“We have had just tremendous support from the Stanly Community College and the local planning committee along with Chris Lambert at the tourism bureau. We just could not have been made to feel more welcome and at home,” Ms. Edwards, a faculty member at Craven Community College in New Bern, noted.
The conference featured two key note speakers, including the president elect of the entire community college system, Dr. Scott Ralls. Dr. Ralls, currently president at Craven Community College, will assume the state leadership role on May 1 and was the featured speaker at the opening session of the conference on Wednesday.
At lunch on Thursday, the group heard Thomas Hyslip, Special Agent with the Criminal Investigative Service at the Department of Defense, who talked about cyber crime. Hyslip investigates computer crime affecting the Department of Defense Global Information Grid and supports other special agents with computer forensic support.
The attendees at the conference could select from more than 80 sessions dealing with the latest computer hardware and software, along with teaching and technology tips and issues.
At the opening session on Wednesday SCC Board Chair and Albemarle Mayor Whit Whitley welcomed the group on behalf of the college and the city of Albemarle. At the opening session the NCCIA also awarded $4,500 worth of scholarships to seven students and one faculty member. SCC President Dr. Mike Taylor also welcomed the group to campus and congratulated the NCCIA on all its efforts to support quality instruction for the systems students at all 58 community college campuses.
For the first time the NCCIA also awarded an Excellence in Teaching Award. Ms. Edwards praised the SCC faculty and staff for all their work in planning the event. She noted the leadership provided by Rita Chrane, Merlin Amirtharaj, and Jim Hillier in helping to make the conference go so smoothly.
Dr. Taylor noted that the registration for the conference was about as high as when the group met on the North Carolina coast. “We like to think that because the NCCIA decided to allow us to host the event and the great registration says a lot about the quality of our technology programs and the fact that other community college faculty from around the state recognizes that fact,” Dr. Taylor concluded.
The NCCIA will hold its 2009 conference in Raleigh with Wake Technical Community College serving as the host.
President elect of North Carolina Community College System visits SCC: Dr. Scott Ralls, fourth from left,
was on the campus of Stanly Community College Wednesday to speak at the opening session of
the North Carolina Computer Instructors Association (NCCIA). Also attending the opening
session were SCC Chairman and Albemarle Mayor Whit Whitley (on the left), SCC President
Dr. Mike Taylor, SCC faculty member Rita Chrane who co-chaired the planning efforts for the
conference on the SCC campus, and Bambi Edwards, president of the NCCIA.