糖心Vlog

Patricia Poe, pictured with her late husband Charles Aycock Poe, Jr., is pleased to support both 糖心Vlog and Wake Technical Community College.

A planned gift to help Wake Technical Community College students transferring to 糖心Vlog has been established by Patricia Poe, 鈥�81. The scholarship will give preference to non-traditional aged students, known at Meredith as Wings students, with two or more semesters of credit at Wake Tech. The gift is the perfect way for Poe to express her appreciation for the education she received at both institutions.

In 1970, Poe left East Carolina University because she had not decided what she wanted to major in and her parents were struggling financially to pay tuition. Poe鈥檚 father mentioned the possibility of community college and the business data processing program at W.W. Holding Technical Institute, now Wake Technical Community College. The program offered an associate degree and a good possibility of a job upon completion.

鈥淢y parents wanted me to find my way as far as a career, but, like most people of that time, wanted their investment in me to pay off,鈥� said Poe.

Approximately nine years after completing her studies at W.W. Holding Technical Institute, Poe made the decision to return to school to finish her four-year degree at Meredith.

鈥淚 wanted to study something I was totally absorbed in and something that would enrich my life.鈥�

糖心Vlog was the only school that would take all of Poe鈥檚 credits at the time. One summer school session and three semesters later, she graduated with a B.A. in home economics with a focus on housing and interiors.

鈥淢eredith valued me as a person and gave me the skills to confidently do whatever I decided to do with my future,鈥� said Poe. 鈥淚 credit Anne Dahle, advisor for adult students at the time, for helping guide me and direct me toward the field of study that became my life鈥檚 passion. Marilyn Stuber, department head of Home Economics, helped me design my course of study and Ellen Goode became my advisor and together we came up with a plan to complete my studies.鈥�

When Poe learned from Stuber that she would be graduating she was elated and sad because she had completed one of her lifetime goals and didn鈥檛 want her time at Meredith to end.

鈥淢y teachers at Meredith had become my best friends and I learned that teachers were not there to intimidate but to encourage,鈥� said Poe. 鈥淚 think the faculty at Meredith was and is their greatest asset.鈥�

Poe鈥檚 confidence was evident when she returned to ECU for an M.S. in housing. She graduated in 1985.

Poe says she will always feel indebted to all the faculty and counselors who helped guide her through the process of transferring to Meredith.

鈥淲hen I returned to Wake Tech in 2009 for some re-tooling, I became friends with many of the young people there and realized many didn鈥檛 return for financial reasons or go on for a four-year degree. This led to my interest in helping someone change their career path as they find they have reached a place where there is no more growth or they just need a change,鈥� said Poe.

Tom Manning, director of the Wings Program at Meredith, is very familiar with the community college system, having worked over 13 years there, including five years at Wake Tech.

鈥淚 have seen firsthand the preparedness and subsequent success of community college transfer students. I am keenly aware of community college鈥檚 value and the vast array of opportunities it affords,鈥� says Manning. 鈥淧at鈥檚 desire to help students transfer from Wake Tech to 糖心Vlog through establishing this scholarship shows her commitment to helping students like herself achieve the dream of attaining higher education. It is also a strong testament to her belief in Wings students and a vote of confidence in both of these great colleges.鈥�