South Piedmont Community College President Dr. Maria Pharr has been selected as the next president of Pitt Community College, effective August 13. Dr. Pharr has served as president of South Piedmont since Jan. 1, 2017.
“This is all very bittersweet... I am thrilled and honored to have been selected to serve as Pitt’s next president, and I cannot wait to get started. However, South Piedmont has been my home for the last seven years. I am incredibly proud of how far this College has come and the great things that still lie ahead. South Piedmont and the people of Anson and Union counties have a special place in my heart — and they always will.”
South Piedmont Board of Trustees Chairman Bill Norwood said: “While her time at South Piedmont has come to an end, Dr. Pharr’s contributions to this College will live on for generations to come."
Dr. Pharr’s last day with South Piedmont will be August 12. Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services/CFO Michelle Brock will serve as interim president after Dr. Pharr’s departure. The College has begun the process of securing a presidential search firm. The search will commence soon.
South Piedmont instructor and published author, Katherine Widner
South Piedmont Faculty Member Katherine Widner is now a published author.
Widner, who teaches English and Humanities, has achieved her long-held dream of publishing a book with her recently released, I Wish I Could Write.
“This has been a goal of mine for my whole life,” said Widner, who also coordinates South Piedmont’s Honors and Undergraduate Research programs.
“I was convinced as a little girl that I would become a writer one day. I still have many of the journals I kept when I was young, and on the pages, there are often comments in the margins saying, ‘Coming Spring 20XX,’ or ‘I will make this into a book one day!’ When I went to college, I think I got so caught up in living my life and learning and honing different crafts that this dream was lost amongst the hustle and bustle. Now that I’ve found my way back to this goal, I think my younger self would be very proud.”
Widner, who also coordinate’s South Piedmont’s Honors and Undergraduate Research Programs, said the inspiration for her book came from a wide variety of sources, and that the book wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her South Piedmont colleagues.
