SANFORD – Central Carolina Community College graduated its latest class of REAL students at a ceremony Dec. 17 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center.
REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) is a unique, hands-on business course that trains people in planning and operating a small business.
At the ceremony, the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce awarded graduate Brandy Reagan, of Chatham County, with its REAL Effort Award. The award recognizes the student who demonstrated overall best effort and had the best business plan. Reagan wrote hers for her business, Tangles Salon, in Apex. She received an award, $250, and a free one-year membership to the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce.
Other graduates and their business plans were: PJ Bordelon, of Chatham County, Knot My Family Farm, a co-op farm for students and others who want to learn about working on a farm; Sojourner Smith, of Lee County, Future’s Hope, a home for teen girls experiencing difficulties in their lives; Karen Floryanzia, of Lee County, Eye Stripe Video, a video recording and production business; and Joni Pavlik, of Chatham County, Central Carolina Cellars, a wine store featuring North Carolina wines. Pavlik is also the college’s dean of Business & Media Technologies and Public Services.
Speakers for the event were previous REAL graduate Roger Darr, owner of Absolute Computers; Dr. Lisa Chapman, the college’s vice president of Instruction, and Tony Johnson, executive director of NC REAL.
Also attending the graduation were college President Bud Marchant; Stelfanie Williams, dean of Continuing Education; Jon Matthews, chairman of the Business Technologies Department; and Jim Felton, director of the college’s Small Business Center.
Jody Argote, a REAL graduate and owner of Parlez Vous Crepe, prepared the food for the event and REAL graduate Herman Morris, owner of Manna Christian Resource Center, gave the invocation. For more information about the REAL program, contact instructor Diane Kannarr, dkannarr@cccc.edu, or (919) 718-7247. For more information about NC REAL, visit www.ncreal.org.
Central Carolina Community College graduated its latest REAL class at a ceremony Dec. 17 at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) is a unique, hands-on business course that trains people in planning and operating a small business. December graduates were (from left) Brandy Reagan, PJ Bordelon and Joni Pavlik, all of Chatham County; and Sojourner Smith and Karen Floryanzia, both of Lee County. At right is REAL Instructor Diane Kannarr. Reagan won the Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce’s REAL Effort Award, given to a graduate for overall best effort and for the best business plan in the class. She received an award, $250, and a free one-year membership to the Chamber. Pavlik is also the college’s dean of Business, Technology, Early Childhood Education, and Developmental Studies. For more information about the REAL program, contact Kannarr, dkannarr@cccc.edu, or (919) 718-7247. For more information about NC REAL, visit www.ncreal.org/ .