Graduates Survey
2013 Anecdotal Comments
Why was your college experience unsatisfactory?
 Many prerequisite classes felt as though they were taught at a fifth grade level,
with students being spoon fed and still struggling. A college course, despite
being a community college, should still be at a college level!
 Only complaint I have is that it seems like the people in admissions hate their
job. A lot of them have bad attitudes with you when all you want is help and
answers.
 Though the instructors and administrators were professional and assistive, I do
not feel that the college itself gears towards the needs of the adult student.
Resources are not easily available and the hours for academic support are not
there.
 I disliked going there. Not because it's a bad place but I didn't view it as a
stepping stone to a 4 year school, but a nuisance
 I think that students should receive email communication from the advisory staff
of their career studies if they are able to graduate. I was not aware of my status
for graduation which caused a lot of unnecessary confusion.
 I feel any one person should not hold three positions, especially not in the same
department. By this previous statement I mean teacher, counselor, and head of
the department. I feel students should be given the option of filling out their class
surveys on paper if they want and not MADE to fill the survey out online. There
are other things that I have found unsatisfactory, but I feel what I say doesn't
really matter.
What could you not find (be as specific as possible) in the library?
 Poor stock of specific nursing course books
 I was able to find information I needed. However, I found the library and
librarians not to be student friendly. They were always annoyed when I needed
to print information for my class. Making copies in there is a nightmare. And it’s
the only copier available in the school. When studying, we were always asked to
please be quiet. However, there were others in the library that could be as loud
as they want to. The head librarian is RUDE!!! Not friendly to students at all.
Without students would she have a job???
 Anatomy and Physiology books
 Nothing
 Dr. Seuss information for a research paper;
 Needed more copies of textbooks that some classes were using. Some
professors used older editions of textbooks and being able to check out from
library was a helpful way to save money.
 I could not always find journals needed for my papers. Also the library staff
especially The Liberian is not very friendly or welcoming to students. I have
encountered very rude student services on numerous occasions in the library.
 Nursing journals
 Biography and World History
 I did not utilize the library. I answered "never" simply for that reason. However, I
am confident that I would have absolutely no problems locating material in any of
the campus's libraries.
 TEAS study guide for the pre-entrance nursing exam
 The Suffolk library housed some books but mainstream research is online based.
Therefore, when some books were required and an order was placed, it was a
difficult process
 Didn't use, other than as a study area/computer.
 I never used the library there
 Didn't use the library
 I had a project due in my first semester and I was told to go to the library. I asked
about a specific subject and she just told me where to go. I had no idea what I
was looking for and she just went back into the office. Since then I have not
been back into the campus library.
 I very seldom used the library so I cannot say that the material I would have
needed was not there. When did use the library I found the information I did
need.
 I always used the Internet for reference
 Everything I needed was found
 I really did not have to use the library that much. So I cannot actually state
whether everything I needed was there.
 Give me Liberty by Eric Foner but accessed it on the internet so the computer
helped me very well to gather the information I was looking for.
 A copy of the United States History 121 book in the library, but it was the first
time. Give me Liberty by Eric Foner
 I never had a need to use the library.
 Information pertaining specifically to childbirth processes.
What volunteer work have you done and how many hours per week?
 I have volunteered 780 hours in clinical settings, and paid good money to do so,
roughly 12 hours per week.
 Internship in Boykins Pharmacy; I did 27 hours a week
 Master Gardener program for the City of Suffolk. The requirement was 50 hours.
 I have volunteered about 10 hours a week with The Boykins Main Street
Initiative. We have sponsored many community events with the most well-known
event being Pumpkin Fest. We try to do at least to events a month with raise
money to help support the growth and successfulness of the local businesses.
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This experience has helped me get a working experience with my degree
program, Business Management and Marketing.
Depression screening, Patrick J. Reynolds smoking talk from November, 2012.
Completed 15 hours volunteering during 1 year nursing program.
Firefighting, public garden, Charity work
30 hours; blood pressure screenings
We are required to do 30 hours of service learning hours for the nursing
program.
Several different events. In total I volunteered about 35 hours
Western Tidewater Free Clinic
Community baseball league, board member (3hrs/wk)
Convalescent homes 1 day/month
I have completed approximately 45 hours while in the Registered Nursing
Program, we are required to complete 30 hours. Parts of these hours were
earned as a Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer, which I plan to continue after
graduation.
At Blackwater Regional Library about 8 a week.
Over 30 hours at various health care related events while in the nursing program
as it is a requirement.
I joined the Tidewater Medical Reserve Corp. and completed 30 hours of
community service within the nursing program
Volunteer Firefighter and EMT at Franklin Fire and Rescue: approximately 30
hours a week.
30 hours to include health fairs, blood pressure screenings and others of this
nature
We had to do volunteer work for our service learning hours for the nursing
program.
I volunteer about 2-5 hours per week. I am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa,
SLC reading tutor, member of the Science Club, an ambassador, and a member
and tutor for the SSS.
Literary Festival, 2.5 hours
Required service learning hours for the nursing program at the Salvation Army's
Annual Christmas Toy Drive, Western Tidewater Free Clinic, and Graz'N Acres
Therapeutic Riding. Unable to report average hours of volunteer time per week
as the time was spent in "blocks" at random times.
15 hours during the last year of college Mental health screenings, Kid's College
at Southampton Memorial, BP screenings at Lake Prince Woods
Required hours for the nursing program
Blood pressures at the hospital, and volunteering at St. Mary's hospital 15 hours
Medical Reserve Corps, teaching projects, blood pressure screenings, etc.
The "hours" weren't exactly determined. Last year I participated in selling tickets
for the Valentine's Day drive and also in the coat drive.
I volunteered through work with Susan Kolman and Relay for Life
 I did not do community service through PDCCC, but I am involved in a
community based Civic League
 Blood pressure screen Blood sugar screen Cholesterol screen 30 hours - two
year program
 Western Tidewater Free Clinic, 8 hours several other events for service learning
hours, total of 30
 I have volunteered with TTYS, a non-profit organization, geared toward helping
teens stay out of trouble. The number of hours average out to a total of 2 per
week.
 Bear Path Acres to help with the animals
 I mentor in my church. I talk to youths about a bad habit they can pick up in a
flash(smoking).
 Blood pressure screens
 Adopt a Highway
 I am currently a member of SSS and I often attend lectures, classes, and
seminars on how to better enable a new student cope with college courses for
the first time, adjusting, and explaining information about how to access
blackboard, meet with advisors, and attend workshops. Maybe 4 to 8 hours a wk
or more including every other Saturday.
 Kids College at Southampton Memorial Hospital, community BP drives. 30 hours
of "Service Learning hours" required by Nursing program
 MENTOR-20 HOURS PER WEEK
What suggestions do you have to improve the quality of College services?
 Enforce tardiness and absenteeism rules!
 For people to want to help you and not make it seem like you’re a burden on
their work time to you.
 That all class have blackboard
 Provide/offer/afford better resources to your adult students
 Better communication is needed with the students and among staff/faculty. I had
to repeat myself and circumstances multiple times because inter-department
communication was non-existent.
 Having tutors available throughout the whole semester. Allowing financial aid to
be available longer than the normal time frame.
 Instructors need to inform those of higher powers that some of the tech-soft for
classes examples - (my- it-lab, accounting, and Microsoft word) do not always
work accurately. The students suffer when the instructors do not take the lead to
address the problem.
 The library appears to push policies on eating and drinking but often it is too loud
in the library to study and the lounge is used for gaming so there are limited
study areas at the Franklin campus
 I don’t have any I think this is a wonderful school to go.
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To be more hands on in math classes
Notification for graduation
Apply hands on experience in the HVAC program.
Some classes are redundant
I don't know if you have any control over it but I feel Paul D. Camp caters to
those who are very low income. While working, I would have never qualified for
financial help from Paul D. It was not until I was truly struggling and could barely
pay bills that I qualified for aid. It is unfortunate that a student cannot do their
best to earn a living and still receive aid. The system seems to be set up that its
best to not maximize your earning potential because you risk losing financial aid.
I would much rather do all I can to earn money to pay my way and know I would
still receive financial support from the college. With this said, it would make it
much easier if the college accepted loans from outside sources. Had I been able
to obtain an outside loan to help with the cost of my education, I would have had
a lot less stress during my college years.
I think the staff needs to work on customer service. Often students feel
unwelcomed by financial aid and the library services.
I think the school does a wonderful job. Trina Jones has proven to be an
excellent resource.
The student lounge has people in there playing games and being loud. They take
up all the room and others may need to have study group that is needed for their
course.
More classes on Smithfield campus
Improve the Student Activities that this college provides. The assigned Student
Activities coordinator does a significantly inadequate job of making herself
available to the students. She is disorganized and unfortunately the events she
plans and the students she engages all end up being disappointed.
Animation skills for first-time users
Stop wasteful spending on unnecessary electronic equipment and contractor
services. This is a state and nationwide problem in general.
Please improve the caliber of staffing in the colleges. Communication needs to
be improved dramatically.
In my last semester here I ended up with different teachers but under the same
subject and these teachers taught really different. To a point where I felt like I
was teaching myself; Have the teachers show you there teaching because I was
really concern this semester
The testing protocol.
More help in graduation preparation
More hands on careers..
Expand the nursing program (ASAP).
I have no suggestions at this time. I think the College is doing a great job in
helping students succeed in whatever their goals are.
I would give the students a better idea of when faculty, that they do not have
classes with, will be at certain locations and what times they will be there.
 The library should open on some Saturdays as well just in case one needs to
check out some resources for a report.
 Having more classes that students need in their community like Smithfield
because everyone doesn’t have transportation to travel to Suffolk or franklin
every week; Also it would be better if you all held PED classes in the areas
where the student lives because traveling to franklin twice a week is not good for
those who don’t have transportation and those who have money problems.
 YOU COULD EXPAND THE BOOKSTORE AND REVAMP THE STUDENT
LOUNGE AND ADD MORE VARIETY OF VENDING MACHINES.
 The Financial Aid department has been the worst part of my experience. This
applies to the majority of the staff there. Not all. The attitudes of these people
are like the funds provided allocates from their pockets and not those of the
government. I have paid taxes as other persons who work. The attitudes of the
personnel are rude and sarcastic. A change in the department is desperately
needed.
 Improve the Financial Aid statuses and personnel. The majority of personnel
presently in that department are not friendly or receptive. They have an attitude
that the funds come directly from their pockets and not that of the state or the
government.
 All part-time instructors should post grades in blackboard and in a timely manner.
Each class should have table with chairs for student who are not able to sit in the
small desk.
If you are currently employed full-time, please indicate your general job title (welder,
electrician, management, sales related, police officer, medical records clerk, computer
support specialist, child care worker, RN,CNA, administrative assistant, etc.) and annual
salary or hourly wage.
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Personal Care. Aid
I am an assistant manager at a sports store making $8.45/hr.
Autism Instruction Assistant (21K)
Coordinator - I prefer not to list my wage.
Clerical.
LPN at Southampton Memorial Hospital
Clerk
LPN $16.96 per hour
Administrative Assistant
Warehouse-$12.00 per hour
Law Enforcement Officer
Sales related / Salary
Lead Teacher $8.98 per hr.
Preschool Teacher Assistant
CNA, I make 9.86 hr.
Admission clerk
Assistant Manager at Subway $8.50 an hour
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Nurse
Administrative Assistant
Licensed practical nurse - 35k annually average
Correctional Officer Sr./ $17.43 hourly
Electrician
Payroll Administrator
Licensed Pharmacy Technician $9.50
Office Associate III at Southampton Department of Social Services. between 20
and 25 thousand a year.
Head Start Teacher Assistant
Installer /Project Team for Best Buy
Manager Subway 9.00 an hour
Sales related management - Unrelated to degree, $10.55 an hour.
Cahier and hourly wage 9.00
Administrative Assistance
Electrical Engineering Tech - $32.97 hr.
CNA, $9.71
SECRETARY
LPN, 16.63 hourly
Para Educator (teacher's assistant) $11,000
Teachers assistant
Deck Electrician, Newport News Shipyard $16.28 per hour
Office Assistant IV
Sales related
Bus driver
Administrative Coordinator
Property Manager ($40,000+)
Security Officer, $30,000 annually
Insert operator / $25,000
Material Handler $9.00/Hr.
CNA, 18,000
Warehouse
Corrections Officer Sr. for COVA
Sales $12/hr.
LPN
School Bus Driver. Sales Associate
CNA
Fill in the blank with an analogy that rings true for you: "Paul D. Camp Community College is
like..."
 A three ring circus without a lion tamer, you might make it out but chances are
you are going to get mauled.
 A piece of cake
 High school
 An up graded high school.
 ...a never ending tunnel. Every time you can see the light at the end something
else pops up to block the way. More communication with graduating students
would help clear the air. It almost feels like PDC doesn't want to help it's
students graduate by setting deadlines for graduation applications but not
advertising them or by creating so many loops to jump through like multiple
surveys that "must" be completed.
 Getting proper education at home to help you excel in the workplace
 Do the best that you can on your own institution.
 A good start to the rest of your life.
 A big community that helps each other
 A home away from home- academically wise, of course.
 Home
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like a starting point for college success.
 Convenience with a good education
 Fuel to start the fire
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like coke. It is the real thing.
 A close knit family willing to help you achieve your dream and make positive
changes in your life.
 Any other big university but small classes and close to home
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like winning a basketball playoff game
knowing you're one step closer to your goals (championship)
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like family.
 Waiting for a train to pass.
 Home
 A starting point to a sound future.
 A heal for a wound.
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like an everyday part of my since I've
decided to continue my education.
 Toilet paper, you only miss it when it’s gone.
 The port in a storm.
 A stepping stone
 A regular college just in a shorter period of time
 A breath fresh air
 McDonald's, it is convenient
 The best starting point for people out of high school.
 Family
 Being around friends that want you to succeed
 A piece of dove chocolate you will always get a wonderful experience that can
never be forgotten.
 Home. Where you come in as one person but also gain a family. A place where
you can be relax and have fun learning at the same time.
 A very hometown college that provide excellent academics
 PDCCC has allotted me an affordable education.
 The missing piece to the puzzle I have struggled to complete.
 Because they meet the needs of the students.
 Being at home some time.it is somewhere I can go and do my work with no
worry.
 ... is like a stepping stone to a higher institution.
 A stepping stone. I feel that this college provided me the tools to step it up to a
four year university. I have truly cherished my community college experience.
 A home away from home.
 A family
 A special campus that brings fantasy to life. Seeking extraordinary things that the
world has ever known.
 Woah...
 A mountain. The climb may be long and difficult at times, but it is all worth it
when you reach the top.
 The best place to achieve your goals and have patience and faith and one's
goals can be achieved.
 Paul D. Camp Community College is like an experience that I will not forget. My
instructor was great and made all the difference in the world. She made learning
fun and relative to everyday living. I was encouraged to push toward the mark
and not give up.