Celebrating 50 Years Blue Ridge Community College
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Friday, September 22, 2017
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
Blue Ridge Community College Turns 50 By VIC BRADSHAW Daily News-Record
HARRISONBURG — When he looked at what it offered area residents when it opened 50 years ago, Blue Ridge Community College President John Downey was surprised. In 1967, he said, BRCC offered 10 applied science degrees; it now has 12. Blue Ridge has three college transfer degrees now, up from two 50 years ago, and has seen the number of diploma programs drop from five to one. Five original programs — accounting, automotive, business management, college transfer and electronics — continue to this day. “One thing that fascinates me is how much we’ve changed,” Downey said, “but the other thing that fascinates me is how much we haven’t changed.” For five decades, Blue Ridge Community College has educated thousands of high school graduates and adult students primarily from Rockingham, Augusta and Highland counties and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton and Waynesboro. Its students have accumulated lower-cost college credits to help them earn a bachelor’s degree. They’ve obtained associate degrees and certificates that helped them launch or advance careers. They’ve taken noncredit courses to learn skills their employers need. And the longer it’s been around, the more integral its become to the community, starting and ending programs as needs changed. “What’s been cool about the whole thing is we’ve been involved in the community, we’ve listened to the community, we’ve almost anticipated what the community needs, and then we work really hard to respond to that community need and help solve the problem as we go along,” Downey said. “We haven’t been able to do everything that the community needs us to do, but we’ve done most things.”
Faculty Led The Way Frank Turnage was on the Weyers Cave campus before the first class was held. Doug Montgomery, the college’s initial president, hired him to run the individualized study learning laboratory once BRCC opened its doors. His first day on the job was July 1, 1967. His office was in an old farmhouse on U.S.
Blue Ridge Community College students work in an electronics class in this undated photo. Electronics, one of the five original classes, alongside accounting, automotive, business management and college transfer, still remains as part of the college’s curriculum today. “One thing that fascinates me is how much we’ve changed,” said John Downey, president of BRCC, “but the other thing that fascinates me is how much we haven’t changed.” Courtesy photo
11. He didn’t get to look inside the college initially because it was too muddy. Turnage worked at Blue Ridge for about 15 years and rose through the administrative ranks, leaving as vice president for academics and student services. The college’s focus in its early days, he said, remains the same now — on the transfer program and workforce development. “We recognized,” he said, “that the vocational training was extremely important.” Turnage, who later spent 21 years as president of Germanna Community College in Locust Grove, said that during his tenure the school embraced the latest technology of the times: IBM Selectric typewriters. He never touched a computer until he was at Germanna and had to take a class to learn how to get on the internet. By the time he left Blue Ridge, he said, it had proven itself a solid educational institution. “While I was there it evolved from a mud pit to a functioning community college,” Turnage said. “The functioning community college we had then was quality because of the original hires. Somebody did a good job in hiring the original faculty.”
The faculty remains a strength for the school, as Downey said they’ve always been friendly and caring. “I think that’s the proudest that I am of what has persisted over the years,” he said of the faculty’s attitude. “The constant has been that we’re trying to train for the business community, and we do it with care and understanding and challenge and support at the same time. I think that’s pretty cool.”
The Perkins Way For two crucial decades, Jim Perkins was Blue Ridge’s president. When he arrived in 1989, he said the campus’ facilities were relatively unchanged from when they were built in the mid-1960s. He quickly moved to increase construction — new buildings and renovations — that allowed the college to enhance its offerings. “I thought it was my responsibility,” Perkins said, “to try to build the facilities to meet the needs of the communities as I saw them growing.” The Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center, Advanced Technology Center and Blue Ridge Community College Fine Arts Center
are among the structures that rose during his tenure. New science laboratories were built, a fitness center was constructed, and other amenities were added to meet modern educational and student needs. He helped BRCC transition as technological advancements changed how work was done with the rise of computers and other instruments, a shift he said was the most revolutionary during his 40 years working for community colleges. Students now earn some degrees without taking a single class on campus through online offerings. Technology also allowed Blue Ridge to be a pioneer in training veterinary technicians via a distance-learning program. “We just happened to have very talented veterinarians in the area that saw this need coming and started it,” Downey said. “We were the first college in the country that had a distance-learning vet-tech program, so we delivered that to other parts of the state since there was such a shortage in the state.” Perhaps the most important change came on Nov. 17, 2000, when Perkins and See BLUE RIDGE, Page 3
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
Friday, September 22, 2017
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Guaranteed Admission To JMU Bolstered Transfer Program Enrollment Numbers Blue Ridge
FROM PAGE 2
Linwood Rose, then James Madison University’s president, signed an agreement guaranteeing BRCC students admission into Madison if they graduated with a 2.75 grade-point average or better. It was the first such pact between a Virginia community college and one of the state’s public universities; such agreements now are ubiquitous. Perkins said the idea was discussed between Charlottesville’s Piedmont Virginia Community College and the University of Virginia when he was an administrator at PVCC. He came to Blue Ridge, gathered data to show Rose that BRCC transfers on average performed as well as or better than students that started their college careers at JMU, and sealed the groundbreaking deal. Guaranteed admission changed the way students and their parents viewed Blue Ridge, Perkins said. “Our enrollment in our transfer program grew dramatically. We were getting individuals from other parts of state that were relocating to Harrisonburg and oth-
er parts of the area to participate at Blue Ridge and be a part of the guaranteed admission program,” he said. “It also opened the eyes of parents. They saw that their son and daughter could get a good education by coming to the community college at a lower cost and moving on to JMU.” Downey said the guaranteed admission pact altered the college’s history. “That was a game-changer in terms of putting us on the map,” he said, “and that model has been replicated all over the state.”
Workforce Partner While about 70 percent of Blue Ridge’s students attend the school for its college transfer program, Downey said the remainder are undecided or pursue career and technical education classes. The college’s importance in workforce development has increased, according to Brian Shull, Harrisonburg’s economic development director for the past 19 years. An enhanced willingness to tailor classes toward local employers’ needs and increased
Congratulations to our colleagues and friends at Blue Ridge Community College for 50 years of education and service. We look forward to many more years of partnership and collaboration. — Board of Visitors, Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni of James Madison University.
See BLUE RIDGE, Page 7
Courtesy photo
Prospective Blue Ridge Community College students form a line to register at the Weyers Cave campus. In 2000, BRCC and James Madison University signed an agreement that guaranteed any BRCC student admission to JMU if they graduated with a grade-point average of 2.75 or higher.
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Friday, September 22, 2017
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Fifty Years Of Giving By RYAN CORNELL Daily News-Record
Harrisonburg, Va.
Donors Keep Blue Ridge Community College Mission Alive profit that builds community relationships and obtains funds for the school. Their legacy lives on as the namesake of the Houff Student Center, a 65,000-square-foot structure that houses offices “that directly impact students,” Downey said, including admissions and financial aid. The building, which was named in 1999, finished renovations in 2016. The Houffs are far from the only benefactors to the school.
HARRISONBURG — If it weren’t for philanthropists, Blue Ridge Community College wouldn’t exist where it is today. In fact, BRCC President John Downey said, it likely wouldn’t exist at all. The Weyers Cave school, one of Virginia’s first community colleges to be built from the ground up, was founded in 1967 on the basis of philanthropy, Downey said. And throughout the past 50 years, generous donors have allowed ‘A Visionary Gift’ BRCC to thrive in fulfilling its mission. A short walk from the student center, With their contributions a building named after Robert the school continues to proE. Plecker serves as a hub for “[The Houffs] all types of workforce training. vide state-of-the-art equipment through its workforce first envisioned Plecker of Penn Laird, a longthat their training programs and offer time donor to the college, gave scholarships to students who farmland could $500,000 to the school in 1999, Nikki Fox / DN-R couldn’t afford to attend col- grow a crop of a marking the largest private doTwenty-eight vendors set up stations in Blue Ridge Community College’s Plecker Workforce Center for lege otherwise. nation in the college’s history at a job fair in April 2016. The building is named after Robert E. Plecker, a Penn Laird man who donated Students who have been different sort.” the time. $500,000 to the college in 1999. At the time, it was the largest private donation in BRCC history. at BRCC long enough may Plecker’s gift made it pos— JOHN DOWNEY be well-acquainted with the sible for the school to build its BLUE RIDGE three named buildings on COMMUNITY COLLEGE $3.8 million, 21,000-square-foot campus — Houff Student PRESIDENT workforce center. The building Center, Robert E. Plecker opened in 2003, and Plecker Workforce Center and Armdied the following year. strong Hall — but they may not be as fa“That was a visionary gift,” Downey miliar with the names that grace those said, “and that family continues to supbuildings. port us as the Houffs do.” Although, Downey admitted, it Providing A Home wouldn’t be possible to name everyone When discussing the history of Blue who’s left a mark on the school, he said Ridge Community College, it’s nearly generous donations from the Bowman impossible to overstate how instrumen- family have helped BRCC establish its tal the late Cletus and Charlotte Houff large animal teaching facility in 2005. were to the formation of the school. The facility was funded by Kenneth In 1965, the Mount Sidney couple sold and Nancy Bowman of Waynesboro and the 50.12-acre site the community col- named after Kenneth’s brother, Bruce, a lege calls home to the state for $31,500. local veterinarian and BRCC graduate. Downey, who often uses agricultural “The whole family has supported just analogies when describing BRCC, said the transformational nature of what we its central location in the Valley lets it do,” Downey said. effectively serve communities from HarHe added that Armstrong Hall, which risonburg, Staunton and Waynesboro, houses his office, was named after anas well as Augusta, Highland and Rock- other prominent donor: James Armingham counties. strong. “[The Houffs] first envisioned that Armstrong, who served as president their farmland could grow a crop of a of BRCC from 1969 to 1985, donated different sort, and produce annually the some of his estate to the college, Downey way we do at graduation — what I call said. harvest time,” he said. The reasons donors have for giving The Houff family continues to sup- to BRCC vary just as widely as their port the college through donations to the See GIVING, Page 5 BRCC Educational Foundation, a non-
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
Friday, September 22, 2017
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Most Recent Major Gifts Campaigns Netted $8.55 Million In Gifts, Pledges Giving
FROM PAGE 4
connection to the school. But, Downey said, all of them have been touched by BRCC in some way. He said the school’s veterinary tech and nursing programs seem to attract the most donations. “It might be that their animal or one of their family members has been taken care of by a nurse or a veterinary technician,” Downey said. “For faculty and staff, it’s a continuation of their own vocation and life.” Some donors may have benefited from the college’s Learning Can Be Fun summer camp and offer scholarships so others can attend the camp. For Debbie Callison of Augusta County, a donor and member of the BRCC college board, the community college system resonates deeply with her. She said BRCC serves a strong purpose in the area in college prep, workforce development and cost effectiveness. “I feel like a lot of the impact by giv-
ing to Blue Ridge Community College stays within our Shenandoah Valley area,” said Callison, who also contributes to her alma mater, Virginia Tech. “I think you can certainly see more visibly the impact that it has on students.” As a former board member of the BRCC Educational Foundation, Callison was involved with the school’s three capital campaigns, including the most recent major gifts campaign that wrapped up in February. That campaign netted more than $8.55 million in gifts and pledges, including planned gifts, which is the largest fundraising effort in the college’s 50year history. Downey said his favorite stories about philanthropy involve faculty and staff who devote their lives to teaching and then commit to including BRCC in their will. “We don’t have a football team to ralMike Tripp / DN-R ly behind or big research projects that some of the universities have,” Downey Robert and Frances Plecker stand in front of the Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center on Blue Ridge Community College’s campus in 2003. Plecker of Penn Laird donated $500,000 to the school in See GIVING, Page 6 1999, the largest donation in the college’s history at the time.
Blue Ridge Community College
1967-2017 Thank You for your contributions to the residents of the Shenandoah Valley Congratulations on 50 years of successes!
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BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
Harrisonburg, Va.
‘You Get To Meet ... These Young People You’ve Helped And Hear Their Stories’ Giving
forward to attending the school’s scholarship luncheon each spring. said. “But we have students who may or The luncheons provide a way for domay not be able to go to college at all if it nors to learn how their contributions weren’t for our donors.” have made a difference in stuFor example, he said, one dents’ lives. student at BRCC a few years “You get to meet “You get to meet many of ago was in her second year of these young people you’ve many of these the nursing program when her helped and hear their stories young people and feel even better about becar broke down. you’ve helped ing able to give them a hand Her husband needed a car to get to work, and without a car ... and feel even up,” she said. “You rarely hear for herself, she was ready to these people’s stories without better about drop out of school, even though pulling through the Kleenex.” being able to she was close to completing the Huggins, a retired English give them a nursing program. professor, and her husband, hand up.” The college used its emerJim, a retired physician, are gency fund provided by donors, in the process of establishing — PAM HUGGINS a scholarship at BRCC for stuDowney said, to provide her BRCC DONOR with transportation and keep dents interested in education her in school until she could or medicine. complete her studies. She said they expect the Stories like those are one of the high- scholarship to have its first recipient lights of Pam Huggins’ year. next year. Courtesy photo Huggins of Staunton, a BRCC donor and former educational foundation Cars are parked in a lot adjacent to the Houff Quad at Blue Ridge Community College, named for Cletus Contact Ryan Cornell at 540-574-6283 board member, said she always looks or rcornell@dnronline.com and Charlotte Houff, whose one-time farm became the site of the future Weyers Cave school. FROM PAGE 5
Harrisonburg, Va.
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
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College Programs Evolve With Workforce Needs Blue Ridge
FROM PAGE 3
emphasis on registered apprenticeships has helped businesses close workforce gaps. “It’s making them more competitive,” he said of local businesses. “As we’ve been seeing the labor market get tighter, it’s more important than ever to have the training resources available and meeting their individual needs.” When he started, Shull added, college workforce efforts mainly targeted manufacturers. Now it has programs supporting the construction and service industries and even provides specialized training to some JMU employees. Bob Young, BRCC’s vice president of instruction and student services, said the college’s programs evolve along with workforce needs. For instance, mechatronics has emerged as an important program because highly automated plants need people to keep
production lines humming. “We’re trying to make sure we’re keeping up with the needs of the community,” he said. That effort extends beyond workforce development. When he arrived at Blue Ridge almost seven years ago, Young said the school had no program for residents for whom English was their second language, so one was established. Busier lives have resulted in an increase in online course offerings to allow students to learn largely on their own schedule without coming to campus. Downey has been part of BRCC’s efforts for half of the college’s life, joining the staff as the school’s disability services coordinator and an academic adviser in September 1992. Seventeen years later he was chosen to follow Perkins as president. Downey thinks community involvement, especially in areas BRCC can influence, is vital.
That’s one reason he’s serving as chairman of the board for the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, a regional economic development organization. “I see my role as president as being involved in the community,” Downey said, “because if you’re not involved in the community, I don’t think you have as good a grasp on what the community needs, especially in economic development.” When Blue Ridge began 50 years ago, Frank Summers was there. A member of Staunton City Council, he was on the first board that governed the college. The retired attorney said the school’s growth and importance has exceeded anything he imagined. Summers recently toured BRCC and saw some of its welding programs, which were more extensive than he expected. Blue Ridge instructors now train airplane mechanics, something he
Congratulations on
Courtesy photo
Blue Ridge Community College students line up for graduation under the leadership of President James A. Armstrong, who was at the helm of BRCC from 1969 to 1985. never envisioned. And campus organizations have extended the college’s reach internationally, with Enactus club members helping people establish a farm in Haiti. “I look at the college and what it’s doing for the surrounding communities,” Summers said, “and I
think, ‘What in the world would we do if we didn’t have Blue Ridge Community College now.’ It’s a tremendous asset to the communities.” Contact Vic Bradshaw at 574-6279 or vbradshaw@dnronline.com
CLARK & BRADSHAW congratulates
Blue Ridge Community College on its
of Making an Impact in Our Community
Thank you for serving our community. 92 North Liberty St., Harrisonburg
231 South Liberty Street, Harrisonburg, Va. www.DNRonline.com • 540-574-6220
(540) 433-2601 www.clark-bradshaw.com
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Friday, September 22, 2017
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
BRCC Through The Years Blue Ridge Community College has served thousands of students in the Shenandoah Valley since opening in 1967. As BRCC celebrates its 50th anniversary, the school looks back at the achievements in its past.
1966: Blue Ridge Community College again recorded the event: “Blue Ridge began its existence in an unpretentious is enormously important in the Valley’s ceremony involving only a dozen educational system. Its graduates participants in late August. The Daily should play important roles in the News-Record reported, “Gathered on region’s progressive economy.” An the eastern knoll of the tree-fringed open house in November drew 1,000 campus — with Interstate 81 in the attendees to tour the new facility. background — to inaugurate the $1.5 Twelve, two-year associate degree million educational building project programs were offered. were members of the college board 1968: As a further step toward of visitors, president, architects, full accreditation, BRCC hosted a committee from the Southern contractors, and a few friends.” Douglas M. Montgomery was the Association of Colleges and Schools. 1969: James A. Armstrong first president of the college, became president, serving 1966-1969. Montgomery was until 1985. a 20-year veteran of the U.S. The first commencement Air Force, serving as a fighter was held on the main pilot in World War II and campus with 133 degrees Korea. He was a graduate of James the University of Pennsylvania Armstrong conferred. 1970: WVPT featured and Harvard Law School, served as the College in a program and also received degrees president called “College Profile.” The from Florida State University. from 1969 cosmetology program was He would later move to the to 1985. phased out. presidency of Tidewater 1971: Names of intramural Community College when it basketball teams at BRCC opened in 1969. 1967: BRCC, briefly known as included the Buckshots, the Hot Shots, Shenandoah Technical College, the Funky Flunks, and Soul Inc. started its service in the Shenandoah A spring anti-war rally drew “200 Valley primarily as a technical school onlookers.” to train individuals for employment 1972: The Animal Technology program in area businesses. Before the first was introduced to train individuals buildings were completed, there was a to become veterinary technicians in need to house newly hired faculty and animal hospitals, animal shelters, staff, so the college rented a vacated wildlife centers and zoos. elementary school in Mount Sidney, 1973: Three new facilities, Buildings B, which was affectionately called “Fort F and G, opened. The first Folk Arts Festival was held. Sidney” by the occupants. 1967: At 8 a.m., the first day of classes The festival would continue to grow had arrived on Oct. 2. Students came each year and welcome musicians, in surprising numbers. By the end performers, artisans, food vendors, organizations, and of the first week, over 500 students community were enrolled. By the end of the first thousands of visitors to campus until academic year, over 900 students the fall of 2009. were enrolled. The Daily News-Record 1974: The ROTC program began in
Courtesy photo
FOREGROUND, FROM LEFT: Douglas M. Montgomery, president of Blue Ridge Community College from 1966 to 1969, watches as Malcolm G. Jones, chairman of the BRCC board at the time of the college’s creation, breaks ground in 1966 to begin building the school. Rocky Deutsch (center), a veterinary student at Virginia Tech and a technical representative for Daryl Laboratories Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif., demonstrates a new fluorometer donated to Blue Ridge Community College to Stuart Porter (right), program head for the animal technology program, and Sandra Sipe, animal technology instructional assistant, in 1983. Courtesy photo
cooperation with VMI. That agreement ended in 1982 but students could continue at JMU. 1978: Classes offered in the Winter quarter included Elements of Dairy Science, Swine Production, and Poultry Management. 1980: The Animal Science building
was dedicated in September. 1982: Highland County became the sixth regional sponsoring locality, joining Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro and Augusta and Rockingham counties. See YEARS, Page 9
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
Years
Friday, September 22, 2017
FROM PAGE 8
1984: In cooperation with Germanna Community College, BRCC introduced an AAS degree nursing. 1985: Dr. James C. Sears served as president from 1985-1989. He came to the College with 20 years of experience in higher education and the Virginia Community College System. The Educational Foundation was formed “to provide student loans and scholarships and to support other worthy projects such as faculty grants and equipment acquisition”; Waynesboro Center opened. 1986: A noncredit workforce training program was established. Full-time tuition was $765. BRCC 1988: The college academic celebrated calendar changed from a its 25th quarter system to a semester anniversary system. in 1992. 1989: James R. Perkins became the fourth president, serving from 1989-2009. Dr. Perkins used his two decades of experience in higher education to guide the college into a new decade and into the next century. 1990: Dual enrollment began with five partner schools and 336 students. DE allows juniors and seniors to enroll in BRCC courses taught at their high school and simultaneously earn high school and college credit. The program has grown to 17 participating high schools and over 600 students. Learning Can Be Fun began. As of 2016, the summer program has drawn over 16,000 enrollments. About 56 percent of those youngsters have gone on to take at least one credit class at BRCC. 1991: Vet Tech students trained dogs for Caring Canine Companions. These pups assisted the elderly and handicapped. BRCC conducted seminars to help organizations with implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act which became law in 1990. 1992: The nursing program became independent from GCC. The college celebrated its 25th anniversary. 1993: BRCC partnered with Old Dominion University to create a new way to obtain a bachelor’s degree without leaving the area. It was called TELETECHNET. A partnership between BRCC and E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. in Waynesboro continued to See YEARS, Page 10
Courtesy photos
ABOVE: Blue Ridge Community College students work on a car using a manual. In 1986, BRCC established a noncredit workforce training program. In that year, full-time tuition was $765. LEFT: BRCC students jump from a sign at the college in 1977, 10 years after the first day of classes began at the school on Oct. 2, 1967, at 8 a.m. By the end of the first week, over 500 students were enrolled in classes and by the end of the academic year, 900 students were enrolled.
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BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
Harrisonburg, Va.
Voices of Immigrants” and “Bridging Gaps with Our Immigrants.” expand. Three full- and three part-time 2001: CyberCollege expanded to offer employees were on-site to provide 27 courses online. instruction and manage the program. C-building was named Armstrong Hall 1997: BRCC became the first college in honor of James A. Armstrong, who served as president from in the nation to offer vet 1969-1985. tech classes via compressed 2002: An Administration video to a remote site. of Justice degree program 1998: BRCC on the World began. Wide Web: By the Spring Assistant Professor of semester, six online classes Then-Lt. Gov. Electronics Jim Eiland were offered. developed a “dream bat” to Tim Kaine 1999 G Building was named help disabled youths swing delivered the the Houff Student Center in recognition of continuing commencement a baseball bat, allowing support from the Cletus and speech in 2002. them to participate in America’s pastime. Charlotte Houff family. Then-Lt. Gov. Tim 2000: BRCC became the first Kaine delivered the community college in the Commonwealth to sign a Guaranteed commencement address. Over 350 Admissions Agreement with James degrees were awarded. 2003: The Robert E. Plecker Workforce Madison University. The college conducted workshops for Center opened in September. Courtesy photo the ever-growing immigrant community Students listen to a lecture in a computer science class at Blue Ridge Community College. BRCC in the Valley called “Culture: From the See YEARS, Page 11 debuted its online presence in 1998, offering six online classes in the spring semester.
Years
FROM PAGE 9
Harrisonburg, Va.
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
Courtesy photo
LEFT: Students gather outside BRCC’s Waynesboro Center. The Waynesboro Center opened in 1985. ABOVE: BRCC students play basketball in the rec center during their free time. The center opened in 2014, along with the Welding and Machining Center in Mount Crawford.
Years
FROM PAGE 10
2004: In the 2004-05 fiscal year, BRCC was the fastest growing community college in the commonwealth. Free shuttle bus service began. Middle-schoolers attended the first Tech Prep Career College to learn early about BRCC’s degrees and programs. 2005: The Large Animal Teaching Facility, referred to as “The Barn,” opened. Funded by Kenneth and Nancy Bowman of Waynesboro, the building was named after Ken’s brother, Bruce, a local veterinarian, Blue Ridge grad, and board member. 2006: A $1.9 million grant from U.S. Department of Labor established a manufacturing technology simulation lab. BRCC students lead the VCCS in assessment test scores for critical thinking and oral communication. 2007: The Aviation Maintenance Technology degree soared into existence. The Students in Free Enterprise team
raised the National Championship trophy at competition in Dallas. They competed against hundreds of twoyear colleges across the country. BRCC’s PTK chapter was named in the national top 100. The Fine Arts Center opened and the first Hunger Symposium was held. 2008: James R. Perkins retired. A ground-breaking ceremony was held for the 20,000-square-foot Advanced Technology Center. 2009: John A. Downey began his presidency. Downey came to BRCC in 1992. He holds degrees from LeMoyne College, Boston College and the University of Virginia. BRCC was recognized as a “Great College to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education. 2010: A.S. degree in General Science with Specialization in Engineering was introduced. 2011: The $7.2 million Advanced Technology Center opened. It is a See YEARS, Page 12
Congratulations on your 50th Anniversary! From Your Friends & Neighbors at PVCC
www.pvcc.edu
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Friday, September 22, 2017
Years
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Harrisonburg, Va.
FROM PAGE 11
Airframe and Powerplant Certificate. 2014: Two new facilities opened: the LEED Gold certified facility. Welding and Machining Center in Two survivors and one rescuer of the Mount Crawford and the Recreation USS Indianapolis disaster presented Center on the main campus. “Courage Beyond Measure: 2015: The Educational The USS Indianapolis Story” Foundation’s 20th Spring to a packed house in the Fling auction raised Plecker Center for a final more than $70,000. time. The World War II Fiscal year 2015-16 was heroes began visiting the the Foundation’s most college in 2006. successful fundraising year Blue Ridge 2012: The Center for in almost a decade. Community Academic Vision and The college hosted a College turns Excellence opened. The manufacturing summit with 50 in 2017 CAVE addressed the need more than 100 participants. for improved face-to-face BRCC and Blue Ridge connections with students Aviation teamed up to offer to keep them engaged an affordable way to earn a academically. private pilot license, instrument pilot, A Transfer Center opened in E Building, and/or commercial pilot ratings. giving students on-campus access 2016: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was to transfer advisors from four local held in August for the newly renovated colleges. Houff Student Center. 2013: BRCC became home to the 2017: Here we are! BRCC Turns the nation’s first online, FAA approved Big 5-0!
A father and his baby explore a Folk Arts Festival on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College. The first Folk Arts Festival was held in 1973 and featured music, performers, artisans, food vendors and community organizations. The last festival took place in 2009. Courtesy photo
Many thanks from the Employee Owners of ComSonics for 50 years of academic contributions to our community. Blue Ridge Community College has grown and evolved while continuing to provide students needed skills for today’s technology driven work place.
Courtesy photo
A class is held outside on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.
Harrisonburg, Va.
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Meet The President Where did you grow up? Syracuse, N.Y. I attended LeMoyne College in Syracuse, where I met my wife Sandy. After graduation I went to Boston College for my master’s degree. Part of the master’s degree program included an internship, which I completed at Bunker Hill Community College. That’s where I learned about what community colleges do and I fell in love with the community college mission. After working in admissions and student activities at Bunker Hill for seven years, I was fortunate to be hired by Blue Ridge Community College in 1992, where I started as a disability services counselor and academic adviser.
When did you know you wanted to become involved in higher education? During my internship at Bunker Hill I noticed right away how community colleges help people who otherwise may not be able to afford or attend higher education. We essentially give people an opportunity to work hard to help them-
selves create a better life. That’s when I fell in love with working at a community college.
When did you know you wanted to become president of BRCC? While working at BRCC, my mentor and predecessor, Dr. Jim Perkins, gave me tremendous opportunities to learn and grow with a variety of responsibilities in different offices at the college. As a result, I was able to serve in student services offices, as an academic dean, as an academic vice president and eventually as president beginning in July of 2009. I’ve been very fortunate and have had such wonderful mentors throughout my life.
What’s the best part of your job? The best part of my job is seeing the lives of students transformed by their engagement with learning. Our faculty and staff create an atmosphere at Blue Ridge Community College that allows students
Friday, September 22, 2017
A Q&A With Blue Ridge Community College President John Downey
to gain confidence, learn how to interact with others, thrive in leadership roles, and gain academic knowledge that they can apply in their work and civic environments. Blue Ridge is our community’s college, and the contribution our students make to the community after graduation cannot be overstated. Almost any place of business you go in the community, you will likely encounter a Blue Ridge Community College student or graduate who will be better prepared to serve your needs because of the academic and personal experiences they had at BRCC.
Any experiences or memories that stand out in your mind? Graduations and pregraduation pinning ceremonies for nursing and veterinary technology students stand out as particularly encouraging moments in my career. See PRESIDENT, Page 14
Downey
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BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
President
FROM PAGE 13
What a privilege it is for me to have the opportunity to hand a degree to a student at graduation who I know has worked incredibly hard to earn it. To hear the families of our graduates celebrate with our students all of the success they have achieved is something I will never forget. I remember handing out a degree at graduation and hearing a very young person yell out, “Great job, Mom!” I know that student was proud, but I think everyone who heard that was impacted by the pride of that young child celebrating his mom’s success. At pinning ceremonies you often hear about how entire families have supported individual students through tremendous hardships or heartaches for our graduate to earn a nursing or veterinary technology degree. Our students are remarkable in regard to all that they overcome to achieve their success and I’m so grateful that our faculty and staff are so committed to doing all they can to help them earn their success.
What’s the hardest part of your job? I love virtually every aspect of the work I do. When particular students
Harrisonburg, Va.
don’t seem to be motivated to work hard — that is the most fun we ever have. We to achieve a better life, despite the best also have wonderful friends we enjoy efforts of everyone supporting them at spending time with as well. When I have the college, that is difficult to watch and some time I love playing golf, tennis, basdisappointing to experience. ketball and pickle ball. I particularly enFortunately, I have found throughout joy when students join faculty and staff my career that the vast to play basketball or majority of students are pickleball in the college very committed to findI love virtually every recreation center. ing a major and career Since I arrived at aspect of the work that they are passionthe college in 1992 I’ve I do. ate about. Once they participated in the inhave that passion, stutramural basketball dents will work excepleague every year and it John Downey, tionally hard to achieve is so wonderful to have president of success. I started my students and employees Blue Ridge career as an academinteracting outside the Community College ic adviser and career traditional structure of counselor, and I still classroom instruction. I find such great rewards like to say that college in helping students understand the con- employees educate in every interaction nection between how they want to make we have with students, and I have ala difference in the world by the career ways believed that student learning in they choose, and the educational path- clubs and athletics plays an important way they need to follow to get there. role in the student’s overall academic development.
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What do you like to do in your spare time? My wife Sandy and I really enjoy going to the movies together. Both of us having the chance to spend time with our three daughters, Meghan, Jennifer and Nicole
What’s your favorite spot on campus? The campus commons, just in front of the Houff Student Center, is my favorite place on campus. That area has such a
history that symbolizes so much about what Blue Ridge Community College is all about. First, it overlooks the Houff Student Center that honors the legacy of Cletus and Charlotte Houff. The Houff family provided the land that the college sits on and I often wonder if they knew the significance of the impact of their generosity. If it weren’t for the Houffs providing that land in such a central location in the Shenandoah Valley, the college would never had had the incredible community impact it has had. Secondly, where the campus commons now stands, there originally was a parking lot. My predecessor had the vision to transform that land into an area where students, faculty and staff congregate and interact. The campus commons is where we bring students to interact with us during their first orientation to the college, and it is where we celebrate graduation every year when the weather cooperates. For me, the campus commons symbolizes the amazing cycle of a student’s arrival, academic and social interactions, and eventually their successful graduation from BRCC. See PRESIDENT, Page 15
Congratulations
Congratulations Blue Ridge Community College on 50 years of service to the community!
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The administration, faculty, staff and students of Bridgewater College extend their best wishes and congratulations to Blue Ridge Community College on its 50th anniversary!
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BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Friday, September 22, 2017
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ty changes, BRCC will change. This will be particularly true in career areas that demand some postsecondary training beIf you have a really long, stressful day, yond high school. I believe more profeshow do you relax? sions will require a baccalaureate degree Spending time with family and so our transfer program that we have in friends. partnership with all the area four-year colleges and univerWhat’s your favorite sities will continue to place to visit that isn’t BRCC will continue thrive. on campus? Advances in technolto be focused Having grown up in ogy have always had a on meeting the Syracuse, N.Y., I’ve albig impact on the coleducational needs ways been a huge Syrlege and as the use of acuse sports fan. So tof the community technology continues to any trip to the Dome in expand and change, it we serve. Syracuse is a wonderful will change the way inevent. struction is delivered. John Downey, I also have fond memWhat will not change is president of Blue Ridge ories of taking a group the incredible passion of students on an eduCommunity College that our faculty and cational trip to Ireland staff have for the work as part of a leadership they do. program we had at the college in 2005. The welcoming and supportive atmoI’d love to go back to Dublin sometime. sphere that pervades the college campus will persist through the years as we help What kind of changes do you see BRCC the next several generations of students going through in the future? succeed. BRCC will continue to be focused on meeting the educational needs of the — Compiled by Ryan Cornell community we serve. So as the communi-
President
FROM PAGE 14
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on 50 YEARS of making a HUGE IMPACT in our community!
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John Downey, president of Blue Ridge Community College, speaks at the annual presidents’ breakfast hosted by the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce in August 2017. “The best part of my job is seeing the lives of students transformed by their engagement with learning,” Downey said.
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Friday, September 22, 2017
BRCC 50TH ANNIVERSARY
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