A note from us
Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter where you’ll find the latest updates on community college related news and events around the state. Plus, a look at what’s trending nationally in higher education. 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.
We rotate who writes Awake58 each week, giving you the opportunity to know more of our team. This week’s edition is by Sophia Luna, a policy analyst for EdNC. You’ll now see Awake58 in your inbox each Wednesday morning.
One quick note before we turn to this week’s edition: The N.C. Community College System’s presidential search committee and State Board will meet on Friday to review and vote on the profile for the new system president. Once approved, candidate recruitment will kick off in earnest. Stay tuned to EdNC for more.
It’s National Community College Month… Forsyth Tech and Carteret Community College share their work on national webinars… Good Jobs WNC launches… Plus, N.C. Community College System announces award winners…
Good morning and welcome to Awake58 — Sophia here.
Since I started researching and writing for EdNC last spring, I’ve had the opportunity to dive into the world of all things community colleges.
What I’ve learned is that North Carolina’s 58 community colleges are, in many ways, economic, academic, and cultural engines that have led the state to No. 1 spots in business and workforce development.
It was no surprise, then, to see two N.C. community colleges recently appear as panelists on national webinars to share their exemplary work.
This National Community College Month, take a look at N.C. community colleges being recognized for their efforts to support student parents and redefine student success.
In March, D.C.-based think tank New America hosted a webinar focused on how community colleges can support parenting students.
“It’s barriers, not capability, that makes student parents leave schools,” said Stephanie Baker, a senior policy manager at New America.
Forsyth Tech was one of 10 community colleges nationwide that New America partnered with to explore the effective ways colleges are removing barriers for student parents.
Shanta Reddick, director of adult learner success and Forsyth Tech Cares, is leading the college’s work, which includes strengthening data collection efforts and creating lasting partnerships with the college’s local Child Care Resources and Referral center — both of which directly informed New America’s 2025 policy agenda on improving child care access for student parents.
You can read a recap of that webinar, including Reddick’s explanation of how the New America partnership helped connect students with free drop-in child care, here. And here, you can find all of EdNC’s previous reporting on child care and community colleges.
Last week, Carteret Community College President Tracy Mancini shared how the Richmond Fed’s community college success rate is helping the college more accurately measure its effectiveness during a webinar the Richmond Fed hosted as part of its Investing in Rural America series.
Basically, the success rate’s methodology offers a more fair and accurate picture of how community colleges are doing by expanding on traditional graduation rates. The metric both broadens the types of students included in the measure and expands the definition of successful outcomes.
“Small but mighty, and amphibious,” Carteret is focused on creating a “habit of completion” for students, Mancini said. In this recap article of the webinar, you can read about how the Richmond Fed success rate has helped redefine and promote success at the coastal college.
As community colleges move into a season of graduation celebrations across the state, it’s been inspiring to learn from the folks working behind the scenes to make our students’ success a reality.
I’m excited to be back in your inbox soon.
Until then,
Sophia Luna
Policy Analyst, EdNC
EdNC reads
Good Jobs Western North Carolina announced, invitation to invest in WNC issued
This week, Good Jobs Western North Carolina was announced. It is a locally led, regionally coordinated, and nationally connected coalition across 23 counties that brings together 11 community colleges, employers, foundations, and regional partners around a shared goal of connecting 1,200 residents to good jobs over the next three years.
NC Community College System announces winners of the 2026 excellence awards
The 10 awards recognize excellence among students, staff, faculty, presidents, and workforce development partners. EdNC’s Alli Lindenberg will be in attendance at tonight’s annual awards dinner and celebration, which will honor these recipients.
Record-high number of high schoolers completed college-level courses in 2024-25, NC reports
In a historic high, 54% of North Carolina’s high school graduates took and passed at least one college-level course before graduation in 2024-25.
National research highlights Forsyth Tech’s success in connecting student parents with child care
More than 3 million undergraduate students in the United States are parents. Over half of those student parents are enrolled at community colleges. Read more about how Forsyth Tech is working to meet the needs of student parents.
‘Small but mighty’: How Richmond Fed data captures holistic success at Carteret Community College
Traditional graduation rates fall often short of capturing the holistic success of community college students. Carteret Community College President Tracy Mancini spoke on a panel hosted by the Richmond Fed where she highlighted how the college is helping to redefine success for its rural coastal community.
NC is building momentum around career and technical education, and these student stories show it
Take a look at the state of CTE efforts across North Carolina, and meet CTE students from Mitchell County, Haywood County, and the Qualla Boundary.
Here’s how NC defines ‘in-demand’ and ‘high-wage’ jobs — and how that compares to other states
As states prepare to implement Workforce Pell, all eyes have turned to a key eligibility requirement: programs must align with “high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors or occupations,” among other criteria.
From application to graduation: How Alamance Community College is leveraging Boost to support student success
Take a look inside the Boost at Alamance Community College, including the college’s unique approach to removing roadblocks to enrolling in the program.
Around NC
Perspective roundup | In these EdNC perspectives, hear from McDowell Tech President J.W. Kelley on efforts to engage middle school students in CTE; learn about Carteret Community College’s L.I.F.E program at the local correctional center; and read about the impact of the state’s Teaching and Learning Hubs from Sarah Deal at the Belk Center.
New research on intent to transfer | This Belk Center brief explores how community colleges are capturing information about students’ intentions to transfer and includes recommendations to support transfer-related initiatives.
University news | The UNC System received a grant from The Lumina Foundation’s Great Admissions Redesign; the $450,000 investment will be used to enhance NC College Connect. Separately, The Hunt Institute convened leaders for the 2026 HBCU Caucus Legislative Summit, which focused on building a national legislative strategy to strengthen HBCUs.
Workforce Pell updates | Now that the public comment period on the proposed regulations has closed, take a look at how colleges want to tweak the regulations. Plus, the Workforce Pell Data Collaborative released this Model Workforce Pell Data Framework; a new article from Education Commission of the States explores if states have the data capacity to implement Workforce Pell; and this blog from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association mentions the efforts of the N.C. Community College System to quickly mobilize around Workforce Pell.
Workforce leaders in the spotlight | Catch up on this PBS NC interview with NCCCS President Jeff Cox, and read this interview with Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina CEO Christopher Chung.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright visits Nash Community College | During the visit, Wright toured the advanced manufacturing and electric line programs.
Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt visits Vance-Granville Community College | The visit marked Hunt’s 13th stop on her Future-Ready Community College Tour.
Rowan-Cabarrus receives national award | At the American Association of Community Colleges’ annual Awards of Excellence, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Okuma America received the award for Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership.
Dr. Kevin Lee installed as Piedmont Community College president | Read this recap of Lee’s installation ceremony, and catch up on our fall 2025 profile of him here.
Spotlight on NC’s health care talent pipeline | A new article from the N.C. Department of Commerce looks at data on UNC and NCCCS graduates.
Other higher education reads
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