Fayetteville Technical Community College celebrated its 50th Anniversary this year. It’s been a great year. In fact, it’s been a great 50 years, and according to FTCC President Dr. Larry Keen, the next 50 years look even brighter.

“In 1961, FTCC was established to provide workforce training to individuals in response to needs of local business and industry and worked diligently to establish the Fayetteville Area Industrial Education Center and Fayetteville Technical Institute, now known as Fayetteville Technical Community College,” said Keen.

Keen explained that over the last half century, the leadership of the institution has done a great job of anticipating the needs of the workforce and community and has strategically designed the curriculum to meetthese needs.

Keene explained that FTCC is a community college in every sense of the word. Students can spend two years working on core courses before moving on to four-year institutions, professionals receive certifications and training, businesses partner with the institution to find and train qualified professionals and citizens enjoy an opportunity to learn new skills and explore options through the continuing education department.

Supporters of FTCC and the community college system think that’s something to celebrate, which they have done in grand style this year.

The golden anniversary year kicked off with a special fall convocation. The speakers at the convocation talked about how the community college movement has grown over the years to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

“It was an excellent way to start the year,” said Keen.

The Forever Gold Campaign was started to secure community funding to support the growth of the college. Throughout the year, several other activites took place to celebrate the anniversary, including the commissioning of a piece of artwork for the campus to celebrate the anniversary and the publishing of a retrospective book that took a look at the institution’s first 50 years.

The school reached out to the community and the Arts Council hosted a juried exhibit for FTCC.

“A significant number of people came through to look at what we were doing, so many of the members of the community were able to see the exhibit,” said Keen. “We had some wonderful things take place.

”What started as an institution with a graduating class of 40, is now a collaborative institution that partners with colleges, government and businesses to touch more than 408,000 students internationally. This institution has grown from one site to 209 acres on four sites in Cumberland County.

“This year, just counting credentials, we have everything from people graduating with GEDs, associate degrees, diplomas and certifications. We have more than 2,000 of those. We’ve come a long way from 40.We are proud of the growth and development we’ve had,” said Keen. “To say we’ve come a long way in 50 years is an understatement. As we look to the next 50 years we expect to continue to serve the citizens of Cumberland County and those citizens all over North Carolina.”

The celebration of the 50-year milestone comes to a close at FTCC’s 2012 commencement ceremony, which will be held at the Crown Coliseum Complex on May 17. Maj. Gen. Rodney Anderson, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, is scheduled to speak. Keen has heard Anderson speak in the past and is excited about the inspiring message he will deliver to students as they move on to the next phase of their lives.

The future looks bright for FTCC as an institution of learning and as a partner in developing the community. Keeping up with trends and cycles and constantly assessing the needs of the many people it serves, is a priority with the FTCC administration, which is continually working to meet the needs of the changing workforce.

“It is a never ending cycle if you want to really compete and perform in the economy we are in, and I don’t see an end to that,” said Keen. “We modify what we do to reflect new technologies and techniques. We continually look at these things to upgrade equipment and curriculum.”

When the 2012/2013 school year starts in the fall, FTCC will unveil a sculpture. It is a piece that represents the journey that has led to this moment. For Keen it also represents the next 50 years and all the possibilities and responsibilities that come with meeting the needs of a diverse community.

“The more people we can get graduated and into the workforce is a good thing. There is going to be a lot of emphasis on graduation and the accomplishment of our different credentials,” said Keen. “I think we will continue to be open to serving Fort Bragg and the Department of Defense. We are committed to economic development and the growth of our community including entrepreneurial and small-business growth and development.

Looking forward 50 years, Keen hopes the legacy that FTCC is creating is the same legacy and strong foundation he inherited when he came to the institution.

“The great thing about this college and those we serve is it was founded by a visionary people who stepped out on faith with the expectation of a return — and I think they got that many times over,” said Keen. “And someday in the future we want people to look back at us and say they gave us this foundation, which we can continue to build on. If we do that, I think we’ve done something right. It is an honor and a privilege — with a capital P — to be a part of a great movement like the community-college movement, but I don’t think there is a better place to be than here. It is all the faculty, staff and most importantly, the students and foundation trustees and the leadership they provide that make FTCC successful. All the rest of us support the students and the effort they’ve made.”