WHITEVILLE, N.C. — Southeastern Community College’s Prison Education programs were recently honored with the Starfish Award from the N.C. Department of Adult Correction’s Education Services division. The recognition highlights the college’s ongoing expansion of educational opportunities for students at both Tabor Correctional Institution and Columbus Correctional Institution.
The award was officially presented on Oct. 6 during the N.C. Department of Adult Correction Educational Symposium held at Cape Fear Community College. SCC representatives accepting the honor included Dr. Veronica Powell, associate dean of Transitional Studies and Prison Education; Raymond Long, prison education coordinator; and Angela Ransom, associate vice president.
The Starfish Award is handed out annually to correctional education personnel and community college partners who make a lasting, positive impact on educational programs within the Department of Adult Correction. Named after Loren Eiseley’s famous parable “The Starfish Story,” the award symbolizes how individual efforts, no matter how small, can make a profound difference in a person’s life.
Jana Demetral, South Central Regional Education Coordinator with the Department of Adult Correction’s Education Services division, noted that SCC was selected due to the college’s deep dedication to expanding academic offerings across both local facilities.
“We chose Southeastern staff because of their dedication, commitment and help in growing our programs not only at Tabor CI, but Columbus CI as well,” Demetral said. “We have new programs in Automotive at Tabor and the associate degree program in Audio and Video Production Technology at Columbus CI.”
Through this collaborative partnership, SCC and state correctional officials have expanded educational pathways to encompass high school equivalency prep, workforce development, and college-level coursework. Current offerings include High School Equivalency preparation, Audio and Video Production Technology, Automotive Systems Technology, Human Resources Development, Office Practices, Advanced Office Practices, and Commercial Cleaning.
Notably, the partnership recently made state history by launching North Carolina’s first prison podcast produced through the Audio and Video Production Technology curriculum. Officials are also working to expand the Automotive Systems Technology program into an apprenticeship pathway designed to transition students into work-release employment opportunities.
“Our partnership with Southeastern is providing the necessary education and needed skills for offenders to have a successful reentry in the workforce,” Demetral added.
Dr. Powell emphasized that SCC’s philosophy relies on treating incarcerated students with the exact same standard of care and academic rigor as any student on the main campus.
“Dr. English has said numerous times that ‘a student is a student is a student,'” Powell said. “And we take that statement to heart. We see the incarcerated population in our county facilities as students. We try to provide high-quality learning while eliminating as many barriers as we can.”
Dr. Brandon Jenkins, SCC executive vice president and chief academic officer, noted that establishing specialized programs behind prison walls takes extensive coordination.
“Getting these programs off the ground has been a true labor of love,” Jenkins said. “With Columbus County being the home to two prisons, there is a significant opportunity to reach a lot of men who may not have a high school diploma or workforce skill. Offenders who leave the prison setting with either their high school equivalent or a workforce skill are more likely to have successful reentry into the community upon their release.”
Ransom added that the college prioritized the Prison Education program following the creation of Powell’s associate dean position last December. Looking ahead, SCC plans to continue broadening educational credentials, diplomas, and degree pathways tailored to post-release employment.
“If we were able to change just one student’s life while they served time in prison, we know this work has all been worth it,” Ransom said. “We know that education has the potential to make a difference in everyone’s life, and we’re thankful to be involved in this work.”
https://sccnc.edu/news/sccs-prison-education-program-earns-starfish-award/
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