Jessica Fry is leaving her position as the horse barn manager at Martin Community College after 2 1/2 years to pursue a bachelor's degree in Equine Industry and Business at West Texas A&M University. Fry, a 2004 graduate of MCC's Equine Technology program, helped care for and manage the horses at MCC and launched the program's website. Although this was a difficult decision for Fry who is passionate about her work, she hopes to return to MCC someday with more education and experience to give back to the program.

1. Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2008
MCC Equine Alumna Moves to New Pastures
WILLIAMSTON, NC – After 2 ½ years as Martin
Community College’s horse barn manager, Jessica
Fry is handing over her position’s reins this month
to relocate to Canyon, Texas and pursue a
bachelor’s degree in Equine Industry and Business
at West Texas A&M University. Fry, a 2004
graduate of MCC’s Equine Technology program, felt
she could best encourage the students she coached
to further their post‐secondary education by doing
so herself. Passionate about her work at MCC
within the College’s Equine program, she made this
difficult resolution long before the stroke of
midnight on New Year’s Eve.
“This decision was not easy,” said Fry. “I
considered my options very carefully and decided
late last fall to go back to college full time to
continue my education.”
From a childhood in Charlotte, NC to teenage years in the Midwest, Ms. Fry has always loved and
worked with horses. Though she had plans to study fine art after high school, one college visit
experience helped Fry realize she would feel more at home around horses than clay or paints. As she
described it, there’s something special about horses and the people that work with them.
“Words cannot express the joyous experience I’ve had as part of the MCC Equine program,” said Fry. “I
have learned so much from everyone and that experience is invaluable.”
Martin Community College
1161 Kehukee Park Road
Williamston, NC 27892‐8307
Phone 252‐792‐1521
Fax 252‐792‐0826
www.martincc.edu

2. Coming to MCC in 2002 as a student was the right choice for Fry – returning in 2005 to work as the
program’s barn manager proved to be yet another fateful decision as well. As barn manager, Fry helps
the Equine staff and students take complete care of the horses –from cleaning the stalls and stacking
the hay to managing the program’s tack room and boarding stables. In addition to performing those
duties, Fry also assists instructors in a number of the curriculum courses. In February 2007, the MCC
Equine Technology program launched its first‐ever website, designed and created by Fry.
“This job has opened up so many opportunities for me,” said Fry. “I’ve learned to manage and lead, and
I have tried to make this a better place to be.”
Tammie Thurston, MCC Equine Technology program director, and Kimberly Kane, Equine instructor,
have watched Fry grow and develop as barn manager over the past couple of years and know the equine
program’s current level of success is due, in part, to her passion and committed involvement.
“She’s irreplaceable and will be missed tremendously,” said Thurston.
West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) is located 15 miles south of Amarillo, Texas, headquarters of the
American Quarter Horse Association. Fry has spent much of December preparing for the move and
hopes to stay on through the first weeks of this semester to continue to train an interim barn manager
and assist program instructors with the start of their classes. Then, Fry will look to towards the start of
her own.

3. WTAMU’s Equine Industry and Business concentration is a curriculum option within the University’s
Agribusiness degree program and is designed to provide students with a balance of business and
scientific course matter that is integrated with the technical and practical skills pertaining to horse and
related industries. Graduates of the program will be prepared for employment in equine management
and production operations, teaching and extension agencies, and industry supply companies to name a
few.
However, Fry has already determined where her educational pursuits will hopefully lead – back to MCC.
“I will continue to support them [the Equine program and College] through the coming months as well
as throughout my career,” said Fry. “I also hope to one day come back to this program with a higher
level of knowledge and experience to offer both the College and the students so I can give back some of
what this school has given to me.”
# # #
CONTACT: Lucretia King, MCC Marketing/Public Relations Director, at 252‐792‐1521 Ext 252 or
lking@martincc.edu.