The NC Community College System, the State Board of Community Colleges, and the NC Community Colleges Foundation co-hosted the ninth annual awards dinner at The Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh on April 20, 2026, honoring nine recipients across signature awards, faculty/staff awards, and workforce development pinnacle awards. Recipients include Dallas Herring Achievement Award winner Cheri Landreth of Surry Community College and I.E. Ready Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Rick Hendrick of Hendrick Automotive Group, with workforce Pinnacle Awards recognizing employer partnerships across 58 North Carolina community colleges.