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Meet the new presidents of South Piedmont and Rockingham community colleges… Open enrollment for the State Health Plan closes Oct. 31… Learn more about Cape Fear Community College’s drop-in child care… myFutureNC released resources for veterans and their families… Pew Center data reveals that N.C. is the seventh most religious state in the country… New transfer agreement between N.C. community colleges and NC State… Four in five North Carolina families who want to enroll their child in an after-school program cannot access one… Plus, the 71st Annual N.C. State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest…
Hi all, Emily Thomas with Awake58.
Heads up state employees, open enrollment for the State Health Plan closes Oct. 31. This is your chance to review your health insurance coverage.
If members want to enroll in the Plus PPO Plan or need to make a change to dependents, you need to sign into eBenefits and take action. Deductibles and co-pays have both changed since last year. You can read more about open enrollment here.
This fall, EdNC is visiting community colleges with presidents who began their tenure in the last two years.
In this week’s edition, we’re featuring two of the N.C. Community College System’s (NCCCS) newest presidents: South Piedmont Community College President Dr. Stacy Waters-Bailey and Rockingham Community College President Dr. Sylvia Cox.
Waters-Bailey is the fifth president of South Piedmont, bringing over 15 years of higher education experience with her.
When Waters-Bailey graduated college, a career in education wasn’t on her short-list. In fact, the newly appointed president had a whole career in environmental health before dipping her toes in the higher education space. An ad in a local Virginia paper changed all that.
From adjunct instructor to leadership roles spanning multiple institutional divisions, Waters-Bailey says she’s at home on community college campuses. She knows just how integral they are and how they are woven into the very fabric of the community. And now, as president of South Piedmont, she’s committed to ensuring the college is meeting the needs of the community and helping prepare students for the jobs of the future.
Read more about Waters-Bailey and her vision for South Piedmont here.
In May, Cox became the sixth president of Rockingham Community College. She’s a lifelong educator with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and heart for rural communities.
Cox has always championed the role rural communities play in building the future of the state. And she’s equally passionate about the power of education to change lives, particularly among Rockingham’s adult learner population.
Cox said the college is continuing to rethink how they serve adult learners and is adapting academic pathways to prepare students for jobs that will yield family-sustaining wages and meet local workforce needs.
You can read more about Rockingham’s new president here. We will have more presidential profiles for you in the coming weeks.
Scroll down to find additional EdNC reads and more higher ed updates, including a guaranteed admissions program launched through a partnership between the NCCCS and NC State University, a student success story, how states are scaling youth apprenticeship programs, and more.
Until next week,
Emily Thomas
Regional Director of Western North Carolina — EdNC.org
EdNC reads
The first 100 days: Meet South Piedmont Community College’s new president
For decades, community colleges have been lauded as economic engines. They serve a vast array of students while creating a skilled workforce and aligning education with local labor demands. South Piedmont is no different. Serving Anson and Union counties, the college is leading the way when it comes to meeting local workforce needs, ranking third in the state for customized training.
“We are prepared, and we’re looking at how we scale training and programming to meet the future jobs,” Waters-Bailey said.
A commitment to rural communities, adult learners, and the power of education to change lives: Meet Rockingham Community College’s new president
Cox’s passion for adult learners will go to good use at RCC. As of the 2024-25 school year, 56% of RCC students are above the age of 25. Additionally, most students at RCC — 52% in the 2024-25 school year — are enrolled only in workforce continuing education programs, compared to the 36% of students enrolled only in curriculum programs. RCC has a wide range of programs available to serve its adult learners and continuing education students, including many options that are workforce- and credential-focused. To date, the college has 13 career and technical pathways across several industries.
Heads up state employees, enrollment in State Health Plan is open through Oct. 31
New this year, the plan is implementing salary-based premiums for 2026. Rates are based on your current, total salary at the time of open enrollment.
Read more about plan changes and how to access open enrollment here.
How Cape Fear Community College provides drop-in child care at no cost to students
Students at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington can drop off their children for up to four hours while they attend class, work on assignments, or study for tests. The service is funded entirely by private donations from individuals and grants from the New Hanover Community Endowment and Live Oak Bank.
myFutureNC spotlights educational resources for NC military veterans and families
North Carolina has one of the country’s largest military populations: over 100,000 active-duty service members, nearly 800,000 veterans, and an even larger population of military spouses and children. Their transition into civilian life can benefit from educational pathways and resources, myFutureNC said in a press release.
“From Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Coast Guard stations along our coast, the military is a vital part of our state’s identity, communities, and economy,” myFuture said in the release.
Around NC
Religion | North Carolina is the seventh most religious state in the country, according to a data visualization tool released by the Pew Research Center last month. Each state’s religious profile, created from Pew’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, includes four factors: importance of religion, religious attendance, frequency of prayer, and belief in God. You can read more about North Carolina’s religious profile here.
Student transfer | All North Carolina community colleges have now joined Wolfpack Connect, a guaranteed admissions program launched through a partnership between the N.C. Community College System and NC State University, according to a system press release. Through Wolfpack Connect, North Carolina community college students who earn an associate degree, maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher, and meet NC State’s transfer deadlines will be guaranteed admission into more than 100 eligible majors and concentrations at NC State.
After-school care | Four in five North Carolina families who want to enroll their child in an after-school program cannot access one, according to the 2025 America After 3PM report released recently by the Afterschool Alliance. You can read more about after-school care and its benefits in this EdNC perspective.
Student stories | Ahajanay Bolden is a graduate of Beaufort County Community College’s natural hair care program and a client of the college’s Small Business Center. She launched her successful spa business, Bethel Bliss Health & Wellness, in 2024. She now has two locations and is hiring staff.
Sports | Carteret Community College is a new member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) beginning in the 2026-27 academic year. The college will look to sponsor women’s soccer, women’s cross country, and men’s baseball and will become postseason eligible in 2027-28. The college also hired their first athletics director, Scott Lane.
Enrollment | Central Piedmont Community College enrolled 34,000 students across its curriculum, continuing education, and basic skills programs. This marks a 19% increase over fall 2024 and the highest single-semester enrollment in the college’s history. Enrollment in the college’s curriculum programs rose by 13%. Continuing education programs experienced a 55% increase in enrollment, while basic skills programs grew by 31%.
Workforce and North Carolina | At an Axios event, Axios’ Zachery Eanes and Alex Fitzpatrick spoke with Gov. Josh Stein, The Manufacturing Institute President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee, and Wayne Community College President Dr. Patty Pfeiffer about North Carolina’s “secret sauce” that draws in talent. Stein pointed to the state’s affordability as a factor drawing in talent and investment from tech companies, which impacts the state’s economy.
Resource fair | A-B Tech recently hosted a Resource Hub Fall Fair for regional families facing uncertainty with state and federal services. The community event was designed to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. If a state budget isn’t passed by Nov. 1, people with disabilities could experience cuts to their services, according to the Arc of North Carolina.
N.C. State Fair apprentice contest | During the 71st annual N.C. State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest, 26 bricklayer registered apprentices showcased their craftsmanship. The event is hosted by ApprenticeshipNC, the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA), and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Stay tuned for EdNC coverage of ApprenticeshipNC events at the State Fair.
Upcoming events & opportunities | Davidson-Davie Community College is offering a study abroad opportunity for students enrolled in one of the state’s 58 community colleges. Participants will spend two weeks in Bordeaux, France, working, collaborating, and learning with students from IUT-University of Bordeaux. They will be housed in a dorm and attend classes or enrichment activities alongside French students in Bordeaux. Davidson-Davie asks that students’ home colleges pay $1,000 for each student they send. Each student also pays $2,775, for a total cost of $3,775. The program fee includes flights, housing, insurance, ground transportation, daily programming, breakfast, and several additional meals. Space is limited. Schools can request slots by emailing Sarah Wright at [email protected].
Registration for the 11th annual Dallas Herring Lecture is now open. The virtual event, presented by the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research, is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. EST. Dr. Jason Wood, former president of the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence winner Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, will deliver the 2025 lecture, titled, “We Don’t Graduate People Into Poverty: Designing the College Experience Around Student Success.”
Other higher education reads
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