First Posted: 11/30/2013

Many positive student activities have been going on outside the classroom at Robeson Community College recently. The Campus Alliance for Native American Student Achievement and the College and Career Readiness Department each brought displays, speakers and performers to campus during the month of November in celebration of Native American Heritage Month to raise awareness of the contributions of Native Americans to our society.

Robeson Community College’s Students Helping Others Program sponsored a food drive to collect nonperishable items for the Robeson County Church and Community Center’s Food Pantry. The program completed the annual Food Drive on Nov. 6 and staff adviser Susan Mangum Moore, staff member Sherry Callahan and student members April Jacobs, Cody Locklear, Donna Jefferson, Jamie Morgan and Qaadir Hill delivered 1,900 pounds of food to the Church and Community Center. Darlene Jacobs, executive director of the Robeson County Church and Community Center noted that the donation was timely as the center’s shelves were almost depleted.

Between now and Christmas, the program will sponsor an Angel Tree and encouraging the college community to donate gifts of clothing and toys that will go to the students of a local special needs class in the public schools.

The program does not hold a monopoly on the giving spirit however, as the Advanced Manufacturing Club on campus is sponsoring a Toy Drive between now and Dec. 9, the proceeds of which will hopefully brighten the Christmas of needy children in the community.

Recently a select group of students on campus was recognized with membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. An induction ceremony was held on Wednesday November 13, 2013, in the BB&T room of the Charles V. Chrestman Workforce Development Center and the Beta Delta Mu Chapter added ten students to its ranks during the ceremony while their families, RCC administrators, faculty and staff looked on. Inductees were: Joshua P. Adams, Tyler W. Beal, Ernest Britt Jr., Cheyenne Bullard, Sarah Durden, Darius K. Johnson, Maurice Lewis, Tonia McNair, Benedict Oxendine, and Allison Savage.

Also, advisors installed three officers to the Beta Delta Mu Chapter. Rachel Maynor was installed as president, Samara Honore as vice president and James C. Barnes as treasurer.

Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming. Today, Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 2.5 million members and 1,275 chapters located in 50 United States, U.S. territories, and many other countries around the world.

Finally, six students shared their talents with the campus community at a Writers’ Showcase that was held in the BB&T room on Monday, November 25th.

Donald Locklear read an essay about gender roles in the TV sitcom “Modern Family,’ Rayne Hankerson read a fictional piece, Jennifer Rusk read her critique of an advertisement, and Embrus Locklear read a piece about how she learned to read and write. Kris Vose and Lindsay Ivey each read works they wrote that reflected on the novel “The Things They Carried.”

Keynote speaker, author, farmer, and RCC instructor Jeff McPherson encouraged each person in the audience to try their hand at writing. McPherson asked, “Do you have a book inside of you?” and then proceeded to answer for each individual present by adding, “I say yes you do!”

Each of these activities delivers the message to students that education is about more than classes and books. A true education includes fostering an awareness and appreciation for others, service to give back to others, and sharing one’s talents with the world for the betterment of humankind. In addition to the books and classes, Robeson Community College strives to present these opportunities to students as well.

If you would like to be a part of what happens at RCC, put Jan. 6, 2014, on your calendar, the next opportunity to register for curriculum classes that begin on Jan. 8.

If you would like to support students at RCC, the RCC Foundation is sponsoring a Christmas Talent Show as a fundraiser on Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium on campus. The Foundation has also teamed with Purple Door Productions to present “A Christmas Carol” as a fundraiser for the Foundation. Performances will be Thursday, Dec. 12 through Dec. 14 at 7:30 pm also in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium. Matinee shows will be held on Saturday Dec. 14 and Sunday Dec. 15 at 2:30 pm. Contact the RCC Foundation office at 910-272-3236 for ticket information.

Dennis Watts is the public information officer at Robeson Community College.