Central Piedmont Sporting Clays Classic Raises Over $190K

Central Piedmont Sporting Clays ClassicThe Central Piedmont Sporting Clays Classic benefits the College's U.S. military veteran and first responder students and programs, and 2023 marked the 19th year of the event's history. The event was once again held at Meadow Wood Farm in Waxhaw, NC.

After a bit of a rain scare, the sky cleared up for a beautiful April day of sport, community, and conversation. 

The College raised nearly $193K through the support of corporate sponsors, team registrations, raffle tickets, and donations. We are especially grateful for the support of our tournament sponsors: Piedmont Natural Gas (Clay Pigeon Challenge), Juneberry Ridge (First Responders Cup), and Concrete Supply and Rodgers (B.D. Rodgers Cup)

Almost 300 participants joined us for the day-long event featuring 17 stations including a Frenzy and a Flurry - which proved key in providing the tie-breaker for two of the tournaments. Our winners for the day's event are below:

B.D. Rodgers Cup: Individual
1st Place: Chris Dorton | 44 (Streak of 31)
2nd Place: Gerald Tucker | 44 (Streak of 17)
3rd Place: Page Tucker | 43

B.D. Rodgers Cup: Team Champion
Rodgers | 212: Taylor Miles, Jason Money, Paige Tucker, Gerald Tucker

Clay Pigeon Challenge: Individual
1st Place: Carter Loetz | 43 (Streak of 18)
2nd Place: Thomas Hovis | 43 (Streak of 17)
3rd Place: Tim Hileman | 42

Clay Pigeon Challenge: Team
1st Place: Pinnacle Financial | 205: Tim Hileman, Paul Cochrane, Greg Everhart, Lain Reavis
2nd Place: Warco Construction | 199: Thomas Hovis, Austin Claytor, Drew Rochester, TM
3rd Place: Piedmont Natural Gas | 177: Randy Bost, Jeremy Koster, Carl Peterson, Brad Holbrook

First Responders Cup: Individual
1st Place: William Wallis | 50
2nd Place: Mike Small | 45
3rd Place: Hunter Hampton | 44 (Streak of 22)Headshot of Dale Thomas

First Responders Cup: Team
1st Place: MEDIC | 223: William Wallis, John Gibson, Bill Ward, Janet Geradot
2nd Place: CMPD | 215 (Flurry 39): Curt Bell, Gene Rivera, Mark Smith, Bill Booth
3rd Place: CFD #1 | 215 (Flurry 32): Mike Small, Derek Alexander, Jason Cloninger, Mike Stroup

The two Janet Chernaga award winners were Deborah Edwards (morning) and Janet Gerdot (afternoon).

Over lunch, the guest speaker, Dale Thomas (pictured right), inspired the audience with his story of trials and triumphs. Dale Thomas served in the U.S. Army for four years as an Infantryman at Ft. Hood, Texas. He graduated from Central Piedmont last week with an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services Technology.  Dale plans to utilize his education in Human Services to empower, advocate, and bring awareness to marginalized populations, such as helping those with disabilities and veterans. You can read more of his story here. We look forward to seeing how far he'll go!

We are so grateful to all those who supported this event, be it as a sponsor, a team, a volunteer, or a vendor. Thank you. 

View pictures from this year's event here.

Stay tuned for information on how you can support the 20th-anniversary event.

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Posted in Announcements, Events, Foundation News. Tagged as event, sporting clays classic.

Central Piedmont holds commencement May 16

Central Piedmont Community College today hosted its 2018-2019 commencement ceremony at Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte. Almost 875 students "marched" and received their college degrees. More than 2,500 students were eligible to graduate this year. Since Central Piedmont holds only spring graduation ceremonies each year, 2018 summer and fall semester graduates participated in the exercises as well.

During the morning festivities, Ms. Desiree Kinker, a 2019 Central Piedmont graduate, addressed this year's graduates. This is the second time Central Piedmont has had a student keynote speaker at graduation. Desiree, a culinary arts student, shared her personal story with her peers. It was a tale of perseverance; her determination to complete her education, despite a period of homelessness; and overcoming the odds. She stood out as a prime example of a student who valued and leveraged the relationships around her, worked hard to build a better life, and brought light to any space she entered.

In addition to hearing from Desiree, attendees also heard from Adam Brooks, senior manager of learning and development for Charter Communications, who was recognized with this year's Richard H. Hagemeyer Educational Advancement Award, and Brandy Garrett, science department chair for Blenheim Elementary Middle School, who was honored with the college's inaugural Young Alumni Award of Excellence.

View photos from the day.
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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Campus, Community, Events, Foundation News. Tagged as graduation.

Central Piedmont reveals new branding

What began 15 months ago with the start of a branding and marketing study -- and journeyed through the opinions and ideas of more than 3,000 existing and prospective students, parents, faculty and staff, and community members -- culminated today in a college-wide celebration, on all six campuses, as Central Piedmont Community College launched its new branding, which includes new college colors, logo, and website.

"We hope this brand transformation will excite all of those in our Central Piedmont family, energizing and propelling them forward to do the passionate work needed to help our students not just wonder, 'what if,' but set an academic goal and achieve or surpass it," said Central Piedmont President Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer. "Central Piedmont calls on all its employees, students, board members, and community supporters to now be brand ambassadors, helping to tell the college's story to the community."

The college's "brand" is the emotional and psychological connection people have with Central Piedmont; its personality. The college's logo, website, marketing materials, faculty, staff, and students all are important parts of its brand.

The brand study results also emphasized the need for Central Piedmont to elevate its visual standing in the marketplace to match the caliber of education and services it provides. The "Central Piedmont green" has been replaced with a new color scheme: gold and gray. The old "green box" logo is gone and replaced with a cleaner, more collegiate and modern design. During the logo-design process, multiple students groups expressed their desire for a logo that stands well with the corporate and other institutional marks in Charlotte and conveys the seriousness in which Central Piedmont students approach their programs of study and pursue life-changing credentials.

As the final piece of the branding/marketing process, the college has launched a totally new website to focus more on its visitors, mainly future Central Piedmont students and their families, inviting them to easily explore and connect with the college.

The college partnered with Pittsburgh-based Barkley REI to create the new website at cpcc.edu. More than putting a new face put on the old website, Central Piedmont teams plowed through the nearly 30,000 pages of content on the old website to create a thoroughly modern, audience-focused way to present the information site visitors need to know. The look and feel, functionality and voice of the new website were created with intense input from hundreds of faculty, staff, students (prospective and current) and community members.

At a celebration event today on Central Campus that was streamed live to all campuses, the college revealed the new branding including the new logo, college colors, initial advertising campaign concept, and redesigned website and also had "reveal" parties for students at every campus. 

To see the new brand and website, please visit cpcc.edu Read more

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Campus, Community, Events, Foundation News. Tagged as central piedmont.

Foundation Scholar 2019 Central Piedmont Commencement Speaker

Central Piedmont culinary student, Desiree Kinker, has been chosen as the 2019 Central Piedmont commencement speaker. Desiree is a Merancas Technical Careers Scholar as well as a Ruth G. Shaw Scholar.  Desiree Kinker in Central Piedmont culinary student chef's coat

Desiree Kinker first started at Central Piedmont in 2010. Dealing with the day-to-day college grind can be challenging by itself, but Desiree dealt with another situation many college students don't have to face homelessness.

"I started at Central Piedmont in 2010 and have been homeless almost the entire time," she said. "I lived in a homeless shelter for a year, left college for five years and currently live in transitional housing. I haven't had a place to call my own, so that's why I came back to Central Piedmont, because it truly felt like a home."

Since her return to college, Desiree is confident and making the most of her opportunities. She received two scholarships - Ruth G. Shaw Scholarship and Merancas Technical Careers Scholarship which, according to her, allowed her to "relieve some of my financial fears."

She is enrolled in the college's culinary arts degree program, an active participant in culinary club and a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) international honor society member. "I chose to resume my studies because I want a better life," Desiree said. "I have been able to interact and learn from mentors and form bonds with female business leaders around Charlotte. The faculty and students here have really had my back and pushed me to be better. I hope to be a light in the darkness for those who may be struggling."

Last year for the first time in the history of Central Piedmont, a student was selected as the commencement speaker. Patsy Montesinos, also a Ruth G. Shaw Scholar, was the 2018 speaker. Patsy is completing her first year at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she is majoring in broadcast journalism.

This year's graduation ceremony will be held at Bojangles' Coliseum on Thursday, May 16, at 10 a.m. Read more

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Events, Foundation News. Tagged as graduation.

CPCC inaugurates Deitemeyer as college’s fourth president

CPCC inaugurated Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer as the college's fourth president today at a ceremony held on the Central Campus. Featuring the pageantry of an academic procession down Elizabeth Avenue, it was first presidential inauguration at the college in 30 years.

Deitemeyer became the fourth president of CPCC on Jan. 2, 2017. It's an academic tradition that an institution hold aninauguration or installment event at some point during a new president's first year. Deitemeyer's predecessor, Dr. Tony Zeiss, chose to not have an inauguration when he joined CPCC in 1992. His predecessor, Dr. Ruth Shaw, was inaugurated on Jan. 30, 1987.
Deitemeyer came to CPCC with an extensive and diverse background in community college administration. Her career has spanned 25 years in higher education, with 23 of those serving in community college systems in North Carolina, Kentucky and Florida. Just prior to CPCC, she served six years as the president of the College of the Albemarle, based in Elizabeth City, N.C.

During the inauguration ceremony, Deitemeyer took the oath of office, received the college medallion and gave an address in which she spoke on the social and economic necessity of education.
"Education is the answer that will bring us together in our differences and bridge the economic divide both in Charlotte and in our country," Deitemeyer said. "This is a community with global aspirations. We seek a larger presence on the global economic stage. We must connect these aspirations with efforts across the community to enhance the economic mobility of our citizens by preparing a globally competitive workforce," Deitemeyer added. "So as we make the name of Charlotte more respected across the globe and see our prosperity multiply, we leave no one behind and lift everyone up."
Dr. D takes the oath of presidentAn academic procession of about 200 college trustees, faculty members and administrators and visiting delegates from other institutions of higher education, all in caps and gowns, signaled the start of the event. The procession began at the Worrell Building and moved down Elizabeth Avenue to the Overcash Building and its Halton Theater, were the inauguration ceremony was held.
Participating in the ceremony were CPCC trustees Edwin Dalrymple and Judith Allison; Ella Scarborough, chair of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners; Rev. Clint Pressley of Hickory Grove Baptist Church; student Spencer Jones; alumna Lynne Tatum Little; faculty member Carolyn Jacobs; staff member Heather Napier; CPCC Foundation board member Gary LaBrosse; acting president of the North Carolina Community College System Jennifer Haygood; and Dr. David Johnson, president of the N.C. Association of Community College Presidents. The Carolina Brass Quintet and the CPCC Chorus performed during the ceremony.

Deitemeyer's pathway to success began at Polk Community College in Florida, where she graduated with an associate of arts degree. From there, she went on to earn a bachelor's degree in mass communications and public relations, a master's degree in counselor education and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of South Florida.

She serves on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Board of Trustees and is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents. She is a Rotarian and serves on many community and philanthropic boards, including the Charlotte Chamber, Charlotte Regional Collaborative for a Global Economy, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Charlotte Will, Leading on Opportunity Council, and the League for Innovation.

The inauguration and college-wide luncheon that followed culminated a week of activities, which included events and drives to support Project Life, Urban Ministries and Loaves and Fishes. The college also broke ground at a Nov. 1, ceremony for the new North Classroom Building on Central Campus. The 154,100 square-foot facility will be the largest building ever constructed by the college. It will be open for classes in January 2020.
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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Events, Foundation News.

Dental Hygiene Program 50th Anniversary- Archives and Stories Project

The Dental Hygiene Program is getting ready to celebrate the program's 50th Anniversary. In conjunction with this event, CPCC Archivist Erin Allsop, has created a project to capture moments and objects reflective of the program.
"The CPCC Archives will be present at the alumni event on June 8th to scan any documents or photographs you wish to contribute to the archives. If you prefer to donate the physical copies, those are acceptable as well. For any questions, please contact Erin Allsop, CPCC Archivist, at erin.allsop@cpcc.edu"
If you haven't received your invitation, contact mary.collin@cpcc.edu for information. We'd love to have you join us!

Dental Hygiene Archive Project
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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Events, Foundation News.

CPCC Dental Hygiene Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary June 8 2017

    
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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Campus, Community, Events, Foundation News.

CPCC dedicates International Student Services Center in honor of Kal Kardous

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) dedicated its International Student Services Center in honor of Kal Kardous, a Charlotte entrepreneur and member of the CPCC Foundation Board of Directors, on Oct. 10.
The college dedicated the center, located in the Central High building, on CPCC's Central Campus, in recognition of Kardous' generosity and commitment to broaden opportunities for international students as a CPCC Foundation board member. More...
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Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Events, Foundation News.

The Charlotte Post: CPCC President Tony Zeiss Named Charlotte Post Educator Of The Year

Tony Zeiss, who built Central Piedmont Community College into an educational powerhouse for those seeking a better life, is the 2016 Charlotte Post Foundation Educator of the Year. Read more

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

CPCC dedicates building in honor of Dr. Tony Zeiss

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) dedicated its newest Central Campus classroom building today in honor of its longtime president Dr. Tony Zeiss. Story continures... Read more

Posted in Alumni, Community, Events, Foundation News.

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