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Abbi Overfelt

Staff writer

LUMBERTON — Harvey Godwin’s phone rang at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday with news that he had been appointed Robeson Community College’s newest trustee.

“It’s an honor and it’s big responsibility,” said Godwin, who owns Two Hawk Employment Services in Lumberton and has been affiliated with the college for 10 years. “I think I can take a lot of the things I’ve been doing and take them to another level as a board of trustee member.”

Godwin has served two years as chairman of the board of directors for the Robeson Community College Foundation, as well as serving eight years as a foundation board member. He will be sworn in as a trustee at the board’s next meeting on Oct. 8.

“The biggest honor and responsibility is that now in this capacity you are a servant for the citizens of North Carolina and in particular Robeson County, where I have lived all my life,” Godwin said.

RCC President Charles Chrestman, who announced in July that he would retire effective Dec. 31, one day before his 10-year anniversary at the college, said he was glad the board of trustees would have no empty seats as the search for his successor moves forward.

“I am pleased to hear that the governor has filled the appointment on our board of trustees, especially since the board is about to embark on a presidential search for the fourth president of RCC,” Chrestman said.

Godwin will be one of four of the 13 members of the RCC board that are appointed by the governor, and will take the place of Alicia Oxendine, who resigned to pursue new career

opportunities. Four members are appointed by the Public Schools of Robeson County, and four appointed by the Robeson County Board of Commissioners. The 13th member is the president of the Student Government Association.

“This is all new to me,” Godwin said. “As a brand new board member, I just want to get in and get used to the board and do whatever I can to support them and then I can go from there.”

Chrestman said Godwin is “knowledgeable of what the institution does, its mission, and the services it provides.”

“I think he will be a great addition to the board,” he said.

The search for Chrestman’s successor was launched earlier this month. According to the presidential search schedule, applicants will be reduced to 10 to 12 semifinalists by Nov. 1, with five to six finalists being selected at a meeting of the trustees on Nov. 28.

Finalists will be interviewed by Jan. 10. The trustees will then submit a name and two alternates to Scott Ralls, president of the North Carolina Community College System, who will then put that name before the state Board of Community Colleges for final approval.