About 500 students came to Bojangles Coliseum Tuesday for Central Piedmont Community College’s first-ever winter graduation.
President Kandi Deitemeyer said about 1,100 were eligible, and it no longer makes sense to ask mid-year graduates to wait to celebrate.
“We felt like it was really important to create this opportunity, not only for students but their families to celebrate, rather than waiting until May, and many of those students have either transferred into the workforce or out to another four-year institution,” she said. Often that means they don’t come back to walk across the stage, she added.
The ceremony came as community colleges are rebuilding from enrollment drops during the pandemic.
“For many of us, our studies were delayed or paused during the recent pandemic, as we balanced school, work, family and health challenges,” said commencement speaker Linda Nelson. “But we persevered, and here we are receiving our diplomas.”
Nelson is a grandmother who earned an associate’s degree in horticulture technology, after working in health care and information technology. She’s now working with Wild Ones to educate people about the use of native plants to sustain wildlife and improve biodiversity.
Many graduates, like Nelson, are adults pursuing passions or new jobs. Others enrolled right after high school. And 11 are students in middle college high schools, earning Central Piedmont degrees and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools diplomas at the same time.