing lunch and enjoying the scenery.

Daisy is a Merancas Scholar, providing significant support as she attends college and invests in herself.  

“I went through a lot of financial hardships, so deciding to go to school was a big life-changer for me,” she says. “It was something that I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure where to start. I was too afraid of the commitment of having to pay off student loans and student debt. But Central Piedmont really did make it easy for me, and with the security of being able to jump right into the career of my dreams, it's so comforting.”

Daisy is currently interning at Horizon Eye Care. She next plans to begin working full-time at one of the various partner clinics she has rotated through as an intern during her program.  Although she’s unsure where that will be, she’s excited to explore all the avenues ophthalmology has to offer and further expand the skills she first learned at Central Piedmont.

“I feel confident and comfortable with the fact that I’ve secured a career that will last me for life,” she says. “It’s something so interesting, and I'm so excited for the impact that I'm able to make in other people's lives.”