Adam Culbertson was among 14 educators statewide chosen for the North Carolina Public Safety Mentor Instructor Cohort.

When it comes to education, Adam Culbertson, director of public services at Ģ������Ƶ, believes effective teaching is just as important as subject matter expertise.

Recently, Culbertson was one of 14 instructors from across North Carolina selected to participate in the NC Public Safety Mentor Instructor Cohort, a 10-week professional development program designed for EMS, fire and law enforcement educators. The program focused on creating engaging learning environments and providing high-quality, consistent instruction that is more effective.

“We want students to retain the materials and apply them,” Culbertson said.

The cohort followed a “train-the-trainer” model, equipping participants with instructional strategies they can share with other educators. Culbertson has already begun putting those lessons into practice by developing online training centered on lesson planning and effective teaching methods.

Inspired by the experience, Culbertson also authored a new book, The 21st Century EMS Educator: Bridging the Gap Between the Streets and the Science of Learning. Available on Amazon, the book combines insights from the cohort with his own experiences in emergency services education, offering practical strategies for modernizing public safety instruction.

For Culbertson, who has worked at Ģ������Ƶ for 14 years and has a background in emergency management, the experience reinforced the value of lifelong learning and professional collaboration.

“It was great collaborating with others,” he said. “Everybody has a different way of doing things, and we are able to bring our ideas together.”

As he continues to apply what he learned, Culbertson hopes to help strengthen public safety education at Ģ������Ƶ and across the state.

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Ģ������Ƶ Business Office Staff

The Ģ������Ƶ Foundation recently recognized the Business Office with the Eagle Pride Department of Excellence Award, presented annually to a department or team that exemplifies outstanding teamwork and collaboration across the college.

In its nomination, the Business Office was praised for serving as much more than a financial operations team. The nomination noted that the department plays a critical role in advancing workforce development, expanding academic opportunities, and supporting student success through its partnership with departments across campus.

The nomination stated, in part, that the Business Office’s “quiet, hard work makes a real difference for every student and department on our campus.”

Congratulations to the Business Office and department representative Tiara Edmondson, who participated in the panel interview process that helped determine this year’s recipient.

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Teresa Bottoms

Teresa Bottoms, a longtime student advocate and 20‑year employee at Ģ������Ƶ, has been named the recipient of the college’s 2026 Staff Award, an honor recognizing initiative, innovation and leadership among Ģ������Ƶ employees.

Bottoms, a student support counselor and disability services coordinator, said she was “excited” and “shocked” to receive the award. “I was shocked that my efforts were recognized at the college with an award. It was a good surprise,” she said.

Bottoms’ connection to Ģ������Ƶ began when she left high school early and enrolled in the college’s GED program. “I dropped out because I was pregnant and uncomfortable returning to classes,” she said. After enrolling and later working at the college, she made it a point to encourage other young mothers. “When I saw a pregnant girl, it was my duty to speak with her and share some encouragement.”

She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from NC Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in human services from Liberty University. After 13 years in banking, Bottoms was recruited to Ģ������Ƶ by former Vice President of Administrative Services Charlie Harrell.

Since joining the college, Bottoms has held roles in the business office, financial aid, student services and veteran services. In her current position, she oversees child care grant funding, ADA accommodations, transportation and emergency assistance and food insecurity support. She also coordinates admissions for Ģ������Ƶ’s online Health Information Technology program and teaches case management as an adjunct instructor.

“She leads with humility, serves with compassion, and consistently places the needs of students, colleagues and the institution above her own,” her nomination form reads. “Her unwavering commitment to excellence, willingness to embrace new challenges, and ability to positively influence those around her have left a lasting impact on our college and the community we serve.”

Bottoms started Ģ������Ƶ’s Student Veterans Association to provide community and advocacy for student veterans. Ģ������Ƶ previously offered the 50+ grant initiative, which Bottoms launched. It offered technology training for adults age 50 and older. As a member of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Committee, she reviews student appeals and ensures compliance with federal regulations. She also leads Ģ������Ƶ’s annual Toy Drive benefiting foster children served by the Edgecombe County Department of Social Services.

Outside the college, Bottoms is a licensed real estate broker, a committee representative for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and president and co‑founder of Bikers Girls of Tarboro, a group that supports Ģ������Ƶ students with transportation needs. The organization hosts Purple Thursday, an annual domestic violence awareness event held each October in downtown Tarboro.

Bottoms’ nomination notes that “whether leading grant initiatives, establishing new student organizations, improving institutional processes or fostering community partnerships, she consistently exemplifies the initiative, innovation and leadership this award seeks to recognize.”

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Ami Denton

Ami Denton, director of nursing programs at Ģ������Ƶ, has received the Astemo Endowed Faculty Chair Award, the highest faculty honor awarded by the college.

Denton, who joined Ģ������Ƶ in 2018, was selected by a committee of Ģ������Ƶ employees from a group of nominees who submitted a teaching philosophy, performance portfolio and essay.

“To be recognized for work that I genuinely love is incredibly humbling,” Denton said. “This recognition is a reflection not only of my work, but of the incredible students, faculty and community that I have the privilege to be a part of.”

According to nomination materials, Denton played a key role in establishing new clinical preceptor partnerships with UNC Health Nash and ECU Health Edgecombe. The partnerships provide nursing students with additional opportunities for hands-on clinical experience and helped support an increase in nursing program enrollment.

One nomination letter credited Denton with helping increase enrollment and strengthening relationships with local healthcare providers.

Denton also has been recognized for improving student outcomes, including on-time graduation rates and pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX. In May, Ģ������Ƶ’s Associate Degree Nursing Program celebrated 54 graduates, the largest graduating class in the program’s history.

Beyond the classroom, Denton participates in community service efforts and helps coordinate the college’s Mass Casualty Incident Simulation event. She also assists with campus safety training programs, including CPR, automated external defibrillator, or AED instruction, Stop the Bleed training and Narcan education.

“The foundation of my teaching philosophy is that the most valuable learning occurs through experience,” Denton said.

Denton began her education and healthcare career in 2008 and has held positions in public education, nursing practice and higher education. Before joining Ģ������Ƶ, she served at Central Carolina Community College and Sandhills Community College, and worked as a registered nurse in clinical settings.

Denton earned bachelor’s degrees in secondary education/social studies and nursing from Appalachian State University, an associate degree in nursing from Sandhills Community College and a master’s degree in nursing from East Carolina University.

Her previous honors include the North Carolina Associate Degree Nursing Council’s Educator of the Year Award in 2022, Sigma Theta Tau recognition and the FirstHealth Moore Regional Auxiliary Award.

The Astemo Endowed Faculty Chair Award includes a $2,500 stipend and a chair bearing an engraved brass nameplate.

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Ģ������Ƶ directors Laura Brown Evans and Tameka Kenan-Norman have completed the 2025-26 Leadership Edgecombe Academy, a professional development program presented by the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce.

Evans, director of the Small Business Center, and Kenan-Norman, executive director of public information and institutional advancement, were among the inaugural class of local professionals who studied the business and industrial landscape of Edgecombe County. Participants also examined core principles of effective leadership.

The academy met monthly from September 2025 through June 2026 and was led by Teresa Barnhill, CEO and principal consultant of ATB Consulting, LLC. Class members read The Waymakers: Clearing the Path to Workplace Equity with Competence and Confidence and toured industries across manufacturing, government, education and healthcare. Insights from those visits informed a community-focused project the cohort will continue beyond the program.

The 2026-27 Leadership Edgecombe Academy begins Sept. 10 with a new class. For details, contact the Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce at 252-823-7241.

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Amie Sasser

It’s not hard to understand why Ģ������Ƶ’s Amie Sasser recently received the coveted Imaging Professional of Excellence Award from the North Carolina Society of Radiologic Technologists (NCSRT). The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the medical imaging field.

The CT and MRI (Computed Tomography/Magnetic Resonance Imaging) instructor and clinical coordinator has been working in the profession for 19 years. Since starting her job at Ģ������Ƶ five years ago, she has made strides in recruiting students to the CT program, which uses X-rays to take images of the body, and the MRI program, dedicated to creating detailed scans relying on magnets and radio waves.

Sasser was nominated by a colleague who wrote glowing remarks in a nomination letter.

“My nomination letter listed many things that I have accomplished working in the imaging profession,” said Sasser. “These were things I considered to be part of my job, but it made me realize that all of those little things added up, and more importantly, made an impact.”

Those efforts include expanding recruitment, building partnerships with major health systems such as Duke and WakeMed, and advancing imaging practices that improve patient care. Before joining Ģ������Ƶ, Sasser helped elevate the role of imaging in clinical decision-making.

“Many of my accomplishments have been behind the scenes,” she said. “Developing new protocols to lower radiation dose in CT, obtaining accreditation for scanners, implementing screening programs like Low Dose Lung Screening CT for early detection of lung cancer, and Coronary Calcium Scoring CT for early detection of stroke and heart attack.”

Sasser received the award during the NCSRT conference at the Great Wolf Lodge Conference Center in Concord. The organization is the state’s leading professional association for medical imaging professionals and radiologic technologists, promoting excellence in imaging and patient care.

A member of NCSRT for five years, Sasser was also elected to a one-year term as secretary during the group’s quarterly board meeting. She continues to serve as volunteer coordinator.

“The award I received was very humbling, but having the opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors is truly an honor,” she said.

Sasser credits her colleagues, past and present, along with Rick Mastman, Ģ������Ƶ’s CT and MRI instructor and consortium director. Mastman was her instructor eight 18 years ago when she completed her CT and MRI degree at Ģ������Ƶ. “It is an amazing opportunity to be mentored by someone who has developed so many CT and MRI technologists across the state,” said Sasser.

As a member of the Board of Directors at NCRST, Sasser will now have the opportunity to connect more closely with instructors from other schools and with administrators from various hospitals across the state.

Sasser said, “while we do already have the best CT/MRI program, this networking will only improve it.”

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Dr. Trent Mohrbutter and Dr. Lane Freeman led AI training on the Ģ������Ƶ campus.

Ģ������Ƶ has been selected as one of only five community colleges in North Carolina to participate in the inaugural AI in Career and Technical Education (AI in CTE) initiative. Five Ģ������Ƶ faculty members took part in two training sessions — the first held on the Ģ������Ƶ campus and the second at Surry Community College in Dobson, N.C.

The college joined the Perkins-funded program to improve efficiency in administrative and instructional tasks and to learn how to incorporate AI appropriately in the classroom. The initiative is facilitated by the North Carolina Community College System Office and the Student Success Center.

According to Dr. Bruce Panneton, vice president of instruction and Ģ������Ƶ’s chief academic officer, about 30 to 40 chief academic officers across five states were involved at the start of the project.

“Each state was working on a particular project with their state agency,” Panneton said. “The project we chose was artificial intelligence because we have been coordinating with the system office to work on the growing boom of AI.”

The CAOs developed and edited the official handbook of the NC Community College System, and the system office applied for a Perkins grant to expand the initiative.

Ģ������Ƶ faculty members Adam Culbertson, Ami Denton, Rebecca Stamilio Ehret, Dr. Johnica Ellis Kiser and Tiffany Smith participated in the training.

“We learned how to train other faculty and students to effectively and appropriately use AI,” said Denton, director of nursing programs. “We were divided into two groups and demonstrated how we would teach certain parts of the training modules to our colleagues.”

With AI becoming increasingly common in community colleges and throughout daily life, Culbertson, director of public services, said the training will benefit Ģ������Ƶ employees, students and the broader community.

“This training will help us provide information to the community on the positives of using AI and address any myths that are present regarding its use,” Culbertson said. “It will also help us engage students better and help them know when and how to use AI appropriately.”

Through a partnership with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), Ģ������Ƶ’s use of AI will extend beyond the five training participants. The ACUE Commons will provide access to full-and part-time instructors, as well as interested staff members, who want to explore expert-led modules, a digital library and other resources to enhance their AI skills.

“Not only will this initiative benefit students by ensuring faculty know how to effectively use AI tools for engaging classroom activities,” Denton said. “It will also prepare our students for the changing workforce, where AI is becoming a commonplace tool they will need to know how to use.”

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NARST is an international organization dedicated to improving science teaching and learning. Huff’s presentation focused on the role of mentorship in teacher development.

“I presented a research talk focused on the feedback that experienced teacher mentors provide to beginning teachers,” Huff said. “My research examines how mentors deliver feedback to their mentees, the types of feedback they provide, and how that feedback may support teacher growth and development.”

Although her research is not directly tied to community college biology instruction, Huff said the work has helped her reflect on her own teaching practices and how to tailor feedback to better support student success.

Huff, a doctoral student at NC State University, said she was excited to attend the conference, which explored the theme “Joyful Transgressions and Radical Imagination in Science Education.” According to NARST, the theme encouraged participants to think broadly about how science can connect communities and create environments where all learners can thrive.

Discussions throughout the conference emphasized relevance, inclusion, student engagement and student-centered learning. Huff said meeting researchers — including one from the Netherlands — and observing innovative presentations will influence her classroom approach.

“I was able to connect with these researchers and plan to continue those conversations as I explore ways to integrate more research experiences into BIO 111 (General Biology I) and BIO 112 (General Biology II),” she said. “Providing students with opportunities to engage in authentic scientific practices can help strengthen both learning and interest in STEM fields.”

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(l-r) Laura Brown Evans, Araminta Burns, Tameka Kenan-Norman

Laura Brown Evans, Small Business Center director; Araminta Burns, administrative assistant II; and Tameka Kenan-Norman, executive director of public information and institutional advancement, joined more than 200 professionals at the Women’s Leadership Conference in Rocky Mount, organized by the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce. Held March 19 at the Rocky Mount Event Center, the conference featured keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom.

The theme at this year’s conference was “Get’cha Head in the Game.” The event also included a leadership panel and breakout sessions. Attendees heard messages that emphasized empowerment, community connection, professional growth, balancing work and home priorities and more. Many panelists also shared insights from their leadership journeys.

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Faculty members began their spring semester in an informative way. Professional Development Day for Curriculum was held Friday, Jan. 2 in the Fleming Building on the Tarboro campus. Traditionally, the annual event includes an educational message from a keynote speaker on strategies to enhance student success. This year, after participants were treated to snacks and a welcome from Ģ������Ƶ President, Dr. Greg McLeod, they had the opportunity to “choose their own adventure.”

Johanna Owens, instructor and team lead of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, said the organizers created this platform to encourage professional conversation and collaboration.

“We thought about what some of our initiatives are at the college–advising support, future-ready workforce skills, student aid, onboarding and meeting new faculty, the one-college model, accreditation, active learning strategies—and created a space to learn from each other, to ask questions, and to provide input,” said Owens. “Hearing from our very own subject matter experts launched a dialogue we hope will continue throughout the semester and beyond.”

Repeating breakout sessions focused on a variety of topics, and faculty learned more about the areas that interested or impacted them. Topics ranged from Future Ready Workforce Skills and Partnerships, to Financial Aid, Scholarships and the Ģ������Ƶ Foundation.

Sherlock McDougald, Ģ������Ƶ’s dean for financial aid, spoke with faculty about last date of attendance (LDA), as well as grants, scholarships and institutional aid available for students.

“LDA, or the last academically related activity, is one of the most critical data points we collect in financial aid,” shared McDougald. “It determines the student’s aid eligibility and how much financial aid students are eligible to receive.” McDougald also stressed that accurate LDA reporting prevents student debt and institutional liability.

Tameka Kenan-Norman, executive director of public information and institutional advancement, said that students may apply for scholarships from the Ģ������Ƶ Foundation.

“There are currently five annual scholarships and 77 endowments available through the Foundation,” said Kenan-Norman. “Scholarships range from $100 to $3,500.”

The additional 25-minute sessions also offered updates, information that can be shared with students, and initiatives that are on the horizon.

Other topics included:

• Accessibility, Active Learning and Moodle 
• New Programs, People and Onboarding   
• Strategic Plan
• One College Model at Ģ������Ƶ
• Gen Ed Advising, Math and Course Timing

For Owens, the day was a chance to also gain additional details that will assist faculty in being even better ambassadors for the college.

Owens stated, “I’ve been trying to talk up some of our initiatives—the Construction Academy, Customized Training and the Small Business Center—when the opportunity arises with community members who might benefit from an employer or potential employee standpoint.”

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