SALISBURY — The Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees hosted the Crosby Scholars Board of Directors at a recent board meeting to discuss the Rowan County Crosby Scholars Community Partnership.

The Rowan County Crosby Scholars Community Partnership is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to helping public middle and high school students in Rowan County prepare academically, personally and financially for college admission and other post-secondary opportunities best suited to a student’s needs, aptitudes and dreams.

“The Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees was honored to host the Crosby Scholars Board of Directors,” said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. “The partnership is very important to us, and we look forward to continuing to welcome Crosby Scholars to the college and helping them get engaged across campus.”

The program, named after famed entertainer Bing Crosby, is an off-shoot of the original and highly effective program in Forsyth County. The program launched in Rowan County for the 2013-14 academic year and has continued to grow.

“Our vision states that we seek to ensure every public school student in Rowan County has the opportunity to attend college,” said Jennifer Canipe, executive director of the Rowan County Crosby Scholars Community Partnership. “We are excited to partner with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to ensure that we are taking steps to achieve that vision.”

Rowan-Cabarrus saw a high intake of Crosby Scholars students this academic year, with 22 of the program’s students enrolled at Rowan-Cabarrus this fall.

“This program provides an eye-opening experience for the students of Rowan County,” said Gwin Barr, board chair of the Crosby Scholars Board of Directors. “We celebrated our first graduating class in May, and the Rowan County Crosby Scholars are attending over 40 colleges and universities this fall, with the largest percentage choosing to attend Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.”

The first group of Crosby Scholars at Rowan-Cabarrus is already attending class and getting involved in the opportunities provided on campus.

“These students should be very proud of what they have accomplished,” said Gaye McConnell, vice president of student services and the student experience at Rowan-Cabarrus. “Students put in a lot of effort to graduate as Crosby Scholars, and we look forward to helping them achieve their academic and co-curricular goals here at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.”

For more information on the Rowan County Crosby Scholars Community Partnership, please visitwww.crosbyscholarsrowan.org.

For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please visit www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222).