On April 8, 2022, Sampson Community College (SCC) employees Lisa Turlington, Dean of Advancement and Executive Director of the Foundation, and Emily Brown, Director of Secondary Partnerships and Student Success, graduated from the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program (NCCCLP) as part of the NCCCLP cohort class of 2021-2022.
The NCCCLP was founded in 1989 as a six-month leadership program tailored specifically to NC Community College workers. Its purpose is to grow and develop essential leadership skills within participants to help support their current and future roles within the NC Community College System (NCCCS).
Speaking on behalf of Sampson CC, Dr. William Starling, President, voiced his appreciation towards the NCCCS for continuing to provide NC Community College employees with the NCCCLP, and congratulated both Turlington and Brown on their recent graduation and dedication to the beneficial leadership program.
He stated, “This year SCC was fortunate to have two faculty members, Lisa Turlington and Emily Brown, selected by the NCCCLP program staff who were able to complete the program and be recognized as NCCCS Leadership Program graduates. Our congratulations to Emily and Lisa and our thanks to the NCCCS for continuing to provide this opportunity for staff and faculty across the state.”
Also in attendance of the NCCCLP graduation ceremony, Blair Hairr, Vice President of Academic Affairs at SCC, remarked that both Turlington and Brown demonstrate the essential attributes the NCCCLP seeks to advance in community college leaders every year. Hairr believes that these two women will go on to do great things for Sampson CC because of their experience at the NCCCLP.
She voiced, “Each year, SCC recommends participants to attend the NC Community College Leadership Program with hopes of growing employee understanding of leadership in higher education. The mission of this program is to develop leaders who “Connect, Care, and Collaborate.” Emily and Lisa are both known for these attributes, and I have no doubt they will invest the knowledge gained through this experience by serving the students and employees of SCC.”
Lisa Turlington, one of Sampson CC’s representatives at the NCCCLP, went into depth about her experience during the leadership program, stating that the 2021-2022 program was designed to expose her class to a broad spectrum of leadership styles and to all areas of the community college system. She explained that the programming included excellent lectures, engaging projects, and practical group work—all of which she enjoyed. Turlington voiced that her NCCCLP experience reminded her of the value of lifelong learning, and the importance of personal and professional development.
It was a privilege to be part of this program with so many talented and passionate community college leaders. I feel confident in knowing the future of the system is in good hands with the creativity and dedication of those in my cohort.
Lisa Turlington
Similarly, Sampson CC’s Emily Brown also had the pleasure of representing the college during the 2021-2022 NCCCLP. Like Turlington, she too voiced her overall enjoyment of the NCCCLP experience and explained that in addition to growing in her leadership skills, she was also able to make lasting connections with other NCCCS employees during her time in the program.
Brown expressed, “I was honored to be nominated and selected for this transformative experience. Not only was I able to learn about my personal leadership journey and best practices for working with teams, but I made lifelong connections with colleagues across the NC Community College System.”
Altogether, both Turlington and Brown believe their six-month experience within the NCCCLP has equipped them with a greater understanding of fundamental leadership skills— skills they’ll be able to apply to their current and future positions within the NC Community College System.
Sampson CC is proud of their employees and knows these two women will go on to do great things for the college, the local community, and the NC Community College System because of the NCCCLP.
For more information about Sampson Community College or the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program visit http://www.sampsoncc.edu or http://www.nccclp.com.
About Sampson Community College
Sampson Community College is a member of the North Carolina Community College System, located in Clinton, NC in Sampson County. The college offers many programs to include two-year degrees, college transfer, continuing education and workforce development options and early college education.
