Paul D. Camp Community College is taking steps to engage its alumni and encourage their support of their alma mater.

Through financial support from the Paul D. Camp Community College Foundation, the college now has a formal alumni relations program, managed through the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Since 1970, thousands of students have graduated from PDCCC, received certifications or completed non-credit programs. College officials hope to capitalize on those relationships to “keep the connection between alumni and their alma mater strong, as well as to encourage interest, enthusiasm, and loyalty to PDCCC,” officials stated in a recent press release.

The college’s alumni relations plan includes networking receptions, special alumni events, newsletters and development of an advisory council. Alumni will be given direct, personal attention in an effort to encourage engagement with the college, and Lori Carter has been hired to serve as the college’s first alumni relations associate to help meet those goals.

Carter graduated from PDCCC in 2004 with an associate’s degree in general studies. Following her time at PDCCC, Carter earned a Bachelor of Science in mass communications Old Dominion University.

“As alumni relations associate and an alumnae myself, my hope is to grow the network of PDCCC alumni so that current students and future students can have equal, if not better, experiences in community college,” she said.

Carter has held positions with Isle of Wight County, the city of Suffolk and BB&T. Her professional experiences have been in event planning and coordination, fundraising and banking.

“After the birth of my daughter in 2012, I wanted to work part time to provide more time for my family, while remaining in the workplace,” she said. “When the opportunity to return to Paul D. Camp Community College presented itself, I felt it was time to return and coordinate alumni, just like myself, and encourage engagement.”

For more information about the alumni program, contact Carter at lcarter@pdc.edu or 569-6082.