History
System. College Community Carolina the North of institution public became a Assembly. Under the terms and provisions of Article 115A of the General Statutes, the educational facility General Carolina North the by 1967, 7, September on chartered was Institute Technical County Halifax when opportunities and job training for high school graduates and others. The visions and dreams became reality In 1967 visionaries in Halifax County recognized the need for a reputable institution to offer educational
1968. July 15, on was acquired 301, Highway on Motel Manor the Colonial as known formerly Halifax County Technical Institute used office space at the Civil Defense Building in Halifax until the property, appointed. was Taylor, W. Phillip Dr. president, first its when 1968 February in functioning began institution The
1968. September in time first enrolled for the mechanics automotive and service, television and radio science, secretarial administration, business in students Full-time 1968. March in programs these for responsibility assumed institute The Institute. Technical Pitt from inherited In its first year, Halifax County Technical Institute offered classes in practical nursing and masonry programs
included: of Trustees Board comprising the body that for roster boards, four by the Halifax County Board of Commissioners, and four by the Governor of North Carolina. The it as a chartered institution, governed by a 12-member board. Four trustees were appointed by local school established and status unit the from Institute Technical County Halifax removed Assembly General the by Action
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Chairman
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Michael Mills
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Vice-Chairman
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Lewis "Rocky" Lane
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Trustee
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Thomas Barrett, Jr.
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Trustee
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Tony Brown
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Trustee
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Joyce Buffaloe
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Trustee
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Helen Bush
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Trustee
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Kelvin Edward Sr.
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Trustee
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Elease Frederick
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Trustee
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David Harvey
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Trustee
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Larry Perkins
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Trustee
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Lillie Pernell
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Trustee
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Mary Mebane
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Trustee
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Barbie Shearin
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Trustee
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Shirley Webb- Owens
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The Board of Trustees is a corporate body with all powers usually conferred upon such bodies to exercise powers necessary for the management and administration of the institute. Since the inception of the institution, programs and facilities have evolved to meet the needs of an expanded and diverse enrollment population. In May 1972 the trustees approved the purchase of a 109-acre tract of land ideally located in the population center of Halifax County. Construction began in 1975 and the institute moved to the new campus in April 1977 where formal dedication ceremonies were held on May 22, 1977. The cost of the facility, including land and buildings, was approximately $2,356,000 and contained 72,000 gross square feet.
As seen as early as 1973, the trustees, staff, and faculty of Halifax County Technical Institute began to discuss the possibilities and to make plans for adding a two- year college transfer program. The institute had offered a general education program on contract with East Carolina University since 1971. The leadership of the institution recognized the many rewards that would result from establishing a two- year transfer program operated solely by the local institution; thus, the community witnessed the emergence of HCC as a comprehensive community college.
A feasibility study was conducted in 1974. The local trustees, the county board of commissioners, local secondary school units, the state board of community colleges, and the state advisory budget commission approved the move for the establishment of the institute as Halifax Community College.
Local representatives introduced the bill to the 1975 North Carolina legislature and action was approved in June of that year to become effective on July 1, 1976.
The institution moved to its present location in 1977 when Halifax Community College established a new campus in Weldon on Highway 158. In 1979 the growing institution added 4,000 square feet of vocational classroom space.
Another major campus addition was the Technology Development Center (now the Workforce & Economic Development Center) completed in 1986. The center housed a large multipurpose auditorium, spacious bays for industrial training, classrooms, and offices for continuing education staff and a small business center, established in 1985. In 1987 a new student activity center opened, which housed the campus bookstore and a student lounge.
Following the retirement of the founding president, the search committee of the board of trustees appointed Dr. Elton L. Newbern Jr. as president, effective July 1, 1988. Under his leadership, new facilities and programs were initiated to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing enrollment.
The institution’s curriculum enrollment numbered 14 at its inception, but grew rapidly, and the College experienced a 41 percent increase in enrollment in the 1990s. The College celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1993.
During Dr. Newbern’s tenure, the College’s image was enhanced along with growth of the actual physical plant and its services. As a result of his leadership in the areas of public relations and marketing, Dr. Newbern was honored as the 1993 recipient of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations’ Pacesetter Award.
The HCC Foundation assets showed marked increases and scholarship awards jumped from three named scholarships to more than 50. The purpose of the Foundation is to assist the College in acquiring funds to supplement state and local allocations, and its specific function is to support student scholarships.
The College established articulation agreements with area secondary schools and colleges, and Tech Prep and School-to- Work Programs were implemented during Newbern’s presidency.
The 1990s reflected enrollment increases through growth in both program areas and facilities. New curriculum programs were initiated and included accounting, microcomputer systems technology, basic law enforcement technology, phlebotomy, and pulp and paper technology. A statewide reengineering process converted all 58 community colleges within the North Carolina Community College System to a common course library, based upon a semester system. The Child Care Center was established on the campus with first preference for accommodation given to student and faculty parents.
Halifax Community College experienced growth in facilities as well. The Student/ Nursing Education Center was constructed in 1990, the Literacy/Science Education Center was completed in 1994, and the Child Care Center/Classroom Building was constructed in 1996. Today’s campus features major additions, including the student activity complex that combines all of the student services functions into one location. The Student Services building is headquarters for the admissions office, the campus bookstore, and a student lounge, all under one roof.
The Literacy and Science Education Center, a 25,000 square-foot free-standing addition, houses a learning center for the literacy program, six large classrooms, four science/ chemistry labs, and 11 related offices. The center also contains a computer room, a testing room, and large classroom space for lectures.
A model child care center and teaching facility, plus classrooms and offices, added more than 18,000 square feet of additional classroom space to the campus landscape.
On September 1, 1998, the Halifax Community College Board of Trustees selected a new leader for the College. Dr. Theodore (Ted) H. Gasper Jr. was appointed as president, following the retirement of his predecessor. During the time of his leadership, the College grew to serve a record number of students. Through an intensive outreach program, citizens in outlying communities of the service area now had access to college services in their own neighborhoods. New programs and projects were initiated to continue to meet the educational needs of the community with improved services and huge technological advances.
In July 2002 the construction began on the Allied Health/Multipurpose Building. The new 80,886 square- foot, state-of-the-art, two-story building houses the allied health programs, which include nursing, nursing assistant, licensed practical nursing, and dental hygiene.
In August 2003 the construction began on the new Wellness Center. The Wellness Center, a 6,500 square-foot free-standing addition, houses exercise equipment for the basic law enforcement program, floor space for workforce and economic development classes, and exercise classes.
Through advancement in distance learning activities - online instruction and live interactive classes via the North Carolina Information Highway - Halifax Community College is a recognized leader for progress in the Roanoke Valley. The College continues its traditions of quality and service to the citizens of the area and is committed to remaining a pacesetting institution offering service with a personal touch. For our students, HCC is where Learning
Dr. Ervin V. Griffin Sr. started his tenure as the fourth president of Halifax Community College on December 1, 2006. In February 2008 Dr. Griffin began a high visibility campaign to highlight the campus. He brought a stamp dedication ceremony commemorating legendary jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald to HCC as part of Black History Month festivities. This was the first time that HCC had partnered with the U.S. Postal Service to bring a stamp dedication to campus. Dr. Griffin also partnered with a local newspaper to publish two presidential columns each month, giving his perspective on a variety of educational topics, and he commissioned the College’s first academic mace.
Dr. Michael A. Elam is the fifth President of Halifax Community College in Weldon, NC. He began November 30, 2017. He was formerly President at Roanoke-Chowan Community College in Ahoskie, NC, a comprehensive community college serving 75,000 residents in a three county rural service area. Prior to moving to Ahoskie, Dr. Elam lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he served as the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives for the Louisiana Community & Technical College System. Before accepting that state-wide responsibility, he provided leadership as Interim Chancellor for both Sowela Technical Community College and Central Louisiana Technical Community College in Lake Charles and Alexandria, LA respectively. Prior to moving to Louisiana, Dr. Elam was selected and served as the sixth President of College of the Mainland in Texas City, TX. College of the Mainland is a single campus institution with a $32 million dollar budget and a large petrochemical community.
In addition, Dr. Elam has held numerous leadership positions at the university and community college levels, including Daytona State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, the University of Houston, Eastern Kentucky University, and Illinois State University, acquiring more than 33 years of experience in higher education.
Dr. Elam was born in North Carolina but grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and a Master of Education degree in Student Personnel Administration from Howard University. Dr. Elam's Educational Doctorate was conferred by Nova Southeastern University in Higher Educational Leadership
On January 1, 2023, Dr. Patrena Benton Elliott began serving as the sixth and first female President of Halifax Community College. Prior to this appointment, she served as Vice President and Chief Academic and Student Affairs Officer at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, NC. In addition to this leadership role, Dr. Elliott held several senior administrative positions to include: Vice President of Academic Affairs, Graduate College Dean, and Chief Executive Officer of a statewide inter-institutional center in the University of North Carolina System. Over her career, she has established academic programs from certificate to graduate level, raised millions of dollars in institutional funding, mentored countless students, and has presented extensively throughout the country.
Dr. Elliott earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.S. in Adult Education and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. As a lifelong learner, she also holds Higher Education/Leadership Certificates from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Leadership Raleigh, Hampton University, and the University of North Carolina System.
Dr. Elliott has been inducted in several honor societies and is the recipient of numerous leadership awards. Given that she believes, “to whom much is given, much is required,” she also holds memberships in several service organizations including: The Links, Incorporated and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated. Dr. Patrena Benton Elliott is married to Dr. Stanley Elliott and together they are the proud parents of two adult children, Jordan and Sterling.