MEDIA CONTACT:
Susan Pollard
Asst. Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications
(804) 819-4949
spollard@vccs.edu
5.20.25
RICHMOND, VA –-(May 20, 2025) Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), announced today that he has appointed Dr. Laura Treanor to become the fifth president of Virginia Western Community College (VWCC). Dr. Treanor’s selection concludes a search that attracted 61 candidates nationwide. Her service as president at Virginia Western will begin July 1.
“Succeeding Dr. Robert Sandel, who has led Virginia Western for more than two decades of transformative service, Dr. Treanor will have a hard act to follow,” said Dr. Doré, “but I am confident that she will build on VWCC’S outstanding history of serving its communities and its diverse student populations and I’m excited she has accepted the post. Our months-long search attracted exceptional candidates and we are grateful to all of the talented educators who expressed interest in the Virginia Western presidency.”
Dr. Laura Treanor
Dr. Treanor currently serves as Provost, Senior Vice President for Instructional Services, and Dean of Faculty at Vincennes University Vincennes, Indiana, a post she has held since 2018. Previously, at Baker College in Flint, MI, Dr. Treanor served in the roles of System Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Vice President for Academics, Vice President and for Academics/Chief Academic Officer, and Dean of General Education.She has faculty experience as Associate Professor at Roanoke College, Assistant Professor at West Virginia University and Associate Professor at Barton College. Dr. Treanor earned her bachelor’s degree at Virginia Tech, a master’s degree at The Ohio State University, and a Doctor of Education Degree at Virginia Tech.
“We are very excited to welcome Dr. Laura Treanor to the Virginia Western and Roanoke Valley communities,” said VWCC local advisory board Chair Todd Putney. “Dr. Treanor is an experienced educational leader well-equipped to take the college to new heights in regional workforce development through academic, training and credentialing excellence.” “As someone with deep ties to both Virginia and the Roanoke Valley region, I am thrilled to return home and contribute to the future of our great community,” said Dr. Treanor. “This is a time of incredible opportunity for Virginia Western Community College with so many good things going on in the region. I look forward to working with our dedicated faculty, staff, Local Advisory and Educational Foundation boards as well as our outstanding community partners to honor Dr. Sandel’s proud legacy while also leading the College boldly into the future.”
About Virginia Western Community College:
Virginia Western Community College is a two-year public institution of higher education operating under the Virginia Community College System, a statewide system of community colleges. Virginia Western is located on a 70-acre campus in southwest Roanoke, VA. The service region of the College includes Roanoke, Salem, Roanoke County, Craig County, northern Franklin County, and southern Botetourt County. The College was established in 1966 and has grown from an initial enrollment of 1,352 to its current annual enrollment of over 8,500 students in credit courses and more than 1,200 enrollments in fast-track workforce and continuing education courses. To learn more, visit www.virginiawestern.edu.
About Virginia’s Community Colleges:
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills, so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. In academic year 2024, Virginia’s Community Colleges served more than 232,000 students across 23 schools throughout Virginia. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu. For more information on FastForward, please visit fastforwardva.org
