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Marshall Aerospace considered 30 sites for its first base in the United States for servicing C-130 aircraft and winnowed the list to four finalists before picking Piedmont Triad International Airport for its $50 million investment and a promise of 240 high-paying jobs.

The British company, based in Cambridge, England, announced its choice Tuesday after the N.C. Economic Investment Committee approved an incentives package worth up to nearly $2.4 million over 12 years. That’s in addition to incentives from Greensboro and Guilford County together worth up to about $550,000.

The company did not specify just why it chose PTI over the three other finalists. But the incentives were far down the list of factors the company cited to state officials. Marshall told the state Commerce Department it picked PTI over the finalists in Alabama, Kansas and Missouri because of the workforce catchment area, training and development, supply-chain links, political and economic landscape, availability of facilities, and lastly incentives.

PTI had contact with Marshall as far back as two years, and airport Executive Director Kevin Baker and airport board chairman Paul Mengert said they believe the final decision had to do with having a site as close to ready to build on as possible. PTI became the apparent front-runner about a year ago, Baker said, because it had sites that were graded to build on, utilities ready, and environmental due diligence completed. It is PTI’s strategy as it aims to become the country’s foremost aerospace campus.

“The main reason why we're the best is that we're so far out in front of every other site, because we've been working on this grading work that you see behind us, speculatively, for years,” Baker said. “We've been putting money that we get from the state into grading sites and having them nice, having them be ready so that when a customer like this comes along, they can get their building going that much faster.”

It also helps, Baker added, to have long, parallel runways, an extensive road network, a central East Coast location, and a ready workforce trained in aviation and aerospace. Well more than the majority of people in aviation training programs in North Carolina are at either Guilford Technical Community College or Forsyth Technical College, Baker noted.

Having room to grow is a factor, too. Marshall says the first phase of its facility will consist of a hangar with six bays for operations and a painting bay. It told state officials a possible second phase would add two more bays.

“We believe Piedmont Triad International Airport is the ideal home for our US Aerospace operations,” parent company Marshall Group CEO Kathy Jenkins said in the company’s announcement. “We are proud to join the well-established Greensboro aerospace ecosystem, and will strive to make the greatest possible contribution to the North Carolina community and economy.

“We are very grateful for the exceptional support and partnership we have received from Greensboro City Council and the State Government of North Carolina as we look to expand our operations in North America.”

The nature of Marshall's defense work limits its ability to discuss new customers, but it can say that the bulk of the work at PTI will be on U.S.-based C-130 aircraft “for government/armed services fleet operators,” company spokesman Nicholas Maxfield told the Triad Business Journal in an email.

Marshall hopes to open by early 2025, and by the end of 2027, have 243 employees being paid an average of $74,556.

The Lockheed-built C-130 planes have four propeller engines and are among the most widely used airlift planes around the world in part for their ability to use shorter, less-than-ideal runways often in remote locations, as well as reliability and the ability to be modified for new roles, work Marshall also carries out.

The state Commerce Department used an economic-impact model that put Marshall’s investment and payroll at increasing the state’s gross domestic product by $1.9 billion and increasing net state revenue by approximately $63.8 million through the end of its incentives term in 2035.

“Their employees not only pay taxes, but also spend significant money in our economy, buying houses, cars, and utilizing a gamut of service industries such as landscapers, hairdressers, plumbers, and many more throughout our region,” Mengert said in a press briefing after Marshall’s announcement.

“Not only do we celebrate new aviation, but also we celebrate new individuals and families that will join our region with good paying jobs that will let them benefit our entire economy.”

For PTI, it’s another major employer. Some 8,600 people work there now, with the airport’s economic contribution to the state’s economy put at $9.6 billion a year. Major companies there or nearby include FedEx, Cessna, Honda Aircraft, and HAECO Americas, which like Marshall is part of a British conglomerate.

Mengert noted Marshall will be near the Boom Supersonic factory being built to make the next generation faster-than-sound passenger jetliner, to date the airport’s biggest one-site project. It’s a half-billion investment the company says can employ up to 2,400 people by the early 2030s.

The sites are bisected by what will be a new taxiway linking the airport’s main runways. They complement each other, Mengert noted: Boom is about emerging technology, while Marshall is more than a century old and is known for its long history with ties to famous World War II planes and the venerable C-130.

“It's rewarding for us to see not only innovators, but also companies with long reputations in the aviation space, both picking our sites,” Mengert said.

Meet Everett Bruce and his granddaughter, Krista, the owners and founders of Personal Treasures Beauty Supply, a Black-owned beauty supply store in Greensboro, North Carolina that has been thriving for more than a decade. In addition to being a shop with the most popular hair care products, it’s also a hair salon.

Bruce started doing business in 2007, selling various products to local salons. The idea of opening a store came to him when he saw a vacant space that actually used to be a salon where he sold merchandise before. He eventually opened Personal Treasures Beauty Supply and Salon on that location.

At that time, Krista was so young that she couldn’t even reach the cash register on her own yet but she was already interested in the business. A few years later, Morehead joined the family business as a store manager, bringing her own personal touch to the store.

“We kind of bounce off of each other, he’s more of the business side and I know what people like, I know what I like,” Krista said during an interview with WFMY News 2. “I know that I’m a bit better at social media than he is. And that’s one thing, I’m on social media all day, so like how can I help? I’m here all the time — how can I help bring customers in through social media.”

Meanwhile, Bruce said having his granddaughter around makes work easy and worry-free. The duo definitely has great teamwork which is evident in the success of the business. The store continues to thrive due to the loyal customer base they have cultivated over the years.

“It’s been very family-oriented,” Bruce said. “I’ve been able to make a lot of relationships with our customers. I’ve had people come in here, just to see me and to buy from me because I have built that relationship with them. They will let me know if they came from Winston, or Kernersville, you know, to say, ‘I want you to know I did come!’ And I would say that I really appreciate it, more than you think.”

Aside from the excellent customer service, their customers also keep coming back for their professionalism in the business. They offer countless hair care and beauty products that cater specifically to Black men and women.

“You are spending that dollar with a Black business and also coming into a business that is knowledgeable about Black hair. A lot of people come in and say, ‘I like coming in here because you know what you’re talking about,'” Krista added.

Be sure to follow their store on Instagram @PersonalTreasuresBeautySupply

Also, support the business by going to its location at 3313 South Holden Rd, Greensboro, NC 27406.

This news first appeared on blackbusiness.com

When students combine their personal passions and experience with education that supports their interests, a career with real impact awaits. At UNC Greensboro (UNCG), Senior Sirine Hijazi has found that perfect combination and she is already making an impact on a special community that once served her.

Newcomer Culture Shock

Doris Henderson Newcomers School (Newcomers) is a unique school in Guilford County which educates newly immigrated students in grades 3-12. Newcomers is intended to be transitional, serving each student for one year to prepare them to attend their home schools in the district. In that year, English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers provide lessons in traditional subjects like math, science and social studies, while providing focused English reading support and help with cultural assimilation.

Hijazi knows it well. Her family moved from Lebanon in 2016 and she completed eighth grade at Newcomers. Although she was a bright student, she remembers how intimidating it felt to arrive in a new country and navigate school when English was not her first language.

“Although my English was good, the culture was so different,” Hijazi recalls. “I didn’t know what I was doing. There weren’t any transition groups at that time, so my sister and I had to figure it out on our own.”

In Hijazi’s case, the challenge was character building. She finished high school with honors before pursuing a psychology degree at UNCG.

“I was only 17 when I graduated high school,” Hijazi explained. “In our culture, children stay close to their families, so I didn’t want to go far away for college. Instead, I enrolled at UNCG like my siblings before me.”

Pursuits of Psychology

She excelled academically, even with a heavy course load, double majoring in psychology and sociology with a concentration in criminology. In Hijazi’s psychology courses, she drew upon her challenges as a newly immigrated student to consider how different people process emotions and difficult situations.

She was already matching her personal passions with her education when she learned about a volunteer opportunity with UNCG’s Psychology Clinic. Dr. Rosemary Nelson-Gray is a supervisor at the clinic, which is currently under contract to provide services to Newcomers School. The clinic is often in need of translation help, so it was kismet when Dr. Gray connected with Hijazi.

“I met Dr. Rosemary in the psychology lab. I remember telling her that I was from Lebanon and that I spoke Arabic,” recalls Hijaz. “Later, she told me she needed a translator for a Newcomers’ student. I told her that I was actually a graduate of Newcomers, so it just all connected.”

The clinic is manned by doctoral students supervised by faculty, and provides therapy to students who have been identified as at risk for mental health problems. For students who arrive from dangerous refugee situations or are recovering from traumatic transitions, this free therapy is essential. The clinic also offers transition workshops to ease students’ fears about leaving Newcomers to attend schools in their districts.

Common Ground

Hijazi earned course credit for her volunteer hours with Newcomers, but her primary reward was sharing her experience with immigrant students.

She began attending sessions as an interpreter for a teenage boy. Hijazi immediately recognized how he would look to her when he didn’t understand something.

“In the sessions, I can see that he is relying on me. It’s very fulfilling, because just a few years ago, I was in the same situation, but I didn’t have any support,” she says.

The boy had a traumatic move to the United States and is struggling with his English and cultural adjustment. Although he was skeptical that therapy would help, he began sessions with the clinic.

“Sirine has been a fabulous interpreter,” Dr. Gray explained. “It’s not only the language that she’s helping with, but she also serves as a cultural broker. After each session, she helps to explain the cultural significance of certain discussion topics, such as Muslim taboos like cigarettes and alcohol.”

Igniting a Passion

In addition to lending her cultural experience and language skills, Hijazi is getting experience in clinical settings and applying what she’s learned in her psychology courses.

“I’m learning so much from the clinical psychology doctoral students just by sitting in during these sessions,” Hijazi says.

The experience has also opened her eyes to the lack of resources available to American therapists who treat Arabic-speaking clients.

“There aren’t many resources that help to translate psychology terms in Arabic,” Hijazi explains. “If the translator is not studying psychology, they wouldn’t know certain words used in a normal therapy setting. But I’m in a unique position to understand them and find the best Arabic word for it.”

The experience has altered her career path towards clinical psychology. She has seen first-hand how her experience combined with her education can make a real impact on Middle Eastern clients seeking therapy.

Transition Workshops

Hijazi also helps with transition workshops that the Psychology Clinic provides to Newcomers’ students who are preparing to attend their district schools.

“The students don’t want to leave. Newcomers is like a safe nest for them, because everybody is new and everybody is struggling with English,” Dr. Gray explains. “Parents also worry about their children adjusting to new schools. They worry about being ostracized or bullied because they are from a different country.”

Doctoral students in the UNCG Psychology Clinic organize the transition workshops to ease the students’ fears about leaving Newcomers, and Hijazi is a key speaker in these group sessions.

“The kids like listening to me talk about how I got through it,” Hijazi says. “They direct personal questions to me and I give them tips about how to make friends at their new school. My favorite tip is to compliment classmates. For some cultures, this isn’t natural, but in America complimenting a sweater or hair color or ability is a friendly conversation starter.”

Impactful Connections

Next week, Sirine Hijazi will walk across the stage at commencement with summa cum laude distinction. At UNCG, she has found academic accomplishment and a career path that connects with her passions and experience.

She plans to attend graduate school for clinical psychology, but before that, she wants to continue her work at Newcomers and obtain a translator’s certificate. She’s come far in the seven years since she was a brand-new U.S. resident and Newcomers School student. And along the way, she has found her calling.

“A question that I always hear from students I work with at Newcomers is ‘You know what I’m talking about, right?’” Hijazi says. “It’s such a simple question. But I can answer without a doubt – ‘Yes, I’m pretty familiar with what you’re dealing with.’ It’s amazing to make a connection that can have such a positive impact.”

Photography by Sean Norona, University Communications.

Do you have a calling for mental health?

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 25, 2023) – North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University ranks in five programs and eight specialties, with two surging to new heights, according to the latest graduate program ratings by U.S. News & World Report.

The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics has achieved a tie ranking at No. 63 among all national universities – moving up 31 places from last year. The Deese College broke into the top 100 last year and remains the highest-ranking public historically Black college or university (HBCU) graduate business program in the nation. The only North Carolina universities ranked higher this year are the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.

The first business school in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region to earn accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Deese College today is one of fewer than 200 such schools globally to hold that accreditation as well as AACSB’s separate certification for its accounting programs.

Additionally, N.C. A&T’s doctoral program in rehabilitation counseling and counselor education has achieved a tie ranking at No. 46, making it the university’s only non-online top 50 graduate program.

This program is one of the most established programs in the field of professional counseling in North Carolina, beginning as a collaboration between the Department of Psychology and the Counseling Center at A&T circa 1960.

In 2013, the Ph.D. in rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation counselor education launched as the first doctoral degree in rehabilitation counseling at an HBCU. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs accredited all department programs in 2017.

A&T’s Joint Programs in Social Work with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, which offers an MSW and Ph.D. in social work, has achieved a tie ranking at No. 72.

A&T’s College of Engineering – which graduates more African American engineers than any other college in the nation – has earned a tie ranking at No. 148, with four programs receiving individual rankings: industrial and systems engineering tied at No. 75; electrical and computer engineering tied at No. 137; mechanical engineering tied at No. 138; and computer science tied at No. 171.

The university achieved a tie ranking at No. 162 for earth sciences, with its program offered through the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, which graduates more diverse students in the agricultural sciences than any other program in the nation and is the largest agricultural college among all HBCUs nationwide.

Two College of Science and Technology programs garnered individual rankings as well, with mathematics tied at 193 and biological sciences at 275.

Now in its ninth consecutive year as America’s largest HBCU, A&T recently unveiled “Preeminence 2030: North Carolina A&T Blueprint” to build on its growth as a doctoral, research university and 1890 land-grant institution. The new strategic plan frames the university’s ambitions through 2030 around five new goals in transformative engagement, leadership and innovation, performance excellence, collaborative and inclusive culture and responsive, impactful scholarship.

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 25, 2023) – The University of North Carolina Board of Governors has selected North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s Meeshay Williams-Wheeler to receive a 2023 Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The board annually chooses outstanding faculty members at each University of North Carolina System institution for the prestigious honor.

A member of the N.C. A&T faculty since 2004, Williams-Wheeler is an associate professor of child development and family studies and the program director for the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, housed in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, where she also coordinates the minor in child development and family relations. She is a Certified Family Life Educator and serves as co-advisor of the nationally approved Certified Family Life Education Program – the only one at a state-supported historically Black college or university.

Additionally, Williams Wheeler serves as advisor for the Family and Consumer Sciences Club and 252 Aggies Club and is a former state advisor for the North Carolina Association of Family and Consumer Sciences student unit.

Williams-Wheeler respects the diverse learning styles of her students and constantly encourages them to be and to do their best. She genuinely cares about her students’ learning and well-being, demonstrating passion and concern for them inside and outside of the classroom. With a strong focus on classroom management, her teaching style is engaging and cooperative – encouraging students to participate in thought-provoking, content-driven discussions.

A former student noted, “Dr. Wheeler had an aura that was welcoming and nurturing. I looked forward to attending her class every week due to her innovative, creative and interesting teaching style. There never was a dry moment; the course was filled with meaningful discussions and projects which enhanced students’ learning ability.”

Williams-Wheeler’s students also describe her class as “always a breath of fresh air.” They indicated she brings great energy to every class and consistently makes everything relatable to their everyday lives as well as their future careers. She serves as a mentor, coach and advisor to students and inspires them to be successful in every way. Her continuous professional development in teaching has resulted in skills that are meaningful, active and inclusive.

“Dr. Williams-Wheeler’s dynamic and impactful teaching is evident in her course planning, her classroom techniques, her engagement with students, and the relationships she establishes with students as well as junior faculty,” wrote Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr. in her nomination letter. “Dr. Williams-Wheeler is a model for teaching, not only in methods but in her disposition, empathy and respect for students … She is a fitting example of the exemplary teaching that we strive to achieve at North Carolina A&T State University.”

Established by the board in 1993 to highlight the importance of teaching, the awards recognize the extraordinary contributions of faculty members system-wide. Each of the winners will receive a commemorative bronze medallion and a $12,500 cash prize.