IGNITE DAVIE Student Profile: Josh Pilcher

By Jordan Bolch

IGNITE DAVIE is a place-based last dollar scholarship for students in Davie County and through the opportunities it provides, it is making a difference in the lives of the students in our community. IGNITE DAVIE will pay tuition, required fees and a stipend for books for students to attend Davidson-Davie Community College full-time.

In 2021, over 80 students joined the IGNITE DAVIE program and are benefiting from the opportunities it provides— students like Josh Pilcher.

Josh was born and raised in Davie County, graduated from Davie High in 2021 and is attending Davidson-Davie Community College through the IGNITE DAVIE College Promise Program.

Davidson-Davie Community College offers a wide variety of classes and degree programs for its students to pursue. This allows students to find their passions, no matter what the field. DDCC offers programs ranging from business, accounting & computers to engineering and education as well as others like zoo & aquarium science and sustainable agriculture.

“It’s not your daddy’s community college,” said Carolyn McManamy, Director of Davie CONNECT when referring to the wide array of classes available to students.

Pilcher is studying to be a machinist, taking classes in industrial safety, machining calculation and a machining class in and of itself. “I’ve wanted to be a machinist since I was in the 9th grade,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do it, and this worked out perfectly.”

After going through the college application process and entering his first semester at DDCC Josh encourages other students to “power through and get it done because it’s really worth it after you do it.”

IGNITE DAVIE is playing an instrumental role in preparing students for their future careers and at the same time is saving these students and their parents thousands of dollars in tuition and fees.

This college promise program is not just a promise for today but it’s also a promise for generations to come. The $3 Million endowment ensures that today’s kindergarteners will have these same opportunities when they become seniors in high school and are looking toward higher education.

You can learn more about the IGNITE DAVIE College Promise Program and how this provides Davie County students with an opportunity to continue their education without incurring student debt at https://ignitedavie.com/.