Success at WPCC

Morganton, NC—Toni Nadeau wanted a degree. After moving to Morganton from Connecticut with her family in 1996, she knew in just a few short years that her lack of a degree stood in the way of her professional success. So at the age of 29, Toni set her sights on an...

Morganton, NC—As soon as you meet new nursing graduate Maricsa Hernandez Vasquez, you are impressed by her joyful demeanor. She bubbles with enthusiasm about recently receiving her diploma and radiates with excitement at beginning her career as a registered nurse....

At Western Piedmont Community College, we're proud of the success of our graduates. They have stories to tell, and we are sharing them with you on this page. From your next-door neighbor to business executives, WPCC makes a difference. We invite you to learn more...

WPCC’S Kelly Yelton: 'WPCC Career Prep Better Than Four-Year Degree' Morganton, NC — As a surveying intern, Kelly Yelton spends his career outdoors, and that suits him just fine. “I love being outdoors and enjoying the four seasons,” he said. “It’s been my dream to...

Anita Sutton Found A 'Perfect Fit' at WPCC Morganton — Anita Sutton radiates confidence and compassion when she speaks. It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago, she felt like a failure. Her career began as a secretary for Longview Elementary School in...

Western Piedmont Instructor & Alum Now An Author Morganton — Leslie Dula McKesson, Western Piedmont Community College’s (WPCC) Dean of Business & Public Services, learned through researching her heritage that life is seldom as simple as black or white. As the...

WPCC’S Cheryl Fulbright Finds the Right Connections Morganton, NC — Cheryl Fulbright’s life is about making the right connections. A native Floridian, Cheryl made a visit to a family member in Burke County 20 years ago and she never went back to Lakeland. With a firm...

Bank VP Says “WPCC Is My True Alma Mater” Morganton, NC — A wise person once remarked that energy and persistence conquer all things. Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) alumnus Barbara Erwin is certainly testament to that philosophy. Now a Community One Bank...

WPCC Opened Doors to the Future for Area Educator Morganton — Jo Curtis always wanted to teach. But after graduating at the top of her class from Gamewell High School in Caldwell County, Ms. Curtis began a career as a self-employed hairdresser. She enjoyed that...

WPCC’S Tonya Coates: A Woman of Numbers Determined to Grow Morganton, NC — Tonya Coates’ life is powered by two concepts that seem so very different from one another: the desire to grow and the career of accounting. As a Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC)...

WPCC Helped Sydney Boulware Find Her Drive, Her Courage & Herself Morganton — Sydney Boulware felt “stuck”: at 19-years-old, she had no high school diploma, no job, no driver’s license, no plans for her future. She had left high school four years earlier, and...

WPCC’S Donnie Ray Banks: " From A Drama Student To A Star" Morganton, NC — Now a student at the prestigious Columbia University, Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) graduate Donnie Ray Banks trekked a long and winding road before finding his passion for acting....