For in-state and out-of-state students, the State Board will consider tuition rate and E& G increases of between $3.50 per credit hour and $8.00 per credit hour. The State Board will also consider mandatory non-E&G fee increases of no more than $0.50 per credit hour for select colleges.

The tuition and fee increases are necessary to pay for additional costs of operating Virginia’s community colleges, including costs associated with state-mandated compensation and benefit increases, technology costs, insurance premiums, and inflationary cost pressures.

Current tuition and mandatory fees at Virginia’s Community Colleges are: $168.30 per credit hour for in-state students, and $385.40 for out-of-state students. You can  on the VCCS website.

Virginia Community college tuition remains less than one-third the cost of attending public four-year baccalaureate institutions.

Written comments from the public will be accepted until 5 p.m. on May 20 and will be made available to the Board before action on tuition is taken. Written comments may be sent to Andrew Kachur, Executive Coordinator for the Chancellor, at akachur@vccs.edu, or they may be mailed to the attention of Andrew Kachur at:

Office of the Chancellor
Virginia Community College System
300 Arboretum Parkway
Richmond, Virginia 23236

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The 8,900-square-foot facility includes four airy classrooms in a building adjacent to the main center and the program’s welding lab. The new classrooms easily enable multimedia instruction and give instructors flexibility.  

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity right here,” said Gary Young, the faculty member who leads the Welding and Metal Processing Career Studies Certificate program. 

The program prepares students for careers in arc, gas, MIG and TIG welding as well as metal fabrication. 

“Any of our hands-on classes are restricted to 14 students per section,” Young said. “But say we have a metallurgy class – we can bounce that up on to 28. Or blueprint reading class – that’s mainly a lecture class, so we can expand those numbers, and these classrooms can handle it.” The facility also has space for commercial heating, ventilation and air-conditioning instruction. 

The new classroom space contains plenty of room for VRTEX virtual reality welding simulators made by Lincoln Electric. During a class this spring, two of Young’s students donned VR headsets and practiced stick welding and metal inert gas (MIG) welding on two machines where instruction had been held earlier in the day.   

As student Josh Simmons practiced stick welding, the display indicated with green to red indicators if he was on track for his angles, travel speed, distance off the work piece, and other measures. “This will allow him to simulate very closely, without using any consumables, and without even needing supervision,” Young said. “They can use this on their breaks and before class.”  

Simmons said he came to the welding field because of an early hobby of blacksmithing. “I was looking at other professions in metalworking. So I thought about welding, and I went online to see if there was any schools near me that offered welding classes, and 51°µÍø did, so I just signed up.”  

Next to him, Josh Waldron worked on a VR simulator to practice MIG welding.  

“Back in high school, I did some stick welding, my freshman year at BTEC, and since then, I haven’t really thought about it,” Waldron said. “I’ve been figuring out what I wanted to do. So last summer I went and got a job at this company that showed me how to MIG weld. And once I started MIG welding, I fell in love with it immediately. So, I decided to go to school for it, and November of last year decided I wanted to go to welding school to get certified.” 

Simmons and Waldron were in the fast-track Career Studies Certificate program, which covers 17 credits of coursework in four months. Students completing the program come out with American Welding Society certifications in stick, MIG and TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding. Demand for workers is high, with some job openings literally out the facility’s back door, at Greenfield industries such as Munters and Altec. 

Their classmate Sophia Lovejoy said that the program’s sense of community, and how that parlays into industry connections, was an unexpected aspect of the program. “It’s definitely stressed to keep the connections we made here,” she said. 

Lovejoy began at 51°µÍø in a different program. “I decided to take a trade, and my whole family suggested welding. I was kind of not sure about it until I got here, but it’s been really good so far,” she said. Having the option of a fast-track program is an advantage. “It’s one semester and then you get your certifications.” 

With the expanded classroom space at Greenfield, gaining those certifications is a smoother process than ever. “This is actually ideal for what we do,” Young said. 

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The State Board traditionally considers tuition and fee increases during its May meeting, but the Board delayed action on the matter until after the General Assembly and Governor conclude their deliberations on the State Budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

At its July meeting, the State Board will consider mandatory tuition and fee increases of between 0 percent and 4.7 percent for all undergraduate students, subject to budget provisions of the 2023 General Assembly. The maximum potential increase equates to a  tuition and education and general fee rate of $161.25 per credit-hour for in-state students and would result in a net annual increase of $217 for a student enrolling in thirty credit-hours during the academic year. The community colleges will use revenue generated from any increase in mandatory fees to pay for mandatory cost increases associated with compensation and benefit increases, contractual obligations, technology and strategic initiatives, inflationary cost impacts, debt service, and potential adjustments to student fees.

Written comments from the public will be accepted through July 19 and will be made available to the Board before action on tuition is taken. Written comments may be sent to Rose Marie Owen, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor, at rmowen@vccs.edu, or they may be mailed to the attention of Rose Marie Owen at:

Office of the Chancellor
Virginia Community College System
300 Arboretum Parkway
Richmond, Virginia 23236

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• Wednesday, January 11; 5 to 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 25, 5 to 6:30 p.m.

51°µÍø faculty and staff will be on hand to share information about short-term training for in-demand jobs, resources that help students outside of class (such as bus fares and a campus food pantry), applying for a Community College Access Program (CCAP) scholarship and other sources of financial aid.

The Roanoke EnVision Center is located at 2607 Salem Turnpike, N.W., in Roanoke.

“We look forward to hearing what the community would like to see us offer,” said Dr. Milan Hayward, 51°µÍø’s Vice President of Career & Corporate Training. “The open houses will be casual events where we invite people to stop by, grab a bite to eat and learn about each other.”

Food and beverages will be provided at the open houses. Registration is required; see the flyer with a QR code to scan and register.

The Roanoke EnVision Center is operated by the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority with support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is housed in a newly renovated building that was the longtime home of the Melrose Branch Library. It sits adjacent to Lansdowne Park, Roanoke’s largest public housing development.

are supported across the United States, including six others in Virginia. However, the Roanoke location is the first college satellite to be located on public housing in the Commonwealth. EnVision Centers aim to offer HUD-assisted families access to support services that can help them achieve self-sufficiency. They are built around four pillars: economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness, and character and leadership.

Other community partners based at the Roanoke EnVision Center include: Carilion Clinic, with community health workers on-site; The Harvest Collective and Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, which have helped plant a youth community garden facing Salem Avenue; Family Service of Roanoke Valley, which provides full-time mental health wellness; and the Roanoke Financial Empowerment Center, which offers professional, one-on-one financial counseling at no cost to Roanoke residents. The building houses a training room, a classroom, a telehealth suite and client meeting rooms.

51°µÍø’s main campus on Colonial Avenue currently serves more than 4,000 students. The College also offers classes and job training at the Claude Moore Education Complex in Gainsboro, the Franklin Center for Advanced Learning and Enterprise in Rocky Mount and the Greenfield Training and Education Center in Daleville. It was a founding partner in the RAMP business accelerator in downtown Roanoke.

The Roanoke EnVision Center is open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (540) 983-9210.

To learn more about 51°µÍø at the Roanoke EnVision Center, contact Dr. Hayward at (540) 857-6680 or email mhayward@virginiawestern.edu.

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The 51°µÍø Educational Foundation and the 51°µÍø Alumni Association are calling for nominations for the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award.  The annual recipient or recipients will receive the award at a special Scholarship Awards Ceremony in the spring, and a plaque will be placed on the 51°µÍø Distinguished Alumni Wall outside Whitman Theatre.

For many, the road to lifetime achievement started at 51°µÍø.  The 51°µÍø Alumni Association established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006 to recognize those alumni who have achieved outstanding success and made a lasting impact on their community. The award is intended to showcase the diversity of 51°µÍø graduates and their range of influence on our region.

Prior honorees:  

2022 – Elvir Berbic ’06 and Jason Peters

2021 – Mary Catherine Lawrence ’06

2020 – Tony Pearman ’10

2019 – Deborah L. Petrine ’74

2018 – Elizabeth Testerman ’06

2017 – Dr. Carol Swain ’78

2016 – Mary B. Loritsch Ed.D., R.T. (R) ’74 and Michael A. Crawley

2015 – Deborah A. Yancey ’97 and ’98

2014 – Chief Craig S. Harris ’00 & J. David Wine ’73

2013 – Cheryl Cunningham ’86

2012 – Anne Hogan ’76

2011 – Carolyn Webster ’81

2010 – Russell H. Ellis ’80

2009 – Shirl D. Lamanca ’75 and Dennis R. Cronk ’72

2008 – Donna L. Mitchell ’81

2007 – Dr. Kent A. Murphy and Charlotte C. Tyson ’84

2006 – John B. Williamson, III ’75

Anne Hogan (’76), serves as chair of the Alumni Association. The Association fosters a mutually beneficial relationship and interaction between the College, its alumni and the community. It connects with the college community to recognize and foster the diverse talents and successes of 51°µÍø graduates.

Distinguished Alumni Eligibility requirements:

To be eligible for nomination, the candidate must:

• Be a graduate of or have completed a minimum of two semesters at 51°µÍø.
• Have attained extraordinary distinction and success in his or her profession or life.
• Be a person of such integrity and stature that the College will take pride in his or her recognition.
• Have attained regional, statewide or national prominence and significant involvement in civic, cultural or charitable affairs.

How to nominate:

Anyone may nominate a 51°µÍø alumna/us or former student for this award by completing a nomination form.  This form can be submitted online or downloaded from the College’s website at virginiawestern.edu/alumni/distinguished-alumni.  Two letters of reference are also required. 

Deadline:

Nominations must be received by Feb. 28, 2023.

For more information, contact Amanda Mansfield, Philanthropy Director, 51°µÍø Educational Foundation, at amansfield@virginiawestern.edu or (540) 857-6962.

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ROANOKE – A record-high 630 students are attending 51°µÍø tuition-free this fall, thanks to the private-public community partnership that funds the Community College Access Program (CCAP).

Since 2008, public localities and private donors have united in support of CCAP, which is the largest “free college” program at a Virginia community college. CCAP provides up to three years of tuition for recent high school graduates who meet program requirements, as funding allows. More than 3,872 Roanoke Valley students have participated in the program as of fall 2022.

“Thanks to the community’s dedication, commitment and belief in our young people, our high school graduates continue to be able to start their academic and career journeys close to home and enter a workforce that eagerly awaits them,” said William Farrell II, Chair of the 51°µÍø Educational Foundation, a nonprofit affiliated with 51°µÍø.

The prior peak of CCAP participants was in fall 2015, with 551 students funded by the Educational Foundation scholarship.

“Increased funding by our locality partners opened the doors for more students to receive CCAP support,” said Amanda Mansfield, Philanthropy Director of the Educational Foundation. “We are heartened that they recognize the critical link between 51°µÍø students achieving degrees and certificates and building a stronger workforce.  Our special acknowledgements go to to Roanoke and Botetourt counties for their dedicated expansion efforts.” 

Roanoke Valley high school seniors may apply for CCAP support in fall 2023 by filling out an online application by Feb. 1, 2023. Those interested in learning more about CCAP are invited to attend upcoming in-person and Zoom information sessions, scheduled for midday and evening times through January. Registration is required at virginiawestern.edu/CCAP.

They also can sign up for important CCAP updates about application deadlines, financial aid workshops and more by texting “CCAP2023” to 877-235-2279. (Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help; message and data rates apply.)

CCAP recipients for fall 2023:

BOTETOURT COUNTY

First year: Courtney Amos, Kendall Bennington, Craig Bowyer, Sean Bralley, Faith Brandt, Kaitlin Burks, Jessie Cassell, Lena Chandler, Robert Chapman Jr., Justin Compton, Samuel Crane, Zachary Crawford, Casey Curran, Joshua Deaner, Aidan Dietrich, Lydia Dobbs, Wyatt Duckworth, Wesley Ferguson, Kyle Flinchum, Alan Gallimore, Tyler Gallimore, Julia Gillespie, Taylor Gunter, Savannah Hare, Emma Harrell, Reagan Harris, Faira Horne, Clay Houston, Austin Huffman, Sydney Jones, Ella-Grace King, Maxim Krimski, Noah Lankford, Cyrus LeNoir, Elizabeth Leonard, Sarah Lucas, Billie McClung, Micah McClure, Ryley McKinney, Bailey Mines, Yamile Moctezuma, Joseph Monaghan, Grace Montgomery, Kayla Myers, Tyler Newsome, Emily Nolan, Kassidy Paige, Chase Peery, Brianna Pigeon, Miyah Riley, Isabella Roberts, Cameron Rodgers, Aidan Rothwell, Carmen Sheppard, Jordan Shrewsbury, Brogan Shutts, Sydney Smith, Hayden Thomasson, Jordan Thornhill, Samantha Trent, Matthew Walker, Jonas Wilkes, Ethan Wilson and Courtney Zerrilla

Second year: Jackson Butler, Josh Davidick, Julia Desai, Desiree Gallimore, Lorien Griffith, Andrew Lawhorne, Brianna LeBlanc, Meredith Moran, Gabrielle Pickle, Caleb Snyder, Caroline Walker and Elias Whitt

Third year: Austin Allen, Coby Kingery and Zander LeNoir

CRAIG COUNTY

First year: Tanner Davis, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Brayden Frango, Mason Huffman, Kaitlyn Radford and Chasity Wolfe

Second year: Autumn Hutchison, Jaela Hutton and Lucy Rigney

FRANKLIN COUNTY

First year: Makayla Alley, Katelynn Altice, Kaylee Altice, Cameron Angell, Nastazja Bennett, Emma Bowman, Harley Brooks, Zach Brooks, Jacob Brown, Teresa Carroll, Wendy Carter, Cynthia Castaneda, Zac Chittum, Emma Cox, Carly Davis, Ethan Davis, Heidi Delgado-Garcia, Lorena Delgado-Salinas, Bakari Deskins, Catherine Dickenson, Marshall Dickerson, Olive Dill, Luke Divers, Olivia Dow, Seth Durr, William English, Erica Garcia, Stone Gibbs, Alexandria Gregory, Aiden Hall, Rylee Hall, Chase Harendt, Zachery Haynes, Caleb Henderson, Alyssa Hodges, Landon Hodges, Hatcher Holyfield, Michael Jones, Payton Jones, Aiden Keith, Elliott Kemp, Thurston Krulikowski, Donald Lampley, William Leary, Danielle Ledbetter, Nicolas Leon Guzman, Dylan McCown, David Patterson, Devin Powell, Lakota Pridgen, Gavin Pulley, Madison Regan, Anna Rider, Amanda Roberts, Hayley Sanders, Hunter Shively, Lindsey Smith, Reagan Smith, Peter Spangler, Morgan Sydenstricker, Makayla Vaught, Emma Walker, Nathaniel White, Charlotte Winch, Hannah Woodford, Selah Wright and Haley Zwolinski

Second year: Daniel Angle, Mary Atkins, Jade Bennett, James Bridges, Jared Caudill, Robert David, Krista Dudley, Landon English, Grace Hahn, Pamela Hostutler, Nicole Kingery, Stefan Knott, Samuel Krauss, Skyler Light, James Lusk, Ethan Meade, Tommy Nguyen, Luke Pasley, Eliza Quesenberry, Isaiah Richards, Michael Shanahan, Sadie Sheppard, Bianca Sink, Juliana Slate, Rylie Turner, Hailey Vanover and Zoey Wood

Third year: Caleb Cokendolpher, Jacob Flora, Bethany Graham, Skylar Grigorieff, Casey Hodges, Nathaniel Hodges, Taylor Janney, Courtney Johnson, Jacob Lemon, Karly Mullins and Kavyn Page

ROANOKE CITY

First year: Bibi Sarah Alakozai, Hope Avis, Sungula Ayamba, Isaiah Bailey, Welshney Balisage, Jason Bates, Na’Mauri Bonds, Benjamin Bonesteel, Ethan Bowlby, Justina Bradbury, Savannah Brewbaker, Moises Castaneda, Alyssa Coleman, Nicholas Cothran, Benjamin Craft, La’ Tazia Crouch, Mia Cundiff-Thephasouk, Jamar Davis, Kateleigh Dillon, Makayla Duff, Levi Duncan, Dario Duran, Jonathon Espinosa, Jazavier Ezekiel, Diego Figueredo, Kelsey Foutz, Gonzalo Gallo, Anthony Garcia-Davila, Mia Garza, Greta Gearhart, Stephanie Gonzalez-Cordoba, Karli Hall, Lizet Hernandez, Reilly Hill, Paris Hobbs, Isaiah Humbert, Kenneth Jones, Lucas Kennedy, Micah Keyser-Rothgery, Taliyah Kotz, Benjamin Kraciuk, Matthew Kreppeneck, Ryan Lamb, Campbell Land, Phoenix Laney, Daniel Launderville, Gary Lemon, Jasime Letterman, Griffin Lewis, Alexander Lopez-Bravo, Sophia Lovejoy, William Lowe, Kylan Lundy, Abina Magar, Gavin Manning, Eden Martin, Kenisha Maurice, Gwenyth McCormick, Mariah Mitchell, Deepak Monger, Calvin Montgomery, Jose Morales, Nathan Morrow, Anna Murphy, Keona Nicholson, Michael Oldson, Kimberly Parrish, Benson Pietrzyk, Charles Preston, Julissa Ramirezlopez, Eleanor Reddan, Roberto Reyes, David Richardson, Tra’Quan Robertson, Emma Rodriguez, Unqique Rosser, Kendall Scott, William Serfass, Kianna Simmons, Mason Smiley, Christopher Smith, George Songer, Joshua Spencer, McKenzie Talley, Sapana Tamang, Jayden Thomas, Alianna Tribble, Otto Tyler, Oscar Vilchis-Trejo, teauree vincent, James Weeks, Cydney Williams, Uriah Williams, Dyamond Woods, Samuel Workman, Thomas Wright and Vienna Yugo

Second year: Meghan Alexandre, Aryal Allie, Mario Ball, India Best, Shaniyah Byers, Travis Dean, Samantha DeSouto, Zavier DiStefano, James Dowe, Areonna Ellison, Arionna Ferrell, Jacob Foster, Puspa Ghorsai, Ayanna Gibens, Jonathan Guerrant, Jordan Ham, Lorin Hanger, Cristal Hernandez- Cortes, Shrouq Ibrahim, Jasmique Jones, Eamon Lash, Maggie Layman, Nicholas Maiolo, Erynn Martin, Andrik Mendez Ayala, Roman Moody, Grace Morrow, Duy Ngo, Chris Nguyen, Lacie Oyler, Alexandra Rodriguez, Jeffrey Sebastian, Sonja Taylor, Justine Thomas, Onaca Umak, Aniya Walker and Jasmine Woodson

Third year: Erika Claros, Troy Fitzgerald, Madison Moore and Wardah Rasheed

ROANOKE COUNTY

First year: Arianna Adebiyi, Michael Amoroso, Carmen Anderson, Andrew Ballinger, Ryan Barbour, Sara Bechtold, Chayton Behrens, Victoria Bell, Bryce Bennett, Alyssa Bishop, Noah Bone, Nicholas Borchevsky, Hadley Brandetsas, Trinity Bridgen, Abigail Brown, Bryce Brunelli, Bennett Burger, Nicholas Carter, Don Casil Jr., Mason Cass, Sara Chapman, Jonathan Chen, Chloe Clark, Sidney Clemmer, Madison Coffer, Elias Coleman, Megan Coleman, Connor Colgan, Elizabeth Collins, Benjamin Cook, Hannah Cooper, Ethan Corbett, Treveon Cossaboon, Landon Cox, Ryan Crouch, Elliot Danz, Kiera Davidson, Sheridan Dooley, Gavin Dorsey, Colin Doyle, Riley Duncan, Sarahann Earls, Brooklyn Eaves, Sierra England, Kellan Enos, Makayla Entsminger, Conner Evans, Justine Fizer, Isabella Franco, Aidan Franklin, Josie Galliher, Mikaila Gentry, Connor Gilkeson, Victoria Goodman, Haley Gowen, Ashley Griffin, Abigail Gunn, Lilymae Gunter, Reese Guth, Breanna Hall, Kailyn Hardy, Samuel Hart, Olivia Hartman, Jasmine Hefner, Sadie Henderson, Nathan Hendrick, Holly Hinchy, Nathan Hinkle, Kaiya Hoagland, Kenley Hodges, Sean Hoey, Molly Holthouser, Reese Hood, Jason Hunter, Blaise Ingram, Robert Janney, Cole Jarrett, Bryce Johnson, Rebecca Justice, Pyxle Karnes, Mercedes Kastner, Tanner Kennedy, Brianna Kinnally, Sofia Kouser, Cheyenne Lawless, Tiffany Le, Nathaniel Linkous, Vinton Mai, Jay Marshall, Landon Marshall, Jayson Marvin, Josiah Mauceri, Zachary McCroskey, Logan McDaniel, Taylor McKay, Dylan Mills, Ashley Moore, Ryan Moore, Kamaya Moorman, Julianne Morgan, Clinton Morris, Elizabeth Morris, Erika Morris, Aayusha Neupane, Steven Nguyen, Tori Nininger, Ella Overstreet, Noah Painter, Shivani Patel, Donovan Phoebus, Thomas Pierce, Andrew Pronko, Hannah Puskar, Brock Rader, Madelyn Richardson, Abigail Ricker, Evan Ridinger, Kendal Seale, Emma Silva, Jackson Simmons, Jamie Small, Damien-Chaos Smith, Faith Smith, Kayla Smith, Levi Smith, Thoo Lay Soe, Andrew Sowder, Logan Stump, Belma Subasic, Kaile Surrell, Lainey Thornhill, Chase Tinsley, James Tozier, Lana Turner, Amra Vatres, Ethan Wade, Logan Wade, Gracie Walker, Greta Walls, Colin Webb, Laine Wegener, Madison Williams, Katelyn Wissinger, Carson Wood and Cameran Zimmerman

Second year: Brandon Acker, Grant Alderson, Hailey Bryant, Haley Church, Michaela Clarke, Rachel Cruff, Tyler Cundiff, Erin Curtis, Jaylin Delby, Victoria Deweese, Isabelle Divers, Abigail Estrada, Jordan Gearhart, Makayla Grubb, Eva Harner, Emily Harrell, Noah Hartson, Wilkin Hatfield, Kailey Henderson, Destinee Holland, Jerry Huang, Ellyson Hurd, Noah Kargman, Kyler Kleinhenz, Eli Klepper, Andrew Kroese, Robbie Kyle, Jacob Mardian, Catherine McCown, Matthew Miles, Alaina Miller, Zachary Moore, Danielle Moser, Anne Notebaert, Megan Painter, Franchesca Pernot, Kylie Ralston, Jordan Read, Katherine Richards, David Richardson, Benjamin Robinson, John Rusinak, Javon Saunders, Seth Schindler, Dylan Smith, Andrew Sorial, Elijah Spencer, Matthew St.Clair, Annie Stevens, Chyenne Sweeney, Mackenzie Sylvester, Conner Thompson, Steven Tingler, Caleb Tinsley, Charlie Urgo, Sarah Varney, Julie Wang, Grace Willis, Taylor Wood and Hannah Young

Third year: Merima Adanalic, Amber Arthur, Sophie Currier, Jayden Glass, Mason James, Colin Jones, Savanna Lear, Maia Lemore, Conner McKinney, Nathan Patrick, Ariana Pineda, Wilson Shi-Wang, Eden Walls and Lynden Whicker

SALEM

First year: Joshua Albert, Taylor Arons, Hunter Bayne, Dylan Bender, Emma Blevins, Otoniel Bobe Cummings, Reginald Brown, Maigen Burton, Kylie Butt, Miles Canlas, Michael Carlos-Benitez, Kenley Coleman, Matteo Collins, Holdon Colwell, James Convery, Isabella De Lieto, Thomas Delby, Matthew Ewing, Ayden Fesperman, Alexandria Folden, Calvin Foster, Bailey Fralin, Gabriel Goldston, Jordan Jennings, Sarah Jones, Joshua Kiser, Gabriela Kline-Reyes, Sean Laughlin, Anesline Lumile, Zachary Mangone, Samuel Miles, Logan Milton, Lindsey Moran, Noah Morgan, Owen Mossor, Christian Nolasco-Jacobo, Kalin Paxton, Aaron Peters, Catherine Pugh, Andrew Puthenpurackal, Vance Richards, Christopher Robertson, Elena Sable, Collin Scaggs, Jackson Seto, Ryan Shearer, Harrison Smith, Brenden Steele, Layla Trice, Lily Webster, Connor Weeks, Alyssa Winters, Stephen Witt and Addison Wolfe

Second year: Malak Altawel, Zachary DeSouto, Maggie Duncan, William Jenkins, Jordan Lucas, Adriana Justo Ortiz, Josie Phillips, Jada Prater, Rebekah Rothkopf, Liya Santhosh, Rafe Scaggs, Carter Schaeffer, Kyleigh Smithey and Gabrielle St. Amour

Third year: Elijah Boyer, Grace Kelley, Regan Laughlin, Bailee Lintner, Christopher Murphy and Annalise Smith

For more information about CCAP, see virginiawestern.edu/ccap or contact Carolyn Payne, CCAP Coordinator: (540) 857-7544 or cpayne@virginiawestern.edu.

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The scholarship application for the spring 2023 semester is open until Oct. 31, 2022, at /scholarships/.

“Follow Your Heart” is a 15-minute video that profiles three recent Educational Foundation scholarship recipients. Watch it on YouTube at .

For information on donating to or establishing a scholarship at 51°µÍø, contact Philanthropy Director Amanda Mansfield at (540) 857-6962 or amansfield@virginiawestern.edu.

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By Bianca Moorman

When Nickole Toler was a student at 51°µÍø, she remembers how as an adult learner she was unable to find resources that would help her succeed.  

Free tutoring, laptop loaners, a food pantry, special advising for first-generation students, crisis counseling – these are all resources offered today that could have helped her the first two times she attempted college. 

Today she is 51°µÍø’s first College Affordability Navigator, a position that puts her in a place to help others with the same experiences. 

“It’s my dream job because I am doing what I love, which is connecting students with resources, encouraging people and helping them get to the finish line,” she said.  

Toler has worked in the role since August 2021, helping returning and nontraditional adult students over age 24 navigate their way through college. Toler said she helps students get connected with college affordability, degree or certificate options and other on-campus resources.  

She also works with the College’s financial aid office and visits various places in the community to talk about educational opportunities at 51°µÍø. 

The new position is funded by the federal Get REAL (Refocus on Education of Adult Learners) grant. The goal of the Title III grant is to provide older students with resources to succeed in school. 

Connecting with resources

Toler was born in Trenton, N.J., and grew up as a child in the foster care system. She eventually moved to Roanoke, where she attended a number of schools before dropping out after she became pregnant at age 17. 

After obtaining her GED in 2004 from an alternative school, she made her first attempt at college at 51°µÍø. Toler didn’t think she would be able to go to school because she had a GED, but after getting connected with someone at 51°µÍø, she gave it a shot.  

“I was in the working field, but I still had this pull to go back to school,” she said. At that time, she was working 12-hour days and raising a son – a situation that led to her dropping out. 

Time went by, and after getting married and having two other children, she went back to school. But she dropped out a second time when her youngest son was diagnosed with severe health issues. 

During her time away, she was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and had a hard time finishing her classwork for college. 

Yet she persisted, with the support of her family and friends.

“In 2015, while getting my oldest of three sons ready for eighth grade, I realized time was passing me by,” she said. “I wanted to be a good example for my boys and family. That following month I spoke with my husband and made a promise to my family that I will finish no matter what. I had to graduate this time because I had my boys looking up to me.”

Once Toler got connected with resources for first-generation students (TRiO Pathways) and the Office of Disability Services, she began to excel in her classes. She finished college at age 33 and served as 51°µÍø’s student commencement speaker in 2019. 

“I went from having a GPA of 0 to being on the dean’s list,” she said. 

After graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Administrative Management Technology and a medical billing certificate, Toler worked at a local doctor’s office. Though she enjoyed utilizing her degree, the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to stay at home with her children. After this time spent with her kids she realized she didn’t want to return to the office to simply sit behind a cubicle everyday. Once again, her alma mater came calling.  

Toler said her experience as a 51°µÍø student ambassador and other on-campus positions helped her in her current role because it involved interactions with students. 

“I am happier around people, and I can sow seeds to help them grow,” she said. 

Toler said the one thing she enjoys most about her new role is not only helping to provide resources to students but also serving as a counselor to her students. She said sometimes students need someone to be a listening ear. 

“I feel like this position allows me the opportunity to share with the community what 51°µÍø has to offer,” she said. “My goal is to make a difference to someone each day.” 

Solutions, not excuses

Toler said she uses her experience with her students to build a more personal connection. She recalls a time she would make excuses like her students as to why they can’t go to college. 

Sometimes her students say they are too old or don’t have enough money for school. Toler reminds them each day that resources are out there. 

“I am not going to let you quit,” she said. “With every excuse, I will try to find a solution.”  

Toler said her role is needed because older students face challenges younger students don’t face, such as balancing a family, work and bills. 

Toler said her new role helps fill the void that was missing between older adult students and helps them become successful with resources. She tears up when she talks about the time she worked with a 60-year-old student who went back to school to study phlebotomy. During the year, she worked with the student to achieve that goal. 

Toler said the crowning moment was when the student graduated and thanked her for helping her get there. “I cannot take the credit,” she said. “It was the student’s determination that got her to the finish line. I just gave her the tools.” 

Long-term, Toler hopes the grant-funded position will become permanent, because it is needed for nontraditional students and building connections with the community. 

“Having someone in this position is a vital asset because it increases student morale and students are excited to go to 51°µÍø,” she said.  

Right now, she wants to spread 51°µÍø’s message to people on how education can be obtainable to others. She also hopes to start a mentorship program for teenage girls who attend alternative schools.  

“I want those students to see the potential and what they can accomplish, even with setbacks,” she said. 

Thinking back to when she was 17, Toler said she would have never imagined that she would be at that point and how her past helped shape her into who she is today. 

“You are never too old. No matter what has held you back in the past, it should not hold you back from your dream,” she said.  

Contact Nickole Toler at ntoler@virginiawestern.edu or (540) 857-6704.

About the Get REAL grant

This five-year $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions Program is being used to create and support educational pathways to help underserved adult and underrepresented learners graduate, achieve employment and economic success.

The Get REAL project’s main goals are to:

• Improve College access (enrollment) for all, especially adult and underrepresented learners
• Improve academic success (student outcomes), especially for underrepresented adult learners;
• And begin to track and improve economic success (labor market outcomes) for Career and Technical Education program graduates (courses intended to lead to immediate employment).

(This story was published in the Winter 2023 edition of Impact magazine, a publication of the 51°µÍø Educational Foundation.)

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The College joins other community resource providers moving into the Roanoke EnVision Center, which is operated by the Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority (RRHA) with support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Roanoke EnVision Center will celebrate its grand opening at 10 a.m. Oct. 7, 2022, in its new standalone location at 2607 Salem Turnpike N.W., across from the RRHA’s office and adjacent to Landsdowne Park, the city of Roanoke’s largest public housing development. The building is the former location of the Melrose Branch Library; the city sold the property to RRHA after the library branch was relocated to a nearby space in 2019.

“51°µÍø is delighted to bring its resources directly into the Northwest community,” said College President Dr. Robert H. Sandel. “We recognize that accessibility can make all the difference in a student pursuing an education. We’ll be there, as a convenient neighborhood resource, ready to serve current students or talk to those who are curious and want to know more about what we offer.”

are supported across the United States, including six others in Virginia. However, the Roanoke location is especially significant because it’s the first college satellite to be located on public housing in the Commonwealth, Sandel said.

EnVision Centers aim to offer HUD-assisted families access to support services that can help them achieve self-sufficiency. They are built around four pillars: economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness, and character and leadership.

Partners at the Roanoke EnVision Center will include: Carilion Clinic, with community health workers on-site; The Harvest Collective and Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, which have helped plant a community garden facing Salem Avenue; Family Service of Roanoke Valley, which will provide full-time mental health wellness; and the Roanoke Financial Empowerment Center, which will offer professional, one-on-one financial counseling at no cost to Roanoke residents. The building houses a training room, a classroom, a telehealth suite and client meeting rooms.

“This Roanoke EnVision Center is built on the notion that financial support alone is insufficient to solve the problem of poverty,” said David Bustamante, RRHA Executive Director. “We are making an intentional and collective effort across a diverse set of organizations to foster long-lasting self-sufficiency.”

Plans are still in the works for what 51°µÍø will offer at the location. “We are interested in hearing what the community would like to see,” Sandel said. “We also are working with employers who are always interested in connecting with our students.”

Workshops on applying for 51°µÍø’s Community College Access Program (CCAP) will be scheduled on-site later this fall. CCAP is a public-private partnership that provides up to three years of tuition to recent high school graduates.

“The RRHA is so excited to present our partnership with 51°µÍø – it demonstrates both the College’s generosity and capability to provide much-needed educational resources in our community,” Bustamante said.

51°µÍø’s main campus on Colonial Avenue currently serves more than 4,000 students. The College also offers classes and job training at the Claude Moore Education Complex in Gainsboro, the Franklin Center for Advanced Learning and Enterprise in Rocky Mount and the Greenfield Training and Education Center in Daleville. It was a founding partner in the RAMP business accelerator in downtown Roanoke.

The Roanoke EnVision Center is open to the public weekdays from 8:30 to 5 p.m. For more information, call (540) 983-9210.

To learn more about 51°µÍø at the Roanoke EnVision Center, contact Milan Hayward, Vice President of Career & Corporate Training, at (540) 857-6680 or email mhayward@virginiawestern.edu.

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