PCC is proud of its alumni, many of whom live and work in eastern North Carolina and use their skills and talents to make their workplaces and communities better. One of those Bulldogs is 2019 Associate in Arts graduate Alyssa Grace Hoggard. Let’s catch up with Alyssa in this month’s “Alumni Spotlight.”
Name:
Alyssa Grace Hoggard
Hometown/Residence:
Columbia, N.C./Windsor, N.C.
PCC Program (Year Graduated):
Associate in Arts (2019)
Occupation:
Owns and operates Grace at Home Treasures (GAHT), a boutique in Merry Hill, N.C., full-time with her husband, Jesse. The business carries a wide variety of items, including clothes and accessories for men, women and children, and assorted foods (jams, jellies, pickled products, country ham, popcorn, snack foods, etc).
“We are a one stop shop,” Hoggard says. “… We have a storefront, online store, and now an app for GAHT.”
How did your PCC education play a role in starting your business?
I opened (GAHT) as an Etsy store while attending PCC in 2017…. I went to a small private school from pre-K to 12th grade, so going to Pitt Community College was the perfect fit for me. I graduated from Pitt in 2019 and pursued my career as an entrepreneur from then to now.
How beneficial was having a booth in the Down East Holiday Show for your business?
This year was our first time attending the Down East Holiday Show as vendors and [we] loved the experience.
The other vendors and all of the staff were super welcoming and sweet. We also got to meet lots of new faces and hopefully made new customer relationships.
This event challenged us as business owners to figure out how to display lots of product in a unique way.
We have already put our deposit in for the 2023 Down East Holiday Show and cannot wait to be back next year!
What would you tell someone who is considering going to school at PCC?
Overall, my experience at Pitt Community College was amazing. I loved the smaller campus, choice of classes, professors, and the friends I made while attending. I think more high schools should encourage attending a community college to get college experience on a smaller scale before jumping into a university.