Manteo, North Carolina — College of The Albemarle (COA) – Dare was recently awarded a $1,250 grant to benefit the college’s Hospitality and Tourism Certification program.

The Joy Callahan Lead the Way Grant is awarded to members of the North Carolina Community College Adult Education Association (NCCCAEA) for “creativity and innovation to enhance a current program/course or design and develop a new program/course that can be duplicated.” May was presented the grant award at the NCCAEA annual conference in September. The funds will assist the Hospitality Leadership program’s “Being an Ambassador” course for students conducting research for projects about the tourism industry along the Outer Banks and Currituck County.

The Hospitality Leadership Certification program is the first in the state that includes a designed pathway for Career and College Promise (CCP) students to be granted a state credential upon completion of the program. May served as an integral part of the process for solidifying the pathway for CCP students and said that she was honored to have received the grant. “I am excited about the opportunities the funds will provide for our students in the Hospitality Leadership program,” she shared.