• 50th Anniversary Celebration
• Family Day 2008 Photo Gallery
• Sitemap

Wilson Community College is celebrating 50 years of serving the citizens of Wilson County. From our first graduating class of 20 people to the hundreds of people who now graduate with a degree, diploma, or certificate each year, Wilson Community College continues to be an integral part of our community.

In honor of this milestone the College will be hosting many events over the upcoming year. Come and join us as we honor the last 50 years and look ahead to the future.

Birthday Celebration

Employees, students, Board of Trustees members, and Foundation Directors gathered on Thursday, April 3, 2008, to celebrate the birthday of Wilson Community College.  The College was officially chartered on April 3, 1958, as Wilson Industrial Education Center, and is one of the system’s oldest institutions.  The Birthday Celebration was the first event held on campus to celebrate the College’s 50th Anniversary.  The event was filled with music, good food, and a birthday cake for all to enjoy. 

---

Family Day

Wilson Community College employees and their families gathered on Saturday, June 14, 2008 for Family Day.  Other invited guests included retirees from the College, Board of Trustees, and Foundation Directors.   Family Day was the second event held on campus to celebrate the College’s 50th Anniversary.  The 50th Anniversary Committee came up with the idea of Family Day as a way to say, “thanks” to all the employees who helped Wilson Community College serve the community for the past 50 years.   The day was filled with activities for the children, good food, music, dancing, door prizes, and an afternoon for employees to relax and socialize away from the demanding duties of their job and have a chance to meet each other’s families.   

Take a few moments to browse through the photo gallery, and you will see, by all the smiling faces, that all who attended had a good time!

---

Alumni Stories

Weekly Trivia Challenge

Beginning in February 2008, and continuing throughout 2008 (our 50th anniversary year), a trivia question about Wilson Community College will be posted every Monday.  The answer to the question will be posted the following Monday, along with a new question for that week.

August 25, 2008

(Q.) In its first two years of operation the College only had 4 full-time employees.  Name the titles of two of those four positions.

August 11, 2008 & August 18, 2008

(Q.) How many full-time employees did the College have in its first two years of operation (between 1958-1959)? 
(A.) The actual answer was 4.  Yes, believe it or not the College operated for its first two years with only 4 full-time employees!!

July 28 , 2008 & August 4, 2008

(Q.) When did the College hold its first area fire school? 
(A.) 1962

July 21 , 2008

(Q.) In what year did the College first receive accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)? 
(A.) 1969

July 14 , 2008

(Q.) Who gave the first graduation speech at the College?  Hint:  this person could be called the “father” of the NC community college system.
(A.) William Dallas Herring in 1962

July 7 , 2008

(Q.) What was the first class offered by the College?
(A.) Basic Applied Mathematics

June 30 , 2008

(Q.) How many members were appointed to the Colleges first Board of Trustees?
(A.) 8

June 23 , 2008

(Q.) In what year did the number of graduates exceed 400?
(A.) At this time the College has not had a graduation that exceeded 400 students.

June 16 , 2008

(Q.) In what year did the number of graduates exceed 300?
(A.) In 1996, the number of graduates exceeded 300.

June 9 , 2008

(Q.) In what year did the College dedicate its first building?
(A.) On March 28, 1960, the College dedicated Building A.

June 2 , 2008

(Q.) In what year did the number of graduates exceed 200?
(A.) In 1979 the College had its first class of graduates that included more than 200 people.

May 27, 2008

(Q.) Where was the first class held by the College located?
(A.)The College held its first class at the Coon High School Annex.?

May 19, 2008

(Q.) How many majors do we have in our associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs?
(A.) The College has 48 majors

May 12, 2008

(Q.)What was the budget for the College in 1958?
(A.) $326,737

May 5, 2008

(Q.)Name 2 of the 5 first curriculum programs offered by the College?
(A.) The programs were electronics, mechanical drafting & design, air conditioning & refrigeration, mechanical, and transportation maintenance. 

April 28, 2008

(Q.)How many names has the College had in its history?
(A.) 5

April 21, 2008

(Q.)In 1962 we had 20 graduates.  In what year did the number of graduates exceed 100?
(A.) 1967

April 14, 2008

(Q.) Most people know the Mayor of Wilson, Bruce Rose, and that he is a graduate of Wilson Community College.  In what year did he graduate and from what program?
(A.) Mayor Bruce Rose graduated from the Fire Science Technology curriculum in 1980.

March 31, 2008

(Q.) In addition to Mr. Dorsey, we have another Trustee who is one of our graduates – what is his/her name?
(A.) Trustee Randall Boykin is a graduate of Wilson Community College

March 24, 2008

(Q.) Our current Board of Trustees Chair, Jerry Dorsey, is a graduate of this institution.  In what year and with what degree did he graduate?
(A.) Chair of the Board of Trustees, Jerry Dorsey, graduated in 1969 with a degree in Drafting and Design

March 17, 2008

(Q.) The first graduating class consisted of all men.  In what year did we have our first female graduate and in what program?
(A.) Judy Marie Webb, graduated in 1965 with a degree in Drafting and Design

March 10, 2008

(Q.) One of our most famous graduates was Robert Yates of NASCAR fame.  In what year and with what degree did he graduate?
(A.) 1964 with a degree in Transportation Maintenance Technology

March 3, 2008

(Q.) How many total graduates has Wilson Community College had from all of its curriculum programs (associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates)?
(A.) The total number of curriculum graduates of Wilson Community College is 9599.

February 25, 2008

(Q.) Name the year that Wilson Industrial Education Center had its first graduating class.
(A.) 1962 - The first graduation was actually held on May 28, 1962.

All of the graduates from the first class are listed below. If you know one of these men, please contact either Lynn Wagner or Debbie Williams with information so we may contact them for our alumni committee.

Joseph A. Blanton
Selmer Ray Stilley
Paul Edgar Tyler III
Dempsey Dan Watkins
Thomas Vernon Greene
James Henry Duncan, Jr.
Raymond L. Taylor
Marvin Ray Joyner
John DePratt Watson
Johnnie W. Young
Lawrence Davis Perry
Dan C. Jones
W. Kent Pridgen
Herman Rich Hartis
Billy Strickland Bissette
James R. Potts
Robert Livingston Collins
Franklin Daniel Barham
Kelly Ray Glover
James A. Keyzer

 

February 18, 2008

(Q.) Name a student who served as an officer in the SGA during the first twenty years (1958 – 1978).
(A.) SGA Officers 1958 - 1978

1963 – 64
Wesley Mobley, President

1964 – 65
Charles A. Howard, President
John R. Barnes, VP
Clyde Thomas Colbert, Sec.
James M. Walker, Treas.

1965 – 66
Gerald K. Bissette, President
Charles L. Wright III, VP
David C. Wilson, Sec.
Gary Jay Benson, Treas.
Kenneth Broadwell, Reporter

1966 – 67
Charles L. Wright III, President
Larry E. Godwin, VP
Ernestine Johnson, Sect.
Frank C. Montemarano, Jr., Treas.

1967 – 68
Billy Ray Holland, President
Melvin Jackson, VP
Selma Ernestine Johnson, Sect.
Gene Liner, Treas.
Vendra Mae Barnes, Reporter

1968 – 1969
Exum Bailey, President
Mickey Bissett, VP
Debbie Bunn, Sect.
Johnnie Joyner, Treas.
Carol Phelps, Reporter

1969 – 70
Bill Flowers, President
Jim Batts, VP
Debbie Harrell (Williams), Sect.
Donnie Parker, Treas.
Cathy Smith, Reporter

1970 – 1971
Larry Kent Sanders, President
Thomas R. Watkins, Treas.

1971 – 72
Billy Smith, President
Russ Kibbe, VP
Joyce Anne Barnes, Sect.
Alice Marvene Corbett, Treas.
Frances Elaine Register, Reporter

1972 – 73
Alvin Allen, President
Patti L. Craft, VP
Deborah Francis, Sect.
Bonnie S. Gordon, Treas.
Paul L. Walters, Reporter

1973 – 74
Patti Leigh Craft (Bridgers), President
Charlie Williams, VP
Yvonne Riggins, Sect.
Linda Locus, Treas.
Carol Batchelor, Reporter

1974 – 75
Charlie Williams, President
Gracie Flood, VP
Linda Locus, Sect.
Rachel Ellis, Treas.

1975 – 76
Debora Wiggins, President
Logan Liles, VP
Annie Cooper, Sect.
Cam Abernathy, Treas.
Eunice Lindsey, Reporter
Carol Cockrell, Sergeant-at-Arms
Dwan Wiggins, Asst. Sect.

1976 – 77
Jo Ann White, President
Tina Yelverton, VP
Brenda Cline, Sect.
Evon Wiley, Treas.
James Raspberry, Sergeant-at-Arms
Amy Howard, Parliamentarian

1977 – 78
Jerry Core, President
Joe Brickhouse, VP
Terry Langley, Sect.
Darcy Helena Parker, Parliamentarian

1978 – 79
Cam Abernathy, President

February 11, 2008

(Q.) What is the total enrollment (unduplicated headcount) for this institution from 1958 through the 2006 - 07 academic year in all continuing education programs? 
(A.) 293,644 students have enrolled in our curriculum programs since 1958

February 4, 2008

(Q.) What is the total enrollment (unduplicated headcount) for this institution from 1958 through the 2006 - 07 academic year in all curriculum programs?
(A.) 104,991 students

Interesting fact about enrollment at Wilson Community College: For the 2006 – 07 academic year, 2824 students (unduplicated) enrolled in our curriculum programs.

Add the Wilson Community College Search bar to your iGoogle page.