SANFORD - Ten students have been chosen to participate in the Central Carolina Community College Ambassadors program for 2017-18.

Ambassadors are students who serve as official hosts of the college, representing it at college and community events both on- and off-campus.

Ambassadors assist with activities such as college special events, high school student campus visits, campus tours, recruitment, presentations to community groups and agencies, registration, graduation, and orientation, and other activities. In return for their service, they receive free tuition and fees.

The 10 students who are serving as Ambassadors for the 2017-18 school year are, listed with their academic programs: Selina Boehm (Associate Degree Nursing) of Weinheim, Germany; Yeida Marie Casais (Associate Degree Nursing) of Fayetteville; Matthew Ford (Associate in Science) of Cary; Tara Gillis (Veterinary Medical Technology) of Fayetteville; Nickolas Jorgenson (Laser and Photonics) of Phoenix, Ariz.; Amanda Miller (Medical Office Administration) of Casa Grande, Ariz.; Sarah Plonk (Associate in Science) of Pittsboro; Gracie Schardt (Associate Degree Nursing) of Broadway; Katie Turner (Veterinary Medical Technology) of Climax; and Erin Walker (Associate Degree Nursing) of Springfield, Ill.

"These Ambassadors are the finest representatives Central Carolina Community College could have," said CCCC President T. Eston Marchant. "I am proud of how they carry out their responsibilities, creating goodwill and respect for the college wherever they give presentations or serve. In addition, their experiences as Ambassadors instill within them qualities that will benefit them, their families, their employers, and their communities for the rest of their lives."

Each year, faculty and staff make recommendations for second-year students to serve as Ambassadors. Selection is based on factors such as academic performance, leadership potential, and communication skills.

"The application process to become a Student Ambassadors is very rigorous," said Aaron Mabe, who serves as the CCCC Ambassador Advisor and as an Admissions Counselor. "Students must be meet specific academic criteria to be eligible for candidacy, must receive a formal nomination by a faculty or staff member, submit an application (including a resume, essay, and three professional references), and attend an interview. Last year, the program received 80 nominations from the faculty and staff."

Those selected are required to complete 144 hours of service to the college, and must attend 80 percent of all classes and group meetings, maintain good standing in the community and college, maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average, complete a summer honors leadership course, attend called and mandatory events, and participate in a minimum of three public speaking engagements.

Mabe said he gets to witness their leadership skills develop. "At the completion of the Ambassador's year of service, you can tell a distinct difference in who they are as a professional," said Mabe. "The CCCC Ambassadors program is an excellent opportunity for students to get involved and harness their leadership skills."

For more information on Central Carolina Community College, visit the college website at www.cccc.edu.

MEET THE AMBASSADORS

Selina Boehm
Weinheim, Germany
Curriculum: Associate Degree Nursing (ADN)
Future plans: Becoming a skilled Registered Nurse.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? As a student from a different cultural background, I hope to bring new ideas to the program. Serving people in my community helps me to learn from others, integrate myself better, and also give something back to CCCC.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? At first, it was simply the location. After enrolling at CCCC, I now appreciate the support and opportunities this college offered me. My background in higher education is from the University of Heidelberg in Germany where I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. Even though I already attended a university in a different country, I was unfamiliar with operations of the local college system in this country. Specifically, how to financially support my goal of becoming a Nurse and the requirements of becoming a nursing professional. The instructors, advisors, and particularly the TRiO staff of CCCC have provided me with support, advice, and opportunities that have been invaluable to me in navigating my way through this exciting educational experience.

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Yeida Casais
Fayetteville, N.C.
Curriculum: Associate Degree Nursing
Future plans: Pass the NCLEX exam, start working as a labor and delivery nurse, and receive my baccalaureate.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? I wanted the opportunity to further improve my leadership skills while making a positive contribution toward the school.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? Honestly, my sister was a big influence for me. She was already attending CCCC and had previously done her research on schools around the area. Based on the information she supplied me along with my own research, I found that CCCC would be the best fit for my educational needs. It is close enough to my home, has different campus locations, and is a smaller school in comparison to some others, which I like.

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Matthew Ford
Pittsboro, N.C.
Curriculum: Associate of Science
Future plans: Go to UNC-Chapel Hill to earn a degree in Mathematical Decision Sciences. I hope to start my own consulting firm based on business analytics one day.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? I wanted to push myself to develop leadership skills and wanted to give back to CCCC as I feel I have benefited greatly from attending here.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? I was first intrigued by the close proximity of the Pittsboro Main Campus to my house. However, after visiting CCCC, I realized how accessible and invested the faculty is into the success of their students.

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Tara Gillis
Fayetteville, N.C.
Curriculum: Veterinary Medical Technology
Future plans: Establishing a stable career as a Registered Veterinary Technician, specializing in emergency medicine.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? I love helping people and informing them of our wonderful programs here at CCCC. Giving them a cost effective option of achieving their goals is awesome.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? I found out about CCCC's Veterinary Medical program through my mom. I did some research and decided that this was the best fit for me. The timing and price was right, and it offered me an opportunity to pursue my dreams.

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Nick Jorgenson
Fayetteville, N.C. (from Phoenix, Ariz.)
Curriculum: Laser and Photonics Technology
Future plans: Still figuring that out - inventor/project manager.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? CCCC gave me the opportunity to switch gears in life and pursue a new and exciting career field. I wanted to give something back to the college.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? Mr. Gary Beasley, the Lead Instructor for the Laser and Photonics Technology program, is a master recruiter! His passion for the program, students, and industry is contagious. I knew that I needed to be a part of the CCCC family from the moment I toured the campus. Best decision ever!

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Amanda Miller
Sanford, N.C. (from Casa Grande, Ariz.)
Curriculum: Medical Office Administration
Future plans: My future plans are to become a Certified Medical Coder, and work primarily in a hospital.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? My main goal for serving as an Ambassador is to help others and represent the school/community.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? At first, CCCC was the closest college to Fort Bragg. With my husband being in the military and having two children, I didn't want to be too far away. Originally, I was enrolled in Office Administration. My advisor introduced me to Medical Office Administration, and I fell in love with CCCC.

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Sarah Plonk
Pittsboro, N.C.
Curriculum: Associate of Science
Future plans: I plan to transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall of 2018 to continue studying computer science. Ultimately, I'd like to write code to tackle linguistic challenges in human communication as well as communication between humans and technology.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? I thought it would be a great opportunity to work in various areas of the college, meet different people, and make a difference while experiencing new things and developing skills in leadership.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? I wanted to continue my education when I moved to the area and had heard lots of positive things about CCCC, all of which I have experienced to be true!

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Gracie Schardt
Broadway, N.C. (from Apex, N.C.)
Curriculum: Associate Degree Nursing (ADN)
Future plans: After finishing the ADN program, I plan to start work as a Registered Nurse. At the same time, I will be attending a university to complete my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Following that, I will continue on to complete my MSN (Masters of Science in Nursing), and then my DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). This will allow me to work as a nursing executive in a hospital or other healthcare setting.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? I love having the opportunity to serve the community and school that has helped me begin obtaining my career goal!

What influenced you to attend CCCC? I decided to attend CCCC because of its nursing program. I also like the smaller class sizes. After attending a university where I felt like I was just a number, it is great to feel like part of a community.

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Katie Turner
Climax, N.C.
Curriculum: Veterinary Medical Technology
Future plans: After graduation, I plan to work in a small animal practice until I can find a large animal veterinarian to work under. My passion is large animal medicine, especially cows, goats, and horses. I would also like to be a part of Christian Veterinary Mission, an organization that exists to share the love of Christ through veterinary medicine by working in communities worldwide. CVM also equips and encourages veterinary professionals and students to build relationships with others through the use of their veterinary knowledge and skills so that lives are transformed. I also plan to buy my very first home after graduation, and begin buying cattle to raise and sell as my beginning investment. I definitely would love to specialize in something surgery related at some point and even come back to CCCC to help teach future students.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? Being an Ambassador provides experiences for me now to grow and develop into a better person in many ways. I also enjoy the realm of networking, and being an Ambassador will provide me that opportunity. Lastly, I am such of fan of CCCC and I admire all that the college provides. Being an Ambassador provides me a window to express my gratitude to all the wonderful faculty that have helped me personally so far in my own journey to success here at CCCC.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? My aunt suggested that I attend CCCC. She knew of a friend that had graduated from the Vet Med program. I did my research and discovered that CCCC's Vet Med program was ranked one of the Top 5 accredited Vet Tech schools in the nation, so I knew I had to get in there!

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Erin Walker
Sanford, N.C. (from Springfield, Ill.)
Curriculum: Associate Degree Nursing (ADN)
Future plans: I will continue my education to become Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). My hope is to work in an ICU following graduation.

Why did you want to serve as an Ambassador? To become more involved with CCCC and the community.

What influenced you to attend CCCC? I have always attended small town schools. I was looking for a school that excelled in academics, a campus small in size, a student teacher ratio that facilitated assistance and guidance when needed, resources to continue my education, and something close to my home. The first time I stepped onto campus, I was met with a warm welcome and left that day enrolled in CCCC.