N.C. Community College Installs New Security Screening Solution

Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, N.C., recently announced a partnership with security technology company Evolv Technology to install a new weapons detection system on campus, according to a news release. The college’s performing arts venue, Wilson Center, now makes use of the Evolv Express system at its main entrance to screen guests entering the building. The college adopted the weapons detection system in 2019 and upgraded to the Express model in 2023, the news release reports.

The Evolv Express uses a combination of sensor technology and AI to differentiate between potential threats and everyday metal objects. Guests can pass through without needing to stop for an individual check unless required. The Wilson Center previously used manual bag searches and individual screenings for each guest.

“Our security screening process prior to implementing Evolv was cumbersome and unsustainable,” said the Wilson Center’s senior managing director, Tammy Daniels. “When I saw how quickly the system up leveled the safety of our venue and guests, I was so happy I was brought to tears.”

The theater seats about 1,600 and hosts plays, concerts, popular musical acts, and more. Other North- and South-Carolina schools, as well as other Charlotte sports venues, are among Evolv’s more than 700 customers, the news release reports.

“Cape Fear Community College exemplifies the breadth of venues that Evolv helps keep safer,” said Evolv Technology chief commercial officer Jay Muelhoefer. “Evolv is used in schools and performing arts spaces of all sizes around the country, and Cape Fear Community College joins a long—and growing—list of partnerships we have with customers in the Carolinas. We’re immensely proud to help protect the Wilson Center and further establish Evolv’s presence in the Southeast.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.