“I chose my program because I enjoy working with my hands,” Balbosa said, “and I know this program would give me a way to turn that passion into a career.”

When he graduates in May, he’ll be looking to enter the workforce and use his diploma in welding technology, but he’s got his eye on the future, too.

“My current career goals are to become established with a fabrication company and gain experience and knowledge, then maybe one day open up my own business,” Balbosa said.

Even though his interest in welding technology brought him to ������Ƶ, it was the college’s work-based learning and placement program, which provides opportunities to connect students with local employers, that really helped him ‘own his momentum.’

“I learned a lot during those two months,” Balbosa said, “and it really helped me get a feel for a real work environment.”

The career experience created a real environment for Balbosa to grow in his field and hone his skills, and the encouragement from his instructors and classmates helped him feel comfortable and motivated him to grow his skills.

“I would say the best part of my experience with this school would be the people I’ve met and the instructors that have taught me what I know,” Balbosa said.

As he reflects on his journey and upcoming graduation, Balbosa shared that he is honored to be a ������Ƶ graduate.

“I am definitely grateful to everyone who helped me through this journey, and I’m proud of the choice I made to go to ������Ƶ.”

When Brooklyn Thompson started at ������Ƶ, she had big dreams and was excited to be attending school alongside her mother.

Thompson has excelled as a student and is now being recognized by the North Carolina Community College System as ������Ƶ’s Academic Excellence Award winner. The award, given by the NCCCS after a committee reviews nominations, recognizes students in the North Carolina Community College System who show outstanding academic achievement. 

A 2024 graduate of ������Ƶia Highland Tech High School, Thompson was first drawn to ������Ƶ when her mother, Melissa Poindexter, joined the nursing program. 

 “She would take me with her sometimes to run errands, and I thought it would be fun to go to college with my mama,” Thompson said. 

Thompson found a home in Engineering as her goal is to become an industrial designer of children’s toys. Her interest in this field grew from her hobbies and personal projects. 

“I’ve always loved crafting and building stuff,” Thompson said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, when I was in eighth grade, I would create replica props from my favorite movies and games. That’s when I realized that I could turn it into a career. I love building and blueprinting, but I also love being creative and making things fun, and I thought creating toys was a nice blend of both.” 

Thompson’s award makes her one of 58 honorees statewide who will be highlighted on the NCCCS website. She will also be recognized at ������Ƶ’s commencement. 

Thompson is looking forward to her next step. “After graduating from ������Ƶ with my associate degree, I’ll be attending N.C. State University for my bachelor’s degree in engineering,” she said. “I plan to major in either mechanical engineering or industrial engineering.” 

Instead, a shocking diagnosis of acute Lymphocytic leukemia altered his path. It was a moment that not only redirected his future but also tested his inner strength.

With support from his family, friends, and local communities, Brindle was recently declared cancer-free. Now, he is looking ahead and thinking about how ������Ƶ has influenced his future.

“This whole process has been so good to me,” said Brindle, who was medically cleared by his team at Charlotte’s Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital on Nov. 7. “I was at rock bottom at first. And I never, ever want to be in that position again in my life. So ������Ƶ has been really good for me.”

Brindle, a 6-foot-3, 285-pound offensive line prospect at Belmont’s Stuart Cramer High School, saw his life change as he got ready for his senior football season in 2023.

It started with headaches that wouldn’t go away for weeks. Then, after an episode at home, his family took him to the Mount Holly Emergency Room. He was there only briefly before doctors sent him to ������Ƶ Memorial Hospital for several days of tests.

Brindle passed most of the tests, but during the last one, he remembers, “they found something they didn’t like.” After that, he was sent to Levine Children’s Hospital. It was there, after more tests, doctors gave him the difficult news.

And while a team of doctors whom Brindle says have become “like family” started him on a path to recovery, the then 17-year-old high school senior says the impact of the diagnosis was devastating.

“I lost my senior year of high school,” said Brindle, who was basically quarantined due to the vulnerability of having leukemia. “I didn’t play football. I didn’t wrestle. I didn’t go to senior prom. I actually returned to school for the last month and was able to walk for graduation. But it was all very hard for me. Being isolated from the world was a weird experience.”

He got support from the community, including fundraisers organized by friends and the Cramer student government. This support also led him to ������Ƶ.

Brindle decided that if he couldn’t play sports, he would report on them through the school’s Sports Media Technology program. This gave him a way to stay connected to what he loved.

“When I came to ������Ƶ, I didn’t want anybody to know what I was going through,” Brindle said. “But over time, I’ve learned to just embrace it as a part of the adversity I’ve faced.”

Brindle has worked on ������Ƶ’s student-run broadcasts, doing on-air broadcasting, filming, and producing for the Rhinos’ basketball, baseball, and softball games.

“Originally, I was going to study sports medicine and play football at Elon,” Brindle said. “But I had to stay home and get treatment. So, I looked at ������Ƶ, and as a sports fan, I wanted to do the Sports Media Program. [Instructors] Caleb Stalcup, Kate Carmody, Nick Cable, and Ronald Key have helped build my love for the entire audio and video program – and not just the sports part of it.

“It helped me so much when I was going through my treatment. Not only did it take away thinking about all of the chemotherapy, but it was also building me as a student and a man, and helped me realize so many things beyond the classroom. Working with ������Ƶ on all of these projects has helped me mentally and physically because I was a part of a team.”

Following his last medical check-up, Brindle got to ring the bell at the Levine Children’s Hospital to indicate he was cancer-free.

“I’m officially cleared,” Brindle said. “There’s no more chemo, no more treatment. I now join a survivor program, and I’ll meet with them once a year and then three times a year after that.”

Brindle is set to graduate from ������Ƶ in May 2026, and now that his medical treatments are over, he hopes to return to football at a four-year school.

“When I graduate from ������Ƶ, I’m looking at restarting my football career at a four-year university,” said Brindle, who considers Appalachian State and Elon as possible options. “I want to study broadcast communications and, hopefully, go into a job in journalism or at a college or university on their media production team.”

Since enrolling, Hipkins has been diligently working through the courses needed for an associate in arts degree, which he aims to complete next month. He plans to further his education through one of ������Ƶ’s guaranteed transfer agreements for the C3 Program at N.C. State.

“It appealed to me because of its hands-on support system and objective of granting second chances,” he explained. Hipkins aims to graduate from N.C. State in 2027 or 2028 with a degree in English, focusing on film studies. “By allowing me to study my true passions, ������Ƶ and C3 have forever changed my life.”

Hipkins describes his time at ������Ƶ as supportive and fulfilling. “It’s hard to directly point to one overall good experience,” he said. “My time here has been filled with growth and the building of friendships. ������Ƶ has an environment that is supporting and non-judgmental. I will attest that at ������Ƶ you are able to ‘Own Your Momentum,’ if you choose to allow yourself to be open to the opportunity.”

“������Ƶ helped me convert my military discipline into a new mission and a skilled trade I can build a future on,” Kinman said. He appreciates how his educational journey reflects the school’s tagline, “Own Your Momentum.” “The structure here allowed me to build momentum again, one course and one certification at a time, and now that momentum belongs to me.”

Kinman, a native of Maplewood, New Jersey, graduated from Technology High School in 2001. After his military service, he sought new challenges, which he found through his classes at ������Ƶ.

“After the military, I began taking courses to re-establish myself academically,” Kinman explained. “I later chose ������Ƶ so my education could align directly with a skilled trade and a career path.” Like many veterans, Kinman honors his service on Veterans Day, November 11.

“We honor veterans because they carry responsibility for the security of the nation,” he stated. “Service requires discipline, sacrifice, and the willingness to act when others hesitate. The freedoms and stability we have today exist because ordinary people volunteered to protect them.”

This Veterans Day, let’s remember and celebrate the journeys of veterans like Otis Kinman, who continue to inspire us.

This opportunity is available to ������Ƶ students pursuing an Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degree, provided they have fewer than 30 transferable credits and at least one academic year remaining at ������Ƶ at the time of application, and they are interested in pursuing one of the eligible NC State degree programs.

“������Ƶ is excited to announce this new guaranteed admission partnership with NC State University through the Wolfpack Connect program,” said Christine Ziemba-Tolbert, ������Ƶ’s Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences, Transfer Program Liaison and Academic Studies Lead.

“While we’re already proud participants in NC State’s C3 program, Wolfpack Connect opens the door even wider, allowing more of our students to pursue a seamless transfer to one of over 100 eligible bachelor’s degree programs at NC State.”

“This partnership reflects ������Ƶ’s ongoing commitment to creating accessible and strategic transfer pathways that support student success and academic achievement,” Ziemba-Tolbert added.

Enrollment for the Wolfpack Connect program will begin in late January 2026. Students interested in applying can find more information at .

Through this partnership, ������Ƶ graduates will be guaranteed admission to WCU. The WCU Connect program is designed for traditional associate degree transfers and is available to all associate degree-seeking students interested in transitioning to a four-year institution. 

“What makes this partnership truly special is its inclusivity. It’s open to all associate degree-completing students at ������Ƶ,” said Christine Ziemba-Tolbert, ������Ƶ’s Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences and Transfer Program Liaison. “Western Carolina University has long been a top transfer destination for ������Ƶ students, with many successfully completing their bachelor’s degrees there.”

WCU’s participation in the NC Promise program also helps ������Ƶ students keep tuition affordable, since it is reduced to $500 per semester for in-state students. “This partnership is a life-changing opportunity for students to complete their bachelor’s degree in a financially manageable way,” Ziemba-Tolbert added.

To qualify, students must be high school graduates, be enrolled in an associate degree program at ������Ƶ, and maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA at ������Ƶ at the time of their WCU Connect application and a minimum GPA of 2.2 in their last term at ������Ƶ.

Students transferring with a cumulative collegiate GPA of 3.5 or higher will also be invited to join WCU’s Brinson Honors College, which offers a guaranteed transfer of up to 12 hours of honors-level credit and enhanced opportunities for academic distinction and leadership. 

Additionally, students opting into WCU Connect while still enrolled at ������Ƶ will gain access to early benefits. These include major-specific academic advising, a personal WCU admission counselor, access to Hunter Library textbook rentals and study spaces, admission to select athletic events, priority orientation registration, a 10 percent discount at the WCU Bookstore, and an exclusive WCU Connect Card, which can be issued up to one year prior to transfer.

Students interested in this opportunity can find more information and details at gaston.edu/arts-and-sciences/university-transfer/co-admission-agreements/western-carolina-wcu-connect/.

������Ƶ has announced its Student Government Association (SGA) officers for the 2025-26 academic year. Bannock Scott will take the helm as president, with Alexis Odell stepping in as vice president. Micajah Hanna will serve as the parliamentarian, while Amara Bailey, Lizette Reyes-Lopez, Helanea Killian, and Amina Elliott will join as senators.

“The SGA serves as the ‘Voice of the Student’ at ������Ƶ and acts as a liaison between the student body and college administration,” said Meagan Lingerfelt, ������Ƶ’s Coordinator of Student Life & Special Projects. “A great example of this liaison is that the SGA president sits on the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees as a non-voting member and represents the student body to the board.”

Scott, who served as vice president last year, is eager to support and advocate for students, aiming to “make sure that the best group of people are represented in the best way” through the SGA’s efforts this academic year.

Students interested in joining the SGA next year are encouraged to contact SGA Advisors Meagan Lingerfelt or Kendrick McDowell for more details.

“After I dropped out of high school, I realized that I wanted to pursue a high school diploma through the program at ������Ƶ, Martin said. I did it to better myself for the future. I want everyone to know that it is NEVER too late to go after your dreams. If I can do it, so can you.”

“������Ƶ helped me by giving me the tools, support, and confidence to take charge of my future,” Martin said. “I felt empowered to push forward even when things got challenging. The college helped me build both my knowledge and my resilience.”

Martin completed ������Ƶ’s Adult High School program in the spring of 2025 and is now looking to enroll in the Medical Assisting Program.

“When I started at ������Ƶ, I realized that I wanted to pursue a degree in my dream field – and that was the medical field,” said Martin. She looks forward to carrying her momentum from the Adult High School program into this next chapter of her life.

������Ƶ’s Adult High School program is free and 100% online. If you’re looking for the opportunity to complete the credits you missed while in high school, you can learn more about enrolling at /high-school-equivalency/adult-high-school-diploma/.

“I chose early childhood education because I love working with kids and watching them discover and learn new things as they grow. I picked ������Ƶ because it is close to home, and I was able to get my degree while I work,” Massey said. “They also offered online classes and Saturday classes, which are great for my schedule.”

According to one of her ������Ƶ Early Childhood instructors, Robin Perry, Massey emerged as a top student in the program.

“Dominique has earned an impressive GPA of 3.708 while working two jobs in the field as a pre-K assistant teacher and at a local program,” Perry said. “She stands out in our classes at ������Ƶ and in her own EC classroom with competence and an excellent work ethic. Her supervising teacher in North Charlotte brags about what an incredible asset and help Dominique is.”

Massey’s degree comes at a time when local early childhood programs are desperately seeking qualified educators. According to the NC Early Childhood Foundation, data shows that more than five families compete for every licensed child care space in our state, and staffing shortages are a major barrier to increasing this.

Since Massey always wanted to be in the classroom, she’s enjoyed that part of her experience. But she said interacting with classmates and teachers who share the same goal has been a bonus. She hopes to become a special education interventionist in the future.

“������Ƶ has really helped me ‘Own My Momentum’ by giving me support and resources that help with my educational and career goals. The staff and the team are super encouraging, and they offer personalized guidance that makes a big difference.”

With the teacher shortage, graduates like Massey provide essential talent to classrooms where qualified educators make a difference in the development of our youngest learners. For more information on our early childhood education classes, certificates and degrees, visit gaston.edu/early-childhood.