ECC Celebrates Class of 2025

Patrick Heins

Patrick Heins, president of ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, encouraged the Spring 2025 graduating class of Edgecombe Community College to continue learning.

“There are so many things to do, places to go, people to meet, and experiences to have in this life,” said Heins. “So, learn about or participate in as many as you can. Learning and understanding is what brings us together as people, as a community and as a nation.”

The 24-year United States Army veteran spoke to a crowd of more than 1,000 seated in the Keihin Auditorium to witness their family members or friends be among the 483 students who received degrees, diplomas and certificates. Fifty of those students were recognized for completing Adult High School Equivalency and Adult High School diplomas.

Christopher Lacy

Samanthia Phillips, vice president of Student Services, also acknowledged students who earned special recognition after demonstrating high academic achievement and remarkable leadership.

Graduate Christopher Lacy accepted the Governor Robert W. Scott Student Leadership Award, established to recognize a student who has demonstrated exemplary leadership. Lacy received his associate’s degree in surgical technology. In the summer of 2024, he was one of 10 surgical technology students nationwide to be accepted to the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. for an internship. In November 2024, Lacy traveled to the Dominican Republic with ECC’s program chair for surgical technology, Suzi Shippen-Wagner. He had the opportunity to work in the operating room with a team of nurses and doctors who performed nine surgeries.

Payden Kiser

Each year, the North Carolina Community College System honors 58 students for their academic achievements. Payden Barnes Ellis Kiser was the 2025 North Carolina Community College Academic Excellence Award recipient from ECC. Kiser, who graduated with an Associate of Science degree and certificates in business administration-leadership, information technology programming and geospatial technologies–unmanned aircraft systems, maintained a 4.0 grade point average. A member of ECC’s High Altitude Balloon Team, Kiser will attend NC State University in the fall, majoring in mechanical engineering.

Graduate Corbin House was ECC’s Dallas Herring Achievement Award nominee. The award honors the late Dallas Herring, founder of the North Carolina Community College System. House served as a Student Ambassador at ECC and received his Associate in Arts degree. He plans to pursue a degree in software engineering from East Carolina University.

Corbin House

Students with the highest-grade point average in each division also received special recognition. They were Breanna Barbee, Yesenia Garcia, Ainsley Hodge, Payden Kiser and Madison Shortt from the Division of Arts and Sciences. Alexander Ramirez represented the Division of Business, Industry and Technologies. Mark Stauffer, in the Division of Health Sciences, graduated with a 4.0 gpa.

The late Da’Zaih Pittman was remembered posthumously, as two certificates in early childhood education were presented to her family.

ECC president, Dr. Greg McLeod, ended the Commencement ceremony with some encouraging words for the graduating class.

“To the class of 2025, I have no doubt that you will succeed in your respective fields,” said McLeod. “While you are busy achieving success and innovatively changing the world, I know that you will hold dear the values instilled in you here at Edgecombe Community College. Thank you for choosing this institution, and know that wherever you go, we are cheering for you every step of the way.”