When the staff at DCCC, the Community College of Davidson and Davie Counties, comes up with a way to expand opportunity to more members of the community, the wheels start rolling.

Most recently, the DCCC Enrollment Services staff came up with the idea of building an enrollment bus that could be taken to community events and locations throughout the year to engage prospective students and help them learn about opportunities at the college and jumpstart the admissions process.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10 DCCC held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate and announce the enrollment bus.

“We’re excited about connecting with the community at events all over Davidson and Davie counties,” said Dr. Mary Rittling, president of DCCC.

The DCCC Enrollment Bus is scheduled to appear at local libraries, high schools, and community events. The college hopes the bus gives those in the community an opportunity to learn more about college programs and the benefits of higher education.

“By meeting the community where they are, the college is breaking barriers and helping to bridge the gap between the needs of the community and the resources that can help transform lives through higher education,” said Rittling.   

The bus features three computer stations, a digital display screen, and meeting space for prospective students. A portion of funds helping make the DCCC Enrollment Bus a reality comes from the John M. Belk Endowment.

DCCC enrollment services staff proposed converting an existing campus bus into the enrollment bus and met with Trailers of the East Coast in Mocksville to assess the feasibility of this approach. The college had worked with Trailers of the East Coast on several custom built mobile projects, including the creation of a mobile classroom that delivers on-site training in advanced manufacturing directly to local companies.

In April, DCCC team members Rhonda Coats, VP of Student Affairs, Laura Yarborough, VP of Finance and Administrative Services and DeeDe Pinckney, Director of Marketing and Communications met with Trailers of the East Coast Service Manager Brad Byrd and Co-Owner Clint Junker and the plan started coming together.

Using Computer Assisted Design (CAD) software, Trailers of the East Coast developed the interior  schematics, defined the work requirements and the Trailers of the East Coast custom-build and fabrication teams went to work, stripping the bus down to the frame and building out the final product to achieve the vision.  Meetings were held periodically during the build-out to ensure that every detail was perfect as the vision came to life.

Complete with an on-board generator to supply power for lights, computer work stations, network  communications, heat, air conditioning and a power awning, the enrollment bus is self-sufficient, able to travel and serve prospective students from just about anywhere without the need to coordinate local power or communication hook-ups.  Interior furnishings include custom built couch and lounge tables with electrical outlets, task and ambient lighting, a large screen digital display panel, 3 computer work-stations, and meeting space with seating to meet with prospective students.

The Trailers of the East Coast Graphics team finished the lab off with a graphic wrap on the outside of the trailer to let the world know that DCCC is delivering opportunity to their community.

Trailers of the East Coast is one of the largest trailer dealerships in the United States with more than 10 acres of trailers in stock and 40,000 square feet of showroom, parts and service facilities.  They are just off I-40, exit 170 at US 601 in Mocksville.   

Trailers of the east coast is a family owned business that has been serving the retail market since 1945, open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. -3 p.m.