Trey Lewis
Trey Lewis came away from his time at Edgecombe Community College with a strong tie to the school and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what Edgecombe Community College offered him as a young student, and others in the community.
“I always tell people, if ECC offered a doctorate, I’d still be there. I love the campus and the people,” Lewis says.
Lewis, 25, is the current mayor of Macclesfield and the youngest mayor in North Carolina. He is a lifelong resident of Macclesfield.
He graduated from SouthWest Edgecombe High School in 2010 and says deciding what to do after high school was easy for him.
“I knew I wanted to continue my education. Edgecombe Community College was closer, cheaper, and offered the same general college courses I would take at a state university,” he says. “It was an easy decision for me, to choose ECC.”
Lewis spent two years taking general college transfer courses at ECC and graduated in 2013 with an associate in arts degree. He went on to attend East Carolina University and graduated in 2016 with a degree in political science. He’s now enrolled in graduate school there in the master’s in public administration program.
Lewis says he would encourage all Twin Counties residents to consider ECC. “Why go to a university and take the same classes with a class of 300 and pay more? I enjoyed taking classes with a smaller group of individuals,” he explains.
“I’ve heard some of my classmates at ECU talk about their struggles with large classes and feeling like just a number. If you want one-on-one attention, ECC is the place to go.”
Lewis says he got to know his professors well and has maintained contact with a few since graduating.
After ECC, one educational highlight was a six-month internship with U.S. Senator Richard Burr. Lewis loved the experience of working in politics on the national level, and in turn impressed Senator Burr.
“Trey made an incredible contribution as an intern in my DC office,” says Senator Burr. “Capitol Hill interns have very demanding jobs, and Trey rose to every challenge that he encountered. His dedication to helping the people of North Carolina was apparent from the start, and I am confident he will have a bright future.”
In addition to attending graduate school, Lewis also works at Riverside Veterinary Hospital in Rocky Mount, serves as an elder at Macclesfield Presbyterian Church, and serves on the board of the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce and the Edgecombe County Tourism Development Authority.
“For me, right now, it’s all about building up our community. Too many people grow up in Edgecombe County and then move away. We need to reverse that,” Lewis says. He and his wife Danielle live in Macclesfield.