Central Piedmont and Partners Host Free Dental Clinic

Central Piedmont Community College, the North Carolina Dental Society Foundation Missions of Mercy, the Charlotte area Dental Society Foundation Missions of Mercy (MOM), and other members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg dental community came together to offer a free dental clinic on April 29.

The joint clinic treated 85 patients who received more than $57,700 in free dental care. Held at Central Piedmont's dental clinic teaching labs, located in the Leon Levine Health Sciences Center, on the college's Central Campus, the goal of the nine-hour clinic was to provide essential dental services, such as restorative dental care and extractions, for underserved, in-need community members. Many of the patients had been treated by Central Piedmont dental hygiene students but needed additional treatment they could not afford.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first free dental clinic held in Charlotte since 2019. In the past, such clinics have been held at Bojangles Coliseum or the Charlotte Convention Center. The college opened the Levine Health Sciences Center and its dental clinic facilities in 2020. The college approached Charlotte MOM about the possibility of hosting a free clinic in the new, state of-the-art facilities. This was the first time in Charlotte and perhaps North Carolina that dental educational facilities were used to provide care to those in the community with no other care options.

"This was truly a collaborative effort between the college and the Charlotte-area dental community that brought this clinic to fruition," explained Linda Polito, dentist and associate dean of outpatient programs at Central Piedmont. "We thank North Carolina Dental Society Foundation MOM and Charlotte MOM for collaborating with the college and working together to provide care to community members in need."

Clinic organizers say the event partnerships and operation could become a pattern for other communities to follow. "We feel like the clinic was a great success and believe this kind of partnership and utilization of educational facilities could become a statewide and perhaps a national model," said Dr. Evan Miller, Charlotte MOM ambassador.

Central Piedmont offers a one-year dental assisting program and a two-year dental hygiene program. For more information, visit the college's healthcare career page, inquire by email at healthsciences@cpcc.edu, or call 704.330.6496.

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Posted in Community, Foundation News. Tagged as dental assisting, dental clinic, dental hygiene.

Lisa Schlachter to Join Central Piedmont as Vice President of Institutional Advancement

LIsa SchlachterLisa Schlachter of Charlotte will join the leadership team at Central Piedmont Community College as the new Vice President of Institutional Advancement. Schlachter will serve the college as its chief fundraising officer and as director of the Central Piedmont Foundation.

 

Schlachter comes to Central Piedmont from the YMCA of Greater Charlotte, where she serves as vice president of financial development. She has more than two decades of experience in fundraising and alumni relations. She began her career in alumni relations at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and she held several roles at Belmont University including capital, donor relations, foundation relations, and stewardship. 

 

"We are delighted to welcome Lisa Schlachter to Central Piedmont," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, college president. "Lisa brings a deep connection to our community through her great work at the YMCA. With her previous experience in higher education and the energy and passion she possesses, she will be a wonderful addition to our team."

 

In addition to earning a master's degree in institutional advancement from Vanderbilt University, she worked on Vanderbilt's Alumni and Development team. She also served as the assistant head of school for advancement at St. Paul Christian Academy in Nashville, Tenn., where she led the annual campaign, a capital campaign, and major gifts. 

 

"We are very excited about Lisa Schlachter joining Central Piedmont as its new Vice President of Institutional Advancement," said Weston Andress, Central Piedmont Foundation board president. "Lisa's energetic personality and her experience at the YMCA of Greater Charlotte and other non-profits will help take Central Piedmont's already successful advancement efforts to a new level."

 

Central Piedmont completed its "Powering a Stronger Future" campaign in June 2022. It was the most ambitious and successful campaign in the college's history, raising $66.3 million and surpassing its goal by more than $26 million.

 

In addition to her master's degree from Vanderbilt, Schlachter earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She will begin her tenure at Central Piedmont on May 5.

 

"I am thrilled to return to higher education as a member of the Central Piedmont Community College leadership team, and I am eager to combine my passion for education with my commitment to serve our community through this role," Schlachter said. "It is very exciting to come in following an extremely successful campaign and build on the college's reputation of strong community service and support."

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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Faculty/Staff, Foundation News.

Central Piedmont Students Serve as Interns for Local Businesses

Gardhouse, a Charlotte nonprofit organization, is helping college students receive job experience through paid internships. Through a United Way of Greater Charlotte program, Gardhouse matches underrepresented students with local businesses to provide support for business operations while offering professional networking connections and a place to use classroom knowledge in real-world scenarios. Kaosisochi Duruanyim, a nursing student from Central Piedmont, is an intern with Gardhouse. He has been working with SchermCo, a national social impact implementation firm. Read more about Kaosi and Gardhouse via Spectrum News. Read more

Posted in Community, Foundation News, Resources, Students. Tagged as impact, internships.

Central Piedmont Honors Leon Levine

We honor, celebrate, and remember the life and legacy of Leon LevineCentral Piedmont Community College celebrates, honors, and remembers the life of Leon Levine, who died April 5, 2023, at age 85.

At age 22, Levine started the first Family Dollar store on Central Avenue in Charlotte, and built the company on the value of customer service, expanding to thousands of stores and nationwide success. In 1980, Levine, along with his wife Sandra, turned his attention to philanthropic efforts through the Leon Levine Foundation.

Levine's life and legacy in our Charlotte community was one of great philanthropy to education, healthcare, Jewish families, and children, among many other entities bearing their name. At Central Piedmont, the 2002 gift from the Levines was the largest the college had received to date, prompting a campus to be renamed in their honor.

Their generosity did not stop there, as Levine Campus continued to expand, student scholarships were endowed, and Central Campus dedicated two more buildings: the Levine Information Technology building, and most recently, the Leon Levine Health Sciences Center. The Levine Health Sciences Center creates state-of-the-art learning environments with hospital simulations and virtual anatomy classrooms, and is the home base to Central Piedmont's newest healthcare programs.

Levine's legacy lives on, not just in the buildings, but in the lives forever changed by education, as students become healthcare professionals and leaders in our region. We honor Levine for the positive impact he made through the entire Charlotte community, and to all the students supported at Central Piedmont through his decades of generosity.

Nov. 2002: South Campus renamed and dedicated as Levine Campus
Sept. 2004: Levine II opened
Nov. 2014: Levine Information Technology building dedicated at Central Campus
Jan. 2017: Levine III opened
Oct. 2021: Leon Levine Health Sciences building opened and dedicated at Central Campus

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Posted in Announcements, Community, Foundation News. Tagged as donors, levine campus.

Central Piedmont Remembers the Life & Legacy of Dale F. Halton

We honor, celebrate and remember the life and legacy of Dale Halton. Central Piedmont Community College celebrates and honors the life of Dale F. Halton, who died yesterday, March 21, 2023 at age 85. Halton was known for being the trailblazing CEO of Charlotte's Pepsi Bottling Company, starting in 1981, at a time when few women held the title.
Halton's life and legacy in our Charlotte community was one she dedicated to elevating others, and she gave philanthropically to many different efforts to support education. She is the namesake of the Halton Theater, a 1,020 seat opera house-styled venue located at Central Piedmont's Central Campus.
Halton believed in making opportunities for the marginalized, and inviting others to the table for sharing opportunities. "I think part of my philosophy is, the more you have, the more responsibility you have to help others, and that's where my giving really comes from," said Halton.

We honor Halton for the legacy she leaves at Central Piedmont and many of Charlotte's educational institutions, and for the countless students who have benefited from her making room at her own table.
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Posted in Community, Foundation News. Tagged as donors.

WBTV: Lowe's Foundation hopes to address growing need of tradespeople

The Lowe's Foundation has launched the Gable Grants Program to fund programs for skilled trades. Their partnership with Central Piedmont Community College supports students building careers as skilled tradespeople while also filling a gap in the current local workforce.

Learn more via WBTV's report:
Lowe's Foundation hopes to address growing need of tradespeople Read more

Posted in Community, Foundation News, Students. Tagged as skilled trades, workforce development.

Central Piedmont Archives Opens 'Parrallel Lives' Exhibition

The Central Piedmont Community College Archives department has opened an exhibition of local interest: "Parallel Lives Central High School and Second Ward High School."

The exhibition highlights the centennial history of Charlotte's Central High School and Second Ward High School (both opened in 1923), celebrates the memories of their alumni, and seeks to raise awareness of the importance of historical preservation.

Central High and Second Ward High were built to meet the growing secondary education needs of Charlotte in the early 20th century. The schools were segregated; Second Ward serving Black students and Central High serving white students. With Central High located on Elizabeth Avenue and Second Ward High on Alexander Street, the schools were within walking distance, and yet, their students had separate high school experiences. In 1957, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools began integrating high schools.

One hundred years after building and opening the schools, the Central High facility remains standing as part of Central Piedmont's Central Campus. The gymnasium and a historical plaque are all that remain of Second Ward High.

The "Parallel Lives Central High School and Second Ward High School," exhibition is open to the public through May 8, in the Archives section of the Hagemeyer Library, located in the Parr Center, on Central Campus, with nearby visitor parking available in Lot 5, located at 230 N. Kings Drive.

You may also review an online version of the exhibition.

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Posted in Announcements, Campus, Community, Foundation News. Tagged as archives.

Central Piedmont to offer teacher licensing certificates

Bachelor degree graduates who are considering a career in the elementary school classroom will soon be able to receive teacher licensing at multiple North Carolina community colleges, including Central Piedmont Community College.

The new program makes teacher licensing more affordable and convenient with classes at local community colleges. The seven institutions approved thus far to offer the new licensing program are Alamance, Blue Ridge, Central Piedmont, Fayetteville Technical, McDowell Technical, Wayne, and Western Piedmont community colleges.

Central Piedmont will launch its program in August, with the beginning of the fall 2023 semester. The Elementary Education Residency Licensure Certificate program will offer instruction and coaching for residency elementary teachers seeking licensure. This program will help support students with classroom observations and one-on-one sessions, and assist with the creation of their portfolio in preparation for licensing from the state.

This new path to elementary licensure will expand Central Piedmont's current teacher preparation track, which prepares students to transfer to a bachelor degree education program through completion of an associate in arts or associate in science degree.

For more information about Central Piedmont's new teacher licensing certificate program, email Jennifer Perkins, chair of the Teacher Preparation Pathway Program.

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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Students.

Central Piedmont Holds First December Commencement

For the first time in its 59-year history, Central Piedmont Community College held a December commencement on Dec. 13, in Charlotte. Approximately 510 students walked across the Bojangles Coliseum stage to receive their earned credentials. More than 1,200 students had completed their programs of studies since Central Piedmont's May graduation.

Linda Nelson, a 2022 graduate, addressed her peers by delivering the commencement address. Nelson, an adult student who holds an MBA, is a new graduate from Central Piedmont with an Associate in Applied Science degree in horticulture.

Central Piedmont was excited to offer a winter commencement this year to honor its graduates who completed their programs during the 2022 summer and fall semesters. The addition of a winter ceremony allows the college to honor and celebrate its summer and fall graduates in the same timely way as its spring graduates.

For more information about Central Piedmont's nearly 300 degree, diploma and certificate programs, including GED and adult high school, visit the college website.

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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Students. Tagged as graduation.

New Nursing Program Graduates First Class

Central Piedmont Community College has graduated its first class of practical nurses from the Dickson Practical Nursing Program. The 10 graduates from the newly-established one-year program are now eligible to sit for the national licensure exam to become Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).

The new graduates participated in a nursing pinning ceremony on Dec. 6, and will walk in Central Piedmont's first-ever winter graduation ceremony on Dec. 13, at Bojangles Coliseum.

The Dickson Foundation of Charlotte awarded Central Piedmont a $500,000 grant in 2021 to develop a new LPN program at the college to provide students an accelerated path to a meaningful, family-sustaining career in the healthcare industry and address specific employment needs within the Charlotte region's healthcare sector.

The Dickson Practical Nursing Program enables students to earn their professional credential in one year, preparing them for employment more quickly. This is especially important, given the median LPN salary is $48,055, which offers a viable economic-mobility pathway for lower-income residents in Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

LPNs work under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN), with employment opportunities available immediately in hospitals; rehabilitation, long-term care, and home health facilities; clinics; and physicians' offices.

Central Piedmont will expand the second class to as many as 24 seats and then monitor local needs for LPNs and adjust the size of future classes to meet demand. The program is based on the college's Central Campus.

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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Students. Tagged as graduation, nursing.

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