Why Harvey Gantt Supports Central Piedmont

Few people have done more for the Charlotte community than Harvey Gantt. As Charlotte's first black mayor and Clemson's first black student, Mr. Gantt personally knows the power of education.

That's why this Black History Month he explains why he chooses to support Central Piedmont.

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Posted in Foundation News. Tagged as Campaign, poweringastrongerfuture.

Gift will help establish Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence

A donor who wishes to remain anonymous has made a significant gift commitment to Central Piedmont Community College to support the creation of a new Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. The center will advance the best practices of impactful teaching at the college to inspire, guide, and support instructors in the key areas of pedagogy, course content and information delivery.

The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Central Piedmont will facilitate the professional development of the college's full- and part-time faculty, with the goal of enriching students' learning and overall educational experience, motivating them to persist and complete their programs of study.

The gift to help create the center comes as part of Central Piedmont's ongoing "Powering a Stronger Future" campaign. The five-year fundraising effort seeks to raise $40 million the most ambitious and comprehensive campaign in the college's 56-year history. The campaign will run through June 2022, and has raised more than $23.8 million to date.

The center's focus areas will include:

  • developing pedagogy that is inclusive, equitable, and centered on student learning and success,
  • using technological tools and resources to enhance classroom teaching,
  • encouraging and supporting instructional innovation,
  • furthering the continued growth and instructional effectiveness of all faculty,
  • fostering and disseminating strategies that improve classroom experiences for students,
  • promoting the ongoing assessment of teaching strategies and student learning, and
  • developing instructional content and methods that promote critical thinking and skills needed for careers and further education.

Current programming plans for the center include:

  • conducting workshops for instructors,
  • sponsoring guest speakers to share best practices,
  • providing semester-long orientation and training programs for new instructors and skills-refreshment programs for established faculty,
  • establishing mentoring relationships for new instructors with successful classroom instructors,
  • conducting training sessions focused on the needs of part-time instructors, and
  • sharing scholarly research and articles related to best practices in classroom teaching and learning.

"The Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence will be a permanent resource and catalyst for instructional excellence at Central Piedmont," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. "The center will be based on Central Campus, but it will serve instructors and offer programming at all of the college's campuses.  The center will be critical to ensuring outstanding classroom instruction and learning for all of our students."

The college will hold a ceremony to dedicate the center during the 2020 spring semester.

For updates on the progress of Powering a Stronger Future, visit our campaign updates page.

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Posted in Announcements, Community, Foundation News. Tagged as Campaign, poweringastrongerfuture.

Central Piedmont announces campaign goal of $40 million

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Central Piedmont Community College has launched the public phase of its "Powering a Stronger Future" campaign. The five-year fundraising effort seeks to raise $40 million the most ambitious and comprehensive campaign in the college's 56-year history.

Powering A Stronger Future: The Campaign for Central Piedmont Community CollegeThe campaign will run through June 2022, and has raised $23.5 million during its two-year quiet phase.

"The Powering a Stronger Future campaign is about students and addressing the upward mobility challenges in Mecklenburg County," Central Piedmont President Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer explained. "For those who want our community to thrive and want to make an investment education is a game changer. Central Piedmont is a great place to help students thrive and be successful in our community. I think there is no better investment for Mecklenburg's future."

The Powering a Stronger Future campaign priorities include:

  • $15 million to fund student scholarships and support the student emergency fund;
  • $9.5 million for student support services, such as academic and career advising, leadership opportunities, out-of-classroom experiences, enhanced disability services, and the Summer Bridge program that helps students prepare for their first semester of college;
  • $9.5 million to further instructional excellence through support for programs, equipment and other resources and faculty;
  • $5 million for specific programs that foster economic mobility, such as the Accelerated Career Training program for under- and unemployed adults, the early childhood education program that trains pre-K teachers, and strategic workforce partnerships; and
  • $1 million for the college's annual fund to respond to evolving priorities and needs.
Pat Rodgers, president and CEO of Rodgers Builders and a Central Piedmont alumna, is serving as the honorary campaign chair. The campaign chairpersons are Weston Andress, regional president, PNC Financial Services; Linda Lockman-Brooks, president, Lockman-Brooks Marketing Services; and Carl Showalter, president, Showalter Construction.

"Central Piedmont is a solid investment for donors because you see the results. You see the results in the lives of Central Piedmont graduates," Rodgers shared. "What they carry with them from Central Piedmont is the education of a lifetime, and it changes their lives and the lives around them.

"My time at Central Piedmont was life changing. It meant so much to me to have the opportunity to go to the Central Piedmont of my day. When I look at what Central Piedmont is now and the impact it makes, it is just amazing. I know the impact it had on my life, and I think it's fair to say, if you live in this community, Central Piedmont impacts your life as well," Rodgers added.
student in cap and gown at graduation
For more information about the Central Piedmont's Powering a Stronger Future campaign, see http://www.cpccfoundation.org/campaign, or call the Central Piedmont Foundation at 704.330.6869.

"Central Piedmont is a trusted entity," Deitemeyer said. "When this community considers the number of people we need going into the workforce and how we're going to move this great city to the next level that offers prosperity to all, it's going to take an education provider like Central Piedmont. So this campaign is about people and providing pathways to opportunity and greater economic mobility and personal success."

For updates on the progress of Powering a Stronger Future, visit our campaign updates page.

About Central Piedmont
Central Piedmont Community College is highly accessible and convenient to people of all ages who seek a real-world, affordable, hands-on education that will transform their lives and strengthen the economic, social, and cultural environment of Mecklenburg County. Central Piedmont is also a smart investment. At a fraction of the cost, students learn by doing, receiving a combination of technical and soft skills training from quality faculty who prepare them to enter the workforce and make a difference in their family, business, community, and world. Founded in 1963, Central Piedmont Community College has eight locations throughout Mecklenburg County, offering nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certification programs; customized corporate training; market-focused continuing education; and special interest classes. For more information, visit cpcc.edu, or connect with the college on social media at cpcc.edu/social. Read more

Posted in Alumni, Announcements, Community, Foundation News, Gift Planning, Scholarships, Students. Tagged as Campaign.