Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton visits MTCC

Credit: By Britt Combs

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton (at window, left) speaks with MTCC President Bryan Wilson (at window, right) and other college administrators.

By: Britt Combs | McDowell News
Published: November 09, 2009

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton spoke Monday with administrators and staff at McDowell Technical Community College about the present state and the future outlook at the school.
Dalton asked immediately about enrollment.
MTCC President Bryan Wilson said the school was as crowded as it has ever been, far more so than had been foreseeable even a couple of years ago.
That meant parking lots overflowing, and buildings and facilities unable to keep up with the demand for classes.
"That's partly laid off workers we've had come back to school," said Wilson, "and partially due to the growth of the Early College."
Wilson said Early College was clearly popular and successful. At the last registration for the alternative high school, there were 300 families competing for a place in the freshman class.
This year, added Lisa Robinson, the Early College principal, the school admitted 69 freshmen, for a total student population of 169 students.
"This is my 28th year in education," she told Dalton, "and this is by far the best thing I've ever been involved in."
Wilson said the fact that the school has had but one dropout in its time is a clear measure of success.
Dalton enthusiastically agreed that early colleges are one of the greatest education success stories of recent years. He asked about the possibility for growth of McDowell Early College.
Wilson said there was talk of expanding it to 500 students, but that was impossible due to the limitations of space.
The leaders also discussed the possibility of expanding MEC or developing a magnet school off campus, perhaps in the form of the career technical magnet school idea championed by McDowell Superintendent Ira Trollinger.
"We definitely want to encourage the use of some of these vacant buildings you see around these days," he said, adding that early colleges do not have to be on the site of the community college.
On the economy, Dalton said the signs were hopeful. He saw more businesses starting or considering relocating to North Carolina. He cautioned that it can take two or three years for large businesses to implement such moves or growth, but the picture looked brighter than it has in the past year.

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton visits MTCC

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