BCCC alumnus joins Foundation Board

Gary Burbage, an alumnus of Beaufort County Community College and a former college employee, has joined the BCCC Foundation Board of Directors.

"The BCCC Foundation is delighted to have someone of Gary's experience and direct knowledge of the needs of our students serve on the Foundation's Board of Directors," said Foundation Director Judy Jennette. "I look forward to working with Gary in his new role in the years to come."

Burbage succeeds Howard Pope, who retired from the board in May. Pope served 12 years on the board and was a member of the Ambassador Selection Committee.

Burbage attended BCCC from 1976 to 1977 and was among the first students to enroll in the College Transfer Program at the school. At the time, the program was about one year old and had not received degree status, Burbage said, adding "so I just got as much credit as I could earn and transferred to East Carolina University."

After graduation, Burbage returned to BCCC and, ultimately, served as Director of Admissions, helping students just like him begin their college educations in Beaufort County. He retired in May 2012 after 30 years of service at BCCC.

Burbage owns and operates two family businesses - Turfmaster Lawn Care and Pamlico Pecans.

In addition to his appointment to the BCCC Foundation Board, Burbage serves on the Board of Directors of Tri-County Telecom, Tri-County Telephone Foundation and the Belhaven Chamber of Commerce.

Burbage and his wife, Donna, live in Bath. Their three children - Mary Beth, Kyle and Carter - all graduated from BCCC. He and his wife attend Harvest Church.

See the stage production of Beauty and the Beast with the BCCC Foundation!

Join the Beaufort County Community College Foundation, Saturday, Oct. 12, for a trip to Durham to see the award-winning stage production of Beauty and the Beast and enjoy a meal at one of the state's outstanding French restaurants.

The trip will also include a tour of the Museum of Life and Science in Durham and dinner at Coquette Brasserie in Raleigh.

The cost of the trip, open to all BCCC students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the college, is $185 per person. The registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The price of the trip includes transportation to and from Durham, two meals and tickets for seats in the orchestra section for Beauty and the Beast at the Durham Performing Arts Center in downtown Durham.

The trip will leave the parking lot at BCCC by 8 a.m. and arrive at the Museum of Life and Science by 10:30 a.m. Once there, the group will tour and have lunch at the museum. The Museum of Life and Science features an array of largely hands-on exhibits intended to illustrate concepts of natural science. It is home to the Magic Wings Butterfly House where guests can walk through a rain forest surrounded by 1,000 tropical butterflies.

After lunch, the group will travel to DPAC in Durham for a matinee performance of  Disney's Beauty and the Beast, based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature. The classical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes. It includes such well-known musical numbers as Be Our Guest and the beloved title song.

After the performance, participants will travel to North Hills shopping center in Raleigh for dinner at Coquette Brasserie, a true French brasserie. The tour is scheduled to return to Beaufort County around 9 p.m.

For more information, or to register, contact Marcia Norwood, Foundation specialist, at 252-940-6218, or Judy Jennette, Foundation director, at 252-940-6326. Information is also available on the BCCC website at www.beaufortccc.edu.