LCC's Cars for College presents new car to its first recipient
It’s not every day that a person can be in the right place at the right time, but for Devan Shackleford of Kinston that’s where he found himself recently. Shackleford becomes the first recipient of a vehicle awarded through the Lenoir Community College Cars for College program.
The Cars for College program was launched after a $250,000 honorarium was gifted by the Z. Smith Reynolds (ZSR) Foundation to commemorate former Trustee John O. McNairy’s 20 years of service to the ZSR Foundation. The program is an economic mobility initiative that secures transportation for students who are enrolled at LCC and earning college credit. The intended outcome is to remove the mobility barriers that often prevent students from owning and operating a safe and dependable motor vehicle.
“I’m just so excited,” Shackleford said. “I never dreamed I would be able to afford a car now. I am so thankful for the Cars for College program and to Mr. (John) McNairy for his contribution to the program and to the College. I am so appreciative of his support to the program and his commitment to education. I’ve had a lot of encouragement along the way to get to this point. Everyone has been so helpful,” he said.
“I knew the first time I heard about this program from Dr. Hunt that it was a winner,” said John McNairy, President/CEO of Harvey Enterprises & Affiliates. “I’m thrilled that we were able to help get this terrific idea implemented. It has the potential to be a game changer in helping students achieve their dreams of getting an education.”
The idea of Cars for College was developed when transportation was identified as a primary factor in students not completing educational programs or continuing enrollment in degree programs. The goal of this program is to assure that low-income working students have access to safe, legal, affordable, and dependable vehicles to get them to college and work instead of purchasing a one-way ticket for every stop they make on the local bus service or having to depend on someone else for a ride to campus or the workplace.
Despite COVID-19, the program launched during the spring semester with five vehicles being acquired by the LCC Foundation. As an integral part of their program of study, the LCC Automotive Systems Technology program students, under the direction of a certified Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician, will diagnose and make any needed repairs. After all repairs are completed, the vehicle will undergo a 72-point inspection and a North Carolina Safety Inspection. Once the vehicle passes the inspections, it is sold by LCC Foundation to a student who qualifies for the Cars for College program at a very reasonable cost. The vehicle comes with a membership to Carolina AAA and carries a six-month 6,000-mile warranty.
Those students interested in the program may apply through the NCWorks Career Center, which will assess the student's needs, resources, and work history, and provide counseling regarding training, employment, and job placement services. LCC advisors will collaborate with the student and NCWorks personnel to get the student enrolled in the appropriate academic program that meets the student’s career goals. The student will agree to complete the degree or certificate program and then be eligible to purchase a car through the program.
Not only was Shackleford the first recipient of a vehicle, but he also successfully passed his commercial driver’s license (CDL) truck driving test, something he has dreamed of doing since he was a child. His late grandfather was a truck driver as well as his uncle. “I just knew that is what I wanted to do, drive a big rig, but I didn’t have the money to enroll in a truck driver training program.”
A hard worker with his own landscaping business, Shackleford connected with the LCC Foundation again to assist with tuition and testing fees. After enrolling and attending class, the coronavirus put a halt to continuing in the program for a short time, but in June, he returned to the classroom and to the big rig to successfully complete the driving portion. He hopes to be driving locally.
“This is what it is all about, helping someone improve their life and I am so happy that Lenoir Community College could help Devan fulfill his dream of driving a truck,” LCC President Dr. Rusty Hunt said. “For him to pass his CDL test and to find out he qualifies for the Cars for College program, we are all so happy that everything came together. It could not have been possible without the generosity of John McNairy and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.
The award is making a significant difference to our students and to the communities we serve by assisting those who may not have an opportunity to get an education and training because of transportation and financial barriers. We are appreciative of John and his family’s continuous support of the College and its Foundation and excited about this initiative that will help our students in achieving a more productive future.”
For more information on the Cars for College program or if you would like to donate a vehicle, contact LCC Foundation Executive Director Jeanne Kennedy at (252) 233-6812 or email jmkennedy48@lenoircc.edu.
