Wilkes Community College Dedicates Welding Lab in Honor of Robert F. Blackburn
Wilkesboro, N.C. – Wilkes Community College and the Wilkes Community College Foundation gathered Tuesday, August 4, to dedicate the college’s welding lab in honor of the late Robert F. Blackburn, recognizing his lifelong commitment to hard work, service and the Wilkes County community.
The dedication ceremony was held in Daniel Hall on the Wilkes Campus and brought together family, friends, college representatives and members of the community to celebrate Blackburn’s life and the values his legacy represents for generations of students.
“Honoring Robert in this space is a fitting tribute to a man whose life reflected the values we hope to instill in our students every day hard work, service, dedication, and a commitment to community,” said Dr. Mike Rodgers, president of Wilkes Community College.
Blackburn’s decades of service included his work with Tyson Engineering Group, the Wilkes Rescue Squad, and the Champion Fire Department. A plaque installed in the welding lab commemorates his legacy and connects his example of service and dedication to the students who will learn and train in the facility. The plaque reads, in part, “His lifelong dedication to hard work, service, and community made a lasting impact on Wilkes County.” It notes that his commitment to his profession and community reflects the values that inspire the students who learn in the lab.
The program included a welcome from Allison Phillips, vice president of Institutional Advancement; remarks from Jayden Gantt, lead instructor of welding; special remarks from Robert’s brother, Shelmer Blackburn; closing remarks from Dr. Rodgers; and a dedication led by Connie McNeill, president of the Wilkes Community College Foundation.
The ceremony provided an opportunity to recognize Blackburn’s contributions while also highlighting the importance of skilled trades education at Wilkes Community College.”Every student who trains in this lab has the opportunity to build skills that can lead to a career, but they also have the opportunity to learn the value of craftsmanship, perseverance, and service,” said Gantt. “Those are qualities that Robert Blackburn demonstrated throughout his life.”
The dedication concluded with members of the Blackburn family, along with WCC faculty and staff, cutting the ribbon officially naming the lab in honor of Robert.
The dedication was held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 4, at Daniel Hall, located at 227 First Citizens Bank Lane in Wilkesboro.
Members of the Blackburn family with WCC faculty and staff, cut the ribbon dedicating the
Robert F. Blackburn Welding Lab
For more information about welding and other career and technical education opportunities at Wilkes Community College, visit www.wilkescc.edu.
About Wilkes Community College
Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC has a proud history of meeting the educational, cultural, and workforce needs of our community. As we look to the future, Wilkes Community College provides programs, resources, and services that create quality educational, economic development, and cultural opportunities. WCC aspires to be an effective, learner-centered institution and a dynamic learning organization, preparing students for success in a changing world.
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Members of the Blackburn family with WCC faculty and staff, cut the ribbon dedicating the
Robert F. Blackburn Welding Lab
