VGCC Honors Outstanding College Transfer Students
Vance-Granville Community College honored nine students in the College Transfer program who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership qualities as College Transfer Scholars in the 2002 Spring Convocation on April 29.
Dr. John Beck, chairman of the College Transfer program, said the Scholars program began 14 years ago at VGCC and is the only award at the school that is determined by a vote of the faculty. Candidates must have a 3.0 average and have completed 22 hours in the College Transfer program, and they must be nominated by two program faculty members. The entire College Transfer faculty approves all selectees.
Named College Transfer Scholars this year were Linette Denise Alston and Leonard Christopher Jones of Warrenton, Vadim Vladimir Kochetkov of Norlina, Michael Dean Kromer and Phillip Morris Riggan of Henderson, Sarah Imogene Miller of Louisburg, Tina Bright Moll and Clinton Ross Wilder of Franklinton, and Matthew Jonathan Bass of Raleigh.
Dr. Beck also named Wendy J. Frandsen, who lives in Franklinton, as winner of the Chairman’s Award for excellence in instruction.
Frandsen is the program head for Developmental Studies and an English instructor. Beck said she has set high standards for the Developmental Studies program, which are remedial classes that prepare students for College Transfer curriculum courses. Beck said that former developmental studies students are doing well in regular curriculum classes.
Frandsen also is the author of a developmental studies handbook and is co-author of the online “Southern Culture” class text used by VGCC. “She is a major contributor to the College Transfer department and to the school,” Beck said.
Beck pointed out that in the past year, 90 percent of transfers from VGCC to schools in the University of North Carolina system are doing very well. He also noted that Tanya Olson, an instructor in developmental studies and reading, earned a doctorate during the past year.
Betsy Henderson, theatre arts and speech instructor, has a lead role in a play currently being performed by the Raleigh Ensemble Players and, “This lends credibility to the drama classes she teaches,” Beck said. He also praised art exhibits hung during the year by students and by art instructor Scott Garrison.
The department hosted a visit and reading by David Payne, a best-selling author and Henderson native. Also, Dr. Beck and Morris Casper, who teaches religions classes, conducted seminars on world terrorism and the Taliban after the Sept. 11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City.
“This all demonstrates that College Transfer is a quality program at Vance-Granville Community College,” Beck said.
In the photo above, students honored April 29 as College Transfer Scholars at Vance-Granville Community College gather at the Main Campus gazebo with Dr. John Beck, chairman of College Transfer, and Wendy Frandsen, Chairman’s Award winner for excellence in instruction. Front row, from left, are Tina B. Moll of Franklinton, Beck and Frandsen. Second row, from left, are Leonard C. Jones of Warrenton, Linette D. Alston of Warrenton, Sarah I. Miller of Louisburg, and Clinton R. Wilder of Franklinton. Back row, from left, are Matthew J. Bass of Raleigh, Phillip M. Riggan of Henderson and Vadim V. Kochetkov of Norlina.
