HAMLET — Attending her first meeting this month, longtime attorney Melanie J. Carroll was appointed to Richmond Community College’s Board of Trustees by Gov. Roy Cooper.
Carroll has been practicing law in Richmond County for 30 years and is currently in her 10th year as an attorney advocate for the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program. She has also served six years as the city attorney for the City of Rockingham.
A lifelong resident of Richmond County, Carroll is a graduate of Richmond Senior High School, Appalachian State University and Campbell University School of Law. However, she has a personal connection to RichmondCC dating back to the days when it was Richmond Technical Institute.
“My mother would take classes in the evenings after work at then-Richmond Technical Institute, like a decoupage class, and I would attend those classes with her,” Carroll said. “My son also participated in the dual enrollment program while he was in high school. This is when I began to really look at RichmondCC and how it has changed over the years.”
RichmondCC’s mission is to offer educational opportunities, cultural enrichment and workforce development and training that enhances students’ lives and supports economic development in Richmond and Scotland counties.
“I realized that RichmondCC is succeeding at its mission and that the leadership at the College has goals for expansion and continued positive impacts on our local communities,” the newest Trustee said. “As a board member, I hope to assist RichmondCC in continuing its mission and reaching its goals.”
Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC, said Carroll will be a wonderful addition to the Board of Trustees.
“As a lifelong resident and long-time attorney in Richmond County, her experience and knowledge will make our Board and our College stronger and better equipped to serve our students,” he said.
Carroll said she has a strong work ethic due to her background and education. She plans to bring this mindset to the board.
“My parents taught me early in life to set goals and to work hard to reach those goals. They told me that nothing worth having was going to be given to me and that I had to earn it. I still live by that today,” she said.
Carroll said RichmondCC is rapidly becoming a destination college.
“Students can receive the education they need to be successful in a trade or academically prepared for employment with very little financial burden,” she said. “RichmondCC is a resource for education and training, but by partnering with businesses and industry, RichmondCC is also assisting in providing much needed workforce training and employment to economically depressed counties.”
Carroll is married to Reece Saunders and they have three children, Claire, Laurel and Michael. She is a former board member of the Richmond County United Way.
