Acquiring Booker T. Washington facility

ELIZABETHTOWN – The Elizabethtown Rotary gathered March 20 to discuss scholarship plans, financial business, the upcoming Rotary Scholarship Golf Tournament and of course to eat lunch prepared by San Jose restaurant.

In addition, the special speaker was Dr. Amanda Lee, president of Bladen Community College. Dr. Lee came to share updates on the Booker T. Washington facility acquisition in Clarkton.

“When this all became an option for us, we were deciding what we were going to do,” Lee said. “Back before Dr. Taylor left us and went to bigger and broader seas, he renovated this kitchen (at the Booker T. Washington facility) and cafeteria. They were using it for training purposes for the staff of the county school system. That was the thing that really caught our attention.”

Lee passed out laminated handouts for the Rotarians that gave a diagram of the Booker T. Washington complex with arrows and a map to where programs were going to be proposed and housed.

“On this picture you can see that there is an arrow to a building that says ‘compensatory education,’” she said. “That may mean very little to you, but it is actually a very important program that we are already doing. It’s really now the IDD program (intellectually disabled or developmentally delayed) and we have adults in our community who are all under that umbrella. We want to help them to continue helping them have the skills that they can use in the community.”

According to Lee, they were already doing that in that building on that campus. She also pointed out on the map that there is classroom space and early childhood education incubator which will help to fill a great need within the community.

There are also plans that are being made for this facility to be a great center of agriculture learning and nurturing. The college has 10 acres of land for agribusiness and expanded programs. In addition, the extra land surrounding the facility will be used for growing, animal husbandry and also things such as drone education.

The building itself, according to Lee was built in 1947 and the gymnasium is still in wonderful condition. From original wood floors to bleacher-type seating. Although she said that the college has no plan on getting back into athletics with this particular gym, she feels that it would make a great meeting place, an auditorium or gatherings.

“We know that there are some churches that are interested in using the facility,” Lee said. “Also, people are interested in using the facility for reunions. We want our trades programs to go in and help us refurbish that gym so that it is comfortable, pristine and respectful of the way this building can be used.”

Mention was also made of the vision to plant community gardens that the IDD program and early childhood programs can tap into. They are also planning on growing gardens for their culinary program.

Dr. Lee spoke of a center that is in some way, shape and form, all connected and all inclusive – not showcasing separate identities, but multiuse programs and facilities to boast a strong community presence and backbone.

“Our goal is to provide a broader range of educational and vocational opportunities that address the specific needs of our community,” Lee published in her handout. “Through the utilization of the resources at our disposal, we aim to drive innovation, promote learning and create a vibrant atmosphere of growth and collaboration. By seizing this opportunity, we not only enhance our college, but also demonstrate our dedication to being student-centered and future-focused. Together, we can make a lasting impact and focus on providing quality education and build the community resources needed to sustain and support our growth goals.”

Lee is expecting to have some buildings up and running at full strength by this coming summer and although it is a bold goal, with the remodeling that has already been done and a lot of student laborers, the project may be able to move very quickly.

“I am so hoping that we’ll be there this summer,” she said. “If I can get all of the paperwork done and our study done, I’ve already got the keys. So I am just waiting to get the “t’s” crossed and the “i’s” dotted. There will be probably some asbestos because we know it’s an old building, but right now it’s been tested and proven to be intact and everything’s in good shape.”

The buildings have 29,593 square feet, 12 + classrooms, a kitchen and cafeteria, 10 acres for agribusiness, space for an early childhood incubator, trade labs, community gardens, summer camps, 6,596 sq. ft. multipurpose gym/community space and the possibilities are endless as to the potential not only for use, but for investing in the education of the collegiate students in Bladen County.

Dr. Lee officially came aboard as president of the college in February of 2019.

According to Essential Education News, ““Dr. Lee brings a vast amount of experience, not only in the classroom, but as an administrator within the community college system. She has done an outstanding job engaging the community and growing the relationships necessary to make a community college thrive. We, as a family at Bladen Community College, are excited and confident that Dr. Lee will grow the college with continued success. We welcome Dr. Lee’s leadership as we enter the next era of BCC’s history,” said Dennis Troy, chair of BCC’s Board of Trustees.

“Most recently the Chief of Staff and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, Dr. Lee previously served as President of Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, NC.

“Dr. Lee worked at Cape Fear Community College (CCFC) for over a decade, starting her tenure at CFCC in 2003 as an instructor before moving into administration. During her time as CFCC president, Lee guided a growing college which had more than 23,000 students annually. That work included the opening of CFCC’s new Advanced & Emerging Technologies building and other new facilities at the college’s North Campus. During her time, the school also received its largest capital donation ever and opened the vocational technical high school SEA-Tech High School.

“Before her role as CFCC president, Dr. Lee was primarily responsible for the planning and over sight of the college’s academic divisions, including arts and sciences, technical and vocational education, continuing education and two learning resources centers. In addition, Dr. Lee was an instructor at CFCC, having previously taught courses at Nash Community College, Texas A&M University, University of North Carolina Wilmington and Baylor University in Texas. Page 2 of 2

“Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Lee attended Baylor University in Texas, where she earned her BA in Telecommunications and her MA in Communication Studies. Dr. Lee earned her doctorate in Communication Arts from Regent University in Virginia.”