Advisory Boards Inform ECC Programs

Norris Tolson, CEO and president of Carolinas Gateway Partnership, delivered the keynote address at Edgecombe Community College Advisory Board Night on February 28.

About 200 area leaders in education, health care, business, and industry joined Edgecombe Community College faculty on the Tarboro campus for Advisory Board Night held February 28.

Norris Tolson, CEO and president of Carolinas Gateway Partnership, provided the keynote address on economic development investments in Edgecombe County.

“Edgecombe County will be inundated with construction workers over the next three to four years,” he said, citing construction surrounding the Triangle Tire plant and Corning facility under way at the Kingsboro Megasite, the CSX project in Rocky Mount, and the Kingsboro Training Center that will be built at the Kingsboro Megasite.

“We anticipate that Edgecombe and Nash counties are on a significant roll, and we will continue to see that for the foreseeable future. We are the envy of the state right now,” Tolson added.

Serving on the Edgecombe Community College Criminal Justice Technology/Basic Law Enforcement Training Advisory Board are (from left) Sergeant Brady Abrams, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office; Bernie Taylor, director, ECC BLET; Sergeant Michael Trevathan, Tarboro Police Department; Rick Basile, ECC criminal justice instructor; Lieutenant Bruce Edwards, Tarboro Police Department; Vivian Brake, superintendent, NC Department of Corrections (retired); Sergeant Scott Hale, Rocky Mount Police Department; and Corporal Rick Miller, Rocky Mount Police Department.

ECC advisory boards consist of professional leaders, community members, and faculty who are experts in the subject area of their board. More than 70 businesses and organizations are represented on the boards.

Advisory boards are in place for 30 program areas of the College, such as Public Safety Training, Ophthalmic Medical Assistant, and College Transfer. Six to ten members sit on each board.

Stressing the value of guidance and recommendations from advisory board members, ECC President Dr. Greg McLeod told the audience, “Your advice directly and positively impacts our programs and ultimately the success of our students in the workplace, and we are grateful for these partnerships and for your participation.”