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The impact of Maryah Smith-Overman can be seen in many faces and spaces throughout the Bull City. Her custom woodworks are on display in homes and businesses around Durham, but her most significant impact is felt within the evolving trades field.
She is a campus leader and the driving force behind the skilled trades at Durham Tech – tripling the number of course offerings, increasing enrollment, and introducing apprenticeships – all since her start in 2016. Smith-Overman serves as the Director of Construction Trades and Assistant Dean of Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades at the College.
She serves as co-Principal Investigator on the Power of Us program, which seeks to recruit, support, and retain more female students to a targeted set of Career and Technical Education programs. She is also a champion for apprenticeship programs, which led Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Durham Tech earlier this year.
Her mission is simple: To create a welcoming environment at Durham Tech where anyone that wants to learn a trade can learn a trade. She wants our diverse student population to begin seeing themselves represented in an otherwise white male dominated field.
She is a campus leader and the driving force behind the skilled trades at Durham Tech – tripling the number of course offerings, increasing enrollment, and introducing apprenticeships – all since her start in 2016. Smith-Overman serves as the Director of Construction Trades and Assistant Dean of Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades at the College.
She serves as co-Principal Investigator on the Power of Us program, which seeks to recruit, support, and retain more female students to a targeted set of Career and Technical Education programs. She is also a champion for apprenticeship programs, which led Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Durham Tech earlier this year.
Her mission is simple: To create a welcoming environment at Durham Tech where anyone that wants to learn a trade can learn a trade. She wants our diverse student population to begin seeing themselves represented in an otherwise white male dominated field.
Valerie Idada-Parker first met Marilyn Slaughter in a Durham church pew. Idada-Parker had recently voyaged from Nigeria to Durham and was looking to start her new life in the U.S.
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When the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down college enrollment around the country, Cosmetic Arts programs at Durham Tech flourished – growing more than 300% since 2019.
Maria Steele, Director of Cosmetics Arts at Durham Tech, said it was likely due to a growing interest in entrepreneurship after so many people lost their jobs.
“COVID affected so many large businesses, that people wanted to start working for themselves, and becoming a cosmetologist allows them to specialize in multiple areas and become entrepreneurs,” she said. “You will always be able to make money in this industry because cosmetologists can do anything. You will never be stagnant. You can always reinvent yourself. It's such a versatile field, you can be an independent contractor at different salons and do everything.”
Steele is the driving force behind all Cosmetic Arts programs at the College, including cosmetology, esthetics, and manicuring – an industry that has remained resilient through both a recession and pandemic.
Maria Steele, Director of Cosmetics Arts at Durham Tech, said it was likely due to a growing interest in entrepreneurship after so many people lost their jobs.
“COVID affected so many large businesses, that people wanted to start working for themselves, and becoming a cosmetologist allows them to specialize in multiple areas and become entrepreneurs,” she said. “You will always be able to make money in this industry because cosmetologists can do anything. You will never be stagnant. You can always reinvent yourself. It's such a versatile field, you can be an independent contractor at different salons and do everything.”
Steele is the driving force behind all Cosmetic Arts programs at the College, including cosmetology, esthetics, and manicuring – an industry that has remained resilient through both a recession and pandemic.
The construction and real estate downturn in 2009 propelled Durham Tech alumna Felicity “Fizzy” Little to look for a new, recession-proof career. She decided on law.
“Durham Tech was the only school offering a qualified Paralegal Associate degree,” Little said. “I had no real knowledge of Durham Tech prior to that, but it had the specialized program I needed so it was the place for me.”
“Durham Tech was the only school offering a qualified Paralegal Associate degree,” Little said. “I had no real knowledge of Durham Tech prior to that, but it had the specialized program I needed so it was the place for me.”