VGCC Names New Vice Presidents, Makes Other Changes

Vance-Granville Community College President Randy Parker announced several promotions and changing responsibilities for college officials, each of which became effective July 1.

Current Vice President of Instruction Marsha Nelson of Henderson becomes Special Assistant to the President and interim Dean of Arts and Sciences (following the retirement of Dr. John J. Beck as Dean). Nelson has been an integral part of VGCC since 1972, when she first became an instructor in the Secretarial Sciences program. From 1979 through 1999, she served as head of that program, today called Office Systems Technology. Nelson was promoted to Dean of Instruction in 1999 and named Vice President of Instruction by President Parker in 2004.

Dr. Angela Ballentine of Raleigh succeeds Nelson as VGCC’s new Vice President of Instruction. Ballentine is currently Dean of Health Sciences, a post which she will continue to hold on an interim basis. She is a graduate of the Moses Cone School of Radiologic Technology, Greensboro College (B.S., Biology) and North Carolina State University (M.Ed. – Adult and Community College Education; Ed.D. – Higher Education Administration). Ballentine has worked at VGCC since 1991. As Vice President of Instruction, Ballentine will oversee all of the college’s curriculum programs. 

Jo Anna Finch Jones of Wake Forest is the college’s new Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Director of the Endowment Fund. At the time of her promotion, Jones was Vance-Granville’s Dean of Business Technologies and head of the Accounting and General Occupational Technology programs. In her new role, Jones will oversee the college’s Marketing and Planning/Research departments, in addition to the Endowment Fund. Jones, a 15-year veteran at the college, earned an A.A.S. from Hardbarger Junior Business College, a B.A. from North Carolina Wesleyan College, an M.B.A. from Meredith College; and a Master of Accountancy from Strayer University.

Bobby Van Brunt of Henderson, Dean of Applied Technologies and Public Service at VGCC since 2006, has expanded his area of responsibility to become Dean of Business and Applied Technologies. Van Brunt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from East Carolina University. Angela Gardner of Henderson will fill the role of Director of Applied Technologies and Public Service Programs, reporting to Van Brunt. She will continue to serve as an instructor and head of the Criminal Justice Technology program. Gardner has taught at the college for the past ten years.

In other changes, seven-year college employee Sandra Newton of Henderson becomes the new college Bookstore Manager, and Rusty Pace of Franklinton takes over as Program Head of Welding Technology. Pace has been a VGCC Welding instructor for three years and is also a graduate of the program. 

Parker also announced that titles will change for several personnel. Campus directors Cecilia Wheeler of South Campus, Bobbie Jo May of Franklin County Campus and George Henderson of Warren County Campus will now be known as Deans of their respective campuses. Their current assistant directors — Jason Snelling at South Campus, Anthony Pope at Franklin County Campus, and Shelly Taylor at Warren County Campus — will assume the title of Director. Similarly, Prison Programs director Philip White will now be Dean of Prison Education, while current Prison Programs assistant director Jean Blaine will become Director of Prison Education.