Kara Price, a Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society member at Martin Community College, received a $1,300 Coca-Cola Academic Team scholarship for 2026.
Throughout high school, Price engaged in extensive academic and extracurricular pursuits. She led the percussion section in Bear Grass Charter School's Marching Band, which earned a superior rating at the Music Performance Adjudication competition. She competed on the women's tennis team for four years, finishing her senior season as first seed and team captain, advancing to the 1A individual doubles state tournament.
Beyond athletics and music, Price participated in the Student Government Association, Math Team, and Battle of the Books. She held memberships in Beta Club and National Honor Society. She intends to study Chemistry at East Carolina University before pursuing a pharmacy doctorate.
As a Phi Theta Kappa member, Price maintained a 3.5+ cumulative GPA across minimum 12 semester hours, demonstrating academic excellence and leadership recognized by faculty.
College President Dr. Tabitha R. Miller stated: "Kara Price stands as a powerful example of what authentic leadership looks like: vision grounded in purpose, service rooted in compassion, and excellence achieved through hard work and integrity."
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation president noted they partner with Phi Theta Kappa to support deserving community college students. Selections depend on academic achievement, leadership, and community service engagement. Scholars receive recognition at local, state, and international ceremonies during Phi Theta Kappa's annual convention.
The foundation sponsors nearly $200,000 in annual scholarships, providing each scholar a commemorative medallion.
RALEIGH, NC — myFutureNC has named the Bertie Attainment Coalition a 2026 Champion for Attainment in North Carolina, recognizing the coalition's community-driven approach to expanding postsecondary attainment and connecting residents to credentials aligned with high-demand jobs.
The Bertie Attainment Coalition is a cross-sector partnership aligning K-12 education, Martin Community College, Roanoke-Chowan Community College, workforce agencies, local government, and nonprofit organizations across Bertie County. Guided by clear, measurable goals, the coalition works collaboratively to strengthen education-to-employment pathways for youth, opportunity youth, and adult learners.
"Real progress in educational attainment happens at the community level," said Cecilia Holden, President and CEO of myFutureNC. "The Bertie Attainment Coalition is proving that when local leaders use data to align employers and student outcomes, they can remove barriers to completion and build pathways to real opportunity."
Dr. Murray Williams, President of Roanoke-Chowan Community College, and Dr. Tabitha R. Miller, President of Martin Community College, share the importance of working together and prioritizing students' needs over service area boundaries.
Dr. Williams and Dr. Miller emphasized the collaboration behind the initiative:
"From the very beginning, what united us in forming the Bertie Attainment Coalition was a shared concern for the barriers facing students and adults in Bertie County, barriers that often made the path to a diploma, college enrollment, or a good career feel confusing or out of reach. Our partners across education, workforce, and community organizations recognized that people here weren't lacking talent; they lacked a coordinated system of support. By coming together at the same table, we've shifted from working in silos to working side by side, sharing data, aligning resources, and building real relationships. Now, when someone hits a roadblock, they have an entire network ready to help them move forward. That transformation in how we collaborate is making all the difference."
Through career guidance, work-based learning, and reengagement strategies, the coalition supports learners at multiple stages of their educational journey. Its coordinated, data-informed approach helps ensure residents can access and complete credentials that align with regional workforce needs.
The recognition was announced during myFutureNC's 2026 State of Educational Attainment in North Carolina event, which highlighted progress toward the state's goal of ensuring 2 million North Carolinians hold a degree or industry-valued credential by 2030. Champions for Attainment are honored for advancing strategies that connect learning to workforce needs and expand opportunity for learners of all ages.
As a 2026 Champion for Attainment, the Bertie Attainment Coalition exemplifies how community-driven alignment and shared accountability can strengthen pathways to completion and support long-term workforce growth.
Watch the Bertie Attainment Coalition 2026 Champion for Attainment video.
About Bertie Attainment Coalition
The Bertie Attainment Coalition is a community-driven partnership aligning K-12 education, Martin and Roanoke-Chowan Community Colleges, workforce agencies, local government, and nonprofit organizations to expand postsecondary attainment across Bertie County. Guided by clear, measurable goals, the coalition strengthens pathways for youth, opportunity youth, and adult learners through career guidance, work-based learning, and reengagement strategies.
About myFutureNC
myFutureNC is a statewide nonprofit organization focused on educational attainment and is the result of cross-sector collaboration between North Carolina leaders in education, business, and government. Its mission is to prepare North Carolina for the future by empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and ensuring the state's long-term economic viability.
Martin Community College proudly shared a special moment with Congressman Greg Murphy as he received a Physical Therapy Award during an event that highlighted advocacy and collaboration in healthcare education.
As part of the occasion, Congressman Murphy provided advocacy training to three Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) students from Martin Community College. The students also had the unique opportunity to network with faculty from East Carolina University's Department of Physical Therapy, strengthening connections between future professionals and academic leaders.
For more information about Martin Community College's Physical Therapist Assistant program, visit or contact Dr. Dean McCall at (252) 789-0265.
WASHINGTON D.C., October 28, 2025 – Today, the Aspen Institute named Martin Community College (MCC) as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor's attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.
"Being named among the top 200 community colleges eligible for the Aspen prize is a powerful affirmation of the dedication and excellence that define Martin Community College. This recognition reflects the hard work of our faculty, staff, and students – and our unwavering commitment to student success and institutional quality. We are proud to stand with the nation's best," says MCC President Dr. Tabitha R. Miller. She adds, "Every day is a good day to be a Martin Mustang!"
Together, these 200 colleges represent the breadth and diversity of the community college sector. They are located in urban, rural, and suburban areas across the country and serve anywhere from a few hundred students to tens of thousands. Some of these colleges focus primarily on workforce programs, while others focus on transfer and bachelor's attainment or a combination of the two.
"The Aspen Prize rewards colleges that achieve the kind of outcomes that actually matter to students – completing college degree programs that, in turn, lead to lifelong success," said Josh Wyner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. "Aspen Prize winners offer a powerful message: community colleges can deliver the kind of life-changing education that makes the American Dream real."
Community colleges educate nearly six million students. Yet community college student outcomes fall short in both the rate at which students graduate and the percentage of students who achieve success after graduation. The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that demonstrate that achieving stronger outcomes is possible, providing a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow.
The 200 eligible colleges have been invited to submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027. Over the coming 20 months, the colleges that apply for the Aspen Prize will be assessed based on (1) student outcomes data, ranging from student transfer and completion rates to employment and wages after graduation and (2) whether they have engaged in scaled practices that led to high and improving student outcomes.
"Among these 200 colleges are some really special places that deliver strong and improving outcomes for students across the board," Wyner said. "Our job over the coming 20 months is to gather a lot more data and work with a deep bench of field experts to assess which of these 200 stand out so we can not only honor them with a monetary award but drive attention to the most effective field practices that other colleges can replicate."
This is the first time since the inception of the Aspen Prize that 200 colleges are eligible to apply, growing from 150. This year, in addition to publicly available federal data, over 600 colleges authorized the use of National Student Clearinghouse data on their institution's degree completion, transfer, and bachelor's attainment rates for full- and part-time students.
To read more about the Aspen Prize and the selection process, visit as.pn/prize.
Martin Community College seeks to build better futures by providing affordable, accessible, quality educational programs and workforce development in a student-centered environment in order to meet the community's needs.
The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program aims to strengthen higher education leadership and practice to improve student outcomes – with the ultimate goal of advancing economic mobility and developing talent for the good of each individual and society as a whole.
Martin Community College is proud to announce a new partnership with North Carolina State University through the Wolfpack Connect program, a guaranteed admissions initiative designed to open doors for local students to pursue four-year degrees at one of the state's top universities.
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ensures that Martin Community College students who complete an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher will be guaranteed admission to eligible programs at NC State University. The initiative is part of a statewide effort to strengthen transfer pathways and increase access to higher education for students in rural and underserved communities.
"This is a game-changer for students in Martin and Bertie Counties," said Dr. Tabitha R. Miller, President of Martin Community College. "Wolfpack Connect gives our students a clear and supported path to a four-year degree, and we're honored to partner with NC State to make this opportunity a reality."
Students who enroll in Wolfpack Connect will benefit from early advising, streamlined transfer processes, and access to more than 100 majors and concentrations at NC State. The program officially opens for applications in January 2026, with the first cohort eligible for fall 2026 admission.
"This partnership reflects our commitment to student success and regional development," Dr. Miller added. "We believe in the potential of our students, and this agreement helps them take the next step toward fulfilling their academic and career goals."
For more information about the program and eligibility requirements, visit transfer.ncsu.edu/apply/wolfpack-connect. More information will be available within the coming weeks from advisors at Martin Community College.
Martin Community College (MCC) and East Carolina University (ECU) have signed a bilateral agreement that guarantees MCC graduates in technical fields admission into ECU's Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (BSIT) program.
This agreement allows graduates from MCC to enter ECU's BSIT program with up to 75 transferable credits, which is approximately 63% of the bachelor's degree requirements. Eligible MCC associate programs include Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology; Applied Engineering; Automotive Systems Technology; Electrical Systems Technology; Industrial Systems Technology; Information Technology; Mechatronics Engineering; and Welding Technology.
ECU's BSIT program offers seven concentrations, with five fully online options, including Information and Cybersecurity Technology; Industrial Engineering Technology; Distribution and Logistics; Bioprocess Manufacturing; and Industrial Management. Architectural and Mechanical Design concentrations do require in-person classes at ECU.
This opportunity was an idea started by MCC's Division Chair of Advanced Manufacturing/Automotive, Ryal Watkins. "By earning an associate degree at the community college level first, students are able to enter the workforce several years sooner and have multiple ECU BSIT online concentration options" that allow continued employment while pursuing additional credentials, according to Watkins.
Watkins adds the institution is enthusiastic about this partnership and its potential community impact.
Additional benefits include smaller class sizes, reduced campus congestion, and substantial cost savings by completing foundational coursework at MCC. Career and College Promise students can begin earning university-level credits as early as ninth grade.
This partnership aligns with MCC's mission of creating educational and career advancement pathways for students in Martin and Bertie counties.
For more information about MCC's Industrial Programs or transferring to ECU's BSIT program, contact Ryal Watkins at (252) 789-0278 or [email protected].