COLLEGE VISION
We will empower students to transform the communities of our region, and our state by providing exceptional learning experiences, premier workforce development, and engaging personal enrichment.
COLLEGE MISSION
Catawba Valley Community College is committed to excellence, quality engagement, valuing every interaction, and relentless execution in the transformation of our students and communities.
CORE VALUES
CVCC’s principles are expressed in The Four E’s where students are our focus:
Commitment to Excellence
We value continuous improvement in teaching and learning excellence.
Value Every Interaction
We value every interaction within our communities to provide safe, professional, and inclusive campuses.
Quality Engagement
We value quality engagement to develop the potential of every student and employee.
Relentless Execution
We value relentless execution to exceed the expectations of our students and our communities.
History
Through the concerted efforts of concerned and united Catawba County citizens and North Carolina educational leaders, on April 3, 1958, Catawba Valley Community College was established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as the ninth school of its kind in the state. Construction of the original facilities began in 1959. The 40,000 square foot building costing approximately $500,000 was completed in August 1960. An initial enrollment of seventy-seven (77) students began classes in September of the same year. From 1960 to 1963, the College operated under the jurisdiction of the Catawba County Board of Education. During this time the College was known as the Catawba County Industrial Education Center.
In July 1963 the General Assembly of North Carolina enacted into law G.S. 115A which provided for the establishment of the present North Carolina System of Community Colleges. On January 9, 1964, Catawba Valley Technical Institute was among the original seven institutes chartered by the Department. At that time, CVTI established its own Board of Trustees and began operation as a member of the Department of Community Colleges. Thus, it was in August 1964, that the College awarded its first Associate Degree in Applied Science.
It was during the transition from an Industrial Education Center to Technical Institute that great strides began in expanding educational programs, increasing student enrollment, developing quality instruction, adding facilities, and increasing community acceptance and service. On September 1, 1979, the name of the institution was changed to Catawba Valley Technical College by the Trustees and commissioners of Catawba County. On December 1, 1987, the State Board of Community Colleges officially approved CVTC to become Catawba Valley Community College and the College Transfer program was approved.
The addition of the CVCC Alexander Center for Education was approved by the State Board in November 2000, and again we expanded programs and services to better serve our community. We have moved the Alexander Center twice to meet growing community needs. The most recent move was into a facility purchased by the Alexander County Commissioners. In addition to the 15,000 sq. foot facility on 4.72 acres located at 345 Industrial Boulevard in Taylorsville, the Alexander Commissioners have purchased a second facility adjacent to the original purchase, and in October 2016, we expanded the Alexander Center for Education to include an Alexander Technologies Center. The Technology Center offers skills programs in furniture, welding and will continue to offer additional workforce programming based on the needs of the county.
The campus now covers approximately 162 acres and includes 16 buildings for an approximate 735,000 sq. feet of floor space. In addition, there is a CVCC Cosmetology Center located across Startown Road adjacent to the main campus, the CVCC Corporate Development Center located on U.S. Highway 70, the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy also located on U. S. Highway 70, and the Manufacturing Solutions Center located in Conover. In December of 2019, classes begin at the CVCC Workforce Solutions Complex (located on main campus). The expanded programming opportunities and academy style training are growth opportunities for local economic development and our community workforce. The college also opened the Public Safety Training Center located on 36 acres off of Sweetwater Road in October 2019. Our public service areas have been offering training at the new facility on a regular basis. We are proud to serve our community and region.
Catawba Valley Community college celebrated its 64th anniversary in 2022. The faculty and staff have touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. In recent years, the college has had a growing role in workforce development and community leadership. Our business continues to focus on changing lives and still today, we are about empowering people to achieve their dreams. During this time span, we have had only three presidents; founding president Robert Paap, Dr. Cuyler A. Dunbar, and the current president is Dr. Garrett D. Hinshaw who came on board August 1, 2006. Catawba Valley Community College continues as a publicly supported coeducational institution.
Location
Catawba Valley Community College is located in Hickory on U.S. Highways 70 and 321-B, in Catawba County, North Carolina. Situated in the heart of the Piedmont some 1,175 feet above sea level, CVCC is easily accessible over Interstate 40, Highways 321, 70, 16 and 127. It is within seven miles of a commercial airport and approximately 50 miles from metropolitan Charlotte.
The campus covers approximately 162 acres and includes 16 buildings for an approximate total of 735,000 square feet of floor space. In addition, there is the CVCC Alexander Center for Education, CVCC East Campus, the Corporate Development Center, the Manufacturing Solutions Center, the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy also located on U. S. Highway 70, and the Cosmetology Center located off Startown Road, adjacent to the main campus. The facilities consist of modern brick buildings. Included is a 30,000 volume library for the use of both students and public, a student center and food service area for leisure relaxation and entertainment, and numerous classrooms and laboratories.
CVCC Policies and Procedures
CVCC policies and procedures regarding students are available for reference on the CVCC website (https://www.cvcc.edu/About_Us/Policies-and-Procedures.cfm). This web page includes, but are not limited to, information regarding admissions, course grading, student conduct, student due process, privacy of students, visitors on campus, sexual offense/assault protocol, campus safety and security, and reporting a crime. Printed copies of a policy/policies, or procedure/procedures are available upon request in Student Services.
Transfer of CVCC Credits to Other Colleges
Technical, vocational, and certificate programs of study at Catawba Valley Community College have been established primarily to prepare individuals for employment upon completion of studies. The College Transfer program has been developed at CVCC to provide opportunities for students to transfer two years of academic credit to four-year colleges and universities. Numerous differences exist in the transfer policies of four-year institutions, but the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement provides general guidelines and guarantees for students transferring to the University of North Carolina System institutions. Specific details regarding a four-year institution’s transfer policies should be obtained directly from the institution to which transfer is being considered.
Alexander Early College High School
Alexander Early College opened its doors in August 2016. Designated a Cooperative Innovative High School, it serves the residents of Alexander County. An application only, selective-enrollment high school, their rigorous, Honors level curriculum is student-centered and emphasizes problem solving, collaboration and college-level reading, writing and mathematical skills. Students have the ability to earn a high school diploma and have access to an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree (or other transferable credits) on a four-year plan. Alexander Early College seeks students who are First Generation College (no parent with a Bachelor’s Degree), have documented financial hardship, and are from a single parent household, or those seeking a non-traditional high school environment. The School models the national school reform model designed through research from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jobs for the Future, the NC Dept. of Public Instruction and NC Community College System. The goal of Alexander Early College is to build lifelong learners who provide further growth to their community by their academic and personal achievements.
Challenger Early College High School
Challenger Early College High School is a non-traditional, selective enrollment, application-only Cooperative Innovative High School (CIHS) which began in 2005. On average, 80% of its students qualify for enrollment based on first-generation college status (neither parent has a Bachelor’s degree), meeting the federal guidelines for being considered economically disadvantaged, living in a single-parent household, and with English being their second language. Students must reside in Catawba County. All high school classes are taught at Honors level, with CVCC courses beginning in the freshman year. Graduates earn a Future Ready Core Diploma with the required UNC System university admissions courses and have access to earn either an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree from CVCC. Supported by the NC Department of Public Instruction, NC Community College System and the Catawba Valley Education Consortium, the school is designed around research and follows the national CIHS Design Elements: 1) Future Ready Graduates; 2) Collaborative Partnerships; 3) Innovative Instructional Practice; 4) Personalized Student Supports; 5) Leadership and Professionalism and 6) Innovative Design and Operations. Challenger Early College consistently ranks among one of the top high schools in North Carolina base on academic achievement and standardized testing criteria. Challenger strives to build future-ready, lifelong learners.
The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development
The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development provides CVCC students comprehensive resources focused on career and professional development that educates and empowers our graduates to be widely recognized for their work-ready skills and sought after by recruiters and employers.
The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development emphasizes collaboration with our faculty and business partners to shape our programs to ensure industry is embedded in everything we do.
CVCC students may use the Center’s services any time during their academic journey and benefit from the professional services and resources provided. The offerings include work-based-learning, internships, job-placement assistance, job-searching platforms, resume preparation, mock interviews and other work-ready services.
The Center for Workforce Connectivity and Talent Development is located in the Student Center, across from the campus bookstore. For individual appointments and/or weekly walk-in hours, please contact 828-327-7000, ext. 4690.
North Carolina Community College System’s Performance Measures for Student Success
In 1993, the State Board of Community Colleges began monitoring performance data on specific measures to ensure public accountability for programs and services. In 1998, the General Assembly directed the State Board to review past performance measures and define standards to ensure programs and services offered by community colleges in North Carolina were of sufficient quality.
“In 2010, a review process was established to ensure the measures and methods for evaluating colleges were current and remained focused on improving student success. Every three years, a committee that is inclusive of college leaders; subject matter experts; and research and assessment professional are appointed to review the measures and recommended deletions, revisions, and additions [sic]. Recommendations from the most recent review were approved in 2018 …” (North Carolina Community College System, NC Community Colleges Creating Success: 2022 Performance Measures for Student Success, July 2022).
Catawba Valley Community College – 2022 Performance Measures for Student Success
North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)
|
2022 NCCCS Performance Measure
for Student Success
|
2022 NCCCS System
Excellence Level and
System Baseline |
2022 NCCCS System Mean |
2022 CVCC Measure |
| Basic Skills Progress |
Excellence Level = 1.348
Baseline = 0.283
|
0.993 |
0.871 |
| Credit English Success |
Excellence Level = 1.147
Baseline = 0.747
|
1.014 |
1.190 |
| Credit Math Success |
Excellence Level = 1.192
Baseline = 0.662
|
1.016 |
1.223 |
| First Year Progression |
Excellence Level = 1.069
Baseline = 0.872
|
1.003 |
1.076 |
| Curriculum Completion Rate |
Excellence Level = 1.094
Baseline = 0.853
|
1.014 |
1.065 |
| Licensure Pass Rate Index |
Excellence Level = 1.073
Baseline = 0.800
|
0.982 |
1.032 |
| Transfer Performance |
Excellence Level = 1.024
Baseline = 0.922
|
0.900 |
1.017 |
For further explanations and information, please visit the NCCCS
NC Community Colleges Creating Success: 2022 Performance Measures for Student Success report webpage at
https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/sites/default/files/analytics/2022_performance_measures_report.pdf
Notice of Non-discrimination
Catawba Valley Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex/gender identity, religion, creed, age, disability, veteran or active military status, genetic characteristics, or any other category protected by law under Title VII and/or Title IX.
Dean of Enrollment Management
2550 U.S. Highway 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602-8302
Telephone – 828-327-7000
Chief Human Resources, Diversity & Inclusion Officer
2550 U.S. Highway 70 SE
Hickory, NC 28602-8302
Telephone – 828-327-7000
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