Severn native Patrena Benton Elliott was the first of three Halifax Community College presidential hopefuls to be presented to the public during a forum on the campus Monday.

Another public forum is scheduled for today at 2:30 p.m. in room 108 of the Phillip Taylor Building.

“I think being native to the area first and foremost shows hopefully my true heart for the community, a love for this community, a desire to see the students become successful, the desire to see the staff and faculty be successful,” she said in response to one of two questions asked by rrspin.com. “I’m hoping that my life’s work, my living is not in vain and is a living testimony if you will. I hope that individuals will see that affiliation, me being home if you will, I have a vested interest.”

Elliott said she has a vested interest in helping students understand “that although I graduated from the former Northampton County High School-East in 1991, a lot has not changed relative to the needs I had then.”

She said the students today still have those needs and she is willing to help them overcome barriers. “If I can do it, they can too.”

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Elliott is currently the vice president for instruction and student support services/chief academic and student affairs officer at Robeson Community College in Lumberton. 

She previously served as dean of academic affairs and operations at South University in High Point. 

Elliott earned a doctor of philosophy in leadership studies and a master of science in adult education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro and a bachelor of arts in communication studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

As far as her biggest professional accomplishment, Elliott replied, “That's a hard one because naturally I want to say I helped a statewide inter-institutional center from closing by raising the funding that was needed to underwrite the center and not having to utilize state funding. I did that through ‘friend-raising.’”

She said that was also accomplished by showing the individual partners on the value added, how they needed the center. “It wasn’t just about the students needing them, they needed the students to diversify to help professional programs.”

But, Elliott said, “I would love to tell you that, but I’m not. I’m going to tell you that I believe my biggest professional accomplishment were the hundreds of students that I helped along the way to see that they too can move from that thought to what they have to make it reality. It wasn’t just a fleeting thought, it wasn’t just a desire but with their hard work they could accomplish it.”

Elliott responded to a faculty question about students who are on fast track to leave the area and never return because they feel despondent and hopeless about staying in the area.

“The three concerns on their minds are career development, housing, as well as establishing a family here,” Gary Redding, a criminal justice and English instructor, said.

Elliott’s immediate reply was, “Partner with me. I say this seriously because you’re the one that has the direct connection and relationship with them. You’re going to help me open the door to get me in there with you and build that trust and to talk to them about things they need to help them be successful.”

She said the first and foremost thing is to advise them to take their paths one step at a time. “It’s daunting when you think about things you need to do 15, 20 years down the road. Support them and cheer them on every step of the way. But don’t be afraid to tell them you may leave but the theory of home is that you can always come back. That’s what mama said.”

Elliott said it took her 30 years but she is home. “Student leadership and advocacy is the key. They have the power, they have the voice. We need them just as much as they need us. We take them into the room and let them be the advocate to the legislative delegation and to other stakeholders and other key leaders who need to hear their story.”

In response to a question about student results within the next five years at the college, Elliott said, the college needs to make sure it has performance measures in front of the leaders “so we know exactly where we are now and being able to look at what we need to do to move the needle.”

It can be as simple as having material available, she said. “Having the academic professional center has helped to have that individual unit that students see in their homes. Before you ever try to advise a student, have a conversation … Students like to know that you care.”

As far as concerns about employee morale, Elliott said, “I would like to talk to individuals and find out how the institution assesses morale. I need to know where the benchmark is … Is there a morale problem?”

She said she would use a third party such as the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and suggest a climate survey be used. “Then we would have something to go off of. We would have some data before us to be able to know exactly where to go from there.”

Elliott said she is a firm believer in building incentives and appreciation — not only waiting one year for an employee appreciation day, “but how can we demonstrate employee appreciation all throughout the year.”

In her closing remarks, Elliott told those who took time to attend, “What that tells me is you’re invested in the future of Halifax Community College so your presence here today is appreciated. I do not take it for granted. I’ve had a really good experience in the ministry of higher education now that has allowed me to work in academic affairs, student affairs, and institutional research.”

She asked several rhetorical questions with the last being, “Will you have an applicant that will come before you that will have a heart and a passion and desire to see how HCC moves from the 51st position in the state to wherever your heart desires. Will you have a candidate that will desire that and be dedicated to helping you meet that goal? I got it. God led me here today to be before you and to let you know it is good to be home.”