Start date set for Monty Sullivan, system budget implements Propel NC, and more
A note from us
Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter with the latest updates on community college news and events. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up for the Awake58 newsletter here, and you can find last week’s edition on our website.
This week’s edition is by Molly Steur, a reporter at EdNC.
The State Board of Community Colleges set a start date for interim president Dr. Monty Sullivan, passed a new system budget with Propel NC investments, and more… The NCWorks Commission approved 43 programs across 16 community colleges for Workforce Pell Grants… Plus, nominate a 2027 Champion for Attainment…
Good morning, y’all! I’m so happy to welcome you to Awake58. My name is Molly, and I’m a new reporter with EdNC. I started in June, and since then, I’ve had the privilege to not only write a ton, but learn a tremendous amount about the widespread impact of community colleges in our state. I’ll be attending State Board meetings from here on out, so if you ever find yourself similarly on Jones Street, please introduce yourself.
Last week, the State Board met for its monthly meeting, where they approved a system budget, set a start date for interim president Dr. Monty Sullivan, and highlighted several incredible programs happening at colleges across the state.
After two and a half years of advocacy, Propel NC is in place. Propel is the new funding model for the community college system that prioritizes funding for programs that prepare students to work in high-wage, high-demand sectors. In the system’s new budget, all instructional funding falls into one of four workforce sectors, removing the distinction between workforce continuing education and curriculum courses.
While the Board emphasized that the system budget is “transitional,” Chair of the Finance Committee Lisa Estep also said that it is one to be excited about.
Dr. Monty Sullivan is set to begin as interim president on Aug. 24 while the General Assembly considers his nomination. The new president of the N.C. Association of Community College Presidents, J.B. Buxton, said community colleges across the state are ready to welcome Sullivan, who he described as an “outstanding leader with great experience.”
The system also previewed a new disaster preparedness toolkit, which is based on the experiences of more than 120 leaders across the state. The tool is set to publicly launch in September.
My favorite part of the meeting was hearing from leaders who presented about programs at their colleges. Pitt Community College, for instance, gave a presentation about a program that pairs workforce education with affordable housing — made possible by partnerships across eight different entities.
Students learn to build homes on campus, earning credentials while meeting the inspection standards of professional contractors. Once the houses are built, the City of Greenville moves them to a city-owned lot for qualifying families to purchase them as a part of their affordable housing strategy. Pitt Community College leaders hope that others across the state will replicate their model.
You can read our full recap of the State Board meeting here.
Stay tuned to EdNC for more as the school year kicks off. Thank y’all so much for reading.
Bye for now,
Molly Steur
Reporter, EdNC
EdNC reads
Around NC
Nominate a 2027 Champion for Attainment | myFutureNC is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Champions for Attainment, which will recognize organizations, partnerships, initiatives, and individuals making a significant impact on increasing access and completion rates among North Carolina’s adult learners. Submit a nomination here by Aug. 31.
Join Apprenticeships for America for an event at Forsyth Tech | On Aug. 25, John Colborn, executive director of Apprenticeships for America, will share perspectives on the evolving workforce landscape and the critical role apprenticeship programs play in developing talent. Learn more and register here.
The Bladen-Robeson-Sampson Boost consortium is hiring a director | The director will implement the Boost model across the three colleges. Learn more and apply here.
An early look at how Propel NC will reshape funding at Brunswick, Cape Fear community colleges | The colleges plan to use Propel NC funding to stabilize and grow existing high-demand nursing, trades, and workforce programs, as well as add faculty and support staff where needed. Read more.
Data-informed transformation at Halifax Community College | This blog post from Achieving the Dream takes a closer look at Halifax’s efforts as part of the Building Resiliency in Rural Communities for the Future of Work cohort, including a new approach to advising.
South Piedmont hosts Small Business Roundtable | N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall joined the event, which brought together more than 40 leaders across manufacturing, early childhood education, agriculture, and more.
Register for the NCWorks Partnership Conference | The conference will be held Oct. 14-16 in Greensboro. Each year, the conference draws hundreds of workforce development professionals from across North Carolina, representing workforce agencies, education, labor, state and federal government, community-based organizations, community colleges, and the private sector. This year’s conference theme is “Opportunity Is Built Here – Skills, Careers, Success.” Register online at train.ncworks.gov. The early bird registration deadline is Sept. 11.
Join a webinar on ‘The Agile Community College’ | The Harvard Project on Workforce and Education Design Lab are hosting a webinar on Aug. 27 on how community colleges can position their workforce programs to meet employer and learner needs and shape inclusive regional economies in the genAI era. Register here.
Other higher education reads
Sign up for Awake58, our newsletter on all things community college.