Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

by Wendy Harrison

FRANKLIN

Paul D. Camp Community College will hold its 47th commencement exercises on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Regional Workforce Development Center, 100 N. College Drive, Franklin. Approximately 250 students will be awarded degrees and certificates.

In addition to the students’ honors, a special award will be announced during the ceremony.

Due to her dedication, Dr. Tara Atkins-Brady, the college’s vice president for academic and student development, was selected by her peers to receive the Excellence in Education award, which will be presented that evening.

The student speaker for the event will be Felicea R. Dawson, the self-employed business owner of A Touch of Faith Cleaning Services LLC. Dawson attended I.C. Norcum High School, later earning a GED in 2007 through the Portsmouth City Adult Education Program. Ironically, this was the same year she would have graduated high school.

Placing as valedictorian of the class, her English scores were in the top 3 percent in the state of Virginia. She later decided to enroll at Paul D. Camp Community College, and will graduate an honor student with an associate degree in general studies during commencement. Dawson plans to continue her education at Norfolk State University, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in business and continue growing her cleaning service.

A resident of the Churchland area of Portsmouth, Dawson has a 14-year-old son, Terreyon, and an 8-year-old daughter, Laylah.

Honor students, veterans and dual enrollment graduates will be recognized as well during the ceremony. For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 569-6790.

WENDY HARRISON is the public relations specialist for Paul D. Camp Community College. She can be reached at wharrison@pdc.edu.