SPCC Holds Two Commencement Exercises - 2007

May 14, 2007

South Piedmont Community College held two graduation ceremonies May 12 at the Union County Agricultural Center in Wingate. SPCC President John McKay presided.

The 10 a.m. ceremony honored 187 graduates earning associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Graduation speakers were Vittoria Johnson of Monroe, medical office administration and Janet Dayton of Indian Trail, medical sonography.

Developmental Reading Instructor Heather Henderson was awarded the 2007 Excellence in Teaching Award. Henderson said, “The more people I can understand the more I can help them on the path of learning.” Other nominees for the annual teaching award were Jill Millard, medical sonography; April Bradley, developmental english; Heather Hooks, communications; Sharon Little, early childhood; Zenda Rushing, biology; Stephanie Osborne, English; and Chris A. Johnson, information systems.

SPCC awarded two honorary associate of arts degrees. The first honorary degree was presented to Charles D. “Chuck” Horne of Wadesboro. Horne served as general campaign co-chair for the South Piedmont Community College Foundation’s Investment for Tomorrow Major gifts campaign, which recently surpassed its $3 million goal. He serves as vice chair for the Anson Economic Development Corporation and has served as president of the Anson County Chamber of Commerce and the Wadesboro Rotary Cub. He, his family and his company, Hornwood, have a long history of supporting SPCC. Horne began the Susan M. Horne Scholarship fund to memorialize his late sister, Susan M. Horne. There are rooms named for his late parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ken Horne, and for Hornwood at the Lockhart-Taylor Center in Wadesboro. He is the president of Hornwood, Inc, in Lilesville.

Charles L. Norwood of Monroe was presented with the second honorary degree. Norwood is a member of the South Piedmont Community College Foundation Board of Directors and the board of Hospice of Union County. He serves as chairman of the Union County Community Foundation. Norwood has served as president of such organization as the Monroe Rotary Club, the Union County Chamber of Commerce, Rolling Hills County Club, and United Way of Union County. He is an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Monroe and has served as chair of the Council of the Presbytery of Charlotte. He and his late wife, Vivian, have been generous donors to the college. The Norwood Presidential Suite on the Old Charlotte Highway is named in their honor. He is retired from United Carolina Bank after 38 years of service.

The 2 p.m. ceremony honored 243 Adult High School and General Educational Development graduates. The graduation speaker was Melissa Martin, a GED graduate.