New president for Mayland Community College approved by SBCC

The Board also approved allocations of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II funds. The funds are divided across three different areas: adult education and literacy, corrections education and other institutionalized individuals, as well as integrated English literacy and civics education. All 58 community colleges and eight community-based organizations received funding in this grant cycle, according to Board documents, with no changes to the funding formula. Although the grant is on a four-year cycle, approvals were only made for one year due to federal funding uncertainty, finance committee chair Lisa Estep said.

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available to all students by Oct. 1. In the meantime, the agency is beta testing the form through September to ensure its systems are operating properly, the department said.

Students can request access to join the beta test now on the FAFSA website. If a student submits their form during the beta test, they will not be required to resubmit the form for the 2026–27 academic year later in the year. Individuals will receive an email invitation to participate in the test if selected.

In July 2025, Eckhoff left his role as director of CUNY ASAP at LaGuardia Community College to become the inaugural director of Boost at one of the first eight community colleges to implement it: Alamance Community College. Reflecting on his more than a decade of experience with CUNY ASAP, Eckhoff is carrying three lessons with him as he launches Boost:

1. Get data structures set up quickly
2. Establish strong collaborations on campus
3. Foster a sense of community and belonging among Boost students

A simpler way to receive health care is now available to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) students and their families returning to campus this fall. Thanks to a new partnership between the community college and Cabarrus Rowan Community Health Centers (CRCHC), a mobile health unit is alternating weekly between RCCC’s North and South campuses to provide medical and therapy services to the college community.

According to a press release from the college, the unit’s services include primary care, prevention and wellness, chronic disease management, adult medicine, pediatric services, and counseling and treatment services. Students and their families can find the mobile unit on a RCCC campus every other Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Veterans Life Center | In July, EdNC toured the Veterans Life Center (VLC) with myFutureNC. The VLC is a residential facility dedicated to assisting at-risk veterans in North Carolina. Located in Granville County, the center opened in 2020 and has served dozens of veterans since. The VLC is “designed to help at-risk 21st Century veterans and prevent them from falling into crisis — chronic homelessness, incarceration, suicide, or premature death” and aims to provide short-term housing for veterans “experiencing reintegration challenges.”

Early childhood education | In this piece, first appearing in Econ Focus, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Vice President and Economist Sonya Ravindranath Waddell discusses parents struggling to find quality early childhood education at an affordable price, along with the challenges, opportunities, and innovations and policy solutions.

Aspen national network | Four N.C. community colleges are in the Aspen Institute’s Unlocking Opportunities network. After a successful pilot with 10 institutions, the program is expanding to 55 more community colleges that will work to “align their programs with good jobs and bachelor’s pathways, addressing local talent needs and changing student lives,” a recent press release says.

Economic development and partnerships | A-B Tech is seeking a $30 million grant from the Economic Development Agency to build a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing hub for research and workforce training as part of the “WNC Futures Factory Project.” If approved, the college will build the innovation hub on 13 acres at Biltmore Farms.

Martin Community College and Flagstone Foods have partnered to provide custom training for the snack food company’s employees. Funded by NCEdge, the training will cover areas such as safety, continuous improvement, supervision, and leadership, SAP software, OEM equipment, plant operations, and technical maintenance skills.

AI in short-term workforce programs | Beaufort County Community College will be one of the first community colleges in North Carolina to offer artificial intelligence (AI) lessons in their heating and air technician, and construction and building maintenance courses, according to a release from the college.

Seeking instructors | Haywood Community College is seeking instructors for some of their short-term training programs. The programs are part of the “Project UP” grant that was awarded to the college from the Department of Labor and Appalachian Regional Commission. The grant is for short-term training programs and to help people get their GEDs, and focuses on building up the local workforce and offering “opportunities to people trying to start over when they are released from jail or prison,” a recent news article says.

Career connector | South Piedmont Community College is offering a one-stop career services resource for students, alumni, and employers. You can find out more about the program and services here.