Three months are behind me as president of Danville Community College (DCC) and I am still discovering new places to visit, new people to meet, and new partnerships to form across the region we serve.
We kicked off the month by hosting an incredible ‘Retiree Breakfast’ on September 7 in the Student Center on the DCC Campus. We had more than 40 DCC retirees attend the event and each one had the opportunity to introduce themselves as we passed around the microphone during the meal. We wrapped up with an informative presentation and a few door prizes. It is always a pleasure hearing from those who have poured their hearts and lives into this institution.
On September 12, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers Jay Timmons visited Danville and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. As part of this visit, Mr. Timmons addressed more than 100 individuals from many industries to discuss Advanced Manufacturing in Virginia. Hearing Jay discuss the bright future of manufacturing in Danville and the region as a whole was exciting and inspiring.
That same afternoon, I had the opportunity to attend the ribbon cutting for AeroFarms, the world’s largest indoor vertical farm, located right here in Southside Virginia. The facility is impressive to say the least and the 158 jobs that AeroFarms has created will impact our region and growth for years to come. I am humbled to have been a part of such a momentous occasion.
Rotary is an organization that has always been near and dear to my heart. On September 13, I had the privilege of being inducted into the Riverview Morning Rotary Club. I am eager to get to know my fellow Rotarians and to begin work on projects in the community. After my induction, I presented information to the noon rotary about the many wonderful things that the DCC faculty and staff are doing for our students and our service area.
I had the distinct pleasure of attending the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Ceremony of September 14. It was fabulous to see local educators and business people being awarded for their incredible work in our region. Being present for this impressive event convinced me even further that Southside Virginia is equipped with intelligent, compassionate, talented people who will continue to move us collectively forward toward excellence.
On September 17, I attended my first (but not my last!) Averett University (AU) football game. I had an excellent time exploring the facilities and reflecting on the robust partnership DCC has with AU. Most recently, I met with Dr. Tiffany Franks, president of AU, to discuss how we can better serve our students and the community through our collaboration.
I also had the unique opportunity to visit Danville’s Historic North Theatre and meet Owner Wayne Alan who shared with me the many amazing things happening on the local arts scene. It was incredible to not only see the historic theatre, but to also know that it has life left to serve our community as an arts hub for years to come.
Coming up in October, DCC will be partnering with the Danville Area Training Center to offer evening Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) courses to the community. By providing this opportunity for credential attainment in the evening, we are removing barriers for individuals who would like to access this training but who are unable to attend traditional class times. Be on the lookout for more details as this partnership continues to develop!
Speaking of partnerships, I am also in the exploratory stage of expanding program and training offerings at the Pittsylvania Career & Technical Center (PCTC) in Chatham. I’ve met with PCTC leadership to discover what we’re already accomplishing and to learn how we can further support the goals of their organization. It has been enlightening to learn about all of the work that is being done to prepare Pittsylvania County students for the workforce.
On October 7, DCC will be hosting our first-ever cybersecurity competition, the ‘CyberKnight Showdown’. Named in honor of our information systems technology club, the ‘CyberKnight Showdown’ will host students from across the region who will compete in a cybersecurity capture-the-flag environment. After the competition concludes, we will name first, second, and third place winning teams and present them with a medal and a laptop, courtesy of the Danville Community College Educational Foundation. After the winners presentation, we will be hosting a ribbon cutting for our new, cutting-edge cybersecurity lab. Construction of the lab, completed in late August of this year, added a server room that allows students to have hands-on experience working in a data center environment.
Danville is feeling a lot like home to us these days and I have the wonderful people who live, work, and play in this region to thank. I am looking forward to the upcoming Danville Police Department Car Show on October 8 and the Downtown South Boston Cruz-in on October 22 where I can meet many more citizens of this wonderful region. If you see me, be sure to say hello!
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