索尔兹伯里,N.C. -十多年前, Daphné Moore had not finished high school and was stuck doing jobs that didn’t challenge her, 勉强支付账单, 而且几乎没有增长的空间.
“I remember thinking, ‘There has to be something way better than this,’” she said.
She enrolled in the high school equivalency program at 罗文-卡巴鲁斯社区学院, completing her high school diploma in 2013. 从那里, she went on to graduate with honors with an associate degree in business administration from Rowan-Cabarrus in the fall of 2016 and transferred to Meredith College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in public affairs. 在梅勒迪斯, 她成了校园领导, serving as president and vice president of the Black Student Union, president and senate chair for Women in New Goal Setting (WINGS), and executive chair of the 学生会协会 Executive Board.
“When I started looking at community colleges, I read a lot of reviews and decided to visit for myself,摩尔说. “Once I stepped onto the Rowan-Cabarrus campus, I saw a distinct difference. 很安静, 没有太多的吵闹, and the staff was beyond helpful and told me step-by-step how to enroll and get all the help I needed.”
对很多学生来说, that first step toward earning a high school diploma leads to an unexpected love of learning and a sustainable career path.
The Rowan-Cabarrus College and 职业生涯 Readiness program offers instruction at various levels to help students gain the skills they need to succeed in college, 在他们的职业生涯中, 在他们的个人生活中.
“Going back to school or starting college can be intimidating, especially when students lack confidence in basics such as math and reading,”医生说。. 卡罗尔年代. 斯伯丁，罗文-卡巴鲁斯公司的总裁. “Our programs are designed to meet students where they are and help them build competency in core subjects so that they can go on to achieve their educational and career goals.”
在Rowan-Cabarrus, 摩尔找到了支持, 鼓励, and opportunities in and outside the classroom. She was secretary and vice president of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, served as public information officer and vice president of the Rowan-Cabarrus 学生会协会, and was inducted into the National Society of 领导 and Success. She also was the first Rowan-Cabarrus student to graduate as a Scholar of Global Distinction under a partnership between the community college and UNC World View.
“One of the things that inspired me at Rowan-Cabarrus was the instructors and staff who took an interest in me,摩尔说. “Barb Meidl, director of 学生生活 and 领导, asked me what I wanted to be and where I wanted to go. 她对我很有信心. 我毕业已经好几年了, 她还在我的圈子里, cheering me on and giving me motivation.”
While attending Meredith College, Moore worked in Sen. Erica Smith’s office and interned under Rep. 凯利亚历山大. Her interest in politics blossomed, eventually leading to her current position in Gov. Roy Cooper’s office working within his N.C. Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. Moore also graduated as part of the first cohort of the Meredith College Voices of Change Political Institute, which seeks to address the gap in representation of Black women and people of color in office by building an informed community to support future candidates.
“最终, I am looking to run for elected office in North Carolina because I want to be in a position where I can make a difference,摩尔说. “I would like to run for a seat on the North Carolina Council of State, because I see a lot of need. Policy is something that is very important to me. I don’t think people realize how much it affects our communities.”
When she looks back on her journey, Moore credits Rowan-Cabarrus for “lighting her spark.”
“It is amazing to think that I went from not even having a high school diploma to working in the governor’s office. There really are no words for it,” she said. “If I could go back and talk to Daphné back then, 我会说, “前进, 有信心, and build the character to get to where you’re supposed to be.’”
“One of the biggest things I learned on my educational journey is that you have to take the initiative,她补充道。. “下定决心，开始吧. Whatever you put in, that is what you will get out. My father frequently reminds me what my late grandmother would say to him: ‘A made up mind will take you far.’”
To learn more about the Rowan-Cabarrus High School Equivalency program, please visit p4qb.brewrecords.net/adultlearning.