Sampson Community College and the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) partnered in August to enhance educational opportunities for students enrolled in Workforce Development Division Programs. Now, all involved are seeing the positive results of the project as the first-ever recipients have almost crossed that bridge.

The State Employees Credit Union selected SCC to participate in the SECU Bridge to Career Cohort program earlier this year. The program removes financial obstacles for students wanting to acquire credentials that lead to sustainable wage careers within their community.

”This program is helping me by getting me where I need to be,” says Shideia Bell. “This will help me start in the medical field. It has given me the opportunity to learn things I never knew before and that will be particularly helpful specifically for health-related fields. I have really enjoyed this.”

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Graduates complete the program. Top photo: Back row is Alonza Royal, HRD Coordinator at SCC, Nadine Bell, SECU Board Member Leonard Henry. Front row is Sevilla, Cummings, Shideia Bell and Karen Lopez. Bottom photo: (L-R) Katie Brown, Director of Customized Training at SCC, Boone, Spearman, Jacobs, Henry, Knowles, Smith, Carter, Watkins and Amanda Bradshaw, Dean of Continuing Education and WorkForce Development at SCC.   

The partnership awarded $15,000 to SCC’s Workforce Development and Continuing Education division to fund from the program. The division issued thirty scholarships in the amount of $500 each as a result. These funds were awarded to students seeking admission in one or more of our Pathway Programs such as Allied Health Specialist (Nurse Aide I and Phlebotomy), HVAC, and Basic Ammonia and Refrigeration.

Graduates included Karen Lopez, Nadine Bell, Bobbie Jo Cummings, Shideia Bell, Jasmine Sevilla, Kelvin Boone, Abdulgader Albadani, Tina Watkins, Carter Spearman, Robert Carter, Noah Carter, Desmond Bethune, Billy Jacobs, Gregory Smith and Brett Knowles.

For Spring 2020, the partnership with SECU and SCC will be extending its arms to applicants in November for the Basic Ammonia and Refrigeration Program of Study. For more information about the SECU Bridge to Career Cohort, contact Katie Brown at 910.900.4055 and/or Alonza Royal at 910-900-4014.

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. SCC is committed to the principles of equal educational and employment opportunities for all.