Several individuals have been recognized for completing programs through Wayne Community College while incarcerated at the Neuse Correctional Institution.
A graduation ceremony was held inside the prison to honor those who earned High School Equivalency (HSE) diplomas and Human Resources Development (HRD) certificates through the educational services that WCC provides at the institution.
WCC HRD Instructor Andrew Rose handed out certificates to the 11 individuals who completed the HRD program. Rose then presented diplomas to the six HSE graduates, who were wearing traditional caps and gowns. They turned their tassels and threw their caps in the air in celebration while their family members and fellow graduates cheered for them.
One of the HSE graduates, Tomas Mercado-Rivera, said receiving his high school diploma made him emotional. With his children having completed their education and a grandchild now in school, he wanted to reach the same milestone and achieve this goal. “I know my family is proud of me,” he shared.
The HSE graduates have been working toward earning their high school diplomas for up to three years, attending class at the institution Monday through Friday. Their course of study included placement tests in math and reading and HiSET practice tests on the learned material, preparing them to pass the official exams required to earn their diploma.
Individuals who completed HRD certificates took courses three days a week over the span of four months. They worked on employability skills such as how to fill out resumes and job applications and prepare for interviews, learned technology skills such as keyboarding and computer basics, and took a financial literacy course to learn money management and other life skills.
WCC Director of Transitional Programs Harold Warren was one of the guest speakers at the graduation ceremony. He spoke about the legend of the phoenix that rises from the ashes, equating its experience to that of the graduates. “You may have walked through fire, but today, you rise,” he said.
Warren encouraged the graduates to see themselves as individuals with limitless potential and not be bound by past mistakes. “Today, you stand on the verge of a new beginning,” he said. “Your past does not define you.”
Sherri Hill, student academic specialist with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, also spoke during the ceremony about the graduates’ perseverance in pursuing their education. “You put in the time, effort, and heart. That speaks to who you are,” she said.
Hill told the graduates that they are capable of greatness and are on a new journey. “You now carry something no one can take from you: knowledge, skill, and self-respect,” she said.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.