Campus Happenings
Wake Tech Renames Health Sciences Campus to Honor Jim and Becky Perry
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 9, 2014) - Wake Tech’s well-known, state-of-the-art Health Sciences Campus, adjacent to WakeMed in Raleigh, has a new name: Today, college officials dedicated the Perry Health Sciences Campus to honor Jim Perry, Chair of Wake Tech’s Board of Trustees, and his wife, Becky. The Perrys have been longtime supporters of health sciences programs at the college. Their two daughters participated in the unveiling of a special plaque that will hang in the newest instructional building on the campus.
“It’s an exciting day for Wake Tech,” said Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen Scott, “and a truly special one. It’s the first time we’ve dedicated a campus, and I can think of none more deserving of such recognition than Jim and Becky Perry.”
Jim Perry, former CEO and current Chairman of the Board of Waste Industries, was appointed to the Wake Tech Board of Trustees by the Wake County Board of Education in 2002. He became chairman in 2008 and has presided over the college during a period of unprecedented growth. During his tenure, Wake Tech has doubled student enrollment and become the largest of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges. Jim Perry was the motivating force behind the significant financial support Waste Industries has provided annually to Wake Tech since 1996. Becky Perry, who dedicated her career to nursing, shares her husband’s commitment to Wake Tech and has guided the couple’s support of the health sciences education programs.
“We made a choice – to invest the fruits of our labor in this fine institution, where we can make a difference,” says Jim Perry, “and we are honored to have our name on this campus.”
The Perry Health Sciences Campus offers credit and non-credit programs preparing students for careers in nursing and other high-demand health care professions. Wake Tech partners with local health care institutions to provide students with extensive opportunities for hands-on training and co-op work experiences. Jim Perry has also been a strong supporter of Wake Tech’s Heavy Equipment and Transport Technology program. Watch the entire ceremony here.
