2023 News Articles

RCC honored Kim Kimrey, left, as its 2023 Excellence in Teaching award winner and David Richardson as the 2023 Staff Person of the Year during its annual Spring Convocation on Friday, Jan. 6.

RCC honors faculty, staff during annual Spring Convocation

Published on January 12, 2023

Randolph Community College board, faculty, and staff members gathered Friday, Jan. 6, in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center Auditorium for the College’s annual Spring Convocation. RCC honored Kim Kimrey as its 2023 Excellence in Teaching award winner and David Richardson as the 2023 Staff Person of the Year.

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College and Career Readiness (CCR) graduates — left to right — Rachel Moore, Meaghan Miller, Natalie McPherson, and Kiara Lataille prepare to receive their diplomas during the 2022 December CCR Graduation Thursday, Dec. 15, in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center Auditorium on the Asheboro Campus.

RCC honors students at 2022 CCR December Graduation

Published on January 10, 2023

Randolph Community College faculty, staff, and Trustees gathered Thursday, Dec. 15, as the College held the 2022 December College and Career Readiness Graduation in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center Auditorium on the Asheboro Campus. Approximately 35 students received their Adult High School or High School Equivalency diplomas with 21 graduates participating in the ceremony.

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Photo of a student using a paint simulator while other students look on.

RCC hosts local students for Automotive Day

Published on February 20, 2023

More than 200 Randolph County 10th graders explored opportunities in Randolph Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology and Collision Repair and Refinishing Technology programs Friday, Feb. 17, in the Richard Petty Education Center on the Asheboro Campus as part of Automotive Day.

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Chamber names RCC Business of the Year

Published on February 7, 2023

Randolph Community College was named Business of the Year at the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce’s 97th Annual Meeting Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Jan. 27 at Pinewood Country Club.

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Four finalists selected in RCC presidential search

Published on March 21, 2023

Randolph Community College announced its final candidates for the permanent President of the College on Tuesday — John Grosskopf, current President of North Florida College (Madison, Fla.); Dr. Jeremy Thomas, Provost of Oklahoma City Community College; Dr. Shah Ardalan, current President of Lone Star College-University Park (Houston); and Dr. George McNulty, current President of Gogebic Community College (Ironwood, Mich.).

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Photo of a woman standing in front of an x-ray of a skull and speaking to students.

Local high school seniors explore options at Randolph NEXT

Published on March 14, 2023

Randolph Community College may have started Spring Break on Tuesday, March 7, but the Asheboro Campus was still humming as RCC hosted the second annual Randolph NEXT — an event where local high school seniors learned about the educational opportunities at the College and a job fair for the community wrapped into one.

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Images of a student leaning on a fence and a student standing with RCC Interim President.

Maze, Hicks among those honored with RCC academic awards

Published on April 26, 2023

Randolph Early College High School senior Abigail Maze of Climax, an Associate in Arts-College Transfer student, was honored as Randolph Community College’s 2023 Academic Excellence Award Winner, while Bryson Hicks of Lexington, an Electrical Systems Technology student, was honored as the College’s nominee for the Dallas Herring Achievement Award.

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Photo of a person standing at a podium and giving a graduation speech.

More than 400 graduate from RCC

Published on May 15, 2023

Jeremy Grant, Product Marketing Director of LendingTree and Founder and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Knocked-Up Money, was the guest speaker at Randolph Community College’s Curriculum Graduation ceremony Wednesday, May 10, at the Special Events Center of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. More than 400 students applied to graduate with their associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates this spring with more than 200 graduates participating in the ceremony.

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Photo of a man giving a speech.

RCC holds graduation for 35 CCR students

Published on June 15, 2023

A standing-room-only crowd packed into Randolph Community College’s R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center on Thursday, May 11, as 35 College and Career Readiness students earned their Adult High School and High School Equivalency diplomas.

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Photo of a woman speaking.

Using her voice for good

Published on June 9, 2023

On April 20, Kassandra Ciriza Monreal was introduced as the Governor Robert W. Scott Leadership Award winner — the first-ever honor for Randolph Community College.

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Photo of a woman taking an oath in front of another woman.

Hayworth joins RCC Board, Lisk elected Chair

Published on July 21, 2023

Randolph County Partnership for Children Executive Director Lisa Hayworth was sworn in as the newest member of the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees on Thursday, July 20, in the Martha Luck Comer Foundation Conference Center as the Board held its first meeting since newly-hired President Dr. Shah Ardalan started his tenure at the College. Reynolds Lisk was elected board Chair, replacing long-time member F. Mac Sherrill, and James Gouty was elected Vice Chair.

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Photo of a woman standing in front of a flowering tree.

A book worth reading

Published on July 10, 2023

Life could have turned out so much differently for Randolph Community College graduate and Lead Instructor for College and Career Readiness Emma Lambirth. When she was 10, Lambirth found her dad after he had had a stroke, and her niece passed away at 18 months old. Two years later, her dad, Michael, died on November 9 — just over a week after his 47th birthday. While he was on his deathbed, Lambirth promised her dad four things: She would finish high school, she would go to college, she would take care of her mom, and she wouldn’t get married until she was 30. This April, Lambirth turned 30 with a master’s degree in Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counseling, the support of her mom, Brenda; and no ring on her finger — yet. All that while helping raise her nephew and being the breadwinner.

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Photo of a person speaking at a podium on a stage, while people on the stage are sitting.

With new leadership, RCC opens 61st school year

Published on August 29, 2023

The Asheboro Campus of Randolph Community College was buzzing with excitement Friday, Aug. 11, as the entire college community came together for RCC’s annual Fall Convocation. The event kicked off the College’s 61st school year and was marked by the debut of President Dr. Shah Ardalan, RCC’s seventh leader. Prior to the convocation, a breakfast meet and greet with President Ardalan was hosted at the Armadillo Café, bringing together the College’s dedicated faculty and staff, and setting the tone for the academic year ahead. Students returned to campus Tuesday, Aug. 15, with the start of RCC’s Fall Semester as the College is seeing a growth in enrollment post-pandemic.

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Photo of people at a job fair.

RCC hosts NCWorks events for former Klaussner Employees

Published on August 21, 2023

Randolph Community College hosted the first of three NCWorks Career and Resource Fairs on Tuesday, Aug. 15, in the Continuing Education and Industrial Center (CEIC) on the Asheboro Campus. The fairs are in response to the recent closing of Klaussner Furniture, which left more than 800 people without employment. More than 400 people received help at Tuesday’s fair. There are two more fairs planned — Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at RCC’s Archdale Center and Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the CEIC from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

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Photo of a group of graduates wearing their caps and gowns and standing on a stage.

Apprenticeship Randolph celebrates largest graduating class, signs on 16 more apprentices

Published on August 18, 2023

Local administrators and community leaders, along with faculty and staff from Randolph Community College, the Randolph County School System, Asheboro City Schools, Uwharrie Charter Academy, Faith Christian School, and homeschool, family, and friends gathered on RCC’s Asheboro Campus Tuesday, Aug. 8, to both celebrate Apprenticeship Randolph’s third and largest graduating class and witness 16 more apprentices signed to the program.

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Photo of the Randolph Community College sign with a sunrise behind it.

RCC community: Prioritizing safety for a secure future

Published on September 28, 2023

Each year, in accordance with the Campus Security Act of 1990 and the Cleary Act, Randolph Community College publishes a Campus Safety and Security Report along with conducting an annual review of all campus safety plans. The report was presented at the College’s Board of Trustees Meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 20, with only one incident over the past three years and zero unfounded crimes.

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Photo of a group of people.

President Ardalan signs AdvanceNC charter

Published on September 21, 2023

Presidents from 10 North Carolina community colleges, including Randolph Community College President Dr. Shah Ardalan; the N.C. A&T State University and N.C. State University presidents, and six workforce development board representatives gathered Thursday, Sept. 21, at Central Carolina Community College’s Eugene Moore Manufacturing and Biotech Solutions Center at a signing event for the AdvanceNC charter.

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Photo of the Ann Hoover Welcome Center.

RCC, UNCG forge seamless pathway with Transfer Promise

Published on September 8, 2023

Randolph Community College is thrilled to announce its exciting new partnership in the Transfer Promise program with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The collaboration aims to provide students with an enhanced and seamless transition to UNCG.

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Photo of the exterior of Randolph Community College's Continuing Education and Industrial Center.

RCC earns top honors in 2024 rankings

Published on September 1, 2023

Randolph Community College is proud to announce the College has been recognized in two prestigious national rankings for 2024. RCC has secured its position as the leading community college in North Carolina, according to Niche’s latest rankings, and has also clinched an impressive fourth-place spot on BestColleges’ list of Best Online Associate in Information Technology Programs nationwide.

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Photo of Randolph Community College graduates.

RCC partners with ECU in Pirate Promise

Published on October 9, 2023

Randolph Community College recently became official partners in the Pirate Promise with East Carolina University. This means the application fee will be waived for admission to ECU when the student finishes their degree at RCC. The Pirate Promise application is due by Nov. 1.

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Photo of a man speaking.

Workforce, educational needs explored at State of the County at RCC

Published on November 30, 2023

Leaders of the Randolph County community gathered in Randolph Community College’s Corporate Training Center on Monday, Nov. 27, for the “State of the County” — a discussion of the current and future workforce needs and the educational pipeline of Randolph County.

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Photo of three people standing by the Randolph Community College seal.

Battle joins RCC Board of Trustees

Published on November 16, 2023

Alvin Battle was sworn in as the newest member of the Randolph Community College Board of Trustees at the Board’s meeting Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Martha Luck Comer Conference Center on the Asheboro Campus. Battle replaced Larry Reid, who passed away in September.

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Photo of two people sitting in styling charis.

RCC classmates open hair and lash lounge

Published on December 7, 2023

Both Sonia Perez Gobellan and Tiffany England had full-time jobs when they enrolled in Randolph Community College’s Cosmetology Program. Both had kids. Both had dreams. The only thing, or, to be more exact, things missing were each other.

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Photo of a person demonstrating a robotic arm made of Legos while a group of students watches.

RCC programs team up to teach local elementary students about robots

Published on December 7, 2023

Things got a little more automated at Asheboro City and Uwharrie Charter Academy’s elementary schools recently as Randolph Community College’s Industrial Maintenance Technician (IMT) Apprentices and Early Childhood Education (ECE) students visited local classrooms Thursday, Nov. 16, to teach all about robots. Students were read “Pete the Cat: Robo-Pete” by James Dean, got to try their hand at a robotic arm made of Legos, and then made their own robotic arm out of popsicle sticks.

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Photo of a group of people standing in a lobby.

Wrights earn Martin Scholarship as 48 RCC students inducted into PTK

Published on December 6, 2023

Forty-eight students were inducted into Randolph Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Chapter, Beta Theta Rho, in a ceremony held Saturday, Nov. 18, in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center Auditorium on the Asheboro Campus. Sarah and Sophia Wright were awarded the sixth annual Waymon C. Martin Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship.

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