Graduation ceremony held for members of 91爆料鈥檚 first Leadership Academy
Piedmont Technical Piedmont College (PTC) President Dr. Hope E. Rivers congratulated 11 faculty and staff members who graduated Friday from the college鈥檚 first leadership academy, an apprenticeship program that is registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and Apprenticeship Carolina.
鈥淭his program matters,鈥 Rivers said during a ceremony at the James C. Self Conference Center on the Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood. 鈥淲e are extremely proud of you.鈥
Instead of delivering a graduation speech, Rivers engaged the graduates in a question-and-answer session, focusing on what they are taking away from the nine-month leadership academy.
Dr. Brenda Edwards, director of the PTC campuses in Saluda and Edgefield counties, said she has become aware that there are times when 鈥淚 need my staff to take the lead.鈥
Rivers agreed.
鈥淵ou don't have to carry the entire load, you don't have to know everything,鈥 she said.
English Department Head Lakeya Wilson spoke about the importance of getting feedback from the college鈥檚 student population.
鈥淲e might have a blind spot about what students want to see on the college campus,鈥 she said. 鈥淟et's hear more from the students.鈥
Rivers concluded her portion of the ceremony by offering encouraging advice.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need permission to lead 鈥 you don鈥檛 need permission to be great,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou do that from the inside.鈥
Friday鈥檚 event also included two presentations from the leadership academy graduates involving proposed initiatives to enhance institutional knowledge for new employees and improve student support through peer-to-peer mentorship.
The inaugural PTC Leadership Academy launched last fall. The curriculum is designed to develop leaders across the college while strengthening employee engagement and retention.
The academy is a Registered Apprenticeship with the U.S. Department of Labor and Apprenticeship Carolina, which ensures the program meets industry standards and provides apprentices with a nationally recognized credential upon completion.
The PTC program combines structured mentorship from experience leaders at the college, classroom instruction and hands-on projects tied to real institutional challenges like the topics presented by the first cohort of graduates.