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

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • Nonprofit Launches Center to Boost Data-Driven Student Success Strategies

    National nonprofit Complete College America (CCA) recently launched the Center for Leadership, Institutional Metrics, and Best Practices (CLIMB), according to a news release. CLIMB’s ultimate purpose is to help higher-education institutions use data-driven strategies to improve student outcomes by providing tools, frameworks, and support.

  • California High School Debuts $35M Performing Arts Center

    Irvine High School in Irvine, Calif., recently opened its new Performing Arts Center built in partnership with C.W. Driver Companies, according to a news release. The facility cost $35 million and covers about 25,000 square feet.

  • Addressing the Housing Affordability Crisis Through Creative Campus Development

    Many Southern California college and university campuses are living amidst surging housing costs, driving the need to house more of their populations on campus. Especially for community colleges, the need to support millions of unhoused and housing insecure students has become a prominent issue that lawmakers and institutions alike are trying to solve.

Digital Edition