Employee Stories

Explore our Employee Stories to discover the unique and inspiring journeys of Central Piedmont Community College faculty and staff.

Jennifer Perkins

From the moment Jennifer Perkins started teaching at Central Piedmont, she knew “this is where I wanted to be.” 

Twenty years later, Perkins still has those same feelings. The program chair for K-12 Education, she has seen the program nurture prospective teachers and prepare them for the workforce. 

Recently, Perkins helped launch the college’s Teacher Prep and residency programs. In May, residency program graduates will make history in North Carolina, becoming the first licensed elementary school teachers in the state. Since the fall of 2023, the residency program has grown from four students to 60, and the Teacher Prep program has grown to 320 students. 

When I see my residency students getting closer to licensure, it makes my heart swell with pride and joy. Then my students tell me, ‘I could not have done this without you,’ and I know I have made a difference in their lives and in the community through our work. We support and coach them to be the best classroom teacher they can be.

Career Highlights and Personal Achievements

Perkins began her career as an elementary school teacher before transitioning to part-time work to spend more time at home with her three sons. In 2004, she began teaching English courses part-time at the college, and her career took off from there. 

Perkins’ accomplishments have earned her several college awards, including the Eyes on You Award (2017), the Mary W. and Wilton Parr Faculty Teaching Award (2022) and the Tony and Beth Zeiss Award for Faculty (2024). 

Outside of the classroom, Perkins exercises daily, cooks meals from scratch, participates in a book club, volunteers through her church, and is a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan. She also credits her family and friends for the daily importance they play in her life. 

Through it all, Perkins remains focused on her students and the impact they will make on future generations. 

“They are the center of my work and I put them first,” she said. “I have collaborated with local public schools, other community college partners, and with my peers to help these programs grow and flourish, and I always strive for excellence in all that I do.” 

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  • Eugene Attoube

    “The day starts with students and ends with students.” 

    That’s the best piece of advice that Eugene Attoube ’16 has received in his career, and he gets to embody that every day as an academic advisor. 

    Attoube has worked at Central Piedmont for nine years, starting part-time in 2014 as a Foreign Language Lab Facilitator. He earned his associate in art degree and transferred to UNC Charlotte in 2017, eventually completing a double major in International Studies and Political Science. 

    It’s the culture of the school and the people he meets and works with daily that guides him and helped bring him back to a full-time position with the college. 

    “Central Piedmont is my home,” Attoube said. “I am dedicated to mastering my position as academic advisor and further my skills to better serve our students. Central Piedmont has provided training and good management that help meet my goals.” 

    Helping students meet their academic goals is Attoube’s number one goal, and he hopes to make the same impact on them as Central Piedmont faculty and staff made on his life when he was a student. 

    Attoube particularly enjoys working with students who are learning English, noting the pride he feels when they come back to thank him for contributing to their success. 

    “The community and prospective students ought to know that Central Piedmont is a leading force when it comes to providing the best education and training,” he said. “The school has a wide array of programs that suits everybody’s needs and goals.” 

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