Johnston Community College held its annual Legislative Breakfast Tuesday on the main campus in Smithfield.

Some 60 federal, state, and county leaders, industry representatives, JCC students, and college faculty and staff attended the event, including Congressman Bob Etheridge, Betty Jo Shepheard for U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, N.C. Sen. David Rouzer, N.C. Rep. Leo Daughtry, and N.C. Rep. James Langdon.

College leaders stressed the critical need to fully fund $85 million in enrollment growth monies for the state’s 58 community colleges, of which JCC is the 16th largest.

Over the past year, the community colleges have experienced a historic enrollment growth of 31,000 full-time equivalent students, which is equivalent to the size of N.C. State University. JCC is serving between 700 and 1,000 more students this spring over last spring.

“This is putting us in dire straits, and we need your help,” said JCC President David Johnson. “We ask you to give every influence at every stage of the game in order to help us allow the students in our area to be successful.”

Three outstanding students -- Tarsha Johnson of Selma, Tammy Womack of Smithfield, and Carlton King of Goldsboro – echoed the need for increased funding for the state’s community colleges by sharing how JCC has created success and opportunity in their lives.

Johnson, a single mother and displaced worker, plans to transfer to East Carolina University this fall to pursue her bachelor’s degree in special education. She said her successful experience at JCC has encouraged her children to consider pursuing a college degree.

“They have seen what a difference going to college has had on my life, and now they are talking about going to college, and that makes me happy,” said Johnson.

Carlton King of Goldsboro, a nursing student, said his caring instructors contributed to his success at JCC. “JCC sets you up for success, and I believe one of the main reasons for that success is the wonderful instructors here who make themselves available to us whenever we need them,” King said.

The elected officials pledged their support to JCC and the community colleges, saying their education programs are key to a successful economic recovery.