Sam Shumate joins Central Carolina Community College Board of Trustees

The North Carolina Senate appointed Sam Shumate of Lee County to Central Carolina Community College’s Board of Trustees.

According to Electus Governmental Affairs, Sam Shumate, a Fayetteville native, developed an interest in politics as a high school student, serving as a North Carolina General Assembly House Page and a N.C. Governors’ Page and working on local campaigns in Cumberland County.

After moving to Washington, D.C., in 2014 to attend American University, Shumate interned with U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Lamar Alexander, the Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity and the House Education and Workforce Committee. In 2018, he joined U.S. Rep. Ted Budd’s office as a legislative correspondent and later became a legislative aide, focusing on agriculture, rural development, military, education, energy and environmental issues.

Shumate returned to North Carolina in 2020 as Budd’s first field representative, working with elected officials, business leaders, chambers of commerce, higher education institutions and residents across the Piedmont. After Budd was elected to the U.S. Senate, Shumate became his southeastern regional director in 2023 and moved to his family’s farm in Lee County. He represented the senator across 21 counties and served as a primary liaison with military installations, including Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, MCAS Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune.

Shumate earned a bachelor’s degree in communications, law, economics and government from American University in 2018. Outside of work, he enjoys farming, hunting, fishing and spending time with family.

He attended his first board meeting as a trustee on Aug. 5. 

Trustees James C. Kelly Jr., Brooks Mathews, and Norman “Chip” Post Jr. were also reappointed this year, and Board Chairman Julian Philpott and Vice Chairman James Crawford were reelected by their fellow board members to their leadership roles. CCCC is grateful for the service of Jim Womack, who recently completed his term. 

CCCC’s Board of Trustees is charged by the General Assembly of North Carolina with the responsibility of governing the college. There are 16 trustees in total. All are community members from CCCC’s service area of Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties.

Aug. 17, 2026

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