CVCC Announces 2020 Community Partnership Award Winners

Catawba Valley Community College has announced its recipients for the 2020 Community Partnership Awards.

08/11/2020

2020 Partnership Award

Catawba Valley Community College has announced its recipients for the 2020 Community Partnership Awards.

Each school year, CVCC recognizes organizations that have excelled in supporting college programming in each of its three schools — the School of Academics and Educational Opportunities; the School of Workforce Development and The Arts; and the School of Health and Public Services.

Organizations that were honored this year include Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy Foundation, Catawba Farms Enterprise and The YMCA of Catawba Valley.

“CVCC's community partnership awards were established to recognize our partners that make it possible for our students to achieve their dreams,” said CVCC President Dr. Garrett Hinshaw. “Partnership is critical for our college, and we appreciate the difference these partners make when they recognize the value of our students and our college.”

Piedmont Natural GasCVCC’s School of Academics and Educational Opportunities recognized Piedmont Natural Gas with its Community Partnership honor. 

Alongside the Duke Energy Foundation, Piedmont Natural Gas funds have allowed CVCC Biology students to experience relevant, community oriented science curricula by being able to purchase supplies and to create a native plant pollinator garden along the Geitner bikeway as well as allow students to protect another native plant garden on the bikeway. 

Approximately 40 CVCC students participated and dedicated more than 960 service hours to complete this project. Supplies such as wagons to haul materials, shovels, rakes, post-hole diggers and gloves were purchased along with seven loads of hardwood mulch, supplies for 200 feet of split rail fence and native plants to attract pollinators. These supplies and materials as well as the opportunity to create these gardens, would not have been possible without the funding from Piedmont Natural Gas. 

Students in the Biology curriculum were able to experience coursework that was relevant to studying native plants and habitats in a real world setting.  

Catawba FarmsThe Community Partnership Award for CVCC’s School of Workforce Development and The Arts went to Catawba Farms Enterprise.

Catawba Valley Community College has the great fortune of partnering with Catawba Farms Enterprises on a number of projects, investments and initiatives that serve the Catawba Valley community, including CVCC’s Red Hawk Red Blend special production of a custom blend red wine with proceeds benefitting the CVCC Alumni Association

The wine was developed with elements that include a label design competition with student teams from the CVCC Advertising and Graphic Design department; wine blending trials that included a select group of CVCC Board members and industry professionals; and a planned win release for the fall 2020 at Catawba Farms.

CVCC and Catawba Farms also came together on the development of a Landscape Master Plan for Catawba Farms in collaboration with CVCC Horticulture Technology as well as the development and leadership support for the nascent Hospitality Academy with focused initiatives for work force development in the areas of food and beverage service, beverage production (wine, beer and spirits) and hospitality and tourism. Specific emphasis of this program will include an entrepreneurial practicum, to introduce students to employment opportunities and business start-up essentials.

Catawba Farms also commissioned production of interior seating with the CVCC Furniture Academy.

Future collaborations between CVCC and Catawba Farms include a partnership to document the history of Catawba Farms from early settlement by the Sigmon Family to current winemaking, viticulture and brewing operations of Catawba Farms as a premier North Carolina agritourism and entertainment destination for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Hickory Regions; and art exhibitions for the creative works of CVCC students from the Visual Arts department, including paintings, pottery and sculpture. The initial showing set for April 2020 was interrupted by the current pandemic.

YMCA of Catawba ValleyCVCC’s School of Health and Public Services selected The YMCA of Catawba Valley for its Community Partnership Award.

The YMCA of Catawba Valley partners with CVCC in ways that benefit our college and our community. CVCC Health and Fitness Science students in various classes regularly use the YMCA as an observation point, and it also serves as a work-based learning site. Some of our students performing work-based learning have become YMCA employees after graduation. Recognizing that the health of our students is important, the YMCA partnered with CVCC to provide memberships to all active CVCC students.

The YMCA continues to serve our communities through critical times as well. The YMCA works with OneBlood/Red Cross by conducting regular blood drives to ensure blood pantries are stocked. During COVID, the YMCA continues to serve our community by providing emergency childcare to essential personnel. The YMCA developed a Virtual YMCA (www.ymcacv.org) to offer online workouts, live-streamed Y classes, host Trivia night for kids and their families, conducts virtual community health sessions and performs in meeting the health and wellness needs of the Catawba Valley.

# # #

Share This