Celebrating 50 years of Cooperating Raleigh Colleges
It started in 1968 and is still going strong in 2018. Cooperating Raleigh Colleges is a nonprofit consortium that links the six higher education institutions in Raleigh/Wake County. But that’ not all. It also links the colleges to the community and helps the whole community understand what an amazing college town this is.
And that was the message at CRC’s 50th Anniversary celebration on Sept. 24, 2018 at the Executive Mansion in downtown Raleigh. That event attracted some 140 people: the college presidents, administrators, faculty, students and members of the community such as Mayor Nancy McFarland, Mayor Pro Tem Corey Branch and other elected officials and community leaders, as well as members of the college’s trustee boards. Gov. Roy Cooper was planning to come, but his responsibilities to the communities affected by Hurricane Florence caused him to leave Raleigh. His policy director Jenni Owen and wife Kristin Cooper (and dog Ben!) welcomed us to the Executive Mansion. One of the special guests was Rosalie Gates, who served as CRC executive director for 25 of the 50 years from 1981 to 2006.
The program featured a welcome from CRC Board Chair Dr. Brian Ralph, president of William Peace University welcomes from Jenni Owen and Kristin Cooper and a summary of the recent Economic Impact Study by Dr. Michael Walden, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor and Extension Economist at North Carolina State University.
CRC Executive Director Jenny Spiker introduced the video that featured 12 people connected to CRC presidents, administrators, students, faculty members and Dr. Walden.
Anniversary Planning Committee: A huge thanks to the members of the planning committee: Bill Brown from Meredith; Renee Saddler from Shaw; Marielle Pocan from NC State; Linda Hubbard Curtis from Saint Augustine’s; Michelle Fauver and John Boone from Wake Tech; Britney Sherrill from William Peace and Jenny Spiker from CRC.
Raleigh Is An Amazing College Town
Featured speakers:
Dr. Brian Ralph, CRC Board President and President of William Peace University;
Dr. Michael Walden,
William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor & Extension Economist, NC State University;
Sarah Kibler,
Assistant Provost, Meredith College;
Avni Chaudhari, Meredith College Student;
Jose Fabre, Jr., Wake Tech student and Student Government Association President;
Ann Gleason, Dean of Students, Meredith College;
Bryan Ryan, Senior Vice President, Effectiveness and Innovation, Wake Tech;
Dr. Everett B. Ward, President, Saint Augustine’s University;
Dr. Yvonne Umphrey, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Saint Augustine’s University;
Dr. Cassandra Mitchell, Division Head, Communications & Humanities, Shaw University;
Destiny Udofe, Shaw University student science major;
Michelle Asuquo, Shaw University student science major.