Alumni Highlight - Dr. Deninne Pritchett '10

Dr. Deninne Pritchett is an alumna, current chair of Psychology, creator of the Adjunct Faculty Learning Community, and facilitator for the Diversified Teaching Practices Learning Commons at Central Piedmont Community College.Dr. Deninne Pritchett

What's interesting is, it was not that long ago she was a student here and the inspiration for becoming a life-long learner started at Central Piedmont!

In 2010, she earned her Associate in Arts degree, thanks to the outstanding faculty she engaged with at Central Piedmont. After graduation, she stayed in touch with faculty, found tremendous support and encouragement, participated in forums at Central Piedmont, and developed her leadership skills through employment and professional development.

Pritchett holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, as well as an Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Certificate in Effective College Instruction; she presented for the National Association of African American Studies and the American Psychological Association; and is a featured expert in ACUE's courses.

It wasn't always an easy journey for her, however. She began her college experience as a teen mother, at age 18. "I dropped out of college four times, even from Central Piedmont once before I returned and experienced success," Pritchett says. 

"Educating students and changing lives is serious business. One encounter--positively or negatively can change the trajectory of a student's educational journey. It did for me. As you can see, this college changed my life. If I can do for one student what this college has done for me, I consider it a win."

Posted in Alumni, Foundation News.

Central Piedmont Offering New Certification Program in Massage Therapy

Central Piedmont Community College will launch a nine-month, non-credit Massage Therapy Certification program on June 27, through its Corporate and Continuing Education division.

The certification program will offer students a hands-on education and extensive training in therapeutic and medical massage techniques to prepare them to sit for and pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), a license all professional massage therapists must earn to legally practice their craft in 49 of the 50 states across the country.  

"Our massage therapy certificate program is an attractive career path for individuals interested in securing a healthcare-related position, in a short amount of time, that offers an earning potential of $42,750 a year," said Roschella Stephens, associate dean, therapy and acute care division at Central Piedmont. "This program also will be the least expensive massage therapy program in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area, which aligns well with the college's mission to provide an affordable education to all." 

Sixteen students are expected to be in the program's first cohort this summer. During the program, they'll learn about the fundamentals of massage therapy, anatomy, physiology, and advanced modalities in the field, and have the opportunity to engage in 114 hours of hands-on training through the program's built-in clinical rotation.

For more information about the new certification program in massage therapy at Central Piedmont, including its program requirements, class days/times, course sequencing, and more, contact Marcus Caldwell by emailing marcus.caldwell@cpcc.edu, calling 704.330.2722, ext. 7234  or visiting cpcc.edu/programs/healthcare-continuing-education.

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

WBTV Story: CMS Student Already Living His Dream As Mechanic

Omar Cruz is not only a student at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, he's also a student at Central Piedmont.

Thanks to CMS' apprenticeship program and a partial scholarship from Central Piedmont, Omar currently attends both schools through the college's Career & College Promise Dual Enrollment program, an initiative that gives qualified high-school-age students the opportunity to get a jumpstart on their career or college education while still in high school -- tuition free. 

Each morning, from 7 a.m. 10:30 a.m., Omar can be found at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, and in the afternoons, he's working under the hood of a car at Mecklenburg Automotive and Collision Center, gaining the valuable hands-on experience he'll need to pursue his dream career as a Advanced Certified Expert (ACE) certified technician.

The amazing part of Omar's story is he's only a teenager. At 17, he's already earned two certifications and a license from Central Piedmont, will graduate in mid-June from Phillip O. Berry with a diploma from CMS, and begin Central Piedmont this fall.

See the full WBTV story here: https://www.wbtv.com/2022/05/17/never-too-early-start-cms-student-already-living-his-dream-mechanic/

Posted in Alumni, Community, Foundation News.