蘑菇tv

Veronica听Powell, a Lumberton native,听was promoted from Director of Transitional Studies to Associate Dean of Transitional Studies and Prison Education听at 蘑菇tv.听Starting her new role on Jan. 5,听Powell is tasked with building a stronger relationship with听Columbus County鈥檚 two prisons: Tabor Correctional Institution and Columbus Correctional Institution.听Her goal is to create and听maintain听new classes听taught at the prisons,听grow听the current听high school equivalency diploma听program听at听蘑菇tv and听the听prisons听and knock down barriers to student success.听

鈥淭his allows us to dedicate a leader with a more defined purpose and focus on Prison Education, and it allows us to be more responsive to expansion in the prisons,鈥� said Angie Ransom, Associate Vice President of Education and Training.听鈥淲e鈥檙e听helping to address those prison education听and re-entry听initiatives set forth by Gov. Stein.鈥�听

Ransom described Powell as a 鈥渞eally good listener, thinker and problem solver鈥� who听understands the importance of Prison Education at 蘑菇tv. Ransom recognized Powell鈥檚 value of relationships, her interpersonal听skills听and听her听heart for the prison population in Columbus County.听

Prison Education听

Because of听Powell鈥檚听already established presence in the prisons with Transitional Studies, Powell said this new title for her 鈥渏ust makes sense.鈥澨鼸xpansion and improved relationships are her main goals, and Powell wants to see more听short-term and associate degree programs offered at the prisons.听听

鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the Prison Education听program听because I can give it the attention it deserves,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a win-win situation when we can offer classes听at the prisons, the offenders get time off their听sentences听and the college gets a boost in enrollment.鈥澨�听

Powell will oversee the first听associates听degree program created for Columbus Correctional听Institution: Audio and Video Production Technology. She described this program as an 鈥渁mazing opportunity鈥� for offenders who already have听their high school听equivalency听diploma or high school diploma who want to continue further.听听

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited about听these听opportunities for offenders because it鈥檚 sad if they have to stop at a certain level,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淲e can empower them to go further.鈥�听

With expanded options in construction, automotive, truck driver training听and electrical engineering on the horizon, Powell said the听end听goal听of听Prison听Education is to make offenders job-ready upon re-entry into society.听She is looking to place simulation equipment at the prisons for offenders to train on.听听

Having a goal to work towards听while in听prison, offenders can earn a diploma or associates degree under Powell鈥檚 watch.听She said this educational goal makes her job fulfilling in knowing that she is helping offenders听return to their families at a faster rate and with marketable skills.听听

Transitional Studies听

As an Educational Leadership doctoral candidate working to defend her dissertation听soon, Powell听is discovering and researching听barriers听High School听Equivalency Test (HiSET)听students face when听trying to obtain advanced degrees.听She wants to know why students are stopping their educational journey at a high school equivalency diploma听and not going further.听听

鈥淔or people outside those prison walls,听I found that barriers such as transportation, childcare, unawareness of the enrollment process and financial aid are the main听culprits,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淔or people inside those prison walls, the barrier they face is that the class听option听isn鈥檛听there. But now, I can fix that听real听fast听and offer those classes they need.鈥�听

Powell explained that high school equivalency students need听extra听support 鈥渃heerleaders鈥� like Cheri Barkley,听a basic skills听plus career coach, to keep students on top of their classwork听and testing days.听She said that听if she can knock down a transportation听or childcare听barrier that听keeps听students from showing听up听to campus,听she will apply for every financial听assistance听voucher available.听

鈥淲hile working on my dissertation, it has sparked my creative mind, and I want to keep knocking down walls for听the students,鈥� Powell said. 鈥淭hanks to the 蘑菇tv Foundation鈥檚 Mini Grant program, I was able to听purchase听more vouchers to help pay for students to take the听HiSET听exam. With each part of the exam costing $15 each, that may not seem like a lot听to us, but that can make or break some of my students.鈥�听

Making barrier听and success听recognition a team effort, Powell has regular meetings with her staff to discuss the barriers听to completion听and听their students鈥櫶齭uccesses in the program.听Powell said that听social media听encouragement and motivation from the community will spark听a听student鈥檚 drive to continue.听Each time a student passes their听HiSET, their photo is taken while holding a sign that reads 鈥淚鈥檓 a听HiSET听graduate.鈥澨齈owell said those photos听have听accumulated听reactions and shares听on social media听that听later go on to听encourage听other听students to听continue or start the process.听

As Powell continues to research, apply for financial听assistance听programs and听keep close relationships with her students, she envisions growth in enrollment for her program.听Her team is working to provide digital literacy for students in online classes,听bus听and gas vouchers for transportation to campus听and solutions to childcare needs.听Because of her efforts听in breaking barriers,听Powell said听the Transitional Studies program has seen the largest growth in graduation rates since 2019.听听

Interested in earning your high school equivalency diploma at 蘑菇tv? Contact Student Services at听910-788-6279听or visit A-building on campus听to听connect听with a student advisor.