2010-11 Annual Report

Who was Your Favorite College Professor?

2010 -2011 Annual Report.

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

Board of Directors, 2011-2012 Jerry P. Fox President Patrick W. Farrell Vice President Gianna C. Clark Secretary L. Michael Gracik, Jr. Treasurer Amelia M. Bradshaw Assistant Treasurer Ivor Massey, Jr. Past President Amelia M. Bradshaw J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Dorothy Reynolds Brotherton Community Volunteer Gianna C. Clark Dominion Virginia Power James Cuthbertson JSRCC College Board Chair Patrick W. Farrell Henrico Doctors’ Hospital

Ivor Massey, Jr. Triad LC Margaret E. ‘Lyn’ McDermid Dominion Virginia Power Connie Moslow Community Volunteer Gary L. Rhodes J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Jerry P. Fox Cherry, Bekaert & Holland

Pamela J. Royal Royal Dermatology and Aesthetic Skin Care, Inc.

J. Douglas Freeman, Sr. Tucker Pavilion (Retired)

Ranjit Sen CXI

L. Michael Gracik, Jr. Keiter, Stephens, Hurst, Gary & Shreaves

E. Massie Valentine, Jr. Davenport & Company LLC

Joseph C. Hutchison MeadWestvaco

Michelle A. Williams Richmond Restaurant Group, LLC

Deborah J. Johnston Care Advantage, Inc.

James F. Woodward, Sr. Media General, Inc.

The Honorable Benjamin J. Lambert III Richmond, Virginia

Directors Emeriti

Special Advisor to the Board

Dimitri B. Georgiadis

R. Roland Reynolds Industry Little Hawk LLC

L. H. Ginn III

We welcome Jim Cuthbertson and Lyn McDermid to the Board.

Lucylle F. Gordon (1920–2005) Jeanette S. Lipman J. Sargeant Reynolds, Jr. Patricia L. Robertson

We thank Mark Creery and Maureen Moslow-Benway for their service and congratulate Dimitri Georgiadis on his appointment as Director Emeritus of the JSRCC Educational Foundation Board.

Dear Friends of JSRCC, Did you have a favorite college professor? For many of us, the professor we remember most fondly wasn’t the instructor with the easiest class. Perhaps it was someone who pushed us, challenged our thinking, and made us work harder for the grades we earned. For Reynolds, your philanthropy makes it possible for our students to have this same experience.

Whether studying the ancient texts of Aristotle or the latest advancements in auto technology, our students stretch themselves to master concepts and techniques that are new to them and sometimes new altogether.

Your gifts make it possible for them to apply their knowledge in state-of-the-art labs and learning environments on the same equipment used by the businesses which will employ them.

The engine of this instruction is the superior faculty of Reynolds. They power us, moving our students to learn, to try, to achieve. Our faculty and staff move the Greater Richmond region to become more productive and innovative. When you read the stories in our annual report, perhaps you, too, will be moved: moved to again support our mission of access to education that develops individuals for employment and career advancement, prepares students for successful transfer to colleges and universities, builds a skilled workforce that contributes to regional economic development, and promotes personal enrichment and lifelong learning.

Gary L. Rhodes, Ed.D. President, JSRCC

Jerry P. Fox President, JSRCC Educational Foundation

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The Driving Force of Philanthropy Remember those “Cars of the Future” displays with the features too high tech to believe, like a car that can park itself? You could be driving one after your next trip to the dealership. “Mercedes has a camera in the rearview mirror that monitors your eye movements. If your eyelids start to close, the cars sound a warning to wake you,” explains Lawrence “Kelly” Schwendeman, program head for Reynolds’ Automotive Program. “These accident avoidance systems, as with most technical items, start in the high-end cars and filter down.”

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Through an $809,000 grant from The National Science Foundation – one of the biggest in the college’s history – Reynolds is developing coursework to teach technicians how to maintain and repair these new systems.

philanthropic support, a new automotive student is developing – and just in time. Schwendeman explains, “Years ago, you didn’t need a lot of education to become an automotive technician, but that’s changing. With the constant technical change in the automotive industry, you need more and more education to become a technician, approaching basic engineering. We do have a few students who go on to become engineers, which is becoming less of a jump.”

With rapidly developing technology and the pursuit of grant funds, collaboration between programs and faculty has never been stronger. While Kelly Schwendeman is overseeing a visionary automotive curriculum, he’ll tell you, “I’m just an old auto mechanic.

When it comes to electronics, I have to reach out to people who really know electronics and really design the systems, so we’re talking about engineers.

The JSRCC Educational Foundation would like to pay special tribute to Dr. Robert A. Heinz, dean of the School of Business and Engineering, who passed away on September 28, 2011. Dr. Heinz was a “driving force” behind Reynolds’ electric drive vehicle curriculum and was instrumental in our receipt of the National Science Foundation grant. He was a champion for innovation and student achievement and the Foundation is committed to helping that spirit live on. The Robert A. Heinz Memorial Scholarship has been established in his memory to assist engineering students obtain their college degree.

Courses in controlled electronics, electronic safety systems, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are bridging the principles of automobile mechanics with engineering. Because of

Foundation Grants Manager Nancy Mihalko with Lawrence “Kelly� Schwendeman (l) and Dr. Tahir Aziz (r). Securing grants requires programmatic collaboration, research and teamwork.

I tap their knowledge to design a course that’s suitable to technicians. I know what the technician needs, but I have to understand how the systems work on a basic level. It’s a collaborative effort.

When we write these grants, we pull people in from all over the college to help.”

“Without good faculty, you won’t keep students. Students are what this is about.”

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One of those team members is Dr. Tahir Aziz, professor of computer technology in the School of Business and Engineering. He says the upgrades we see in our smart phones will be mirrored in the vehicles we drive. “Geographic Information Systems are embedded in these mobile devices. Because of that, millions of new technologies will emerge surrounding that GIS component, including vehicles and other devices that we cannot even predict at this time.”

As far-out as this sounds, for Kelly Schwendeman’s automotive students, it boils down to one thing: “What the dealers really expect is for you to fix cars.

They want production. You have to be able to fix

whatever comes in the doors and do it right the first time. The customer doesn’t want to come back twice.”

Reynolds has one of the largest and best automotive programs in Virginia, with master-certified technicians as faculty. “Without good faculty, you won’t keep students. Students are what this is about. They go directly from the automotive program to work. They produce for us. So, any donations and contributions to Reynolds end up right back in our community.”

Reynolds Automotive Program students are among the most highly qualified in the Commonwealth. Note the hybrid engine in the center of the photo.

Through your contributions to the Foundation, new technology and faculty training on these advancements are creating the most realistic lifesaving environments ever offered to Reynolds Nursing students, pictured here with Elaine Beaupre.

Philanthropy: Where the Head and Heart Meet Think of the last time you made a doctor’s appointment to discuss an ache or pain. You probably walked into the doctor’s office having done some preliminary Internet research to read up on your symptoms. As patients, we’re changing – and so are our nurses, explains Elaine Beaupre, the Deborah J. Johnston Nursing Chair at Reynolds who leads the college’s three nursing disciplines.

“The acuity of the patient in a hospital is at a much higher level than it was even 10 years ago. The critical thinking and care management that the RN must use is so important.” To facilitate the decision making processes of a nurse, donations to the Foundation were used to acquire simulation mannequins that allow students to apply knowledge gained in the classroom, without putting a human at risk.

There is even a “3G Junior” mannequin that mimics physiological responses of the pediatric patient.

“The opportunity to modify the computer program so that each student gets a little different scenario has been a wonderful advancement. It was the funds of the Foundation that helped us establish what we have in our labs right now,” said Beaupre.

Reynolds nursing instructors are among the most skilled and experienced in the Commonwealth.

Along with acquiring critical training equipment, donations to the Foundation help instructors in all disciplines develop teaching techniques that engage different generations and learning styles. According to Beaupre, the impact of good nursing instruction

“I always say to my students, there’s going to be a point in my life that you’re going to take care of me and I need you to be my advocate.” has implications for each of us, whether we think of it that way now. “I always say to my students, there’s going to be a point in my life that you’re going to take care of me and I need you to be my advocate.

I need you to have the best critical thinking skills, because when I need you, my critical thinking skills will probably be impaired. I’ll need a nursing professional who can make the pieces of healthcare come together for me.”

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At Reynolds, our goal is to engage our future nurses to master the curriculum and critical thinking to become the strongest advocates for patients in the Richmond community. The college is partnering with Virginia Commonwealth University to build a career ladder program for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) employees to become Registered Nurses (RNs).

To accommodate the working student, classes are scheduled for two evenings a week, year round, with “clinicals” held on Saturdays. In two years, students have completed their associate’s degree and are positioned to become RNs – without having to give up their employment to return to school.

Beaupre admits, “It’s exciting to think of the opportunity to bring a practical nurse to the associate degree RN level, or help the career switcher or student just out of high school to realize his or her dream of becoming a nurse. For many, it’s really answering a calling. Our nursing instructors are very committed to student learning, and that starts

with advancing themselves in their knowledge base.

It’s really through staff development made possible by the Foundation that a new student can come in and work with a full-time or adjunct faculty member and know that they’re learning the skills required to be successful in the clinical environment of their choice.”

A Student Explains: The Power of Faculty Kelly McIntosh, President, Student Council Association I think all professors have their own standards. One of my favorite professors always says, “Know what you’re not good at.” I’ve never heard anyone say that before and it’s amazing. When he said that, everything started to click for me. Because if you know what you’re not good at, you know what you need to work on and what you need to improve

upon. I think the faculty and staff are excellent here.

It’s like they all have a passion for what they do.

Since I struggle with math a lot, I’m very proud that I’m up to college-level math. I’ve worked very hard with every faculty member of the math department, especially Professor Joe, Professor Swadgelo, and even the secretary for the math department, Ms. Victory. They worked with me over the summer to get me where I need to be in order to graduate.

Pictured here with Kelly McIntosh is Biology professor Bryan Rhodes who studied reproductive ecology as a Zoology doctoral candidate at the University of Otago. Reynolds is encouraging students to pursue studies in the “STEM” fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

I’m not a traditional student. When I first came here, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I declared Business Administration and really fell in love with it. When I realized I got all As my first semester, it was hard for me to believe. I kept checking my Blackboard account and all my grades said “A.” I even went down to the academic support center to double check! I didn’t believe that I’d actually done that after being out of school for years. My English

professor really pushed me to master technology.

The professors really pushed me to another level.

The faculty members are the key thing about Reynolds that I like. I’ve never had a faculty member tell me that they don’t have time for me. Even if it’s just to stop by their office or stay after class to explain something, it’s just a human connection.

It’s like you’re almost like a member of their family.

Is Your Gift Going the Distance?

Doing homework at the kitchen table isn’t a quaint memory from grade school. In fact, more students are taking courses from home, or any of the locations where we now plug in. Distance learning is the fastest-growing instructional offering at Reynolds, up 14 percent since 2010. Its flexibility is so popular with students that the college now offers 23 degree and certificate programs that can be completed online.

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Eric Hibbison is an English professor at Reynolds and a trailblazer in distance learning. He and other professors are finding, to their delight, that spirited debates and class participation are often helped by the virtual format. “The first thing that

increases in distance learning is contact between the instructor and the students,” explains Hibbison.

“Instead of lecturing to a group of generally quiet students, suddenly we’re conversing in a medium to which they’re accustomed. They have no qualms about asking questions via email, whereas some wouldn’t necessarily speak up in a class.”

Twenty-four percent of Reynolds students are enrolled in distance learning courses and the college wants to see an uptick in that figure. The college’s Strategic Growth Enrollment Plan calls for expanding distance learning offerings to meet the needs of the diverse student population of Reynolds, especially for working adults. “I’ve had students

English Professor Eric Hibbison also is the 2010-2011 recipient of the Virginia Sargeant Reynolds Faculty Leadership Award. His efforts to form teaching networks and organize professional development opportunities for faculty support collegiality and improve the quality of instruction.

who needed to travel for their jobs and were able to turn in their assignments and participate in class discussions. One of the first things you learn about teaching online is flexibility. In a way it’s more challenging, but very rewarding,” says Hibbison.

“I’m amazed at the level of dedication that’s here among faculty, and the level of innovation.

Because of the web, technology is a major part of our hiring considerations.”

Reynolds actively pursues grant monies and financial support to grow distance learning instruction, such as a three-year grant received in 2009 totaling $400,602 from the Fund for Improvement of PostSecondary Education (FIPSE), funded by the United States Department of Education. Professor Hibbison, this year’s recipient of the Virginia Sargeant Reynolds Faculty Leadership Award, sees the decision to invest in Reynolds as smart and personal. “I think philanthropy is best placed here for the same reason I came to teach here: We make a difference in people’s lives. Probably two-thirds of the students I see sitting in my classrooms would not be in college if there were not a community college for them to attend.

And now that more jobs are demanding collegelevel expertise, I think philanthropy is well placed.

Philanthropy also is interesting because it gives people a way to help craft projects they want to support. Some of the things I do with faculty-to-faculty

initiatives, for example, are golden opportunities for professional development and also for philanthropy because it gets people doing the job they’re supposed to be, which is teaching. If we’re really

“...we must continue to develop better teaching strategies. That’s a goal that has to be supported by dollars.” a teaching institution, rather than a government agency, then we must continue to develop better teaching strategies. That’s a goal that has to be supported by dollars.”

The result of which is the incredible level of engagement fostered from the world-wide classroom.

“One semester I had a third grade class from Mexico who entered the discussion on the poem A Rose for Emily, and they added about 200 comments to the discussion board. Some were very profound. I’ve had groups of students from different community colleges in Virginia commenting on each other’s work and really engaged in the text.”

Perhaps the irony of distance learning is that it’s bringing bright minds closer than ever.

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(l to r) Reynolds President Dr. Gary Rhodes with Jennifer Kocen, Glave Kocen Gallery, and Donna Kelliher, Dominion Resources. The installation on the Parham Road Campus features original works from Richmond artists and a series of fascinating renovated drawings from the college’s archives.

Patrons of the Arts This year has been a beautiful one for art acquisition at the college; Reynolds has received two transformational donations. Dr. Baxter Perkinson, dentist, philanthropist, and local watercolorist, donated more than 60 of his works, the first ever shared from his contemporary collection. The permanent collection adds vibrancy and bursts of shape and color to the fifth floor of Reynolds’ Downtown Campus, which also houses the dental lab and dental assisting programs.

Across town at the Parham Road Campus, the college’s newly renovated science labs have never been more intriguing. Gianna Clark, Foundation Board member and Vice President, Customer Service Operations at Dominion Virginia Power, secured the company’s sponsorship of a stunning collection of restored and new works gifted to Reynolds. With curating assistance from the Glave Kocen Art Gallery, the pieces feature a range of images, from glossy and updated Periodic Tables to abstract oil paintings from Richmond artists.

Like much of science, the first discovery was accidental, but eye-popping. Some of the most exquisite posters were found tucked away in closets in the science wing, rolled up and nearly forgotten. Unfurled (and with some work) the

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Online auction sites are commanding hundreds of dollars for first edition drawings like this one.

striking detail is once again captivating pupils.

“Occasionally, we find professors who will bring students outside the classroom to explore the drawings in the hallways. The images are just exquisite,” says science lab technician Sandra Christian.

Reynolds President Dr. Gary Rhodes sees the Perkinson and Dominion installations, and art beautification efforts overall, as a way to make students more comfortable, intellectually stimulated – thus, more effective – in the college’s learning environments.

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This stunning watercolor from renowned local artist Dr. Baxter Perkinson is one of 60 works featured in the permanent installation at the Downtown Campus. The pieces are the first ever donated from Dr. Perkinson’s contemporary collection.

One Professor’s Lasting Legacy

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As someone who devoted so much of himself to he had supported them. Not only did they come students and mathematics, it’s ironic that there is no once, they came back every day and many staying way to begin to count the number of people whose all day long. There were so many different people lives were touched by Professor Randy Pittman. His but they were all there to say the same thing: brother says it surprises even him; however, as Randy, I love you and I am a better person Steve Pittman explains, what is entirely believable because of you. is that Randy chose to Randy’s decision to endow a scholarship in endow the scholarship, the family’s name.

Professor Emeritus Randy Pittman which was originally passed away in November 2010. created in honor of our Through a bequest, he created I knew that Randy was an endowment to fund the Clyde, parents, Clyde and a dedicated educator.

Dorothy and Randy Pittman Dorothy, was very much Memorial Scholarship in perpetuity.

He devoted a lot of his like him. He gave so free time to helping much of his time helping students and tutoring others, tutoring free to all them. I knew he loved his job. Still, I had no idea that needed it. You didn’t have to be his student to that he had touched so many lives so deeply. receive his help. Our mother was so proud when he gave her a framed certificate from Reynolds The outpouring of support for Randy, especially when he was in hospice, was incredible. I still think showing her that a scholarship had been set up in their name to honor them forever. Honor your about how so many people dropped everything parents and help others forever. How appropriate and came to share one more hug, one more laugh, one more cry or one more story. How people came for Randy. I think it was a fantastic decision. from Honduras, St. Louis, Connecticut, Washington If you would like to learn more about honoring D. C., and so on. How everyday so many people came early and stayed late to spend with him what- a loved one through an endowed or planned gift, please call Bess Littlefield at 804-521-5181. ever time was left and show their support because

Financials J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.

2010 -11 Funds Raised By Donor Type Total: $1,823,014

Statement of Financial Position June 30, 2011

Community Groups

Unaudited

$37,705

Individuals* $378,760

ASSETS: Cash & Cash Equivalents

$1,284,962

Investments

$6,112,048

Unconditional Promises to Give

$1,107,318

Other Receivables and Prepaid Expenses

$11,473

Net Investment in Property

$28,028

TOTAL ASSETS

$8,543,829

Foundations $843,875

Corporations $562,674

*Includes realized bequests

2010 -11 Distribution of Gifts Total: $1,823,014

LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS: Total Liabilities

Unrestricted

$23,619

$78,399

Net Assets: Unrestricted

Scholarships $372,235

$(235,281)

Temporarily Restricted

$2,668,797

Permanently Restricted

$5,616,132

Total Net Assets

$8,520,210

TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS

$8,543,829

Programs $1,372,380

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Thank You For Supporting the Reynolds Mission.

Your Gifts Help our Students and Faculty Achieve.

P.O. Box 26924, Richmond, Virginia 23261-6924 • (804) 523-5181 www.reynolds.edu/foundation • facebook.com/JSargeAlumni