Author Archives: Jennifer Conway

‘Parallel Lives’ highlights history of Central High and Second Ward High Schools

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Old photos of the two high schools and various photos of the students playing sports and gathering.

The Central Piedmont Archives is proud to announce the opening of the exhibition: “Parallel Lives – Central High and Second Ward High School.” This exhibition highlights the centennial history of Central High and Second Ward High Schools (both opened in 1923), celebrates the memories of its students and alumni groups, and raises awareness about the importance of historical preservation and landmarks laws in North Carolina.

Central High School and Second Ward High School were built to fulfill the growing educational needs of Charlotte students in the early twentieth century; Second Ward High School serving Black students and Central High School serving White students. It was not until 1957 that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools would integrate Black and White students. With Central High situated along Elizabeth Avenue and Second Ward along Alexander Street, the schools were within walking distance from one another. However, students shared similar, yet separate, experiences due to segregation.

Exactly 100 years after the construction of these buildings, Central High’s facility remains standing as part of the Central Campus of Central Piedmont Community College, while the Second Ward gymnasium and a historical marker plaque are all that remain of Second Ward High School— physical reminders which serve as testaments to the importance of landmarks preservation.

Visitors can see this exhibition in person until May 8, 2023 by visiting the exhibition hallway next to the Central Piedmont Archives (Central Campus, Parr Center, Hagemeyer Library, Third Floor).

Can’t make it in person? Review the exhibition online.

The exhibit was made possible due to partners from Johnson C. Smith University, UNC Charlotte, the Second Ward High School National Alumni Foundation, and the Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room. Additionally, thank you to Central Piedmont Instructor of Real Estate Education Cynthia White Williams, her mother Vernie Johnson-White, and her father Randolph White for loaning Second Ward yearbooks to this exhibition project.

Apply for Central Piedmont Honors Program

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Central Piedmont is launching an Honors Program beginning in fall 2023.

Honors Program Scholars will be required to complete 15 credit hours in Honors Program course sections, a 30 hour immersive experience, and 10 activities or events–including interview and resume sessions–that emphasize the Honors Program foundations.

Honors Program Scholars will participate in several foundations of learning:

  • experiential learning to “learn by doing”
  • research, scholarship and innovation to develop problem solving skills
  • civic engagement and global learning to create diverse, equitable, and positive change in our community
  • leadership development
  • reflective thinking for increased self-awareness

Priority applications are now being accepted for the Central Piedmont Honors Program through March 24, 2023, with notification by April 28. Students who submit applications between March 25- May 31 will receive a decision notification by July 7.

Learn more about the application and apply today.

The Honors Program is supported through the generosity of Truist Bank.

Questions may be directed to Dr. Deninne Pritchett, faculty director of the Honors Program at honorsprogram@cpcc.edu.

‘In Plain Sight’ art exhibit open at Central Campus

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Painting in pinks and purples basked in sunlight. View is from inside home, with green plants on table and chairs around it. Large windows and door are open to green landscape.Central Piedmont Dove Gallery presents ‘In Plain Sight’ by Joseph Kameen.

WHAT: Memory often replays itself in our minds as snapshots. Sometimes memories occur in our dreams with exaggerated colors and shadows. Perhaps a seemingly benign object with no apparent meaning stands out in a dream or waking memory, imbuing itself with a subjective meaning, unique to each viewer.

Joseph Kameen’s body of work explores a moment in time, either right before or immediately after an event happens. The ordinary becomes the extraordinary as each painting suggests a specific reflection, thought or memory. Simple moments such as squeezing a lemon, pushing a stalled car, or looking into one room while standing in another all impart relatable moments and affect each one individually.

“In my paintings, I am interested in the ways that routine events play a role in my self-awareness and identity. Memories of benign objects, actions, and spaces—devoid of meaning on their own—can become entangled with the larger concerns that dominated my thoughts at that time. In my work, I depict everyday moments seen through this lens; dramatized and amplified as I project my internal experiences onto my surroundings.” – Joseph Kameen

WHEN:  March 13 – May 11, 2023, Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., or by appointment

WHERE: Central Piedmont Central Campus, Parr Center, Dove Gallery, 1201 Elizabeth Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204

ARTIST LECTURE: Artist Lecture is March 29, at 1 p.m. in the Parr Center Theater. Reception to immediately follow.

Contact: Senior Art Galleries Coordinator Amelia.Zytka@cpcc.edu

Cosmetology March special- $5 services!

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Central Piedmont Cosmetology at City View is providing all services for only $5 for the month of March. Cosmetology students in uniform pose casually outside of the City View Center

YES, each service is five dollars! 

This offer is extended to all Central Piedmont employees and students.  Your employee or student photo ID is required to secure this price.

Graduating students in the Cosmetology Program are completing their portfolios and would love to showcase images of their work including hair, skin and nail services with the support of the Central Piedmont family.

Walk-ins are welcomed but scheduling an appointment is preferred.  The salon clinic is opened Tuesday – Friday, please call 704.330.5455.

Please visit the Cosmetology webpage for more information on the salon hours and service offerings. 

For the month of March, the salon clinic will be open March 1-3, closed March 7-10, open March 14-17, open March 21-24, and open March 28-31.

Allergies or a cold slowing you down?

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A hands-on virtual visit allows the healthcare provider on the video call to see inside your ears, throat and more to make a diagnosis.

It’s allergy season, did you know that you can get care for minor illnesses from Atrium Health, without leaving campus?

Appointments for the Atrium Health community-based virtual clinic can be made a day in advance and you can often get care the SAME day! The clinic is open at Central Campus, Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.- 4p.m.

More than a standard video visit, in-person support staff use special technology to help the healthcare provider look in your ears or throat, check your temperature, take your blood pressure, and more. The healthcare provider can then give you a diagnosis or send in prescriptions as needed. If your condition isn’t contagious, you can get back to your day with little interruption, without taking time away from school or work.

Kinds of illnesses they treat:

  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Coughs and colds
  • COVID-19 assessments
  • Ear pain
  • Female urinary tract infection
  • Fever
  • Flu symptoms
  • Headache
  • Pink eye
  • Rash
  • Sinus Concerns
  • Sore throat
  • Sprains and strains
  • Stomach ache

Ready to start a visit? Call 844.563.5268

Or stop by the clinic at Central Campus: Leon Levine Health Sciences Center, Room 104.

“Speed friendshipping” at Cato

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two friends chat comfortably together on campus at a tableEnjoy meeting new people? Do you want to build friendships? Have you always wondered if there were people out there who may have something in common with you? If so, we invite you to come to our Speed Friendshipping event.

This event is being hosted in conjunction with the Central Piedmont Library and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s Community Read collaboration.

The selected book is “The People We Keep” by Alison Larkin.

  • March 23
  • 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
  • Cato Campus, Cato III, Library, Room 315

Questions? Call 704.330.4818

Line up your Summer Internship Now

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Use your summer to get paid while building your work experience!   Did you know that students with a paid internship make a higher salary after graduation?  Visit Handshake to see paid internships and other employment opportunities. Transfer students are eligible for internships too.

Use Big Interview to get ready to rock your internship interviews!  This online system builds your interview confidence and expertise.

Other ways to build experience outside of the classroom:

  • Volunteer or get involved in a student club.  Student Engagement is here to help!
  • Workplace Learning – offers co-ops and can document your internship with a certificate
  • Job Shadowing – spend a few hours with someone at their workplace.  See pages 10-11 in the Career Guide for tips.

Career Services is here for you.  Log into Handshake to make an appointment with a career counselor.

Finding My Voice: Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories

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women hugging

Do you have an awakening and transformational story to tell?

In recognition of Women’s History Month and the theme, “Finding My Voice: Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Central Piedmont Library invites you to join us for a special Word of Mouth Storytelling event. Come share your story about how you triumphed, overcame obstacles and discovered YOUR voice.

Register by March 3 to participate and share your story.
Sign up in the Google form. 

  • March 14 | 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. | Central Campus, Parr Center, Hagemeyer Library
  • March 21 | 1- 2 p.m. | Merancas Campus, Merancas 4-122
  • March 22 | 12- 1 p.m. | Cato Campus, Cato III, Multipurpose Room
  • March 22 | 12- 1 p.m. | Harper Campus, Harper IV-300
  • March 23 | 12:30-  1:30 p.m. | Levine Campus, Levine 2601
  • March 29 | 2- 3 p.m. | Harris Campus, Harris I – 2100

Mural artists event March 22

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In the spring of 2022, Central Piedmont Community College selected two former students and local artists, Rosalia Torres-Weiner and Felicia Sky Sutton, to create a large-scale mural honoring the past history of the college, documenting the present, and reflecting the aspirations of Central Piedmont students for the future.

In celebration of the completion of the mural project, Central Piedmont will host a panel discussion March 22 with the muralists and technical executive, to share their experience, inspiration, and process creating the mural.

The panel discussion is open to all Central Piedmont students, employees, and members of the community. We invite all attendees to join us after the discussion for a reception in the lobby of the Parr Center Theater.

  • March 22 at 3 p.m.
  • Central Piedmont Central Campus, Parr Center Theater
  • Reception to follow in the lobby of the Parr Center Theater, immediately after the discussion

Visitors to the mural can enjoy the added element of augmented reality (AR) built into the murals metadata. The RedCalacAR app, available for IOS and Android devices, allows the viewer interact with the mural through the power of technology. The AR design provides the viewer with the opportunity to enjoy various animations, listen to student stories, songs and poetry and learn more about the history of Central Piedmont.

Torres-Weiner and Sutton are both former Central Piedmont students, and were chosen from a highly skilled pool of applicants to work collaboratively with current students, faculty, and staff to create an interactive mural. Learn more about the artists.

For more information about the mural or the event, please contact Amelia Zytka at amelia.zytka@cpcc.edu. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook at Central Piedmont Arts and the Central Piedmont Arts blog.

Central Campus Parking Lot 15 to be Closed During Building Renovations

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Starting March 4, Central Campus Parking Lot 15, located behind the Center for Arts Technology (CAT Building), will be closed while exterior renovation work takes place on the building. The parking lot will be closed until early September.

The CAT Building, home to ceramics and sculpture, photography, jewelry and metal arts, printmaking and more, will remain open with its full schedule of classes. Students and employees should look for well-marked access paths to enter and exit the building.

Train for a high-demand career in Nondestructive Examination

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For pipes, bridges, airplanes, energy production, and for so many manufacturing parts, infrastructure must be examined for cracks, leaks, and problems before they occur. The industry that carefully examines this critical infrastructure is called nondestructive examination (NDE), because it uses testing methods like ultrasound, magnetic particles, and x-rays to see inside components for problems, without destroying or damaging the piece.

This career is only growing with aging infrastructure in the US, and skills you learn can be applied across many industries with a median salary of $65,236.

Central Piedmont is one of only a handful of schools in the nation that offers an associate degree in nondestructive examination, and our program teaches six different testing techniques. Graduates from Central Piedmont have more than a 90% employment rate in the industry. 

Central Piedmont’s nondestructive examination technology program will train you to be a valuable asset in both product manufacturer and service inspection industries through hands-on learning in both classroom and lab settings. 

Learn more about the NDE program from one of our students:

Set up Duo by March 3, get entered to win one of 50 gift cards

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Green "Duo" app logo with stylized text.Get Duo set up by Friday, March 3 and be entered to win one of 50 gift cards!*

Central Piedmont uses Duo as its multifactor authentication (MFA) app, which sends a notification to your smartphone or other device to confirm your identity after you enter your username and password. All accounts will be required to use Duo beginning on March 6.

SET UP DUO FOR THE FIRST TIME
Use the Account Management Portal to set up your smartphone or other device to use Duo. You will use your Central Piedmont username and password. Make sure to select the “student” domain.

Visit the Information Technology Services (ITS) Knowledge Base for step-by-step directions.

If you don’t have a smartphone or tablet that can use an app, contact the Service Desk.

If you need any technical support for Duo, please “Submit a Ticket” through the ITS Service Desk portal or call 704.330.5000.

Learn more about Central Piedmont and Duo.

*Students who set up Duo for their Central Piedmont account between Jan. 4- March 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m., will be entered into the gift card drawing. Work study students and employees are not eligible to win; other eligibility rules may apply. Winners will be contacted through their Central Piedmont student email.

Expanded CATS bus route to Harris Campus

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Charlotte Area Transit Systems (CATS) recently expanded service to Central Piedmont’s Harris Campus.

Route 10- West Blvd. will now provide daily services Monday through Sunday along CPCC Way to Harris Campus. The 10 West Blvd. bus route will operate with 30-minute continuous service during its service hours.

Review the daily CATS route schedule.

Free tickets for Pixar executive and STEM speaker

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Photo credit: Debby Coleman, Pixar Animation Studios

The Central Piedmont community can get FREE tickets for a speaker event with Pixar executive Danielle Feinberg. Register by March 25 for the free tickets.

Saturday, April 1
10 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.
Central Campus
Parr Center, New Theater

Danielle Feinberg is Visual Effects Supervisor at Pixar Animation Studios & Mentor for Girls in STEM. Feinberg’s love of combining computers and art began when she was eight years old, and first programmed a Logo turtle to create images. This eventually led her to a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Harvard University. Now, in addition to her Pixar work, she works with teenage girls, encouraging them to pursue math and science by demonstrating to them the same beautiful simplicity she found with the programmed art of the Logo turtle.

The event is hosted by the BFB Foundation and Central Piedmont Community College. This event is important to BFB Foundation’s mission of strengthening communities by supporting education-focused initiatives for girls and women. It provides a platform to positively affect economic mobility in the Charlotte Metro Area, especially concerning the underserved. Tickets are being provided for free so educators and women in STEM have the opportunity to attend.

Student Story: Ena Imai

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Ena Imai, originally from Tokyo, Japan, is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Student Government Association.

Ena is an outstanding student who also receives the BFB Foundation Scholarship as a STEM student. The BFB Scholarship is given to help provide educational opportunities for girls and women based on their belief that a woman’s dedication to sustaining her family will ultimately affect the rest of the community.

Since becoming a student at Central Piedmont, Ena has found a sense of community. “Coming from overseas, I had a hard time feeling like I belonged, but soon enough, being a part of student clubs such as the Student Government Association provided me with purpose and a great group of friends,” says Ena. Ena felt she would be labeled less than her classmates because she was not attending a prestigious university. However, as a result of Central Piedmont’s supportive community, Ena has realized that her ambition and motivation are valuable and inspiring.

Because of her passion and interest in science, Ena intends to major in Biology and minor in developmental psychology. “I have always been intrigued by how science can make sense of the world around us with its central and diverse role. It will also help me retain the knowledge necessary for medical school, a step closer to my dream career,” explains Ena. Ena’s ultimate dream is to become a pediatrician so she can help children feel safe and, most importantly, healthy.

Advice to future Central Piedmont students: “The experience is what you make of it. If you seek opportunities and new experiences, you can make your college journey how you want it to be. Central Piedmont is a community of endless support and encouragement to help you achieve your goals.”

Take the Honors Program survey

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The Central Piedmont Honors Program advisory team wants to hear from you about your interest in the new Honors Program, launching fall 2023. Your feedback will help us plan for Honors-level courses, and design additional features of the new program, including:

  • Experiential Learning
  • Research, Scholarship, and Innovation
  • Civic Engagement and Global Learning
  • Leadership Development
  • Reflective Thinking

Please complete the Honors Program survey. The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete, and will remain open until March 6.

Questions? Please email honorsprogram@cpcc.edu.

Learn more about Brightspace for your classes

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You’re probably already using Brightspace or the Brightspace Pulse app for your classes, but if you’re having trouble or want to learn new tips and tricks, check out this information:

The Central Piedmont library also offers support for technology related to the classroom through the Digital Literacy Learning space.

The Digital Literacy Learning Space provides student-centered technology training and digital literacy assessments to help you develop essential technology skills. We offer individual and group technology training appointments to discuss, review, and resolve your immediate needs.

Training sessions are offered face-to-face at each of our six campus libraries and online, using WebEx or Google Meet. Make an appointment on the Library appointment site.

Want to be a CPA? Attend a CPA Board meeting Feb. 20

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Join the Business and Accounting program for a special event: the North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners Board Meeting.North Carolina state seal of Board of Certified Public Accountants

Monday, Feb. 20
11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

• Attend a live State Board of CPA Examiners Board Meeting at the Parr Center at Central Campus or online through WebEx.
• Learn about preparing for and taking the CPA exam
• Participate in Q&A with the State Board of CPA Examiners Board Members (lunch provided)

Register to attend in person (seating is limited).
Link to attend online through WebEx.

Get Creative in the ‘Makerspace’

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Workbench with cricut machine and laser engraver, 3D printers and tables with sewing machines.Check out the new makerspace at Central Piedmont Library in the Parr Center! A makerspace is a collaborative work space that allows you to take your idea for a project and leave with a finished product. The makerspace at the Central Campus Library offers 3D printing, laser engraving and cutting, sewing and embroidery, vinyl cutting, large format printing, and an array of arts and craft supplies to help you get started making your project.

Review our makerspace guide for more information and all the available equipment.