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Paul O’Neal, an outgoing member of the College of The Albemarle Board of Trustees, holds a scroll of accomplishments COA made during his 20 years as a trustee, during COA’s convocation Wednesday.
Paul O'Neal fields questions from College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell near the conclusion of COA's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O'Neal fields questions from College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell near the conclusion of COA's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O'Neal addresses nearly 200 staff and faculty at College of The Albemarle's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O’Neal, an outgoing member of the College of The Albemarle Board of Trustees, holds a scroll of accomplishments COA made during his 20 years as a trustee, during COA’s convocation Wednesday.
Paul O'Neal fields questions from College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell near the conclusion of COA's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O'Neal fields questions from College of The Albemarle President Jack Bagwell near the conclusion of COA's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O'Neal addresses nearly 200 staff and faculty at College of The Albemarle's convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center, Wednesday morning.
Paul O’Neal says he loves College of The Albemarle. And who could doubt him?
He served on the college’s board of trustees for 20 years, plus each of his three daughters earned a degree or college credits at COA.
“This community college here in northeastern North Carolina has had a huge influence on my family,” O’Neal said this week during COA’s convocation. “That’s why I love this place. I love each and every one of you and what you do, because you make a difference in people’s lives.”
O’Neal was addressing nearly 200 staff and faculty gathered at COA’s convocation in the campus Performing Arts Center on Wednesday. O’Neal attended his final meeting as a trustee on Tuesday night, and after a request by COA President Jack Bagwell, spoke Wednesday about the college’s growth since he was appointed to the board in 2000.
O’Neal’s affiliation with the college actually began in 1994, when he was appointed to what was known at the time the COA Advisory Board. The board was formed of representatives from counties that then did not have COA campuses, such as Currituck. The representatives would attend trustee meetings as advisers, O’Neal said.
“COA decided to appoint an individual from each county that didn’t have a campus and they could come to the meetings and be what they called ‘advisory board members,”’ he said.
O’Neal said when he joined the advisory board in the early 1990s, Parker Chesson Jr. was the college president.
“I go back that far with the college and have known a lot of presidents, a lot of faculty and staff over the years, and board members,” O’Neal said.
Also in 1994, O’Neal was elected to his first term on the Currituck County Board of Commissioners. He served another four terms before announcing in 2016 he would not seek re-election to a sixth term.
Speaking Wednesday, O’Neal said COA’s trustees have a lot to be thankful for, especially the regional support the community college has garnered over the years. Much of that support was due to the education students were receiving, he emphasized.
“Our faculty has educated the children; they’ve gone back into the communities that they came from, many of them,” O’Neal said. “They’ve become members of a functioning adult society that has just grown support for COA.”
From behind the podium, O’Neal produced a scroll of several sheets of paper taped end-to-end. The scroll was a list of COA accomplishments during O’Neal’s 20 years as a trustee and was compiled by Bagwell, who presented it at Tuesday’s trustee meeting.
The audience laughed as O’Neal unfolded the list, which ran over the side of the podium and down to the floor.
“I want to highlight a few of these things as I talk,” he said, promising the audience he wouldn’t read the entire list.
He began with the year 2001. “COA celebrated its 40th anniversary,” he said.
Also that year, the college moved the 1962 COA archway structure from the college’s original location at the end of Riverside Avenue to today’s Elizabeth City campus on N. Road Street. The arch greets students as they enter the college from the main parking lot.
“When we moved from down by the water, we moved the arch back over here where it belonged,” he said.
In 2003, COA found room to expand its footprint when Chowan County offered the college space in the former D.F. Walker Elementary School on Oakum Street, O’Neal recalled. COA wasted little time in taking advantage of that offer.
“COA’s culinary program immediately moved into the existing cafeteria at the site,” he said. “I believe it operates there still today, if I’m not mistaken.”
In 2007, the Fenwick-Hollowell Wetlands Trail was completed behind COA and what was then Albemarle Hospital (and today’s Sentara Albemarle Medical Center). The project was built in partnership between the college, the hospital and Pasquotank County, according to O’Neal.
Also in 2007, COA started its first early college at the former J.P. Knapp High School in Currituck. The program allows students to complete their high school education, plus earn an associate degree that can be applied toward a four-year degree program.
“From 2007 till now we’ve operated an early college in Currituck County,” O’Neal said. “I think this year there are 255 students enrolled, if my numbers are correct. So, you think about all those high school students that have graduated with a high school diploma, an associate degree and got a leg up (on their college education) for free.”
O’Neal said he was particularly excited to discuss one project that occurred in 2011. In April of that year, COA and Currituck County announced a plan to build the multimillion-dollar Regional Aviation Technical Training Center in Maple.
Today, the 40,000-square-foot facility provides students not only aviation technical training, but also courses in sheet metal, mechanical drafting and machining programs.
“Fast forward a little bit. In July 2016 I became chairman of the trustees, which I served for two years,” he said. “At that time the Legislature had put forward a bond referendum that the state approved, and we were awarded $6 million toward facilities.”
O’Neal was referring to $6.6 million that COA received as part of a statewide Connect NC bond to build new facilities on property the college owned within its seven-county service region.
COA set aside $1 million of that money for the construction of the new public safety building at the aviation training center, while Currituck County paid the remaining amount. Another $1.5 million of the bond money was used toward new construction and renovations at COA’s Roanoke Island campus in Manteo. Dare County paid the remainder of the cost.
O’Neal told the audience that at Tuesday’s trustees meeting he met his successor, new 3rd Ward City Councilwoman Katherine Felton, who was appointed to the board by Gov. Roy Cooper.
“I’m very excited for her,” O’Neal said. “I think she’ll do a great job and I’m really excited for the college.
“I want you folks to know that you’re in good hands with the trustees, and trustees you know you’re in good hands with the faculty and staff that we have here.”
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