Early Care and Education named Advisory Committee of the Year
PRESS RELEASE
Date: August 14, 2026
Contact: Karen Potter, kpotter2@tctc.edu
Pendleton, SC – Tri-County Technical College’s Early Care and Education (ECE) advisory committee was recognized on August 12 as the Advisory Committee of the Year. This award is presented annually and recognizes members of instructional program advisory committees, or other approved advisory committees, who have worked tirelessly during the year to enhance the educational opportunities of the citizens of Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties.
TCTC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development Dr. Mandy Elmore made the award presentation.
“The ECE advisory committee was selected for this award because of its exceptional commitment to student success, innovation, and workforce development. This committee has gone far beyond its traditional advisory role by actively strengthening partnerships with local school districts, childcare providers, and community leaders to ensure students have access to high-quality practicum experiences and professional mentoring. The committee also played a key role in supporting the development of new learning spaces in the newly renovated Pickens Hall on the Pendleton Campus, helping create innovative, hands-on environments that better prepare students for careers in early childhood education,” said Dr. Elmore.
The committee was also instrumental in the creation and continued growth of South Carolina's first Early Care and Education Student Conference, providing students with valuable opportunities for professional development, networking, and career readiness.
“The members of this committee have demonstrated a genuine passion for the success of our students, serving as advocates, mentors, and strategic partners whose efforts will have a lasting impact on the future of early childhood education in our region,” said Dr. Elmore.
Tri-County’s ECE program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is designed to prepare those entering the field of child care and education, as well as professionals seeking additional training and career advancement opportunities. Graduates are employed as teachers in public and private early care settings, family daycare homes, and as teacher assistants in public schools. Increasingly, students are using the ECE program as a pathway to teacher licensure, beginning their studies at Tri-County before transferring to four-year institutions to earn certification and become lead teachers serving children from birth through third grade.
The program has established transfer pathways with partner institutions to support students pursuing bachelor's degrees and teacher certification, creating affordable and accessible opportunities to enter the teaching profession. Tri-County's ECE program is also a pilot participant in South Carolina's Tech to Teach Scholars initiative, which helps address the state's teacher shortage by supporting students as they progress from technical college programs into educator preparation pathways.
PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Traci Boyles, executive director of early childhood educational instructional services at the School District of Pickens County; Paige Wall, executive director of First Steps of Anderson County; Shannon Vaughn, director of children and family development at SHARE Head Start; Meredith Dickens, department head and ECE faculty at TCTC; Dr. Brandi Dillman, program director and ECE faculty at TCTC; and Richard Hemsley, regional partnership manager at North Greenville University.
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About Tri-County Technical College
Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, business administration, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.
