Current and prospective Edgecombe Community College students interested in entering a career in the skilled trades, will now have a new source of support. The Edgecombe Community College Foundation has established a scholarship fund, with donations from Roger and Gaile Taylor.

The Calvin Davenport Skills and Trades Scholarship, named in memory of Gaile’s father, will provide $30,000 to support students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate in programs such as welding, small engine repair, construction academy, automotive, collision repair, cosmetology, plumbing, HVAC-air conditioning and agribusiness. Successful scholars may also receive a set of tools tailored to their trade upon completion of their program.

Edgecombe Community College hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday, Jan. 7 for its newly renovated student lounge located in the Barnes Building on the Rocky Mount campus. Hear what ECC leaders had to say about the state-of-the-art renovations.

Mikella Pittman may be an accounting and finance major at Edgecombe Community College, but her world isn’t just limited to payroll accounting, financial statements and spreadsheet formulas. The Tarboro native is also enamored with video games, and ECC’s newly installed Esports room caught her attention.

Edgecombe Community College is maintaining a strong upward trend in enrollment. Nationwide, the COVID-19 pandemic caused steep declines at community colleges, and while online courses are still prevalent, overall enrollment numbers are rebounding.

2026 began on a high note, with 1,679 curriculum (college credit-earning) enrollments, a 4.87 percent increase over last year.

Edgecombe Community College officially kicked off the Spring semester on January 7. To celebrate the return to campus, the ECC Student Government Association hosted "Warm Welcome Back" events on the Tarboro and Rocky Mount campuses during the first week of classes. Students were treated to complimentary hot cocoa and tea. We are thrilled to see our campus full again and look forward to a successful semester of growth and achievement for all our students.

Edgecombe Community College uses a notification system to quickly distribute important updates and emergency alerts via email and text message. While curriculum students are automatically enrolled, continuing education students and community members must manually opt in by texting ECCALERTS to 67283.

Beyond direct messaging, the college also broadcasts weather-related delays and closures through its official social media platforms and local news stations.