Our day in Pitt County started with lunch, where the team sat down with Pitt Community College leadership at Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville, NC. We talked about the school’s VISIONS program – an effort to help high school students transition to community colleges. We heard how these colleges are the ones serving future workers who want to stay in the communities where they grew up. One student going to college can inspire other relatives to go as well, helping to pull entire families out of poverty – ultimately increasing their access to transportation, affordable housing and healthcare.

Our Extra Miles Tour includes experiencing the unique culture of each and every community. During our meal at Sam Jones BBQ, manager Michael Letchworth shared the rich history of whole-hog barbecue in Eastern NC, and even let us sample the meat currently being cooked in the pits.

In the afternoon, the team traveled to East Carolina University’s medical campuses, where we toured the School of Dental Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Allied Health Science. Our team had the opportunity to discuss critical local health initiatives such as Driving Health Care, Brody RISE, and the MOTHeRS Project with Chancellor Dr. Philip Rogers and other key leaders.

East Carolina University’s mission exemplifies one closely related to Blue Cross NC’s purpose, to improve the health and wellbeing of our customers and community. ECU’s Medical and Dental Schools only accept North Carolina residents and focus on diversity, rural health equity, and assisting students in practicing in North Carolina after graduation. The Brody School of Medicine is the highest value medical school in the U.S.

As Chancellor Rogers said, “Health equity is our business.” We couldn’t agree more.

With thanks to contributor Alicia Carter