On Friday, May 18, Piedmont Community College (PCC) will host its 48th graduation ceremony. Weather permitting, the event will be held at the Person High School stadium at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
During the ceremony, students and guests will hear from Michael Chaney, 2018 PCC Alumnus of the Year and Donald Wilson, former member and chairman of PCC’s Board of Trustees and long-time support of the College and the community.
After graduating from PCC in 2015, Michael went on to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Homeland Security with double concentrations in Terrorism and Intelligence, as well as a minor in Criminal Justice Administration, from Campbell University. He is currently a second-year law student at Campbell Law in Raleigh.
While at Piedmont Community College, Michael served as the Vice President of the Student Government Association and earned the respect of students, faculty, and staff alike. Michael was nominated and selected as PCC’s 2018 Alumnus of the Year, an award that will be officially presented to him during the PCC Foundation’s Annual Celebration in November of this year.
Donald Wilson will also address graduates during the ceremony. A respected business man and Person County resident, Donald was appointed to the PCC Board of Trustees by the Governor of North Carolina in 1990 and served until October 2016. He served as Board chairman and chairman of the Finance Committee for numerous years.
In 2016, Representative Larry Yarborough presented Donald with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award. “The Order of The Long Leaf Pine is the most prestigious award given to civilians by the Governor of the great State of North Carolina and I am honored to present it to Donald Wilson,” shared Yarborough. “Donald Wilson has been a valuable asset to our community. He has always been someone that could be counted on to step up when there was a need and is very deserving of this honor.”
This honor is awarded to persons for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and their communities that is above and beyond the call of duty and which has made a significant impact and strengthened North Carolina.
The awarding of this esteemed honor was evident as Yarborough recited a list of Donald’s activities in Person County beyond his service to Piedmont Community College. Donald’s service has included: officer of the Roxboro Jaycees before transitioning to the Kiwanis Club of Roxboro for 44 years; active member of the Roxboro Area Chamber of Commerce for 34 years, acting as president in 1988; working member of the Roxboro/Person County Home Builders Association for 25 years, holding the role of treasurer for much of that time; board member of the Person Memorial Hospital; co-founder of Bethel Hill Charter School and school board membership for 20 years.
Donald and his wife Becky have three children. Their son Stephen Wilson currently serves as a member of PCC’s Foundation Board of Directors.
During the ceremony, Wilson, along with PCC President Dr. Pamela Senegal, will award the North Carolina Community College System Office Academic Excellence Award to a Piedmont Community College graduate.
In case of inclement weather, graduation will be held in the PHS gymnasium instead of in the stadium, and admissions will be by ticket only.
Photo: Donald Wilson, 2018 PCC Graduation Speaker
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