Lenoir Community College

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Lenoir Community College is one of North Carolina's 59 community colleges.

Lenoir Community College's main campus is located in the city of Kinston and in the county of Lenoir. It has smaller institutions based in Greene and Jones counties.

The college offers degree and continuing education services for its nearly 2,500 annual students. LCC was charted in 1958 by North Carolina's Board of Education.

LCC began as the Lenoir County Industrial Education Center in 1960. The first classes were held at Contentnea High School. In 1961 the location was move to a former air field of Stallings Field. In 1963 the college's classes were moved to the Bullock Building on an 18-acre lot. The college's first graduation was held in June of that year.

Also in 1963 the Industrial Education Center was separated from Lenoir County's Board of Education and the first Board of Trustees was organized.

In June of 1964 the Board was able to secure the a technical institute status for the IEC and in November of 1964 the IEC officially became a community college. Dan Wise became the first president after the Board's appointment, yet he served only until the summer of 1965.

In 1965 Dr. Benjamin E. Fountain became the second president. During his tenure the college expanded to a 58-acre lot. A new transfer program was offered at Stallings Field during the autumn of 1966. In 1968 this program was moved to the recently completed Administration Building.

Also in 1968: The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Lenoir Community College.

Dr. Fountain moved on to become president of the North Carolina Community College System in 1970. This made way for LCC's third president: Dr. Jesse L. McDaniel.

McDaniel served for 18 years. During his nearly two decades as president seven buildings were added to the campus and the size of the main campus jumped to 90 acres. The Jones County County Education Center and the Greene County Education Center were added as extensions of LLC. Those two centers serve as the Eastern Correctional Institution.

In July of 1968 Dr. Lonnie H. Blizzard replaced McDaniel after the latter's retirement. In 1989 the Aviation Building was built at Kinston's Regional Jetport. Also in 1989 the Health Building was completed at the main campus.

The Bullock Building was renovated in 1997 at the cost of $2.7 million and the Waller Building was finished in 1998 at the cost of $4.5 million. Said building houses an auditorium meant to seat 650.

On July 1, 1998 Dr. Karin Pettit became the fifth president. The $1.6 million, 15,000 square foot campus in Greene County was opened in the same year. In 2000 LCC received $12 million from a referendum by the community college construction board.

In July of 2001 Joyce Cherry, a long time employee of LCC, became interim president. Mrs. Cherry provided the needed leadership and stability until the sixth president came along.

Dr. Stephen Scott, formerly the vice president of the North Carolina Community College System, became Lenoir Community College's president. With state funds classrooms were added to the Health Science building and a 2,000 square foot wellness center was added to the Student Center. Dr. Scott retired in October 2003 to become the president of Wake Technical Community College.

Mrs. Cherry once again stepped in as interim president.

Dr. Brantley Briley was hired as the seventh president in the May of 2004.

Currently LCC is in the process of celebrating its 50 years of education. The official birthday celebration takes place on April 3, 2008.


External Link: http://www.lenoircc.edu