BRCC Community Link Newsletter, Spring 2023

BRCC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC

Spring 2023

Join us on April 14, 2023 for what is sure to be an exciting night of fundraising and friend-raising for BRCC! Even if you don’t fancy yourself a gambler (rest-assured no real risk is involved as you will be playing with BRCC “funny money”), there will be delicious food, lively libations, auction items, rafe prizes, and fun for everyone.

Proceeds from this fundraiser support scholarships awarded to deserving students, grant funding for innovative programs, advanced technology in the classrooms, and a variety of other initiatives provided by the BRCC Educational Foundation to enhance educational opportunities in our community.

Check out the event webpage: htps://www.brcc.edu/edfound/ef-events/casino-royale for event updates, ticket purchase, and sponsorship opportunities; contact Sally Jane Conner at (540) 453-2203 or ConnerS@brcc.edu for additional information.

Presented by:

tables open 6–8:30

Student Spotlight: Grace Rascon

by Sarah Sedwick

Afer

she was born in the U.S., Grace Rascon’s parents decided to move the family back to Mexico, where she grew up and spent most of her life – making Spanish her frst language.

During her sophomore year of high school, Grace started exploring the idea of returning to the U.S. to further her education and seek new opportunities. Luckily, a family friend was already living in Virginia, and ofered Grace a place to stay. Despite her initial fears of leaving home and arriving in a country without knowing the language, she decided to buy her plane ticket and take the leap.

“When I arrived in the U.S., I was 17 years old, and my biggest fear was becoming true. I was by myself in a place where I couldn’t understand anything, not even the system,” said Grace. “Everything was so diferent compared to Mexico.”

Once she was registered into her new high school, she was assigned an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. Grace found that reading and writing were most challenging, so her ESL teacher recommended watching all of her TV shows and movies in English, leting her know that while she may not understand the language starting out, she would start to catch on soon enough.

“I listened to her advice and I started to watch all my shows in English. At frst, I used to feel very overwhelmed because everyone was talking very fast,” said Grace. “However, I consider myself persistent. Maybe it didn’t make sense to keep watching something that only made me feel frustrated, but I decided to, ‘give time to time,’ just like my mom once told me. Nowadays, I tell people how I learned English by watching movies.”

As she began to take hold of the English language, Grace found herself afraid of speaking the language in front of her peers, fearful of mispronouncing a word. Ten, perhaps, the best opportunity found her at just the right time.

Grace took a trip to Switzerland during the last semester of her senior year, and was amazed to discover that many Europeans speak four languages easily. “While I was listening to their English pronunciation, I noticed a strong accent. Te thing that surprised me the most is how they don’t care if they don’t sound perfect. ‘We speak other languages, and it makes sense to have your own accent,’ a Swiss girl mentioned to me.” Grace added, “When I came back to the U.S. afer that trip, a new version of me arose. I stopped caring what others had to say about my pronunciation, so I started making friends and speaking.”

Afer graduating from high school, Grace decided to pursue higher education with the goal to become a foreign service ofcer, or diplomat, by studying International Confict and Security, focusing on the Latin American region, with an ambition to learn additional languages. She was invited to participate in the BRidge to Madison program – a partner program between Blue Ridge Community College and James Madison University.

Te BRidge to Madison program is an invitation-only program designed for a select group of prospective JMU students who begin their collegiate studies at BRCC, and live on the campus of JMU, also having access to all BRCC and JMU student resources, etc. Te partnership between JMU and BRCC allows students to make academic progress in their frst-year general education courses at BRCC and upon successful completion, transition to JMU courses for their second year.

Grace has enjoyed her time at BRCC, and said she felt comfortable here from the beginning. “My frst impression when I visited BRCC was very positive, everyone is friendly, and the teachers are always looking out for students,” she said. “I will never forget my frst day - the day everyone doesn’t know where to go, who their teachers are, and neither their classmates. Same as every other student I was nervous. When I arrived at BRCC there were many faculty and staf walking around and others in tents just to help students walk their way through and help with any questions they had. I felt so relieved to know they were/are looking out for us.”

Grace also notes that she has benefted from having the same privileges as both JMU and BRCC students. In particular, she has utilized the CAVE (Center for Academic Vision and Excellence) at BRCC as a study space and says that being a member of the Latin Student Alliance club at JMU has given her the sense of belonging she’s always looked for.

Currently, Grace has a parttime job as a Family Education Specialist for the Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program. Tere, she helps ensure that all migrant students are obtaining challenging academic standards, which will allow them to obtain their high school diploma, or GED, and continue their studies to higher education or employment.

“Everything I went through was worth the efort, and nowadays I realize that my fear of failure became my way of success,” said Grace.

Grace, President Downey, and other BRidge to Madison students and coordinators enjoy a JMU men’s basketball game earlier this year.

Educational Foundation Honors New Directors Emeriti

In2003, the Educational Foundation Board of Directors instituted the “Director Emeritus” program as a way of recognizing former Board members who have truly made a diference for the Foundation and the College. Te criteria used to determine this recognition include a demonstration of extraordinary service to Blue Ridge Community College and the BRCC Educational Foundation, as well as generous philanthropic leadership to the BRCC Educational Foundation. Two long-time friends of Blue Ridge Community College were recently recognized by the BRCC Educational Foundation with Director Emeritus designations. Alan Shelton and Mary Louise Leake joined an impressive group of leaders, and were celebrated at the President’s Luncheon in fall 2022.

Casino Royale Sponsor Recognition

PRESENTED BY:

JACKPOT SPONSOR

LADY LUCK SPONSORS

Lef to right: John Downey; Alan Shelton; luncheon speaker, Lef to right: Alan Shelton, John Downey, and BRCC alumnus, and BRCC Educational Foundation Board Mary Louise Leake member Tassie Pippert; Mary Louise Leake; and BRCC Educational Foundation Past Chair Mathias Smith

BRCC / Fort Defiance High School Pilot Workforce Program

Sheba Lane is a Career Coach at Fort Defance High School, meeting one-on-one with students and challenging them to think beyond high school to position themselves for a positive and productive future. Working in the public high schools in BRCC’s service region, Career Coaches let students know which industries are growing, what jobs are being ofered and which BRCC programs can provide the training they will need to succeed.

In April 2022, Sheba, in partnership with BRCC Workforce and Continuing Education (WCE), BRCC Career Services, and Fort Defance High School, submited a Strategic Innovation Grant application to the BRCC Educational Foundation. Te grant was fully funded at $15,000, and a year later, the pilot program is being celebrated as a success.

Te frst-of-its-kind program created a pathway for a cohort of high school seniors to participate in short-term education and training courses at BRCC during the 2022-23 academic year. Te grant addresses funding barriers for high school students wishing to participate in WCE courses. Funding has been traditionally available for high school graduates to complete WCE courses, but the same funding is not available for students currently atending high school. Te training courses can cost thousands of dollars; FastForward (a grant-funded initiative through Virginia’s Community Colleges) funds 2/3 of the cost of these courses, and the BRCC Educational Foundation grant covers most of the remaining cost, leaving students to pay just $150.

Te two most common career interests among Fort Defance seniors fall into the medical feld and industry/logistics/manufacturing cluster. Fort Defance students in the frst cohort are participating in Certifed Nursing Aide, Phlebotomy, Precision Machining, and Welding courses (to name a few). Tis type of career preparation greatly increases marketability for students entering the workforce directly afer high school, while helping them to expand their career options. It also supports local employers in need of skilled workers.

With the success of the pilot program comes hopes of expansion within Augusta County schools and across BRCC’s service area, as well as opportunities for local industry and employers to invest in this innovative program. It is also hoped that this success will inspire Virginia legislators to support HIRE Virginia, a request for funding from Virginia’s Community Colleges. HIRE Virginia, if funded, would make workforce courses at community colleges statewide available (and most importantly, afordable) for high school seniors.

You Can Make a Difference

Blue Ridge Community College is doing everything we can to keep our students on track with their educational plans, and the Foundation is vital to helping make that possible. By investing in the Blue Ridge Fund now, you give the Foundation the fexibility to respond to the College’s needs in a timely and efective manner. To make a gif, please use the enclosed envelope, or scan the QR code . Tank you for your continued support!

BRCC Hosts Veterinary Technology Career Fair

OnFebruary 9th, 38 employers participated in the BRCC Veterinary Technology Program Career Fair. BRCC Vet Tech students met prospective employers and broadened their knowledge of career options within the veterinary technology feld. First year students also had the opportunity to speak with employers about summer externships (350 hours of work in a veterinary hospital) which are required for program completion.

BRCC’s Lunch2Go Program

Blue

Ridge Community College ofers a two-year associate degree program in Human Services. Graduates of the program go to work as paraprofessionals in service agencies for mental health, substance abuse, aging, corrections, and more, or they may transfer to a four-year school to work on a bachelor’s degree in social work. While at BRCC, many of these students participate in Beyond the Blue, a student club that provides BRCC students with information, education, and referral services, while also bringing awareness about social, emotional, and health issues. Students in Beyond the Blue gain “real world” experience by serving as the intake organization for BRCC students in need. Te Beyond the Blue Ofce is open and stafed 28 hours per week, Monday through Tursday.

“We can’t have students the Blue, they are referred to food banks and food pantries who are hungering for in the community. However, they are also encouraged to knowledge, when they are complete an application for BRCC’s Lunch2Go program, just

When students who are food-insecure contact Beyond

which is then reviewed and verifed by the Financial Aid Dorothy McAulife Ofce. Lunch2Go provides lunch vouchers to students who may otherwise go hungry during their day on campus.

Currently, the Lunch2Go program is supporting 46 BRCC students. Tey receive lunch vouchers each week for the days that they will be on campus. Te vouchers – valued at $7.00 each – can be utilized in the BRCC cafeteria.

Te Lunch2Go program, which is supported through the BRCC Educational Foundation, makes a diference in the lives of Blue Ridge Community College students each and every day.

plain hungry.”

BRCC Graduate Spotlight: Manny Ledesma

Withjust a couple months under his belt as a correspondence assistant in Senator Mark Warner’s ofce, Manny Ledesma is living his dream! Te path to working in the United States Senate has been a challenging, but purposeful one for the 2013 Turner Ashby High School graduate.

“Te truth is, I wasn’t a good student in high school. Blue Ridge is the only place that gave me a chance to learn and grow,” Manny explained. He added, “Tey gave me that chance more than once, and I am so grateful for it.”

At BRCC, Manny was enrolled in the transfer program. Knowing his plan was to transfer and major in Political Science at James Madison University, he took as many classes as he could related to that major.

“My time at BRCC helped prepare me to earn my undergraduate degree at JMU and my master’s degree in two ways,” said Manny. “Te frst, is that my courses at BRCC helped develop my critical thinking skills. Taking the time to do every assignment and trying to apply those lessons to things I saw around me proved invaluable. Second, my English classes at BRCC helped me reign in my scatered thoughts on a subject mater and create structed papers that were ofen complimented at every level.”

Afer successfully earning a bachelor’s degree in political science, Manny wanted to continue his studies of and grow his expertise in public policy, and enrolled in the Public Policy master’s degree program at George Mason University, focusing in National Security.

In his current position Manny assists Senator Warner in answering constituent mail from all over the Commonwealth. “Specifcally, I’m responsible for creating and maintaining database lists that capture and organize constituent information in a timely and accurate manner. It takes a lot of efort to comb through all the data, but it’s something I really enjoy doing!” he said.