Endowment honors memory of BCCC’s longest-serving President

Beaufort County Community College student wills receive financial aid for years to come thanks to an endowment established through the BCCC Foundation that honors the memory of BCCC’s longest-serving President.

The Jim Blanton Endowment has been established with donations from Blanton’s wife, Betty, and contributions from other family members and friends following Mr. Blanton’s death in October.

Blanton served as BCCC’s President from 1971 to 1990 and was the longest-serving leader of the institution to date.

“BCCC owes a debt of gratitude to President Blanton for his faithful service to the college and the community,” said Judy Jennette, Foundation director. “It is an honor to announce the creation of this endowment, that will help students attend the college he loved for generations to come.”

A native of Duplin County, Blanton was a medic in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict. He taught at Bath High School for two years and Washington High School for 20 years.

After serving in the county’s public schools, Blanton joined the staff of BCCC, serving as a dean before being named President of Beaufort County Technical Institute, now Beaufort County Community College.

Blanton led BCTI and later, BCCC, to full accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and oversaw the construction of four new buildings on campus, the addition of a College Transfer Program to its curriculum and the approval of a bond referendum to fund construction of new projects at the college.

“Beaufort County Community College would not be the vibrant place it is today without the hard work and dedication of Mr. Blanton,” said BCCC President Barbara Tansey. “The BCCC Foundation is delighted to honor this great leader in education with this endowment.”

The first scholarship from the endowment is expected to be awarded to a student in the Fall 2013 Semester.

For more information about establishing an endowment, interested persons may contact Jennette at 252-940-6327 or by email at judyj@beaufortccc.edu.

Retired BCCC counselor donates funds for scholarship

During her 26-year career at Beaufort County Community College, Sue Brookshire worked with and helped many students.

 “I have seen women with the ability to succeed who could benefit from some financial help,” she said. “Because of my parents’ legacy to my sister and me I am able to offer some help for women on their educational journey.”

As a first-generation college graduate, “learning has been life-long for me. My educational journey included undergraduate study at four colleges and universities in four states,” Brookshire said. “As a young wife and mother, I returned to graduate school at East Carolina University over the course of three decades and earned three master’s degrees. I earned my last degree at the age of 55.”

That’s why Brookshire, who retired in December from the staff at BCCC, established an endowment that will fund scholarships for students who find themselves in a similar situation.

BCCC President Barbara Tansey praised Brookshire’s dedication and generosity in creating the endowment.

“Sue Brookshire, both during her tenure at BCCC and now as she is enjoying her retirement, was and continues to be loved by the students she served. This endowment will continue to be a fitting reminder of that high regard and her dedication to students at the college,” Tansey said.

The endowment will award scholarships to a second-year, female student completing her second semester at BCCC. The student should be 30 years old or older, maintain a 2.5 grade point average or greater and planning to transfer to a four-year college or university to be eligible to receive the scholarship.

Potential candidates must have one of the following circumstances to quality: A life-changing event in the last three years, death of a spouse or a child, divorce, bankruptcy or similar situation or facing a serious health issue.

The BCCC Foundation hopes to award a scholarship from the endowment as early as  the Fall 2013 Semester, according to Foundation Director Judy Jennette.

“The BCCC Foundation is pleased to accept Sue Brookshire’s contribution and we look forward to awarding the first scholarship from the endowment,” she said.

Brookshire, a native of the Carolinas, and her husband, Curtis, moved to Washington from Michigan in 1976 when Curtis Brookshire accepted the position as Chief Engineer of Beverage Product with Hackney and Sons.

Sue Brookshire began work at BCCC administering a federal program designed to improve student retention. While working on this program, she taught students to use available college and community resources to improve their college success rate.

While there, Brookshire helped establish college orientation classes that have increased the likelihood that students, particularly those who are the first in their families to attend college, will persist in their studies.

In addition to teaching duties, Brookshire most recently served as a counselor and as Director of Retention Services. She also served as a director of a mentoring program at the college for African-American male students.

Brookshire and her husband have two sons and two granddaughters. They are active members of the First United Methodist Church in Washington along with other professional and civic organizations.

For more information about creating an endowment for students at BCCC, interested persons should contact Jennette at 252-940-6326.

BCCC Foundation Board of Directors to meet on Jan. 31

The Beaufort County Community College Foundation’s Board of Directors will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, in the board meeting room of Building 10 on the BCCC campus. Reports from various committees, as well as the director’s report, will be presented at this meeting.