Perseverance has paid off for one Paul D. Camp Community College employee.

Renee Brown, administrative assistant to the vice president of Workforce Development, recently earned her Certified Administrative Professional certification.

“It involved a lot of studying,” said Brown, who is also working on her Associate of Arts and Science degree in Business Administration. “It was hard, because it was a scenario-based test.”

Questions covered a range of areas in advanced organizational management, including aspects of organizational planning, advanced administration, team skills and advanced communication.

Earning the certification was a personal achievement for Brown, who also just earned her certified professional secretary rating in May 2008. The certification counts as credits toward her bachelor’s degree.

“It was a relief (to earn CAP),” she said. “I was more excited about earning the CAP than the CPS, because it was harder to me.”

Brown was working as a cashier when she decided to take classes at PDCCC. She was hired as a work-study student before going part-time at the college.

“The faculty and staff at PDCCC have been so supportive and encouraging during my years as a student, and now during my years as a co-worker,” she said.

She graduated from PDCCC with an Associate of Applied Science, Administrative Support Technology degree in 1995, and in 1998, she was hired full-time at the college as administrative assistant to the director of Workforce Development.

She earned Microsoft Word 2000 Expert Microsoft Office User Specialist certification in 2001.

She has served as president of the Southside Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals since 2008. Prior to that, she was treasurer for two years. The chapter recently was selected for the Chapter Achievement Award and for Outstanding Web site.

In June, she was recognized for earning the CPS at the Virginia-West Virginia Division of the IAAP’s Annual Meeting held in Lynchburg.

Next year, she will be recognized for the CAP achievement.

“My next goal is to finish my business management degree and transfer to a four-year school,” she said.