Industry partners, school administration, state and federal government representatives and Southeastern Community College staff assembled behind the Cartrette building on campus to celebrate an almost $400,000 agribusiness expansion on Sept. 25. It was ribbon-cutting ceremony day for the greenhouse construction that took place over the spring and summer. 

“What a beautiful day to celebrate this greenhouse,” English said to the audience. “This has been a long time coming, and we’ve had some great support around us.” 

English explained that SCC’s partnership with Whiteville City Schools and Columbus County Schools and their agriculture program students feeding into SCC’s agribusiness program was necessary for building a workforce pipeline. He said that 17% of North Carolina’s job market is agriculture related, and 80% of Columbus County’s land is farmland.  

“One thing we’ve discussed is how to upskill and advance our farmers in our farming community,” English said. “And that is what this greenhouse is designed to do.”  

Leading the Agribusiness Technology program is Dawn Hinshaw. She brought nine years of teaching experience with her from West Columbus High School when she started at SCC in 2022.   

“We have a great individual here who knows how to teach, who knows how to lead in her program and will take this program to the next level,” English said about Hinshaw. 

When elbows collided and space was limited in the old greenhouse, Hinshaw said the new greenhouse fixed that problem. The 60×72 foot building has two rooms: one for plants to grow in soil and one for plants to grow by hydroponics.  

“This new greenhouse is opening doors to hands-on learning for our agribusiness students,” Hinshaw said. “Shortly, they will begin the planning process for spring sales, and they’ll gain skills in using controllers for irrigation, propagation methods, marketing the products and customer service. Many of these are skills they can integrate into whichever pathway of agriculture they work in.” 

N.C. Rep. Brenden Jones praised Southeastern Community College as a “beacon of the North Carolina Community College System.” He said the new greenhouse was a testament to the commitment of education, innovation and the future of our agriculture community. 

“This is a place that’s getting it right with the right leadership, and I think it’s the number one community college in the state,” Jones said. “This greenhouse is not just a building. It’s a vital resource for our agriculture program and powerful tool for our students.” 

Representing the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, which contributed a $375,000 grant to the greenhouse project, were David McPherson, Jeff Camden and William Upchurch. McPherson, a NCTTFC board member, said that through a well-researched process, the trust fund makes sure that grant money impacts the most people that it can. 

“I’ve been so impressed with Dawn Hinshaw because she is so in tune with what she’s doing,” McPherson said. “I believe her students will continue to improve and grow along with what’s produced in the greenhouse. We thank her for her leadership.” 

North Carolina Community College System President Dr. Jeff Cox said that community colleges are the heart of economic development in North Carolina. In his time as system president, Cox learned that supporting agribusiness programs at rural community colleges is a priority.

“I think it can grow here and certainly grow at many of our community colleges across the state,” Cox said. “We’ve got to get better connected with agribusiness because it’s the future of many of our communities.”

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture handled the greenhouse construction, while Bill Worley and Sons General Contractors built the foundation. Contact Hinshaw at [email protected] or (910) 788-6275 for information about plant sales in the greenhouse. 

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