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THE VOICE OF WILKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
VOLUME 18, NUMBER 6
WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
MAY 17, 1988
Twenty-Second Commencement
May 27,1988
Community College System
Celebrates 25th Anniversary
President’s
Message
The Eddy Merle Watson Memorial
Festival was a huge success. Major
artists from the country music field
came free of charge to Wilkes Com
munity College to perform and to
remember their friend Merle Watson.
Thousands of patrons came to hear
their favorite kind of music performed
by their favorite artists. Over S80.000
was raised to construct the Eddy Merle
Watson Garden for the Senses and to
endow that garden for all time.
Doc Watson, of course, was here
and he performed with his friends with
his full artistry. Not only had he lost
his son some two years ago, but his
wife had just undergone open heart
surgery in Chariotte. But here he was.
That man of such great talent and such
genuine humility performed in spite of
his hurt and sorrow. This was a pre
cious moment in the annals of the
history of Wilkes Community College
when thousands of people were touched
all at once by the heart and sole of
humanity.
Several hundred volunteers gathered
to help. The festival ran for two full
days and all of the needs of our visitors
were met. We thank all of you who
worked so hard on this festival. It was
truly a team effort, well organized and
well run. I am particularly grateful to
“B” Townes. Bill Young, Ala Sue
Wyke, and Ralph Williams who spent
so much time and effort in preparation
for this great event. Perhaps one-
hundred times I was asked about the
possiblity of another festival. Who
knows, it is too early to tell. Whether
we do or not, this one was all it could
have been.
. . . Dr. David Daniel
The North Carolina Community
College System begins celebrating its
25th Silver Anniversary this month.
Legislation creating the system, now
the third largest in the nation with 58
campuses statewide, was ratified May
17, 1963. Since it was established, the
community college system has opened
doors for people of all ages, races,
and nationalities. For 25 years, com
munity colleges in North Carolina
have made a difference in people’s
lives and in their communities. For
many it is the first opportunity to
attend college.
The community college has taught
basic reading, writingand math skills
through its Adult Basic Education
classes. Thousands of high school
drop-outs are now earning their high
school equivalency certificates each
year through their community col
leges.
, While community colleges are
helping those non-traditional stu
dents, many other students are those
just out of high school who wish to
continue their educations in a one or
two year curriculum before entering
the working world. Training is avail
able for practically every career
imaginable from opticianry to furni
ture drafting to law enforcement tech
nology. Many more students attend
the community college to receive the
first two years of a four-year degree
by enrolling in a college transfer
program. Thousands who already
possess a baccalaureate degree are
coming to the community college to
enter technical programs, thereby
learning specific skills which are re
quired in our changing society.
For whatever purpose, more and
more people are turning to the com
munity college for additional educa
tion. which is both personal and
professional.
Wilkes Community College, serv
ing Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany
Counties, has been educating stu
dents for 22 years. Citizens in these
counties have benefited greatly from
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NORTH
CAROUNA
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE SYSTEM
WCC’s comprehensive training pro
gram which has on-going training
programs with such local companies
as Lowe’s Companies, Holly Farms,
Abitibi-Price and Southern Devices,
to name a few.
The economic impact of the sys
tem has made possible a significant
growth in the state’s industrial and
manufacturing base as well as as
tounding growth in technological and
service oriented companies. Through
additional education and training,
the benefits make our servicc area a
vibrant and challenging place to live
and work.
To kick off the anniversary cele
bration, WCC President David Dan
iel, other presidents and administra
tive personnel will gather in Raleigh
for three days of events at the Raleigh
Civic Center and Memorial Auditor
ium. A statewide balloon release at
each community college will officially
begin the celebration. Numerous ac
tivities and events are scheduled for
the celebration from May, 1988, until
May, 1989. Branch Banking and
Trust Company, the majorcorporate
sponsor for the silver anniversary
activities, contributed S50,000 to the
celebration.
The NC Community College Adult
Educators Association is sponsoring
a major cultural project. A quilt
representing the 58 community col
leges, has been designed by a well-
known fiber craftsma.i in Raleigh. A
representative from each college de
signed a square that best portrays
each campus.
Lorene Harrold, of North Wilkes-
boro, volunteered to make the square
for WCC. Her talents were demon
strated well as she captured the true
beauty of Wilkes Community Col
lege. Using embroidery, applique,
and pieces of cloth. Lorene’s square
portrays Thompson Hall. Hayes Hall,
the John A. Walker Community Cen
ter. the Technical Arts Building, the
stone steps, the Ruth V. Colvard
Rose Garden and Fountain, the Ameri
can flag, and the magnificent pine
' tree that stands in front of Thomp
son Hall. Lorene works closely with
the Mulberry Senior Citizens’ Center
and is known for her remarkable
sewing ability.
Bumper stickers for community
college lovers are beng displayed on
carsacrossthestate. All 58commun-
ity colleges have been given a system
flag to display on their campuses and
a special silver anniversary postage
meter is being utilized. Members of
the system may purchase the com
memorative silver coins with the state
seal and the silver anniversary logo
engraved on it.
A slide presentation and video,
honoring the system, has been com
posed for every community college
to u.se. This year, commemorative
Christmas cards will be sent out in
each community across the state.
College officials encourage all citi
zens to join in the 25th anniversary
celebration by continuing to u.se the
loca I college’s services a nd by encour
aging others to do so.
Commencement Date Set
The 1988 commencement cere
mony for Wilkes Community College
will be held on Friday, May 27. 1988,
at the .lohn A. Walker Community
Center. Two-hundred and eleven de
grees will be awarded to two-hundred
and three graduates on this occasion.
1 he members of the graduating class
and their programs of study are as
follows:
ASSOCIATE IN ARTS
Eric Meredith Barker, Timothy
Mark Bauguess, Alisah La Dawn Ble
vins, Frances Eason Blevins, Sheila
Lynn Blevins, .lames Michael Brine-
gar. Gene A. Bullis. .Ir., Richard
Wade Collins, T. Bart Crater, I'ina
Annette Czarnecki, .lohn Michael
Deal, Penny Melissa Dellinger. Melo
dy Caroline Eller, Patricia Rac Es-
kins, Lynnette Kay Gambill, Helen
Louise Gunton. ,lodi Dawn Hamby,
•lennifer E. Hayes. Eric Thomas Ho
gan. Tanya Renee Houck, .lackie
Ann Howard, Sonya .lohnson, Krys
tal Ann Kennedy, .lohn Stevens
Maloney II. Susan Renita McCurdy,
.lames Timothy McNeil, Sabria .lill
Messick, Lisa Kay Moore. Ellen
O’Brien. Bradley Stephen Oliver,
.leffrey Ray Owings, Hunter Todd
Page, .lames Crawford Parsons,.lanet
Leigh Pennell, Nada Cleary Row
land, Sarah .Shaver Smith, Siv Lang
Sov, Kim Renae Tucker, Elizabeth
Nicole Walsh, Cherly Lynn Watson,
.love Annette Weaver.
ASSOCIATE IN FINE ARTS-ART
.lames Crawford Parsons.
ASSOCIATE IN FINE ARTS -
DRAMA
Penny Melissa Dellinger
ASSOCIATE IN FINE ARTS -
MUSIC
Elizabeth Nicole Walsh
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE
Richard Wade Collins, Lane Har
rison Dyer. Lome Anthony Vidrine.
Mark Alvin Watson.
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE -
PRE-COMPUTER SCIENCE
Brian Wayne Ferguson.
ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED
SCIENCE
ACCOUNTING
Debra Irene Clonch. Gail Pardue
Haynes. Loretta Cecelia Lowery,
Sharon La Rac Teague.
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY
Ronald Leo Driver. Connie Lane
McNeill.
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Tracy Denise Anthony. Kay Good
man Bare. Mary Kimberly Barfield.
Robin Renee Brown. ,lo Ann Byrd.
Pamela Lynn Eller. Steven Clark
Hall. Gail Pardue Haynes. Robin
Wood Mendenhall. Saundra Hartsoe
Miller. Marsha G. Nance. Krista
Ann Riggs, .losephine Carr Wilcox.
BUSINESS COMPUTER
PROGRAMMING
Cynthia Ann Bottomley, Ruthe
Elizabeth Brooks, Inita Sue Burgess,
Rebecca B. Faw, .lason Gary Martin,
Robin Erline Whitt.
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