Experience and a fresh perspective will come together on the Sampson Community College Board of Trustees following the reappointment of Chairman Chuck Spell and Dr. Paul Viser and the addition of newly appointed trustee Floria Oates-Williams last week.
The three were recently sworn in to terms on the board, with Spell and Viser continuing their service and Oates-Williams beginning her first term. Oates-Williams fills the seat previously held by longtime trustee Chris Fann, whose service to the college spanned three separate stints and parts of four decades.
Fann served on the Board of Trustees from August 1989 to June 1993, May 2010 to July 2013 and July 2014 to June 2026.
“It has been a pleasure and honor to be on the Board of Trustees for, I think, three different stints,” Fann reflected. “We are very fortunate to have this institution in our county.”
Looking back at the college from the beginning of his service in 1989 to where it stands today, Fann described its continued growth as rewarding to witness.
“It’s just so exciting,” he expressed. “Just more exciting each and every year.” As he steps away from the board, Fann hopes the progress continues, not only for the college but for the community it serves. “Just a continuation of growth — growth that will enhance Sampson County and surrounding neighbors,” Fann emphasized.
Spell, who was also recently selected by fellow trustees to serve as board chairman, described Fann as a consistent supporter and advocate for SCC throughout his years of involvement with the college.
“He has been a tremendous supporter of the college … a strong supporter of the college and its mission for the students, for supporting the faculty, the staff and the leadership there,” Spell stressed.
The trustee chairman also credited Fann with bringing a strong voice to board discussions and a genuine desire to see SCC succeed and improve.That type of institutional knowledge, he noted, is valuable on a board that includes both longtime trustees and newer members.
“I think it provides a lot of consistency with their history and their background,” Spell explained of experienced trustees. “We also see some change within the board. We have new members from time to time, which helps bring new ideas.”
Spell has a lengthy history with SCC beyond his service as a trustee, including nearly two decades of involvement with the SCC Foundation. His latest appointment marks what he described as his third stint on the Board of Trustees, having previously served a four-year term and later returning to fill a two-year term.
That experience, coupled with his background in industry, is something Spell believes can benefit the board as SCC continues its workforce development efforts.
“I think it is extremely important to have an industry representative on that Board of Trustees,” Spell emphasized. “The college is extremely important about finding a trained workforce. We’re always looking for a trained workforce in industry in this county.”
Having spent close to 35 years working in industry in Sampson County, Spell has seen firsthand the importance of having workers prepared for available jobs.
“I understand how important it is to get a good workforce, and our college has excellent training programs to be able to help provide that,” he added.
Among the developments Spell is particularly excited about is SCC’s new Health Sciences building, which is under construction and is expected to expand opportunities for programs including nursing.
“We have a wonderful nursing program,” Spell pointed out. “This is going to give them the facilities that they need to make this program even better than it has been.”
Viser, likewise, highlighted the Health Sciences building as one of the most significant developments underway at the college as he begins another term as a trustee.
“I think we’re entering a busy time of some impactful decision-making,” Viser explained. “We’ve got the building started, and that’s a very big advance in our health care teaching, nursing in particular.”
The facility is something SCC has needed, Viser stressed, and its impact should extend well beyond its opening.
“It’s going to serve this area for many decades,” he added.
While facilities are one visible sign of growth, Viser pointed to the college’s reach within the community as equally important. Increased enrollment and SCC’s ability to serve more residents, he noted, demonstrate its continuing importance to Sampson County.
“We’re serving more people right now than we ever have in the past,” Viser emphasized. “This is a major institution in this county that has a huge impact on the quality of life in Sampson County.”
Viser considers SCC among the institutions that help make Sampson County an attractive place to live and raise a family. He recalled moving his own family to the county in 1990 and recognizing the quality of life the community offered.
“I think we stand out in many ways,” Viser said.
For Oates-Williams, succeeding Fann represents the beginning of her own opportunity to serve an institution she believes can play an important role in Sampson County’s future.
A 1977 graduate of Union High School, Oates-Williams left Sampson County after graduation to attend Winston-Salem State University. At the time, she recalled, leaving home after high school was almost considered the natural next step.
“The thing was, you go to high school, you graduate, you go away … don’t come back,” Oates-Williams remembered.
After years away, she returned to Sampson County and now sees considerably more opportunities for students to build their futures without having to leave home.
“I think the way the school has grown, people in the area, young and older, have more options,” Oates-Williams observed. “They don’t have to leave to get the training they need to make a good living and raise their families here.”
That potential helped motivate her to accept a position on the Board of Trustees.
“I’m happy to be back home,” Oates-Williams shared. “Now I’m back, and I wanted to be of service in the community.”
As she begins her tenure, Oates-Williams wants SCC to continue developing educational and workforce opportunities capable of attracting students from throughout Sampson County. She believes part of that effort should begin before students ever graduate from high school.
“I think that starts maybe even in high school, getting the interest, building those relationships there and becoming a friend to kids in high school so they’ll want to stay here,” she explained, pointing to opportunities such as early college programs.
Oates-Williams also stressed that she does not see her appointment as an opportunity to represent only one portion of Sampson County or one particular group.
“I really think for the whole area,” she emphasized. “There’s nothing in particular that I would pinpoint for a particular group. I think what we need to do is just work on the community as a whole and not pigeonhole any group.”
Her hope is to see students from across the county recognize and take advantage of what SCC offers.
“I would love to see it grow in diversity from everyone taking advantage of what we have,” Oates-Williams added.
Spell believes that kind of new perspective complements the experience already represented on the board. Although he has only spoken with Oates-Williams a few times since her appointment, her enthusiasm has already been apparent.
“She seems to be very energetic about getting involved and understanding everything about the college,” Spell observed.
For Spell, leading the board as chairman adds another responsibility to his years of involvement with SCC, one he considers an honor after receiving the confidence of his fellow trustees.
“I’m very honored to be voted as the chair,” Spell expressed.
As SCC continues expanding its facilities, programs and workforce training, Spell looks forward to continuing to play a role in the college’s progress.
“I look forward to being able to continue to serve,” he concluded, “to see the improvements that are coming with the college.”