Allison and Williams reappointed to CPCC Trustee Board

headshot of Judy AllisonJudy Allison of Charlotte and Richard "Stick" Williams of Huntersville have been reappointed to the Central Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees. Allison was reappointed by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, and Williams was reappointed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. Their four-year terms will run through June 30, 2022.

Allison was first appointed to the Central Piedmont board in 2010 and previously served as vice chair. Her career included leadership positions with Queens University of Charlotte and First Union Corporation (now Wells Fargo). She is an alumna of Queens University.

headshot of Richard "Stick" WilliamsWilliams has served as a Central Piedmont trustee since 2014. He is a retired Duke Energy executive, last serving as vice president of corporate community affairs and president of the Duke Energy Foundation. He holds a bachelor's degree from UNC Chapel Hill.

"The college is delighted and fortunate to have Judy Allison and Stick Williams reappointed to the Board of Trustees," said Dr. Kandi W. Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. "We have relied upon and appreciated their wisdom and insight. Their good counsel will be needed as the college adopts a new strategic plan and tightens its focus on student retention and program completion in 2019 and beyond."

Posted in Announcements, Community, Foundation News.

Gambrell Foundation Pledges $1 Million

The Gambrell Foundation of Charlotte has pledged $1 million to Central Piedmont Community College to creategeometric shape logo with text Gambrell Foundation the Gambrell Opportunity Scholarships. These scholarships will be part of Central Piedmont's larger Opportunity Scholarship initiative, which seeks to assist some of Mecklenburg County's most needy and yet deserving high school students forge a path to greater economic mobility.

The Gambrell Foundation grant will support 75 recent graduates of CMS high schools that serve majority low-income student populations. The scholarships will provide for the full cost of earning a two-year associate degree, including tuition, books and fees. All Gambrell scholarship recipients will receive laptop computers and participate in Central Piedmont's Summer Bridge academic enrichment program. The scholarships also will provide for a full-time academic advisor/career coach to help the students with course selection, internships and career placement or moving on to further education.

"Economic mobility is directly tied to educational opportunity, and we are delighted to partner with Central Piedmont Community College to help open doors and eliminate barriers for deserving students," said Sally Gambrell Bridgford. "Our investment will help this generation achieve economic self-sufficiency on their path to reach the American dream."

Central Piedmont established the Opportunity Scholarship Initiative in late 2016 to address the economic mobility challenges faced by many CMS students. To date, the college has welcomed 95 Opportunity Scholars in two classes, the first of which will graduate in May 2019.

"We thank the Gambrell Foundation for its generous grant. These scholarships will have a profound, life-changing impact on some deserving students who might not be able to attend college otherwise," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. "So many of the young people in our community just need an opportunity, and with a little assistance, they can go on to do great things that will benefit their families and transform our community."

The first class of Gambrell Opportunity Scholars will begin their studies at Central Piedmont in fall 2019.


About the Gambrell Foundation
The Gambrell Foundation dedicates its resources, efforts and collaborative spirit to ending inequity in our society through strategic investments in smart, effective, and innovative change initiatives that drive results. We believe that everyone deserves a seat at the table and that better solutions and ideas are developed in partnership with the communities we serve. See https://gambrellfoundation.org/history/.

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News.

Capital Bank Foundation Awards Central Piedmont $25,000 Prize

We're thrilled to be selected as one of Capital Bank Foundation's "25 Years of Giving" contest winners! Their phenomenal support of $25,000 for our Opportunity Scholarship Initiative will help us continue serving our students and our community in so many ways. We could not have done it without your votes! Group shot of CPCC students with confetti falling

What's a celebration without confetti? Our Opportunity Scholars, along with Dr. Deitemeyer and representatives from Capital Bank, recently gathered on the steps of the Zeiss Building to celebrate our $25,000 gift. See the video on our Facebook page. Again, we want to thank Capital Bank for selecting us as a winner and we want to thank everyone who voted for our video!

View the official press release.

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News.