(CLINTON, N.C.) – Last November, the Career and College Promise (CCP) program at Sampson Community College (SCC) hired four new Career Coaches. The CCP program allows high school students in Sampson County to get a head-start in their future after high school by taking classes at SCC. Emily Brown of Clinton was one of the first to be hired in this new position.
Brown graduated from Clinton High School (CHS) in 2016 and from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2019. She graduated from college with a degree in Psychology and Leadership Studies. Brown is currently working on obtaining her master’s degree in Student Affairs from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. While in high school, Brown participated in the CCP program. She has now come full circle from being an advisee to an advisor.
Before coming to SCC, Brown moved to Greensboro, North Carolina to work on her master’s degree. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, her program moved fully online. Brown then saw the new position available at SCC as a Career Coach for the CCP program. She applied and interviewed for the new position and now she is the Career Coach stationed at Clinton High School. Each day Brown reports to CHS, the school that she graduated from. She has been at CHS since December of last year.
Taylor DeLeone, Clinton High School Guidance Counselor stated, “Ms. Brown has been nothing but an asset to the Clinton High School Guidance staff. She is always eager to learn more about our school and our students. From the moment she entered our doors, she has hit the ground running. Ms. Brown has worked very hard to ensure our students take advantage of all that SCC has to offer. She has met with students, communicated with parents, and even spoken to groups of students in the classroom to encourage students to achieve their postsecondary goals. She always has a smile on her face under her mask of course! We are very thankful to have Ms. Brown, and the positive attitude she brings with her!”
The CCP program at SCC has grown rapidly since it first began. Last May, 33 CCP students graduated with their associate’s degrees and over 600 more students were enrolled in the program. As a Career Coach, Brown helps students choose classes that can be transferred to a four-year college or university and help students with the courses that are not curriculum based, but instead work-place based.
Brown decided to join SCC as a Career Coach due to her time as a CCP student while she was in high school. Being a Career Coach at SCC combined Brown’s desire to help students, with her desire to give back to the community that raised her. She remembered her experience as a CCP student as a positive one.
“Partially because my interaction with the program when I was in high school was so positive. It really combined my interests of working with students and I do still care a lot about my community,” Brown commented.
Since being in high school herself, Brown has seen the CCP program grow tremendously. As a Career Coach she has her own goals for the future of the program. One of her main goals is to increase the number of students that are not considered “academically high achieving” take advantage of the CCP program. Her hope is that these students also take advantage of the opportunity to advance their career early. She also wants to grow awareness about the program for the students that might think that the CCP program is not for them.
When asked about Brown, Director of Career and College Promise, Perry Gillespie replied, “Emily is an amazing asset to Sampson Community College. She has a maturity that exudes experience beyond her years. She is a quick learner and very knowledgeable about the CCP program. “
Since starting at SCC, Brown has had an extremely positive experience so far. Especially since much of her time is spent at CHS helping the students there. She believes that SCC is her home even when she is not physically on campus. Brown has had wonderful experience at SCC during her brief time as a Career Coach.
Brown exclaimed, “SCC has been super positive. It is very family-like environment and everybody has been extremely kind. It has been really nice with me being a dual report. SCC made sure that I know this is my home.”
Emily Brown has just recently started here at Sampson Community College as a Career Coach for the Career and College Promise program and has already shown great growth.
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.
