During this time of beautiful Autumnal transformation in Southside Virginia, I am reminded of the amazing metamorphosis we are experiencing as a city and region. I am grateful to be a part of the incredible growth and change happening in our area every day!
On October 4th, I kicked off the month by attending a Danville City Council meeting to present the many projects, initiatives, and new programs that Danville Community College has in progress. It was wonderful to speak to our municipal leadership and to make them aware of the way DCC is helping to support industrial growth and economic development in Danville and the surrounding counties.
Our partners in the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), hosted Governor Youngkin at the ATDM Summit on October 6. DCC is proud to partner with the IALR to train America’s workforce and we congratulate them on the successful opening of the new Center for Manufacturing Advancement. It was a remarkable experience to be a part of the summit and to meet many of the men and women who work diligently to keep our country safe through the defense manufacturing industry.
October 7th was a jam-packed day full of firsts for our college. I began the day at the Danville Community College Educational Foundation Golf Tournament fundraiser at the Danville Golf Club. It was a pleasure to meet those competing in the tournament and thank them for their support of our college.
I made my way back to DCC to the brand new, NSA-accredited Cyber Center for the first ever ‘CyberKnights Showdown’ cybersecurity competition. I had the privilege of kicking off the event by speaking to the 20 competitors from all four Pittsylvania County high schools. The excitement in the room was palpable when the 3-hour competition began. Watching our young county students compete in such a technical field was awe-inspiring.
After the competition concluded and winners were named, I was pleased to invite Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security for the Commonwealth of Virginia Aliscia Andrews to our campus for a ribbon cutting of our new Cyber Center. It was wonderful to meet with Ms. Andrews and hear all of the things that she is doing in Richmond to keep our state’s digital assets secure and protected.
Of course, I couldn’t stay away from the local car shows on October 8th. I attended the Holy Grounds Coffee ‘Cars & Coffee’ show and the Danville Police Department Car Show on the same day! I had the distinct pleasure of meeting members of the Time Machine Car Club who were kind and welcoming to me, my wife Allyson, and my in-laws who were in town for a visit.
On October 11, I attended the Pittsylvania County School Board meeting to discuss how Danville Community College is working to with PSC leadership to expand programs in Pittsylvania County. Our goal is to provide more program certifications in the county that will not require students to come to Danville to complete courses.
The Chatham Star Tribune recently hosted a ‘Design an Ad’ contest for Pittsylvania County 4th graders. The students chose a local business, school, or agency to be the subject of their ad. Kentuck Elementary School student Alexander Ross, age 9, took inspiration from his mother, a DCC student, to create an incredible ad for our college. I was so impressed by his artistic abilities and his choice of DCC as the subject of his ad that I paid Alex and his classmates a visit on October 12. I presented the entire class with some fun DCC goodies, and gave Alex a special gift for his excellent work.
As you may have seen in recent news, our partnership with the Danville Area Training Center has been solidified and we have successfully instituted Emergency Medical Technician Training in the City of Danville. The training, which is being offered outside of normal business hours for added flexibility for working students, meets twice weekly for 6 months. Students who are Virginia residents can take advantage of the ‘FastForward’ program for this training, drastically reducing tuition costs.
DCC’s Upsilon Phi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society had a jam-packed weekend beginning on Friday night, October 14. New PTK members gathered in Oliver Hall on the DCC campus to be officially inducted into Upsilon Phi. Their induction illustrates their dedication to academic excellence and service to our campus.
On Saturday, October 15, these same honor society members gathered on the DCC campus to perform a community service project where they walked the campus to pick up trash, and ensure our roads are clean and neat. We are so grateful for their willingness to go above and beyond during their time at DCC.
The President’s Cabinet took a field trip on Friday, October 21 to the Danville Mass Transit Center to check out the newly-wrapped DCC city bus! In honor of spring enrollment opening on November 1, we launched our ‘Where’s the Bus?’ contest where community members can submit photos they take of the bus as it travels around town to win a prize. More information about this contest can be found on the DCC Facebook page.
Dr. Betty Adams and the warm, welcoming staff at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) in South Boston hosted a wonderful welcome reception for me at their facility on October 25. It was a pleasure to meet the movers and shakers of Halifax County and to have a chance to greet biology and EMT students who are taking classes at the SVHEC. Thank you for making me feel so welcome in South Boston!
If you know anything about me, you know I love Halloween! On October 31, staff and faculty gathered in the parking lot with tons of treats and decorated car trunks to welcome 45 children from the childcare center on our campus to a ‘Trunk or Treat’. It was a joy to see all of the young children in their costumes.
At lunch, we hosted a student, faculty, and staff pizza party and Halloween Costume Contest! It was entertaining to see our staff and students dressed up in a wide array of outfits, competing for the win.
November is shaping up to be a great month at DCC. Enrollment for spring classes opened on November 1 and our Admissions team is ready and waiting to assist anyone interested in becoming a student.
Our annual ‘Idea Fair’ is coming up on November 15 where local high school students will present their entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of judges for a chance to win monetary prizes. I am excited to see what innovative ideas our competitors come up with!
As we move toward Thanksgiving and into the holidays, I hope you have a moment to pause and celebrate with love and gratitude in your hearts and minds. As always, if you see me at Links Café, the Community Market, or anywhere in between, don’t hesitate to say hello!
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