Michael McGowan was a well-loved chef in the area who recently lost his battle with Cystic Fibrosis.  The Michael McGowan Scholarship was established by Michael’s wife, Shelly.  The scholarship will be available to students in CFCC’s culinary program.

To date, more than 70% of the funds needed have been raised to establish an endowed scholarship by September 2013.   The ultimate goal is to raise at least $20,000 for the endowed scholarship, so that funds will continue to be available to students who share McGowan’s passion for cooking.

The scholarship is open to any Cape Fear Community College student who has suffered abuse and has been helped by any of the agencies supported by the Trinity Children Foundation.

The funds for the scholarship were raised through the Trinity Children 3^rdAnnual Golf Invitational event held at River Landing Resort in Wallace, NC in August, 2012.

The vision of the Trinity Children Foundation is to provide abused and at-risk children with “the opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest.” Funds raised by the foundation have provided scholarships for children who have been supported by The Carousel Center of Wilmington, The Boys & Girls Homes of Lake Waccamaw and Southmountain Children & Family Services of Nebo, NC.

Trinity Children Foundation Founder Doris Eakes, who recently passed away, dreamed of helping abused and neglected children all over the world, and worked diligently to raise funds and awareness in the Wilmington area and surrounding region.  Cathy Crawley, Vice President of Trinity Children Foundation, said of this donation, “We are going to try and continue the work that Doris started.”

Dr. Ted D. Spring, President of Cape Fear Community College, said that Eakes’ legacy will make a positive future possible for scholarship recipients. “Ms. Eakes’ dedication to students who have overcome terrible adversity will live on as they achieve brighter futures through education.  It’s truly wonderful that her work can endure in this unique way.”

The Trinity Children Foundation was formed by Eakes in 2005 to support children by “addressing the needs for food, clothing, shelter and health care while providing for emotional stability for orphans, underprivileged and at-risk children.”  In addition to the golf invitational, Trinity Children Foundation sponsors an annual motorcycle charity ride.

The 4-mile course will take participants from the Isabel Holmes Bridge to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge through some of the most scenic areas of downtown Wilmington, NC.  Proceeds from race registrations will benefit scholarships.

“NewBridge Bank is a tremendous supporter of Cape Fear Community College,” said Dana McKoy, CFCC’s Director of Annual Giving, “We’re thrilled to partner with them again this year for this event and are excited about this unique way to raise funds for student scholarships.”

“NewBridge Bank is pleased to sponsor this race for the second year,” said Mark Johnson, Commercial Banker for NewBridge Bank. “This event allows our employees and Wilmington residents the opportunity to support local education and economic growth in a fun and rewarding way. Additionally, the NewBridge Bank Bridge to Bridge run helps to promote cardiovascular exercise and health, which is a focus of our bank’s philanthropic and community efforts.”

A finish line celebration with food, beverages and community supporters will be held at CFCC’s Schwartz Center.

Those interested in participating may sign up at its-go-time.com or follow this link: http://its-go-time.com/event-registration?regevent_action=register&event_id=68. 

NewBridge Bank is a full-service, state-chartered community bank headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina and is one of the largest community banks in the state. NewBridge Bank serves small to midsize businesses, professionals and consumers with a comprehensive array of financial services, including retail and commercial banking, private banking, wealth management, and mortgage banking. NewBridge Bank has assets of approximately $1.7 billion with 39 locations throughout North Carolina. The stock of NewBridge Bancorp, the Bank’s parent company, trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “NBBC.”

John K. Elliott, Director of East Region Government and Community Relations for Duke Energy, presented the check to Dr. Ted D. Spring, President of Cape Fear Community College, and then spoke to a group of students at CFCC’s North Campus about their futures and opportunities at Duke Energy. “This grant represents an investment in this region and in the energy future of our state,” Elliott said. “These students are doing all the heavy lifting and putting all the long hours in, juggling family and school.  We’re glad to help.”

“This kind of community support is invaluable to our students, said Dr. Spring. “The financial support scholarship recipients receive helps them concentrate on their programs of study, and worry less about how they will pay for classes.  It’s also valuable for students to see companies like Duke Energy take a real interest in our community, and in making a quality education more affordable for students.”

New father and Electrical/Electronics Technology student Pat Buschle received a Progress Energy (now Duke Energy) scholarship in fall 2012.  “The scholarship came at good a time – we had just had a baby and I was paying everything out of pocket,” said Buschle.  “It really it helped us out a lot.”

Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States with more than $110 billion in total assets. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.2 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest.

Each year, the Hampstead Garden Club provides a scholarship for one student who has completed their first year of landscape gardening courses, obtained a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and has a need for financial assistance.

Christa Cook, winner of the 2013 scholarship, says the scholarship has eased her mind.  “Because of the scholarship, I am less worried about finances and more focused on my education.  I will forever be thankful to the Hampstead Garden Club for this scholarship and for their continued support of the landscape gardening program at CFCC.”

The Landscape Gardening program at CFCC emphasizes intensive, hands-on training in the field of horticulture to prepare students for careers. Course work includes plant propagation, greenhouse and nursery plant culture, plant identification, landscape planning, maintenance, and construction.

photo (L-R; Lois Berlin, Hampstead Garden Club; Christa Cook, scholarship recipient; Val Trofimoff, Hampstead Garden Club; Kenneth Wells, CFCC Landscape Gardening Instructor) 

The Wilmington Kiwanis Club Scholarship at CFCC is open to students in any program of study that meet a minimum grade point average requirement. Each year the scholarship is awarded to one first-year student and one second-year student. Kiwanis scholarships at Cape Fear Community College and UNC Wilmington are funded by proceeds from the Kiwanis Pancake Day in November.

The Wilmington Kiwanis Club was officially chartered in 1920 with 105 charter members. In 1964 the Wilmington Kiwanis Club began a scholarship program for worthy students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and in 1997 at Cape Fear Community College. Over $175,000 of scholarship gifts have assisted deserving students.

The CFCC Foundation and Sea Devil Athletics are partnering with NewBridge Bank to bring the Wilmington community the 2nd Annual NewBridge Bank Bridge to Bridge 4.0 run / 1.0 walk. A 4-mile course will take participants from the Isabel Holmes Bridge to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge through some of the most scenic areas of downtown Wilmington, NC. The race will take place Thursday, June 13th, at 6:30 pm. The finish line will consist of a celebration inside the Schwartz Center with food, beverages and community supporters. Funds raised will support student scholarships at CFCC. Click here to register.

Sixty-five percent of students who successfully complete the coursework in one program area in Business Technology Programs are unable to pay for their certification examinations.  Industry certifications give students a marketability edge and increase their chances of employment.

Melissa Watson, the Chair of the Business Technology Department, said, “These highly regarded certifications enhance our students’ employability considering our area’s competitive job outlook.”

The Career Readiness Certificate attests that applicants have passed an ACT exam displaying business proficiency in reading, applied math and logic, skill sets required for jobs at various levels and in many fields. The certificate is recognized nationally and in the state of North Carolina as a valuable hiring tool.

Bank of America is committed to helping develop strong leaders in communities, whether is it through corporate, public, or the nonprofit sectors.  “Our programs help support individuals and nonprofits, which ultimately leads to economic advancement in communities both large and small.”

November 1-9, 2013

9-Day Tour Includes:

• Roundtrip airfare from NY
• Seven nights accommodation
• Luxury Motor Coach and Professional Tour Manager
• Breakfast daily
• Welcome Dinner, Farewell Dinner, and 5 additional dinners
• Wine & Cheese Tasting at Le Colline di Sorrento
• Tours of the Correale Museum, Santa Lucia, the Royal Palace, the ruins of Pompeii, and much more!

$2,249 per person based on double occupancy, plus air taxes, pending air confirmation.

For complete details and registration information, click here.

View the itinerary highlights of the tour.