Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation receives $3,500 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to support Y.E.S. Student Center

By Staff Report, posted Sep 11, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Pictured from left to right: Zion Lang, Y.E.S. student; Dr. Tammy Thurman, senior manager of government and community relations for Piedmont Natural Gas; Ty’Sere Payne, Y.E.S. student; Jennifer Hammond, executive director of the Foundation and Institutional Advancement at Fayetteville Technical Community College; and Richard McDonald, senior director of support services at FTCC.

The Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation has received a $3,500 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation on behalf of Piedmont Natural Gas to support refurbishment efforts for the Y.E.S. — You + Effort = Success — Student Center, located in the Horace Sisk Building on FTCC’s campus. The grant is part of $1 million in local grants awarded by Piedmont Natural Gas to 39 organizations in the communities it serves.

The Y.E.S. Student Center provides coordinated academic, personal and career-focused support designed to help students persist, complete their programs and prepare for meaningful employment or continued education. Through mentoring, engagement and early intervention, the center connects students with resources that address barriers to success and promote a strong sense of belonging at the College.

Since launching in 2021 with an initial cohort of 50 students, the Y.E.S. program has grown to serve more than 300 students annually and has supported nearly 1,000 students since its inception. Y.E.S. students maintain an average 3.0 grade-point average, and 87% achieve graduation status.

FTCC student Zion Lang spoke about the importance of the grant in a press release stating:

“The grant from Duke Energy is making a meaningful difference in the Y.E.S. space. As someone who regularly tutors other students, I’m especially excited about the new interactive whiteboard because it will make tutoring more engaging. With the improvements being made, the space is becoming more functional, welcoming and conducive to study, collaboration and relaxation. I’m excited not only to benefit from these improvements myself, but to have a space where I can continue helping other students succeed.”

The Duke Energy grant will help enhance the Y.E.S. Student Center as a welcoming, functional and student-centered space. Refurbishment efforts will support the center’s ability to provide students with access to mentoring, academic guidance, engagement opportunities, and other services that contribute to persistence and completion.

“The Y.E.S. Student Center serves as a hub for student connection, development and success, providing resources and opportunities that complement students’ classroom experiences,” said Dr. Desandra Washington, vice president for Academic Support Services and Civic Engagement at FTCC in a press release. “Through the FTCC Buddy Program, students are connected with faculty and staff mentors who provide encouragement, guidance and an additional point of connection to the College. Y.E.S. also provides academic success support and early intervention to help students address academic challenges and remain on track toward completing their educational goals.”

Beginning in Fall 2026, Y.E.S. will launch the LifeReady Institute, a premier student development initiative designed to prepare students for success in college, the workplace and life beyond FTCC. The Institute will provide practical learning experiences focused on financial literacy, career preparation, entrepreneurship, leadership and communication, health and wellness, real estate, time management and professional networking. Y.E.S. also hosts signature conferences, workshops and community-building events throughout the academic year that encourage student engagement, strengthen connections to the College and foster a sense of belonging within the FTCC community.

“The Duke Energy Foundation grant on behalf of Piedmont Natural Gas will help us enhance the quality of support and services we provide to students through the Y.E.S. Initiative, while also serving as a tangible reminder that their success matters and that there is a community committed to helping them achieve their goals,” said Richard

McDonald, senior director of support services at FTCC in a press release. “By creating a more functional and student-centered environment, we will be better equipped to provide individualized academic support, mentoring, engagement opportunities and programming that respond to their needs. These enhancements represent an investment not only in the Y.E.S. Student Center, but in the students we have the privilege of serving at FTCC.”

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