Letter from the President

At Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, our mission to serve our students and create positive change in the communities we serve would not be possible without engagement – engagement among our own leaders, board members, faculty, staff and students, as well as the connections we form with businesses, government, donors, and our neighbors.

Education, at its very core, is about engaging the mind toward deep understanding, critical thinking, and transferring knowledge into action. This is what prepares our students and our regional workforce for success.

We have grown as an institution by anticipating and preparing for change, but this has not happened by accident. Progress takes place through purposeful analysis, collaboration, commitment and action. Rowan-Cabarrus is dedicated to providing first-rate instruction and opportunities that lead to lucrative, sustainable jobs in growing fields. In fact, with our eye on the future, we are building educational pathways for some jobs that do not even exist yet.

Rowan-Cabarrus continually enters into partnerships that will lead to a vibrant future for students on all of our campuses. Our new Advanced Technology Center is under construction on land donated by David Murdock on the North Carolina Research Campus. This new community resource, which is a result of collaboration between the College, Cabarrus County, the City of Kannapolis and Castle & Cooke, will help bring new manufacturing jobs to our area and continue to advance our reputation as a leader in education and workforce development.

As a participant in the exciting Kannapolis revitalization plan, Rowan-Cabarrus relocated our cosmetology program to its new location, College Station, to allow the city to continue its work while providing improved facilities for our students (full article on page 23).

Every day in our region, many of the dedicated professionals in uniform who protect and heal us were educated at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Police, firefighters and a host of health care professionals who serve us received their training here. Our fire and emergency services program continues to grow and receive national recognition. We have also expanded our health care offerings in recent years with the addition of our new physical therapist assistant and occupational therapy assistant programs.

Rowan-Cabarrus brings new hope to our region every day, as we equip thousands of men and women with relevant new skills, confidence, knowledge and the ability to create a bright future for themselves. I am proud of this institution and the work we do every day to leverage the power of learning to improve lives in Rowan and Cabarrus counties and beyond.

Sincerely,