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(RICHMOND) – Earning a short-term workforce credential offers an immediate boost to an individual’s salary, and that benefit can continue for at least a decade. That is the take-away from a recently released Old Dominion Research Report that examined before-and-after wages for nearly 15,000 individuals who earned those credentials in Virginia and Louisiana, and the long-term wage gains of similar students in Colorado. The report also found that some of the strongest wage gains occur in the lowest-income zip codes.
“This research report from Old Dominion University uses actual data from short-term credentialing programs to confirm that investing in these programs yields great dividends not just for individuals but for our economy. Federal higher education policies must respond to the need for skills training that creates pathways to the middle class for American workers. My bipartisan bill with Senator Portman, the JOBS Act, recognizes this need and would expand federal financial aid to quality short-term credentials, not just traditional degrees. It’s time that we modernize our higher education system and better meet the needs of today’s students,” U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said.
The report found that credential completers at community colleges in Virginia and Louisiana experienced immediate annual wage gains of 19-24%, with post-credential wages that “far exceed” those with only a high school diploma in nearly every industry, according to Dr. Chris R. Glass, the report’s author. Virginia data also indicated that those salary gains were even stronger, at 28%, in communities that ranked among the commonwealth’s poorest.
“We’ve long known this through anecdote. These credentials offer people an important chance at the American Dream and a pathway into the middle class,” said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, which offers short-term credentials through its FastForward training program. “This research report offers important hard data that can guide vital policy conversations in Congress and statehouses across the nation.”
Researchers further found that those salary increases have staying power. Colorado students experienced not only that immediate salary bump but were still seeing it five years later (29% higher earnings) and a decade (44% higher earnings) after completing their short-term certification program.
The research report entitled, “Strong Wage Gains from Short-Term Credentials: Employment Outcomes from Virginia, Louisiana, and Colorado” was conducted by Dr. Chris R. Glass, associate professor in the Department of Educational Foundations & Leadership and published in December 2019.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 280,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
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[post_title] => Postsecondary Short-Term Credentials Lead to Short- and Long-Term Salary Gains, Says ODU Research Report
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[post_date] => 2020-01-16 09:58:31
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[post_content] => (RICHMOND) – The Virginia State Board for Community Colleges unanimously approved a resolution today endorsing Governor Ralph Northam’s “Get A Skill, Get a Job, Give Back” (G3) Initiative and calling on the General Assembly to adopt it.
The Governor’s G3 proposal is a carefully designed financial aid plan to make select community college programs in high-demand and high-value career fields (technology, healthcare, skilled trades, early childhood education, and public safety) more affordable to low- and middle-income Virginians.
“The G3 Initiative is an important step toward bringing more equity to higher education in Virginia,” said Dr. Susan Gooden, chair of the State Board. “Our Board works hard to keep community college tuition and fees affordable for Virginia families. However, we know that price and the cost of books represents only a fraction of the expense of going to college. Given the realities of today’s opportunities, when higher education is out of reach for a family, so too is the American Dream.”
Leading national experts say tuition, fees, and books typically account for only 20 percent of the cost to attend college. Further, two out of five Virginia households are within the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) population, who work hard and earn more than the official federal poverty level, but less than the basic cost of living.
“I applaud G3’s focus on career fields where businesses are having a hard time finding trained and skilled people to hire,” said Ed Dalrymple, vice chair of the State Board. “As a businessman, I’ve experienced that challenge and it’s frustrating. It means that good-paying jobs are sitting empty, and it means that businesses are being held back and not as competitive as they could be.”
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce says that talent development is the top concern of businesses across the commonwealth, and addressing that concern is the number one action item in the Chamber’s Blueprint Virginia 2025 plan.
Those career fields G3 focuses on: technology, healthcare, skilled trades, early childhood education, and public safety typically lead to wage gains of 60% for enrolled students, and double what they pay in state income taxes. If enacted, G3 eligible programs would begin in the fall 2020 semester.
Nationally, at least twenty-three states, including Maryland, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky – and six of the nation’s ten states ranked highest for their economy and workforce – offer their residents opportunities to pursue community college programs at greatly reduced, and in some cases no, tuition costs.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 280,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
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[post_title] => State Board for Community College offers Unanimous Support for G3 Initiative
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[post_date] => 2019-11-27 11:06:06
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[post_content] => RICHMOND – Dr. Glenn DuBois, the chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, announced today that he is appointing an interim president to lead Thomas Nelson Community College following the retirement of its current president at the beginning of January.
[caption id="attachment_29808" align="alignright" width="193"]
Dr. Gregory T. DeCinque[/caption]
Dr. Gregory T. DeCinque (pronounced dee-SINK’-yew) starts work at the beginning of 2020. Dr. John Dever is retiring after serving as the college’s president since 2011.
DeCinque has presided over four different community colleges throughout his 46-year career in higher education. He spent nearly 20 years as the president of Jamestown Community College in New York before retiring in August 2013. He was the acting president of Tunxis Community-Technical College, in Farmington, CT, for more than a year beginning in August 1992. In addition, he served for nearly two years as the interim president of Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY through the summer of 2015. DeCinque has also served as the interim president of Tidewater Community College, which he began in June, 2018 and will conclude next month.
“Greg DeCinque is a respected and seasoned community college leader,” said DuBois. “I expect him to continue many of the vital, structural reforms underway to ensure Thomas Nelson is prepared to serve students across the Virginia Peninsula and be the workforce training partner that the region’s businesses need to succeed moving forward. The relationships Greg has made throughout Hampton Roads, while working across the water, will serve both Thomas Nelson's larger efforts underway to align the region’s economic development and training needs.”
DeCinque holds a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin; a master’s degree from New York University; and a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State College.
“I’m extremely honored that Dr. DuBois has offered me an opportunity to continue working with Virginia’s Community Colleges and specifically Thomas Nelson Community College,” said DeCinque. “Hampton Roads is a region on the rise and its community colleges play a big role in that. My wife, Laura, and I look forward to getting to better know the members of the Thomas Nelson community and to work with stakeholders inside and outside the college to ensure the institution is meeting the needs of the individuals, families, and businesses that are depending on it.”
The search for a permanent president for TNCC will begin shortly after the new year and is expected to take seven to nine months.
Founded in 1968, TNCC is an accredited, two-year institution of higher education established as a part of a statewide system of community colleges. The college primarily serves the residents of the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg, and the counties of James City and York. In the 2018-2019 academic year, TNCC served 11,588 students in credit instruction, making it the fifth largest college within the Virginia Community College System in terms of headcount.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 271,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
###
[post_title] => Chancellor Appoints Interim President for Thomas Nelson Community College
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[post_content] => (Richmond) – Glenn Dubois, the chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges made the following statement today on the passing of Gerald Baliles, former Governor of Virginia and former chair of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education:
“All of Virginia higher education, and our community colleges in particular, have lost a great leader, advocate and supporter today with the passing of Gerald Baliles. For those of us fortunate enough to know him personally, we’ve lost a good friend.
“As Governor, Baliles invested significantly in education, including increased funding for Virginia’s Community Colleges. During his first year in office, he provided millions of dollars in additional community colleges funding to decrease tuition for the first time in VCCS history.
“During my time as chancellor, I got to work with Governor Baliles on a shared passion: increasing college attainment rates in rural Virginia. His work with our statewide foundation, of which he also served as chair, was integral to the beginning of our Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative and our continued efforts to ensure that opportunity is truly available across the commonwealth.
“While the entire commonwealth mourns his passing, Virginia’s Community Colleges will honor Gerald Baliles’ contributions and spirit by rededicating ourselves to our mission to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened.”
[post_title] => Statement of Glenn DuBois, Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges On the Passing of Gerald Baliles
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[post_date] => 2019-10-15 12:01:40
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[post_content] => October 15, 2019
RICHMOND – Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, announced today that Dr. Marcia Conston, currently of Charlotte, North Carolina, will become the next president of Tidewater Community College (TCC). She will assume the role at the beginning of 2020.
“Marcia Conston is an impressive higher education leader who has delivered results in many of the categories TCC is focused on improving, including enrollment management, student retention, and marketing,” said DuBois. “I believe she will be a good fit for the college and the Hampton Roads community and I look forward to seeing what TCC can accomplish under her leadership.”
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Marcia Conston as the sixth President of Tidewater Community College,” said Terri Thompson, Chairwoman of the TCC Board. “Dr. Conston’s vast experience in student success and cultivating community partnerships will prove invaluable addressing the educational and economic challenges facing our region. We look forward to a seamless transition and I am proud to be a part of this historic selection.”
Conston has worked in higher education for more than 30 years. She began her career as the director of Institutional Research at Jackson State University, in Mississippi in 1987.
She went to Benedict College, in Columbia, South Carolina in 1994 to become the vice president for Institutional Effectiveness. In 2001, she became the vice president for Enrollment and Student Success Services at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina – the position she held for nearly 20 years.
Conston has also taught throughout her career, serving as a part-time associate professor at Benedict College in 1995-1996, and as an adjunct instructor at Wingate University for two years beginning in 2012. As an evaluator for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Conston has evaluated 14 institutions for reaccreditation, including two Virginia community colleges.
She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi; a master’s degree from Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, North Carolina; and a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the next president of Tidewater Community College and look forward to using my experiences to help students achieve their full potential,” said Dr. Conston. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the esteemed TCC faculty and staff, as well as, engage with educational, business and industry partners. I am thankful to the Board for this opportunity.”
Conston’s selection ends a national search that attracted 80 applicants. She will become the college’s sixth permanent president, and will succeed Dr. Gregory T. DeCinque, who has served as the college’s interim president since July, 2018.
As a part of Virginia’s Community College System, TCC serves the 1.1 million residents of the South Hampton Roads area with four fully comprehensive campuses and five regional centers. As the second largest community college in Virginia, TCC enrolls more than 32,000 students. Founded in 1968, the college is the largest provider of higher education and workforce development training and services in the region.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 270,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
###
[post_title] => Dr. Marcia Conston Hired to be President of Tidewater Community College
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[post_date] => 2019-10-09 12:01:36
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[post_content] => October 9, 2019
RICHMOND – Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, announced today that Dr. Anne M. Kress, currently of Rochester, New York, will become the next president of Northern Virginia Community College. She will assume the role at the beginning of 2020.
“From the earliest stages of this process, the NOVA college community placed a premium on successful leadership experience and Anne Kress offers that and more,” said DuBois. “Throughout her 30-year career, she has seen the way a community college works at practically every level and her external experience, through various national organizations, demonstrates that she is prepared to lead an institution as large, diverse, and dynamic as NOVA.”
[caption id="attachment_29466" align="alignright" width="235"]
Dr. Anne M. Kress[/caption]
“Dr. Kress’s proven leadership and commitment to student success align perfectly with NOVA’s strategic priorities,” said Rick Pearson, chair of the Northern Virginia Community College Local Board. “Her dedication and experience cultivating community partnerships will prove invaluable at addressing the workforce challenges facing our region. This makes her the perfect fit for NOVA. We’re grateful for the selection process that attracted so many talented community college leaders, for its transparency, and the opportunities it gave our faculty, staff, students, and community members to participate.”
Kress is currently the president of Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, and has 30 years of community college experience.
Her career began in 1989 at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida as an adjunct instructor of English. She rose through the ranks at that institution becoming an associate professor in 1994; a department chair in 1998; the Title III project director in 2000; an associate vice president in 2002; and provost and vice president for Academic Affairs in 2005.
She became the president of Monroe Community College in 2009. Kress is serving her second term on the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges and as a member of the Presidents’ Trust of the Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Kress earned two bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree, and a doctorate from the University of Florida.
“I am honored, humbled, and excited to have been selected as NOVA’s next president. NOVA has always been bold and innovative: a national leader that consistently sets the bar for excellence and then surpasses it,” said Kress. “During my visit, it was immediately clear that NOVA’s talented faculty and staff are the heart that gives life to the college’s mission. Every day, thanks to their work, amazing and inspiring students find their own pathway to the American Dream in a region that values both their success and the outstanding institution that makes this opportunity a reality. I am truly grateful for the chance to be part of such a dynamic and diverse academic community, and look forward to working with all of NOVA, the Board, partners in Northern Virginia, and the VCCS in service of this important and vital mission.”
Kress’s selection ends a national search that attracted 80 applicants. She will become the college’s sixth permanent president, succeeding Dr. Melvyn D. Schiavelli, who has served as the college’s interim president since spring.
Established in 1964, Northern Virginia Community College is the largest public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of America's largest community colleges. NOVA enrolls more than 75,000 students at its six campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield and Woodbridge, and through the Extended Learning Institute.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 270,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
###
[post_title] => Dr. Anne M. Kress Hired to Become President of Northern Virginia Community College
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[post_content] => October 8, 2019
RICHMOND – Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges, announced today that Dr. Adam C. Hutchison, currently of Elm Mott, Texas, will become the next president of Virginia Highlands Community College. He will assume the role at the beginning of 2020.
[caption id="attachment_29446" align="alignleft" width="209"]
Dr. Adam C. Hutchison[/caption]
“Adam Hutchison is an impressive and seasoned higher education leader,” said DuBois. “He has a remarkable record of establishing and sustaining successful workforce development programs – the kind of programs that are a growing demand in the college’s service region, and across Virginia. This is an exciting time for Virginia Highlands. Given the college’s impressive faculty and staff, I look forward to seeing what the college achieves under Adam’s leadership.”
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Adam Hutchison to both our college and our local community. Dr. Hutchison’s energy and enthusiasm for higher education will bolster our learning environment and engage our students, faculty, staff, and supporters” said Catherine Brillhart, chair of the Virginia Highlands Community College Local Board. “His experience in workforce and economic development builds upon VHCC’s commitment to student success and community partnerships. We appreciate the work of the Presidential Search Committee in this thorough and extensive search process, and the opportunity for participation by our College Board, students, faculty, staff, Foundation Board, and community.”
Hutchison has nearly 20 years of higher education experience. He spent most of his early career at Texas State Technical College (TSTC) in Harlingen, Texas, where he served as an Aviation Maintenance Technology senior instructor and department chair (2000); associate vice president of its Corporate College (2006); the college’s chief of staff (2009); and its provost and vice president for Student Learning (2011).
Hutchison moved to the TSTC in Waco, Texas in 2014 where he worked as the college’s provost and vice president for Student Learning for eight months before transferring to the TSTC System Office to become the associate vice chancellor for Student Learning. In 2016, he returned to TSTC Waco to be the college’s provost.
Hutchison holds an associate and bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina; a master’s degree from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia; and a doctorate from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
"I'm honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the students, faculty, and staff at Virginia Highlands Community College and to be a part of the VCCS,” said Hutchison. “For more than 50 years, Virginia Highlands has met the needs of the region with quality and comprehensive education programs, and through its partnerships with schools, universities, and businesses, VHCC offers a bright future for all area residents. We've been so impressed with the community's commitment to VHCC and the college's commitment to the local community; it's exactly the kind of place we want be. Southwest Virginia is rich in beauty, culture, and opportunity, and we are excited to make our home there."
Hutchison’s selection marks the end of national search that attracted nearly 70 applicants. He will become the college’s seventh permanent president, succeeding Dr. Charlie White, who has served as the college’s interim president for nearly a year.
Virginia Highlands Community College provides high-quality education and related services for residents throughout its Southwest Virginia region, which includes the city of Bristol, Virginia; Washington County and the western part of Smyth County. VHCC is committed to teaching, learning & community building, and serves more than 2500 students, offering more than 80 academic areas of study.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 280,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
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[post_content] => RICHMOND --Thirteen college students from military families across Virginia will receive full tuition and other assistance as Dominion Energy Fellows attending Virginia’s Community Colleges. These thirteen students are the first to benefit from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation’s grant to the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE).
The $300,000 two-year grant establishes the Dominion Energy Fellows Program to support military-connected students at Virginia’s Community Colleges who are within one year of completing their studies. Active-duty service members, veterans, as well as their spouses and dependents are eligible to receive this fellowship.
The inaugural class of Dominion Energy Fellows completes a group of 43 total Fellows offered through the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education. Out of more than 280,000 people who attend Virginia’s Community Colleges each year, only a handful of second-year students are selected for a Fellows program.
This Fellows program provides full tuition, book expenses, fees, and opportunities to participate in a unique curriculum of intellectual and cultural activities. A cornerstone of the program is a commitment to community engagement. Each Fellow will volunteer 80 hours of service during the academic year to strengthen their leadership skills and develop a strong foundation for future success.
The 2019-2020 Class of Dominion Energy Fellowship recipients are students throughout Virginia who have a wide variety of career goals and academic majors. They include:
- Corinna Carr of Newport News who attends John Tyler Community College. She is a military spouse pursuing a degree in Business with a long-term career goal to serve in hospital administration.
- Ryan Miller of Herndon attends Northern Virginia Community College and majors in Science. Miller is a U.S. Air Force veteran pursuing a career in electrical engineering.
- Katrina Duff of Bumpass attends Germanna Community College. She is a mother of four and the spouse of a disabled veteran. She is working on her Nursing degree and plans to transfer to complete her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
The Dominion Energy grant will also provide Military Student Success Funds to support military-connected students with expenses outside of tuition and standard fees, such as specific program costs, books, needed materials, and technology. These supplements can also help with food, housing, and other emergency situations that may keep a student from attending class. The Veterans Resource Centers will allocate the funding at seven of Virginia’s Community Colleges: Germanna in Fredericksburg; Reynolds and John Tyler in the Richmond area; Northern Virginia; Tidewater; Thomas Nelson on the Virginia Peninsula; and Virginia Western in Roanoke.
“Virginia’s Community Colleges have a strong support system in place for our military-connected students, from our Credits2Careers initiative which translates military service into college credits to our Veteran Education Resource Initiative for Transition, Advising, and Success program at seven community colleges. This grant is a powerful recognition of the growing needs of this important population to the future of Virginia,” said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges. “We appreciate the continued partnership of Dominion Energy in fueling student success across Virginia.”
The application for the 2020-2021 Dominion Energy Fellowship opens in March, 2020. For more information visit www.vfcce.org.
About the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE): The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) is the supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. The VFCCE works to broaden educational access, support student success, and provide innovative solutions to workforce needs. Our mission is “providing access to education to all Virginians,” with a focus on expanding access and programs for underserved populations. To ensure access to high quality, affordable education, the VFCCE provides statewide leadership in raising funds for community college education, supplementing and supporting the activities of the 23 individual colleges, and securing support for major system-wide initiatives that could not be undertaken by any single college. For more information, please visit www.vfcce.org.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 241,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
About the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation: Nearly 7.5 million customers in 18 states energize their homes and businesses with electricity or natural gas from Dominion Energy (NYSE: D). Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed nearly $35 million in 2018 to community causes. The Foundation supports nonprofit causes that meet basic human needs, protect the environment, promote education and encourage community vitality. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.
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[post_title] => Dominion Energy Announces Inaugural Class of Fellows at Virginia’s Community Colleges
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[post_date] => 2019-10-01 11:55:22
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RICHMOND -- Through the Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative (RVHI), the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education and Virginia’s Community Colleges will invest $1.5 million in the 2019-2020 academic year to increase high school graduation rates and the attainment of post-secondary credentials.
RVHI was established in 2013 under the leadership of former Virginia Governor Gerald Baliles, and serves a large portion of rural Virginia, stretching from the Eastern Shore across Southside to Southwest Virginia, up the Shenandoah Valley and back eastward toward the Northern Neck.
The region encompasses three-quarters of the commonwealth’s territory and is home to 2.1 million people. In Virginia’s Rural Horseshoe, more than half a million people have less than a high school education.
“We are grateful for the leadership of Governor Baliles for this remarkable program,” said Jennifer Gentry, Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement for Virginia’s Community Colleges and Executive Director of the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education. “His work to highlight the needs of rural Virginia has been transformative and produced lasting results for tens of thousands of students across the Rural Horseshoe. We are very proud to continue this initiative and to see it grow and thrive.”
Modeled after the successful Patrick County Educational Foundation program implemented by Governor Baliles in his native Patrick County, RVHI provides funding that is matched dollar-for-dollar by the local community college foundation along with an annual allocation from the General Assembly. That combined funding goes directly to cover the costs associated with career coaches, education incentives, and other efforts to increase the educational success of rural residents.
“Last year, 60% of coached high school seniors went on to college,” said Caroline Lane, Project Director of the Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative. “RVHI also has provided more than 600 adults with scholarships for training to get jobs. These numbers indicate a real impact in rural Virginia.”
“Because colleges can create their own strategies to raise educational attainment, an often overlooked benefit of this program is that the Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative is producing innovations and best practices that are spreading to other programs and being adopted throughout the state,” added Lane. “RVHI is truly a best practice incubator for student success.”
Virginia community colleges receiving and matching RVHI funding for the 2019-2020 academic year include Blue Ridge, Dabney S. Lancaster, Eastern Shore, Lord Fairfax, Mountain Empire, New River, Paul D. Camp, Patrick Henry, Rappahannock, Southside Virginia, and Southwest Virginia.
The Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative aims to cut in half the number of residents in the region who lack a high school diploma or GED, and to double the percentage of rural residents who earn an associate degree or other college certification in the Rural Horseshoe region. To date, the RVHI has provided more than $9 million in direct and matched funding toward achieving these goals.
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 280,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
About VFCCE: The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) is the supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. The VFCCE works to broaden educational access, support student success, and provide innovative solutions to workforce needs. Our mission is “providing access to education to all Virginians,” with a focus on expanding access and programs for underserved populations. To ensure access to high quality, affordable education, the VFCCE provides statewide leadership in raising funds for community college education, supplementing and supporting the activities of the 23 individual colleges, and securing support for major system-wide initiatives that could not be undertaken by any single college. For more information, please visit www.vfcce.org.
[post_title] => Baliles-inspired initiative at Virginia’s Community Colleges will invest $1.5 million to promote rural education this year
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[post_date] => 2019-09-30 13:51:47
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RICHMOND – The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) has been awarded a $350,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to make it easier for individuals who have earned postsecondary workforce credentials to translate them into credit in traditional degree programs. Making these pathways easier to understand, and use, will help adult learners, especially those from underserved populations, reach the next step in their career journey. Lumina’s All Learning Counts initiative will support VCCS to ensure that knowledge, skills, and abilities gained outside of formal higher education—through work, military, and other experiences—can be recognized and applied toward programs leading to credentials of value, and ultimately, better jobs and careers.
The VCCS received one of nine grants awarded nationwide from a pool of 78 applicants. Other recipients include: District 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund, Mi Casa Resource Center, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, Nicolet College, SUNY Empire State College, the University of Maine System and the University of Wisconsin System.
The grant will allow the VCCS to apply lessons learned from the current online credit for prior learning portal available for military members and veterans to expand this process and technology to individuals who hold or earn high-demand credentials. A major outcome is to ensure a consistent process for awarding credit for prior learning across all Virginia Community Colleges. The grant will also help colleges reach historically underserved adult learners who may be eligible for credit for prior learning.
“The VCCS proudly awards credit for prior learning for our men and women in the military but we know there are many others who carry great technical experience but don’t have the credentials to show for it. Thanks to Lumina, we are well on our way to expanding credit for prior learning to community college students across the state,” said Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges.
“Through All Learning Counts, we are recognizing exemplars who want to ensure many more Americans will have skills they need to thrive by earning college degrees, certificates, and industry certifications,” said Haley Glover, the Lumina strategy director who will provide leadership for the grant program. “We need to think in new ways about the recognition of learning after high school. We must see that all college-level learning, regardless of how and where it is gained, can be applied toward meaningful post-high school credentials.”
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. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 280,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
About Lumina Foundation: Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. The foundation envisions a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Lumina’s goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy.
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[post_title] => New Lumina Foundation Grant Positions Virginia’s Community Colleges to Help More People Leverage Earned Workforce Credentials for Credit in Academic Programs
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