I am a member of the Student Government Association at Bladen Community College. In the past few weeks, there has been a lot of discussion on and off campus about the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond. I would like to share a few thoughts from a student point of view.

Bladen County is a rural community. For many young adults in our area, BCC is a lifeline to a brighter future. An education at BCC is close to home, convenient, and affordable. There is tuition assistance through financial aid and scholarships. BCC even has programs to help students with child care needs and transportation issues.

Whether you want workforce skills training that can be completed within a couple of years, or want to complete a four-year degree at a larger institution, BCC can make it happen. BCC students have moved on to bigger colleges such as UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Pembroke, and many others. If you are on the college path, every class you take at Bladen Community College transfers into the larger institution.

For the College to serve Bladen County and compete in the community college system, it has to continuously grow. The Connect NC Bond will bring $6.5 million to the campus for the advancement of studies in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The bond will not raise taxes or create a new tax.

This is an enormous contribution to our college that will dramatically affect students just like me.

I sincerely hope the voters of our county will appreciate this opportunity and vote for the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond on March 15.

Sincerely,

Broadus Johnson

Elizabethtown