Outgoing VGCC president honored at reception
Members of the communities served by Vance-Granville Community College joined college trustees and employees at a reception on Aug. 25 to bid a fond farewell to outgoing VGCC president Dr. Randy Parker. In May, Parker announced that he would be leaving his post to become the next president of Guilford Technical Community College, effective Sept. 1. The event was held in the Civic Center on VGCC’s main campus and included remarks by Parker’s colleagues and friends.
“It certainly doesn’t seem like it was seven years ago that we gathered together in this very place to welcome Randy to VGCC as its new president,” VGCC Board of Trustees chairman Donald Seifert, Sr. of Henderson said. “Since 2004, our college has grown and prospered under his strong and effective leadership.” VGCC English/Reading instructor Marian Dillahunt-Andrews of Durham, who received the N.C. Community College System’s Excellence in Teaching Award earlier this year, called Parker “an inspiration and an excellent leader,” and she thanked him for his “service, dedication and commitment to VGCC and the community college system.” Robert Hubbard of Henderson, the vice-chairman of the VGCC Endowment Fund board, recognized Parker for his efforts to raise funds for student scholarships.
Dr. Raymond Stone, the founding president of Sandhills Community College and a former Franklin County commissioner, described Parker as “student-oriented,” a quality he attributed to the outgoing president’s background. “Not many community college presidents went through a community college, but Randy Parker is a graduate of Lenoir Community College,” Stone recalled. “He went on to become an engineer, so he learned how to build. He used that knowledge to build relationships with his faculty and students, trustees, and the community. He has done a tremendous job as a builder for this fine institution.”
Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce president Bill Edwards spoke of his personal friendship with Parker. He also said that both the president and his wife, Lou Ann, were active in civic clubs and their church, and were “the kind of citizens that we’re going to dearly miss.” Others making remarks included VGCC Vice President of Instruction Dr. Angela Ballentine (who becomes interim president of the college on Sept. 1), VGCC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Jo Anna Jones, VGCC Director of Logistics Technology Walter Martin (who also worked with Parker at Lenoir Community College), Henderson Kiwanis Club president Ron Rubin, Warren County Schools superintendent Dr. Ray Spain, and Franklin County Manager Angela Harris.
The guest of honor finally got his chance to make remarks as the evening came to a close. Parker began with a few humorous stories from his time at VGCC but then shifted to tell the story of a student. “Forty-one years ago this week, a young man showed up at one of our community colleges,” Parker said. “He didn’t know what he wanted to do, where he wanted to go, or what we wanted to be. He took classes, he found his niche, and he took off and continued going. That led him to two degrees in engineering. He worked in industry, had his own business, came back and got involved in the community college system. That tall, lanky young man who didn’t know what he wanted to do was myself…I tell you that story not to talk about me, but every day, people come into our college that are just like I was, who don’t know what they want to do, that are looking for a future,” Parker continued. “They come to us at critical times in their life and they need our help and our support. The work that we do is so important and touches so many lives. We are training and working with tomorrow’s leaders today.” Parker expressed his thanks to VGCC trustees, faculty and staff, adding: “I’m not saying ‘farewell.’ I’m just saying ‘so long’ and I look forward to seeing you soon.”
Music for the reception was provided by VGCC music instructor Michael Stephenson and students Wade Harris (on guitar), Norris Foster (drums) and Eriekca Crosby (vocals). At one point, Jo Anna Jones also joined Stephenson on the piano. Hors d’oeuvres were prepared and served by students in the VGCC Culinary Arts program under the supervision of Chef Ross Ragonese.
Above: Continuing a VGCC tradition, from left, April Perkinson, VGCC’s executive assistant to the president and Donald Seifert, Sr., chairman of the Board of Trustees, presented a portrait of outgoing college president Dr. Randy Parker to Parker and his wife, Lou Ann, during a reception in the president’s honor on Aug. 25. The portrait was produced by Yancey Hines of Henderson. (VGCC photo)
