Student Story: Veronica Jones

To culinary arts student Veronica Jones, food is life. 

Before enrolling at Central Piedmont in 2021, Veronica was a law enforcement officer for 25 years, serving the Charlotte community not only in uniform, but also as a servant-leader, stocking food pantries and cooking meals / delivering groceries to the elderly, the homeless, and local families in need. 

"Preparing food perfectly combines my life-long passions of serving others with entertaining family and friends," explains Veronica. "Central Piedmont's culinary arts program is exposing me to new, interesting dishes, as well as different cooking techniques. This aligns well with my future career goals to become a food blogger who shares dishes from across the globe with others so they can learn to appreciate other cultures' cuisines." 

But before she starts collecting stamps in her passport, she has to complete the culinary arts program. That means focusing on her education a mantra that was instilled in her by her parents as a child.

"My mother grew up in the segregated South during the 1940s and 1950s, picking cotton as a sharecropper in Johnston, South Carolina," explains Veronica. "Sometimes, months went by when she didn't attend school. She and my father didn't want the same thing for me and my eight siblings. So, they reminded us daily how 'a lack of education can lead to a life of poverty.' I've never forgotten that saying; in fact, it's one of the many reasons I take my education so seriously today."

With her parents words in her head, Veronica searched for a quality educational institution, that could not only provide her with the learning schedule she needed, but also a financial aid package that wouldn't cause her to break the bank. She found both at Central Piedmont.

"Central Piedmont has a unique eight-week class schedule that coordinates well with my schedule, giving me the quality time I require with my family," she says. "In addition, the college offered me THREE scholarships that have allowed me to concentrate on my college studies instead of worrying about how I'm going to pay for tuition and books." 

That said, Veronica is on track to graduate from Central Piedmont in May 2023, and her parents will be extremely proud yet again. 

Posted in Announcements, Foundation News, Scholarships, Students.

College Named Metallica Scholars Initiative Recipient for Fourth Consecutive Year

For the fourth-consecutive year, Central Piedmont Community College was selected to participate in the Metallica Scholars Initiative and receive $10,000 in funding to support its career and technical education programs.

Funded by Metallica's All Within My Hands (AWMH) and led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Metallica Scholars Initiative was created in 2018 to fundamentally improve the earning potential for students who become Metallica Scholars.

Central Piedmont will continue to use the grant funds in addition to a $10,000 matching gift from the Central Piedmont Foundation to provide direct support for students enrolled in its healthcare career programs who need financial assistance to complete their studies and become licensed healthcare professionals. The goal of the initiative is to ensure all graduating healthcare students have funding to pay for their licensure/certification exams so they can quickly enter the workforce fully licensed/certified.

"The Metallica Scholars program has proven to provide significant resources for community college students looking to learn the skills needed for today's workforce," said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC's president and CEO. "We are honored to partner with the All Within My Hands Foundation to continue to expand this opportunity for community colleges and their students."

Learn more about the Metallica Scholars Initiative at Central Piedmont.

View the complete list of new and returning schools selected to participate in the Metallica Scholars Initiative.

Posted in Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Scholarships. Tagged as healthcare.

Associate Degree in Nursing Achieves Highest Three-Year Pass Rate in the State

Central Piedmont had the highest three-year pass rate in the state -- 98 percent -- along with Alamance Community College, for the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. The state pass rate average is 90 percent and the national pass rate is 82 percent.

Central Piedmont's nursing program is the oldest nursing program in the N.C. Community College System and has graduated more than 3,000 students since its inception in 1965. 

According to the North Carolina Board of Nursing, "A nursing program leading to an associate degree is generally two years in length and is offered by a college that awards associate and/or applied science degrees. The nursing curriculum includes classroom and clinical experiences for patients across the lifespan in hospital, long term care, and community settings.Graduates of approved associate/applied science programs earn a college degree and are eligible to apply to take NCLEX-RN. A Registered Nurse license is awarded upon successful "Pass" on NCLEX and satisfaction of other licensure requirements."

Learn more information about our Christa A. Overcash Associate Degree in Nursing at cpcc.edu/nursing.

For more details about scholarships that are available for students pursuing a career in nursing,
visit our scholarship portal.

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Scholarships. Tagged as nursing.

Parr Center Opens, Features Library Location and Theater

Central Piedmont is excited to announce that the Parr Center, its new hub of student life on Central Campus, has opened its doors!

The 183,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility was built with Mecklenburg County bonds and other funds and 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 59-year history of the college.

The new facility features:

  • the Hagemeyer Library, a 21st-century library including a maker space, podcasting and green screen rooms, and abundant study spaces, both inside and outdoors;
  • a Student Union, with Welcome Center, Admissions, Students Services, Testing Center, Advising Services, Student Engagement, Mentoring & Coaching programs, and International programs; 
  • Academic Learning Center; 
  • a theater with seating for 450; 
  • the Dove Art Gallery; 
  • student commons with a collaborative stair; 
  • food services, featuring Catalyst Coffee Bar, rotating grab-n-go items, and a dining area; 
  • multiple outdoor/rooftop terraces; 
  • six multipurpose rooms; 
  • collaboration/group-study rooms available for use by students, faculty, and staff; and
  • redeveloped quad space, designed for outdoor programming. 

"With its prominent location on Elizabeth Avenue, the Parr Center is destined to become the new front door to Central Campus and its signature building," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president, Central Piedmont. "We can't wait for students to take advantage of this new college resource, designed to transform the way we serve our students and help them achieve their academic and professional goals."

The Parr Center, named for college benefactors Wilton L. and Mary W. Parr and their generous support of Central Piedmont and its students over many years, is located on the footprint of two previous college structures the Terrell Building and the Hagemeyer Learning Resource Center. The Parr Center's positioning allowed the college to expand the size of the main quad and provides striking new architecture along Elizabeth Avenue, the main street through Central Campus.

To see a sneak peek inside the new Parr Center, view our online gallery.

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Campus, Community, Foundation News.