December 2022 and January 2023 were busy and productive months for Danville Community College (DCC)! We are seeing so much excitement around the partnerships we have formed and we are anticipating nothing but growth and success for 2023.
I kicked off December with a visit to Virginia Western Community College. We toured their campus and learned about the many programs/trainings available at VWCC. It was great to meet their staff and faculty and learn more about what is being done in the Roanoke region.
December was a time for us to bring our focus inward and determine how DCC might impact the well-being and stability of the communities around us. On December 17th and 21st, DCC staff, faculty, and administrators participated in two major food giveaways on campus.
On the 17th, DCC partnered with Tyson Foods to give away 40,000 lbs of chicken to the community. It was incredible to see our team working together to impact our friends and neighbors. On the 21st, DCC partnered with Feeding Southwest Virginia to giveaway boxes of shelf-stable food to more than 400 families. While educating our community is our mission and goal, being able to help meet the basic needs of those around us is at the heart of what we do and puts the “community” in our community college name.
December was also a time for celebration as a college family. This was my first holiday season at DCC and it could not have been more exciting and fun. We gathered as a college and enjoyed an afternoon of food, holiday karaoke, games, door prizes, gifts, and fellowship. Two of our Executive Cabinet members led a ‘Holiday Door Decorating Challenge’ where each department worked together to create beautiful holiday displays on their office doors. The first place winners, our Business Office, received $500 to spend as a department on an outing or gathering.
After a restful winter break visiting family, we returned to DCC with a renewed sense of excitement for the future. To kick off the month, I attended the Boys and Girls Club ribbon cutting hosted by the Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce on January 4. Learning about the robust programming that this organization provides to children in our community was inspiring and DCC is eager to get involved and volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club this summer.
We held Spring Convocation on the DCC campus on January 5th where we had the pleasure of hearing from guest speaker Sarah Spota, the deputy secretary of education for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She spoke to our faculty and staff about the goals that the Commonwealth has for education across the state.
On January 10, I met with Christopher Clark, principal of Green Rock Correctional Facilities, to expand our offerings in the prison program. DCC currently offers a number of programs and certifications within the Green Rock facility and we are excited to increase those offerings as we continue to support re-entry.
Also on the 10th, Danville Community College had the pleasure of presenting to the Danville Regional Airport about our upcoming aviation maintenance program. DCC and Averett University will partner to provide aviation maintenance mechanics to our region. With Caesars Casino ramping up, we want to have skilled aviation mechanics in our area to provide support to travelers flying into Danville and the surrounding areas.
DCC hosted Sandra Tanner, senior destination development specialist, at our campus on January 12 to discuss the growing hospitality and tourism industry in our region. DCC is working to support this growth with industry-recognized certifications and workshops that produce a highly-skilled hospitality workforce.
On January 16, I had the honor of serving as the keynote speaker of the Rho Iota Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration. More than 350 attendees gathered to celebrate the life and achievements of Dr. King. On the 18th, I also served as keynote speaker and leader of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. silent march on campus at my alma mater, Grand Valley State University.
Hitachi Energy and DCC witnessed the culmination of a partnership focused on professional training and development on January 23 at a training completion ceremony held at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center in South Boston. 19 individuals who completed training through this partnership received their certificates of completion as their family and friends looked on.
The arrival of Mark Funkey, DCC’s new vice president of Workforce Services on January 25th was an exciting day for our organization. We are thrilled to have Mark on board and are eager to see where his leadership and expertise in the field of industry partnership takes us in 2023. Welcome aboard, Mark!
DCC’s Executive Cabinet attended the Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Breakfast, held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, on January 25th.
I was joined by Dr. Cornelius Johnson, vice president of Academic Affairs and Student services; Shannon Hair, vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the DCC Educational Foundation; Faith O’Neil, director of Public Relations and Marketing; and Mark Funkey, vice president of Workforce Services, as we enjoyed the unique opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Sonya Ravindranath Waddell, vice president and economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as she discussed the improvement of employment outcomes in rural communities.
On January 26, Danville Community College had a productive and exciting meeting with Hargrave Military Academy. Dr. Cornelius Johnson and Shannon Hair joined me to discuss with Hargrave leadership how we can expand our partnership to better serve their students and the community.
Looking ahead to the next few months, DCC has quite a few exciting initiatives on deck. Our second 8-week session begins on March 13th, allowing students to knock out a 3-credit course in only 8 weeks. This opportunity is advantageous for students who missed the 16-week spring semester deadline, or for those who want to expedite their progress toward a degree, certificate, or diploma.
In response to industry needs and requests, DCC will be launching a CDL/Truck Driving program on March 6. This program will meet the increasing demand for drivers and will support the booming growth and construction in our region. We know that this 4-week path to a high-paying career will also impact those living and working in the area.
I want to thank the partners, colleagues, and community members who have welcomed us so warmly to this community over the last six months. It has been a joy to be so quickly accepted and supported by all of you as we have made Danville our home.
As always, if you see me around town, please say hello and introduce yourself. I have enjoyed getting to know each of you
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