Melissa Singl攀爀 The Face of Robeson Community College, leads growth by Sarah Nagem, published by the Border Belt Independent As Melissa Singler tells it, her story is typical has heard from countless people who asked workers, carpenters, plumbers and other of many community college students: why there was no truck-driver training pro- tradespeople, according to Freeman. Dropped out of high school and got her gram at RCC, which serves a rural county GED. Flunked out of a four-year university. in southeastern North Carolina where the Such training involves learning about the Got married young and started a family. economy relies heavily on Interstate 95. newest technology. Freeman said RCC Decided later on to 昀椀nish her education and recently tailored a course to the needs of the pursue her dreams. With help from industry partners, including Lumbee Native American tribe, which has donated trucks from Mountaire Farms, the its headquarters in Pembroke and is in the Now 56, Singler roams the campus of Robe- school started a truck-driving program in midst of a home-building spree for tribal son Community College – as the school’s July. Fi昀琀y-four people have graduated so far, members. president. and now there’s a waiting list. Construction crews hired by the tribe “I am our students,” she said in a recent “We could not have done it without them,” weren’t using technology to their advantage, interview inside the administrative o昀케ces at Singler said of local businesses. “吀栀ey need- o昀琀en drawing sketches by hand instead of RCC’s Lumberton campus. “I get it.” ed truck drivers. We needed equipment.” uploading photos into Photoshop, Free- Singler said RCC focuses on training stu- man said. 吀栀roughout the course, workers Singler says she leans on her own experi- dents for good-paying jobs. 吀栀e average base learned about everything from Microso昀琀 ences as she guides Robeson Community salary for truck drivers in North Carolina is Word to the tribe’s digital payment process- College through a growth spurt that de- about $82,300 a year, according to the jobs ing so昀琀ware. 昀椀es statewide trends. 吀栀e North Carolina website Indeed. ‘Epic failure’ who de昀椀ed the odds Community College System saw a 14% drop in enrollment in the 2021-2022 school year One of the poorest counties in the state, compared to 2018-2019. But RCC’s enroll- Robeson had a median household income of Singler was raised in the Buckhead commu- ment jumped 17% during the same span. about $36,700 in 2021. nity in Columbus County by her mother, a member of the Coharie tribe, and her father, 吀栀e coronavirus pandemic played a major “It will support a family and provide a livable a member of the Waccamaw Siouan tribe. role in the declining number of students en- wage. And that’s what we’re trying to do – rolled at community colleges and four-year we’re trying to put people into industries that She said she was a good student, but she institutions across the country. In addition, they can earn a livable wage and help their dropped out of school a昀琀er her father, who higher wages and the availability of jobs are families grow and excel,” Singler said. “吀栀at’s worked as a carpenter, was in a car accident. likely keeping some people out of classrooms what it’s all about.” and in the labor market. “I felt like I needed to get a job and contrib- Singler attributes much of RCC’s growth, RCC is one of 10 schools getting $35,000 ute to the family,” she said, adding that she particularly in continuing education and from the State Board of Community Col- got hired at a fast-food restaurant. career and college readiness programs, to leges to launch an eight-week construction the school’s willingness to adapt to the needs academy, said Eric Freeman, vice presi- When it quickly became clear that her family of local industries. 吀栀e campus had about dent of workforce development. Ten to 12 was going to be OK 昀椀nancially, Singler ob- 4,500 curriculum students and 8,200 con- students in the program will learn how to tained her GED and at age 17 followed her tinuing education students last school year. build a house “from foundation to shingles,” friend about 100 miles north to Campbell he said. University. Knowing nothing about FAFSA, Since she was hired in 2019, Singler said she Robeson County needs more construction student loans and grants, she simply showed