President Emeritus of the Halifax Community College (HCC), Weldon, NC, Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr. was the first African American to serve as President. His career in higher education spans over 40 years and includes roles as Director of Financial Aid, Director of Counseling, Vice President of Student Affairs, Provost/Chief Operating Officer Director, and the first President of West Virginia State and Community and Technical College (now Bridge Valley Community and Technical College.) In several of those roles, President Griffin was the first African American to serve each institution.

Griffin earned his B.S. degree in teacher education from Bluefield State College; M.S. Degree in College Student Personnel Services from Western Illinois University; Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Higher Education Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and the Doctorate of Education in Community College Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

During his tenure, Halifax Community College (HCC) won the Southern Region Equity Award and the Trustee of the Year Award (Dr. Stanley Edwards) awarded the Association of Community College Trustees in Washington, DC. HCC was also recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges for excellence in Campus Leadership Safety and Planning and in 2016 for excellence in Advancing Diversity Award. The American Association of Community Colleges has over 1,200 member community colleges.

Griffin was also very effective in resource development. HCC won over 15 million dollars in federal, state, local and foundation grants to promote student success and facility upgrades during his tenure at HCC. For his outstanding service to HCC, the Board of Trustees renamed a campus building the Dr. Ervin V. Griffin Centre to honor his legacy at the institution. President Emeritus Griffin holds and has held membership in numerous local, state and national organizations.

Dr. Griffin attributes his success to his faith, his parents, and his community. Even though his father (a coal miner) never graduated high school and his mother was a high school graduate, they both had a deep respect for the power of learning and education. His late father would simply say to him, “if you get it up there in your head boy, no one can take it away from you”.