Dr. Bill Starling, Sampson Community College President, left, and Reginald Speight, North Carolina state director of USDA Rural Development, signed a $2.3 million grant for the expansion of the SCC Activity Center.
Jack Tunnell|Sampson Independent
Activity Center project aided by $2.3M in USDA funding
A $2.3 million U.S. Department of Rural Agriculture and Development’s Community Facilities Grant will bring a much-discussed expansion to Sampson Community College, an endeavor made possible by a tremendous amount of teamwork, with many of those involved in the process attending Thursday’s grant-signing ceremony to celebrate.
Jack Tunnell|Sampson Independent
The library of Sampson Community College’s Kitchin Hall was full of high spirits for a fund-signing ceremony this week, marking the announcement of a $2.3 million USDA Community Facilities Grant that will bring a years-in-the-making 10,000-square-foot expansion to the college’s Activity Center.
Gratitude and excitement were very much the mood of the Thursday ceremony as each speaker discussed the impact the space would have. The grant came through the U.S. Department of Rural Agriculture and Development, and the state director of the department, Reginald Speight, made an appearance with SCC President Dr. Bill Starling to make it official.
Before putting pen to paper, Starling gave remarks on the significance of the space and the journey necessary to see this opportunity for expansion come to fruition. Starling leaned into the historical perspective he had gleaned through his time at the school.
The hope of being able to carry out this project of expansion has been alive for many years, he said.
“We actually have bid the building that we are celebrating today. We first designed it in 1998 and did not have sufficient funds to award that project,” said Starling. “The activity center which had a big multipurpose volume to it, that volume disappeared, and we built the technology building and the activity center.”
“The reason that we wanted that volume was that we had the need for places to train EMS and public service people, for instance, and we didn’t have a place for students to gather,” Starling explained. Furthermore, he stressed, “Anytime we were offering any type of college fair or a business gathering, we didn’t have a place on the campus.”
He continued, “It’s not really a gym; it’s a large, open multipurpose area. So that it would entertain all sorts of needs that the campus didn’t provide for at that time.”
The saga of realizing the addition to the campus had its next chapter when college leaders “actually redesigned that building plan a little bit later in 2017 or 2018 and bid the building again,” Starling noted. “We actually had enough money to award that contract, but at that time, we had needs for moving resources to the truck driving center.”
Pointing out the moment of coming full circle, he said, “So we’re now back to the opportunity to bite the apple the third time, and the money that USDA is providing, along with SCIF (State Capital and Infrastructure Fund) funds from the state allows us to put together a funding package that we can go out this spring and bid this project for the third time.”
He emphasized, “There are no other complications. It is the only project that we are bidding. We feel like with your phones, gift funds, and the support of the community and foundation behind us, we will finally be able to realize a building that we think is going to serve so many purposes on the campus.”
Starling sees myriad uses for the space and places tremendous value in having the expanded facility.
“From training to student activities to community activities or whatever and is going to measurably change our ability to meet our mission and meet our students’ expectations.”
In so far as bringing this to fruition, “It is a collaborative effort,” Starling emphasized. “It takes federal money, it takes state money, it takes the support of the foundation, which has been a principal advocate for our growth. It takes commissioners who are providing operational support for the facility.”
His excitement for the space was palpable, as he suggested, “We’re going to celebrate this sometime, probably 12 months from the spring, when we all move into it and can begin the collaborative process of using the facility.”
“It’s not a large building, but in rural eastern North Carolina, in this community for this institution, it will have a profound effect on what we’re able to provide for our students and our community,” Starling said, “So, for USDA, for our congressional offices, our Senate support, or commissioners support for our trustees’ support, for our foundation support — thank you,” Starling said in conclusion.
Anne Faircloth of the SCC Foundation shared feelings of gratitude for the impact the funding would have.
“Community is at the heart of what we do. It’s the centerpiece of our name.” She continued down that path as she said, “this addition will give us space to meet as a community on campus and welcome our larger community in ensuring we have multiple avenues to engage the community is really a key goal of the foundation.”
Faircloth continued, “We have been working on many projects such as this one to find ways to make sure that there are lots of touch points for the community to come in and engage with the college,” she said. “We pledge to use this space wisely and continue to be deserving of your investments. Thank you so much.”
Jerol Kivett, chairman of the Sampson County Board of Commissioners, said, shared his appreciattion on behalf of the county board, explaining the significance of the funding to the community and the college.
“It couldn’t come at a better time,” said Kivett. “It’s a challenge for all rural counties, especially this county at this time, financially.”
“This is a great step forward. And we appreciate what you’ve done,” Kivett emphasized. “We also appreciate the staff and the board for what they have done — the foresight they’ve had in continuing to push and enhance our community college because it is so important for the education of all this younger generation because they’re the ones that are going to reap the rewards.”
“Our motto is begin here, go anywhere,” added Dr. Ted Thomas, chair of the SCC Board of Trustees, “and we continue to grow. But we can’t grow without all of you who are here — the county commissioners, the legislators, USDA, and others.”
Looking to the future, he continued, “It’s just a group effort, and there are more things to come.”
“We just want to thank the foundation — I won’t forget about them because they’ve been so instrumental in the growth of Sampson Community College. So again, thank all of you for what you’re doing for Sampson Community College.”
Speight shared his enthusiasm for the project, saying local leaders’ passion for the college and its vital role in Clinton and Sampson County was on full display.
He explained his personal experience with schools like SCC by referring to his daughter’s journey, saying, “She found herself in a community college system,” he continued, “You’re nimble enough to adjust to accommodate the needs. Universities can’t do that, so I want to thank you for what you do and how well you do it; (and) all the support staff for allowing us to partner with you on this and for being here today. We really do appreciate it, so thank you on behalf of Rural Development.”
He also extended thanks to the representatives from the offices of legislators who were said to have had a hand in making the grant come together, saying, “typically, with community facilities, money is a loan, and if it were not for their advocacy for this money, now it would have been a loan and not a grant.”
He continued, “So I want to thank you all, and please thank your bosses for your support and for the things that you’ve done,” Speight said, addressing Adam Caldwell and William Moore, who were in attendance representing the offices of Senator Thom Tillis and Congressman Greg Murphy, respectively.
“In some ways, it is a positive thing when a school outgrows its facilities,” said Speight. “This shows proof positive that this college is providing an impactful education to its students. With this $2.3 million grant, Sampson Community College will continue to provide the students in this rural area of the state an expanded variety of classes to prepare them for the future.”