Fall 2018
Charles B. Cook Automotive Analysis and Repair Laboratory Dedicated
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In 2015, the BRCC Educational Foundation received From left to right: Steve Sanders, BRCC a gift valued at over $268,000 Automotive Program Head; Scott Russell, from the Estate of Charles B. BRCC Automotive Program instructor; Cindy Williams, niece of Charles Cook; Larry Craun, Cook, through his executor, executor of the Estate of Charles B. Cook; and, Larry Craun. As a result of this John Downey, BRCC President. generous gift, which will be received over a period of several years, BRCC’s automotive lab was named in Mr. Cook’s memory at a dedication ceremony on August 27. Mr. Craun spoke of Mr. Cook’s great love of automobiles and his membership in the Shenandoah Valley British Car Club and the Waynesboro-Staunton Region Members of the BRCC community Antique Automobile Club of and Charles Cook’s family and friends America, as well as his Navy celebrated Cook’s life, his legacy, and the BRCC Automotive Analysis and Repair service during World War II and program. his commitment to innovation. His legacy will live on at BRCC, funding annual scholarships for automotive students, cutting-edge automotive technology and equipment, as well as equipment and technology for BRCC’s Machining and Welding Program. In addition to these designated gifts, the Estate also made a significant unrestricted investment that will allow the BRCC Educational Foundation to respond nimbly to the needs of the entire BRCC community.
BRCC Educational Foundation Board Chair Mary Louise Leake Vice Chair Matthias N. Smith Secretary John A. Downey Treasurer Cynthia F. Page
Kelly R.S. Blosser Kenneth R. Boward Rob W. Cale Karen C. Clark Kenneth S. Cleveland III Denise E. “D.D.” Dawson Douglas G. Driver
Silvia T. Garcia-Romero Teresa H. Gauldin Camala B. Kite Mary McDermott Beverly B. McGowan Thomas C. Mendez Sacha Purciful
Karen E. Santos William M. Saxman Jr. Jerry D. Sheets Alan L. Shelton Linnea J. Spradlin Ruth E. Jones Turner Pamela K. Ungar
Community Link is an official publication of the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation. It is distributed to friends in the Shenandoah Valley, as well as BRCC faculty and staff, and is published quarterly by the Development Office, Blue Ridge Community College, Weyers Cave, VA 24486. If you have any questions or comments regarding this publication, please contact Angie Glenn, Development Services Coordinator, at (540) 453-2307 or glenna@brcc.edu.
BRCC Alumni Spotlight
BRCC ADJ: A Solid Foundation for Those Who Protect and Serve
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A career in law enforcement can present different challenges every day. For Staunton Police Officer Yuliya Forloines, that fact is one of the best things about police work. “The beauty of the job is that every day is different,” she says. “You find yourself in different situations and you have to see what will work. Of all the tools you have as a police officer, sometimes the biggest one is your voice, your ability to communicate with people, to really listen.” The 2015 graduate of BRCC’s Administration of Justice program also has law enforcement and service in her blood. Her father is former military and two family members were officers killed in the line of duty. “It’s something I’ve always watched family members do,” says Yuliya. “Women in my family were typically teachers but I wanted something different.” Originally from Russia, Yuliya moved to the US in 2002. She had a degree in English from a university there. She took about 10 years to get her US citizenship, and decided to go back to school at Blue Ridge in 2011. Like many BRCC students, she was working and raising a child along with her coursework, but the perseverance was worth it. “It took longer than I’d hoped but I stuck with it. I had a young child at home and worked full time so I had to manage time wisely,” she recalls. “My advice to other students is don’t get behind. Stay on top of things but don’t quit. Even if you have to take fewer credits.” Yuliya has been with the Staunton Police for a year. Previously, she worked in corrections for two years. She says her ADJ courses were a good foundation to prepare her for the 18-week Criminal Justice Training Academy program. “I appreciated the approachable professors at BRCC,” she says. “Material was presented in an organized fashion. It was a good foundation and everything is built on that. Each law enforcement agency is different in structure, but having that solid foundation is important.” Continuing to learn and being open to further training is important to Yuliya. When her supervisors asked if she wanted to become bike certified, she said sure. When the opportunity to take crisis intervention training came along, she took that, too. “Education is the one thing no one can take away from you,” she says. “You can lose your job, or your house, or whatever, but once you have your education, it goes beyond that piece of paper. Education is always a plus. It gives you an advantage in a very competitive world. The more you can put on your resume, the better off you are.”
Meet Our New Foundation Board Members Ken Boward currently serves as treasurer and CFO of Sunnyside Communities, a life plan community catering to seniors at three campuses in Virginia. He also serves as a board member and treasurer for First Choice, an organization that provides home health, hospice and private duty services in our local area. Previously, Boward worked for Lumos Networks Corporation in Waynesboro, serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech and his Certification of Public Accounting (CPA) in the State of North Carolina. Ken resides in Fishersville with his wife, Laura, a GRASP representative in local high schools, helping navigate financial aid processes with students and families for post-secondary educational opportunities. Tom Mendez is Vice President at McGriff Insurance where he provides risk management and insurance brokerage services to businesses, non-profit organizations and educational institutions throughout Virginia and 25 other states. After undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University, Mendez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Franklin University. Mendez has served as President of the Board of United Way, Chairman of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation Board and Chairman of the Harrisonburg City School Board twice during his 8-1/2 years on the board. Tom and his wife, Lori, reside in Harrisonburg. Ruth Jones Turner is a writer, communicator and marketing professional who has been sharing the stories of local people and organizations for the past 17 years. Jones began her career in 2001 as a news assistant, before becoming a news and features writer at a local daily newspaper. In 2007, she transitioned to marketing and public relations, serving as director of communications at the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank for seven years. She currently serves as the communications manager for the City of Staunton, working with both the school division and all city departments. Jones attended Virginia Commonwealth University and Bridgewater College earning a degree in communication studies. Ruth resides in Stuarts Draft with her husband, Maurice. Sacha Purciful has worked in broadcasting in Knoxville, TN, Orlando, FL, Huntsville, AL and now Harrisonburg, VA, where she serves as Vice President and General Manager of WHSV TV. In 2018, she introduced the “Thrive� speaker series to the Harrisonburg market, designed to connect and inspire women. Purciful received recognition as one of the Top 100 John Maxwell Transformational Leaders of 2018, an international award. She volunteers with Harrisonburg Meals on Wheels, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Child Day Care Center Board of Directors, the 2019 March for Babies Executive Leadership Team, and as a board member for Virginia Coalition for Open Government. Sacha graduated from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and resides in Penn Laird with her husband, Chad, and her young son, Connor.
Message from President John Downey
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When I travel around the community to speak about Blue Ridge Community College, I often hear about the incredible impact that the College has on the central Shenandoah Valley. However, I don’t always have the opportunity to impress upon my audience the stories of the students themselves and how inspiring their lives are to those of us who work directly with them. This fall, as part of the BRCC Educational Foundation’s annual Community Breakfast Series, I will try to do just that. I will paint a picture of Blue Ridge Community College through the stories of several of our students. What impresses me most about BRCC students is all that they have to overcome in order to be successful in their education. Our employees work hard to help our students achieve great results. In the end, though, the students have to earn their own success. Many of them do so, despite having tremendous family and work responsibilities. Blue Ridge Community College students are truly inspiring. I hope you can attend one of our upcoming Community Breakfast Series events to hear some of their stories! Community Breakfast Series October 17, 2018, 7:30 a.m., Waynesboro Country Club October 18, 2018, 7:30 a.m., Spotswood Country Club, Harrisonburg October 19, 2018, 7:30 a.m., Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, Staunton RSVP online by October 9th at: https://www.brcc.edu/edfound/breakfast
BRCC Biosciences Groundbreaking Crews from Kjellstrom + Lee Construction shut down for about an hour on May 3rd so that College employees, local officials, and others could celebrate the official groundbreaking for the BRCC Biosciences building. The 42,000 square foot facility – designed by SFCS Architects – will house labs and classroom spaces in support of the College’s programs in nursing, biosciences, and the pending Emergency Medical Services program. It will also include clean room technology used in manufacturing and other industries. The building is expected to be open in fall 2019.
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Learning Can Be Fun!
Learning Can Be Fun was an active, busy, creative time for 360 students in 44 classes over the summer! With a variety of classes to choose from, including theater, veterinary science, robotics, sports, literature and art, there was something offered for every interest. The BRCC Educational Foundation thanks the McDonald’s-Boxley Organization, the Rudy Tucker family, and the Shenandoah Valley Kiwanis Club for supporting the Learning Can Be Fun program by providing need-based scholarships totaling over $3,235 to 23 students.
Message from the Executive Director
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Recently the Virginia Community College System invited me to speak at the annual Institutional Advancement Peer Group meeting. The conference is always a wonderful opportunity to learn from our colleagues across the state. My requested topic was “raising and using unrestricted funds” because it turns out that the Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation is a statewide leader in that area! Our fundraising success is really your success – with every dollar you contribute to the Blue Amy Laser Kiger Ridge Annual Fund, or purchase you make at our Spring Fling Auction, or Executive Director BRCC Educational Foundation investment in the unrestricted components of our major gifts campaigns. In 2017-18, about one-third of the $1,133,046 that the Foundation raised was given without restrictions by the donors. Thank you for your generosity and for your confidence! Why is raising unrestricted funds vital to the mission of the BRCC Educational Foundation? Because having such resources available provides flexibility as we strive to support the College in meaningful ways. To help demonstrate this point, here are just a handful of priorities that your unrestricted support allowed the BRCC Educational Foundation to fund last year: • $1,686 – Emergency student assistance provided through the Student Outreach And Resource (SOAR) Center, including rent, electric bills, gas bills, and car payments, allowing students in temporary financial crisis to continue their studies at BRCC • $5,686 – “Appreciative Advising” Workshop for 56 employees including Student Services, Financial Aid, college faculty, Continuing Education and Workforce Services, and transfer liaison partners from area colleges and universities, better enabling them to positively impact students’ lives and place them on the path to a successful career • $5,698 – Replacement and upgrade to stools in Biology lab (not glamorous, but necessary) • $6,767 – Instructional Mini-Grants for faculty members, including a Nursing Boot Camp for new nursing students focusing on Power Studying techniques, thinking like a nurse, time management, and simulations; stage combat training for a theater faculty member, enabling him to choreograph BRCC productions and teach stage combat; and online simulation software and instructional support for a new computer electronics course and a computer hardware and troubleshooting course within the new Cyber Security specialization • $16,731 – Salaries for tutors (provided free to students) in Developmental Math, Developmental English and English as a Second Language • $36,722 – Student scholarships (please note that this is just the portion of scholarships paid from unrestricted funds; the grand total for all student scholarships was a record-setting $379,167 in FY17-18!) • $100,000 – Nursing program instructional support, which has a direct impact on the high level of care provided by BRCC Nursing graduates
As always, thank you for your support of Blue Ridge Community College through the BRCC Educational Foundation! By making an unrestricted investment in the Foundation, you impact our students, our employees, our campus and our community!
Worlds of Work Connects Students with Employers
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Employers often think about their future workforce needs, and worry about the readiness of today’s students to succeed in tomorrow’s careers. We often hear people say that preparation should start sooner in a child’s education. Responding to these community needs, a local consortium of schools, workforce leaders, and Blue Ridge Community College has launched an exciting event called “Worlds of Work” Expo. Up to 2,500 students (potential future employees) attend this event annually! We will hold the third annual WOW on October 16, 2018 at the Augusta Expo Land in Fishersville. The purpose of the event is to introduce 7th grade students from our area to the “Worlds of Work” that exist after high school; careers they might never have thought about before but that they might love! The Consortium invites local employers to provide short, hands-on experiences to students who visit their exhibits. There is no cost for being an exhibitor, and lunch is provided. Some experiences that might help a 7th grader understand and get excited about the careers in your company might include: • Simulating a key function of a job, such as hammering a nail or performing a surgery • Trying on an interesting uniform or holding a tool related to the job and having the opportunity for a selfie portrait • Engaging in a role play for “soft skills” related to your job • Seeing/touching/smelling/tasting the stages of a product your company makes • Identifying key information about your industry in a game or quiz format If you or your company would be interested in taking part, please fill out the following short survey found here: https://tinyurl.com/y7fdvpsg. If you have questions or ideas, please contact the chair of our Blue Ridge Pathways Consortium, Velma Bryant at bryantv@brcc.edu.
Students get hands-on experience with a wide range of employers at Worlds of Work. Past (and current) exhibitors include: Riddleberger Brothers, Inc., VDOT, Excel Truck Group, Virginia Department of Forestry, George’s Foods LLC, Middle River Regional Jail, Augusta Health, Sentara RMH, Kjellstrom & Lee, American Shakespeare Center, and Immerge Technologies to name just a few.
BRCC Students Earn Valley Proteins Fellowships
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BRCC is pleased to announce that Arthur “Brad” Ridder and Maher “Mo” Al Tayara have been selected as part of the prestigious Valley Proteins Fellows Program. Of the nearly 250,000 people Virginia’s Community Colleges serve across the commonwealth each year, only ten are selected for the Valley Proteins Fellows Program. For BRCC to have two students chosen speaks directly to the caliber of students who attend BRCC! Arthur “Brad” Ridder
In addition to financial support, the Valley Proteins Fellows Program provides recipients with mentoring, coaching, networking and leadership opportunities. This marks the eighth consecutive year that Winchesterbased Valley Proteins, Inc. has funded the Fellows Program, which was designed to help high-achieving second-year students complete college.
“Valley Proteins is privileged to invest in the future of some of Virginia’s most outstanding students,” said Gerald F. (J.J.) Smith, Jr., president of Valley Proteins, Inc. “Helping to remove some of the obstacles that can Maher “Mo” Al Tayara hinder their success is a priority for us, and it reflects our commitment and support for the community college mission overall.” The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), which supports all 23 of Virginia’s Community Colleges, oversees the Valley Proteins Fellows Program.
Maher Al Tayara Named 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar
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Maher “Mo” Al Tayara from Blue Ridge Community College is also one of 207 Phi Theta Kappa members named a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. More than 1,200 applications were received. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degreegranting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations. Scholars are also encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. “The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, Executive Vice President and President-Elect of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa, make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals, and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.” “Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, Executive Director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. “The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”
April 12, 2019, 6:00 p.m., Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center
24th Annual Spring Fling Auction
October 19, 2018, 7:30 a.m. Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, Staunton
October 18, 2018, 7:30 a.m. Spotswood Country Club, Harrisonburg
October 17, 2018, 7:30 a.m. Waynesboro Country Club
Community Breakfast Series
Save the Date!
Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation, Inc. P. O. Box 80 Weyers Cave, VA 24486 (540) 453-2211 www.brcc.edu/EdFound
Non Profit Org. U. S. Postage and Fees Paid BRCC