91Ó°ÊÓ

Achievements of the 91Ó°ÊÓ class of 2023 were celebrated by family, friends, and SCC faculty and staff on Saturday, May 13, on the McNeill-Woodward Green. The College held two ceremonies. At 8:30 am, those receiving Associate in Arts or Science, Associate in Arts or Science in Teacher Preparation, Associate in Engineering, Associate in Fine Arts in Music or Visual Arts, Associate in General Education, and Associate in General Education in Nursing were honored. Graduates receiving an associate in applied science, diploma, or certificate were recognized at 11:30 am.

Pomp and Circumstance began the ceremony, and Interim President, Brenda Jackson welcomed those gathered during the first ceremony and Vice President of Institutional Advancement Germaine Elkins during the second. Chief Information Officer Roderick Brower performed the Star-Spangled Banner.

Student Government Association President Michelle Marshall welcomed those gathered and gave words of encouragement to the graduates. Chairman of the Board of Trustees George W. Little welcomed the crowd on behalf of the Board. 

DJ Farmer introduced the 2023 SCC Distinguished Alumnus, Isabel Cain. Cain spoke of her struggles in life and victories, including earning a degree from SCC and subsequent degrees after Sandhills. She now serves as the Coordinator for English Language Acquisition and College and Career Readiness at the College.

Student Awards

Hannah Peterkin received The Mary Luman Meyer Award – given to the student who contributed most to the life of the College during their two years at Sandhills. Peterkin earned an Associate in Science.

The Sue Williamson Faculty Award for Transfer was presented to Michelle Marshall, who earned an Associate in Arts. Parker Nelson earned the Faculty Award for Applied Science. The faculty of the College chose the recipients of these awards. While at SCC, each demonstrated outstanding character and academic achievement.

Luke Shelton was presented with The President’s Award. Shelton had the highest academic average with the most credit hours earned. As such, he was the Valedictorian of the Class of 2023. Shelton earned an Associate in Fine Arts in Music.

Following student recognitions, the presentation of candidates for graduation was carried out. For the academic year 2022-23, Sandhills awarded 605 degrees, 18 diplomas, and 20 certificates. 

Fall Semester

The fall semester flightPath will be published on the 91Ó°ÊÓ website in mid-July (www.sandhills.edu/flightpath). It will contain information about all curriculum programs and the Continuing Education classes scheduled to begin August through December.

Curriculum classes will begin on August 14. In addition to the traditional 16-week semester, there will be two eight-week sessions, one beginning on August 14 and the second on October 11. Students can take a mix of full-semester classes alongside eight-week sessions. For all information, go to www.sandhills.edu/learn.

Boys & Girls Club

A Boys & Girls Club unit is offered on the Sandhills campus. It runs from 2:30 to 6:30 pm for kindergarten through fifth grade. The Club is ideal for parents/guardians taking SCC afternoon or evening classes, those who need study time, need to utilize the computer lab, or work on projects. Club participants will receive homework assistance, and dinner is offered. The cost is $40 per child per year. The Club provides transportation from McDeeds Creek, Farm Life, and Carthage Elementary schools.

In addition, drop-in services are available free of charge to Sandhills students from 6–9 pm. This is ideal for students taking afternoon or evening classes, working on group projects, or for other academic reasons. For more information or to register for the Club or drop-in services, contact Edith-Ann Jackson at ejackson@sandhillsbgc.org or 910.638.6502.

Classes for High School Students

Moore and Hoke County High School students can take SCC classes at no cost as juniors and seniors. High school counselors can help schedule these classes or home or private school students can contact Elizabeth Yarrington at yarringtone@sandhills.edu.

Students who reside in Moore and Hoke Counties that successfully complete the required number of classes through Sandhills while in high school can qualify for two full years of paid tuition through our Sandhills Promise program. Sandhills awards over $350,000 to pay tuition and fees for Sandhills Promise students each year. Since its inception in the Fall of 2017, 1,504 students have participated in the Sandhills Promise. The Sandhills Promise applications are due each year by mid-July.