This week, we speak with Dr. T. Eston "Bud" Marchant, the president of Central Carolina Community College. Dr. Marchant has announced his retirement as President of Central Carolina Community College, effective April 1; the college’s board of trustees has named Lisa Chapman as his successor.
Dr. Marchant became President of Central Carolina Community College in August 2008, bringing a strong background in both academics and economic development.Prior to coming to Central Carolina, he served as Vice President for Educational Affairs at Piedmont Technical College, South Carolina; Vice President of Educational Programs at South Piedmont Community College; Dean of Union Technical Education Center at Anson and Stanly community colleges, North Carolina; and Director of Continuing Education at the College of Charleston, S.C.
Julian Philpott, chairman of CCCC’s board of trustees, has said of Dr. Marchant: “Under Dr. Marchant's presidency, Central Carolina Community College has flourished to become North Carolina's largest non-urban community college with many nationally recognized programs. He has had great vision for CCCC … Under Dr. Marchant's leadership, CCCC has truly become one of the ‘crown jewels’ in the North Carolina Community College System."
Chatham County Promise will begin for the current class of seniors. What makes this program so special?
The program gives qualifying graduating high school students two years of free tuition at CCCC. This can be applied to a specific degree or a transfer program. This is one of few such programs in the state. People can learn more about the program at www.cccc.edu/promise. For questions about the Promise program, please contact (919) 718-7300.
With CCCC campuses in Pittsboro and Siler City, the college is working on a new Health Sciences Center in northern Chatham County. Can you share your thoughts about the importance of this newest CCCC facility? And when will it be completed?
The new CCCC Chatham Health Sciences Center will be located at Ballentrae Court in Pittsboro. Construction for the center, which is located in the Briar Chapel area of northern Chatham County, began in August 2018. The 40,000-square-foot facility will hopefully be completed by Spring 2020. There is a medical corridor developing between Pittsboro and Chapel Hill. Students training at this new state-of-the-art facility will be ready to enter employment in this growing market.
As you look back on your career at CCCC, what’s the most significant take-away, in terms of a single memory, that you’ll leave with as you retire?
Being president of Central Carolina Community College has been the highlight of my professional career. The students will be my greatest memory. I’ll remember students such as the Caterpillar apprenticeship students eager to begin a rewarding career as well as the grandmother surrounded by her family as she receives her high school equivalency diploma.
It’s standard fare to ask a retiring executive about lists of major accomplishments, so let’s tackle that in this way: when someone asks you later this year what you “used to do” before retirement, and probes you for details about how things went as your last job, what will you say?
It has been my honor and pleasure working with the talented and dedicated faculty and staff of CCCC. I have never seen such a team dedicated to improving the lives of the students they serve. Also, with our building program in all three of our service counties, CCCC is ready for the next 20 years.
How would you assess the insight that people in Chatham, Lee and Harnett counties have for the contributions CCCC make to our region? Do you think, in general, people have a real sense of what CCCC means to the well-being of the three counties? And for those who may not know, how can you sum that up?
I think, in general, people do know about how CCCC improves the lives of the citizens of the three counties. I can't go anywhere that people don't stop me and tell me about how CCCC improved their lives or the lives of someone they know. I think that this is evident through our universal support by the elected officials of the three counties.
Certainly your tenure has been characterized by new construction on all three campuses. Did you anticipate that when you took the job all those years ago?
I knew there were both renovation and new construction needs. The public support of these projects has been tremendous.
So what’s next for you? How will you fill your life and your time in the coming months and years?
In retirement, I will be returning to my native South Carolina. I have a lot to do to get back settled in my home in South Carolina. There are a lot of volunteer opportunities I would like to take advantage of. And, I will be no stranger to this area. I plan to visit often. In particular, I plan on attending the yearly scholarship banquet.
