Patrena Benton Elliott, president of Halifax Community College, will be the Women’s Day keynote speaker at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Littleton on May 5 at 10 a.m.

The theme for the celebration is Women of Destiny Leading with Purpose and Impact. 

“We are planning a spirit-filled program to celebrate women,” the church said. “It is an honor to have as our keynote speaker Dr. Patrena Benton Elliott, president at Halifax Community College.” 

A higher education educator over the past 29 years, on January 1, 2023, Elliott began serving as the sixth and first female president of Halifax Community College in Weldon. 

Prior to this appointment, she served as vice president of instruction and student support services at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. “Over her career, she has established academic programs from certificate to graduate level, raised millions of dollars in institutional funding, mentored countless students, and has presented extensively throughout the country.” 

Elliott earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.S. in Adult Education and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina A&T State University. 

She is married to Dr. Stanley Elliott and they are the parents of a daughter, Jordan, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a son, Sterling, a junior and Cheatham White Scholar at North Carolina Central University. 

The church, pastored by C.E. McCollum is located at 10614 Highway 158 in Littleton.

For further information, contact Mary Stephenson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The public is invited to attend.