On Friday, May 17, Piedmont Community College (PCC) will host the 2019 commencement ceremony in the courtyard of the College’s Person County Campus, weather permitting. This special event will be held at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.
During the ceremony, students and guests will hear from 2019 PCC Alumnus of the Year Carrie Albert Bowers and 2019 Graduation Speaker Paulina Lopez.
Since graduating from PCC’s Associate Degree Nursing program in 2012, Carrie Albert Bowers has worked for UNC Healthcare in the Pediatric ICU and Carolina Air Care unit where she currently assesses and cares for the critically ill neonatal and pediatric patient population.
While working full-time, Carrie continued her studies, earning a Masters of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (PNP-PC), in 2018. She has also continued her service to the community with the Person County Rescue Squad, where she has been a member since 2009.
Carrie is also a member of the North Carolina Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association, and certified by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.
Former PCC student Paulina Lopez will also address graduates and guests on Friday. While at Person High School, Paulina was enrolled in classes at the College through what is now the Career and College Promise program. Her classroom achievements earned her a scholarship from the PCC Foundation, allowing Paulina to complete the Criminal Justice program in 2012. While a student at PCC, Paulina tutored for TRIO Student Support Services and served as Secretary of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society.
Paulina went on to complete her Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology through an online program at Southern New Hampshire University. She graduate in January 2014.
Continuing her studies, Paulina attended UNC-Chapel Hill’s Trans-Atlantic Master’s Program where she earned a Master’s Degree in Political Science in 2016. During her time at UNC, Paulina studied abroad at the University of Bath in England, focusing on international relations and international security.
Her time abroad also allowed Paulina to complete an independent, empirical study on Proportional Representation and Voting in the United States and United Kingdom, which she presented at the 8th International Conference on Transatlantic Studies at the University of Alcala de Henares in Madrid, Spain.
Paulina was then awarded a full tuition scholarship to North Carolina Central University School of Law, where she completed her Juris Doctor degree in 2019. While at NCCU, Paulina served as:
• Class President
• Editor-In-Chief of the Science and Intellectual Property Law Review
• Treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
• Treasurer of the Innocence Project
• Member of Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society
In 2018, Paulina was published in the NCCU Science and Intellectual Property Law Review for her music copyright article entitled Applying the Statutory Cover License to Mashup Covers and Medleys.
During the ceremony, Paulina, along with PCC President Dr. Pamela G. 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 College’s Courtyard, and admissions will be by ticket only.
Photo: Paulina Lopez, 2019 PCC Graduation Speaker
Recent Comments