South Piedmont Community College has been named a finalist for the 2027 Bellwether Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes outstanding, innovative programs at U.S. community colleges.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be named a finalist for the 2027 Bellwether Award. This recognition is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and collaborative spirit of our faculty, staff, students, and community partners. Being selected as a finalist affirms the meaningful work taking place at our college and our continued commitment to creating transformative opportunities for student success. We are incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and honored to have our work recognized on a national stage,” said President Dr. Stacy Waters-Bailey.
The Bellwether Award honors excellence in three categories:
- Instructional Programs and Services – recognizing programs and services that foster student success and teaching innovation.
- Workforce Development – highlighting strategic alliances between community colleges and workforce partners that address regional labor market needs.
- Planning, Governance, and Finance – celebrating innovative approaches in college planning, management, and resource optimization.
Only 30 community colleges nationwide were selected as finalists across the three categories.
South Piedmont is a finalist in the Workforce Development category for its Health Sciences Academy.
The Health Sciences Academy (HSA) is a collaborative workforce development initiative designed to address regional healthcare workforce shortages while expanding educational and career opportunities for students. Through a partnership between Union County Public Schools (UCPS), South Piedmont Community College, and Atrium Health, the academy creates a tuition-free pathway from elementary and middle school career exploration to high school credentials, college degrees, and direct employment in healthcare.
Since the Health Sciences Academy was created in 2017, it has shown remarkable results for students and employers alike, including:
- HSA students consistently outperform non-cohort peers. The graduating class of 2024 achieved an average cumulative GPA of 3.79, with an HSA student earning class valedictorian honors.
- College credit completion has accelerated rapidly, from 145 credits in 2024 to 696 credits in 2026. The 2026 cohort generated $52,896 in direct family tuition savings.
- Clinical certifications expanded from 10 CNAs and 1 EMT in 2025 to 10 CNAs and 5 EMTs in 2026, with seven seniors graduating high school having also earned their associate degree. Cohort students maintain a 90-100% proficiency rate on safety credentials, including Basic Life Support (BLS) and OSHA-10 Healthcare.
- To date, more than 16 HSA graduates have been hired into active clinical roles within Atrium Health across family medicine, inpatient units, and outpatient physical therapy. Multiple graduates transition into Atrium’s Rise to Success program, which fully funds their South Piedmont associate degree while they work part-time within the hospital setting.
- Expanding from a single middle school, the cluster model now impacts over 2,800 students. In a single semester in 2026, the new HSA headquarters at Atrium Health hosted over 10 clinical exploration sessions for more than 100 elementary, middle, and high school students.
A Bellwether Finalist Showcase will take place in February in San Antonio at the 2027 Community College Futures Assembly. Finalists will present their projects in hopes of bringing the Bellwether Award home to their campus.
Established in 1999, South Piedmont is proud to serve Anson and Union counties with a wide range of degree, certificate, diploma, and non-credit options. For more information, visit spcc.edu.