By KELLY SNOW, kellysnow@roxboro-courier.com
Resolution of Support & Appreciation (click here)
The Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees made a vocal and loud display of confidence in its president.
The 13-member board recently voted to extend the contract of Dr. Pamela Senegal and issued a resolution of support.
Senegal’s contract was set to expire at the end of June 2022, but was extended for two years, carrying her through June 2025.
The nearly 350-word resolution noted Senegal’s accomplishments in leading the institution in workforce education, student success and economic development as well as a commitment to the expansion and improvement of college and community services through state-of-the-art programs, technology, facilities and other innovations.
“We have recognized a lot of the challenges that Dr. Senegal has faced over the past year in particular with the pandemic, the cyber attack and a very challenging political environment, as well,” PCC Board of Trustees Chair Tanya Evans said. “It’s important for her and the community to know and hear our support for her outstanding efforts. When you have such a talented, experienced leader like Dr. Senegal, we need to do everything we can to support her. Her success means success, not just for the college, but the community, as well.”
That challenging political environment was on full display the past several months. Emails came to light through a public records requests that demonstrated a smear campaign to discredit Senegal involving members of the community, a former PCC employee and Person County Commissioners Charlie Palmer and P.J. Gentry in the weeks after Senegal advocated for the development of an Advanced Technology Center to the commissioners.
Despite the vitriolic language used by others on social media and the content of the emails, Senegal said that she never considered walking away from her post at PCC and is grateful for the outpouring of support.
“It has been incredibly reassuring the ways that people have been publicly allying with me and this college for the work that we’ve done and the work that this team that I’ve been able to assemble have done,” Senegal said. “That speaks volumes for the work that we are doing as a com-munity and the way in which we are moving for-ward. The thing that people don’t realize is that I do this work as unto (God). I’m here because I was called to be here. Whether it’s praise or criticism, that doesn’t affect my being called to be here. It’s all a part of it.”
In recent weeks, Senegal has received several public displays of support, including from the Person County Economic Development Board of Directors.
“I hope that our relationship with (Senegal) stretches long into the future,” Evans said. “We are a stronger college because of her presence here. The board is just so pleased with her work and the direction that she’s taking the college. We really wanted to make sure that we all were vocal and loud in support.”
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