HENDERSON, NC (February 1, 2024) — Vance-Granville Community College is proud to announce that its president, Dr. Rachel Desmarais, was recently recognized by the Triangle Business Journal among the recipients of its 2024 Women in Business Awards.

Desmarais’s inclusion in the 2024 Women in Business Awards underscores her commitment to supporting local communities and economies through a highly skilled workforce. During the 2020-2021 academic year, Dr. Rachel Desmarais took the Presidents for Entrepreneurship Pledge through the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), which included specific action steps to advance entrepreneurship and create jobs across the country. The college was so successful in these initiatives that NACCE named it the Entrepreneurial College of the Year in October 2022.

In late 2023, Dr. Desmarais led VGCC into the AdvanceNC partnership, an innovative workforce development ecosystem developing a robust talent pipeline to support unprecedented economic growth in central North Carolina. Through this initiative, 10 community colleges, two state universities, and six regional workforce development boards will collaborate to meet the industry needs of major international companies operating in the state.

For nearly three decades, the Women in Business Awards have celebrated women in the Triangle region who are dynamic and outstanding leaders, with established track records of significant accomplishments in business and community service. Triangle Business Journal honored a total of 25 winners this year.

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About Vance-Granville Community College: Established in 1969, VGCC is one of the 58 institutions of the North Carolina Community College System. With a service area the size of Rhode Island, VGCC is the local source for higher education and training in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties. VGCC offers more than 40 curriculum programs, as well as Continuing Education, High School Equivalency, and Adult High School Diploma programs.

Contact: Courtney Cissel, Public Information Officer cisselc@vgcc.edu • 252-738-3484