ECC Examines the Culture of Change

Edgecombe Community College President Dr. Greg McLeod encouraged the audience to “embrace the culture of change” during his keynote address at the College’s Global Education Spring Symposium held March 14-15.

Edgecombe Community College focused on change during its Global Education Spring Symposium held March 14-15 on the Rocky Mount campus.

Highlighting the theme “Embracing the Culture of Change,” ECC President Dr. Greg McLeod said the two-day event was an opportunity to “examine relevant issues that impact us all.”

In his keynote address, Dr. McLeod spoke about the transitions that have taken place in community colleges. “Community colleges have changed over the years, including our mission and our students,” he said.

“Initially, we were junior colleges. Then, community colleges provided opportunities for returning military veterans to take advantage of the GI Bill. Finally, higher education began to open up to more people beyond those few who could afford to go. Having an open door policy such as we do now, however, does not ensure equity and equality.”

Dr. McLeod suggested that community colleges in general and Edgecombe in particular need to become “student-ready colleges. A majority of what impacts our students’ success is non-academic, like transportation, child care, full-time employment, and food and housing insecurity,” he said. “We have to help students identify solutions and embrace the culture of change for the sake of the success of our community.”

Other symposium sessions focused on the culture of careers, the culture of inclusion and diversity, the culture of the academy, and the culture of technology and obsolescence.

The Global Education Spring Symposium is sponsored annually by the Diversity and Global Connections Committee. Carole Mehle, English/humanities instructor, chairs this committee as well as the symposium. Steve Herring, instructor of religion, geography, and developmental studies, serves as co-chair.