Raleigh – October 30, 2026 -- The North Carolina Community College System has seated a 10-student Student Innovation Council to feed student input into technology and service decisions across its 58 colleges. The Council held its first working session Oct. 20 at Lenovo's global headquarters in Morrisville.
Council targets the systemwide learning management system and CRM platform
Student recommendations will inform improvements to the systemwide learning management system and the customer relationship management platform. The System says the goal is to tie student experience directly to how these services are designed, prioritized and implemented.
The Council's mandate has three parts: gather student views on challenges across the college journey, advise System leaders on technology and services, and bring recommendations to the 58 colleges.
Members mapped the journey from application to workforce entry
At the first session, members charted the path from exploring options and applying through enrollment, payment, program completion, transfer or job entry. They identified opportunities in communication, coursework management, payment structures and access to campus resources.
Lenovo's chief experience officer urged focus on friction points
Dilip Bhatia, Lenovo's vice president and chief experience officer, told members to look closely at where people hit obstacles. "People don't buy products. They buy experiences," he said.
State Board Chair Tom Looney said students should get a seamless experience at any college in the System. Acting System President and CEO Dr. Monty Sullivan said the System must give students equal access to tools and support regardless of where they live.
Ten students from eight colleges form the inaugural Council
Members come from Johnston, Forsyth Technical, Wake Technical, Alamance, Craven, Rowan-Cabarrus, Durham Technical and Surry community colleges. Stephanie Pano, president of the North Carolina Comprehensive Community College Student Government Association, is among them.
The System serves 600,000 students and awards more than 60,000 degrees, diplomas and certificates annually. The Council's next step is to develop actionable recommendations and identify concrete steps the System can take.