The Resource

We’re hearing a lot about change these days.  And I’ve heard countless times that there are those who even like change—as long as it doesn’t directly affect them!

No doubt you’ve heard that, like it or not, a major change is going to occur at Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) later this year!  Our much-loved President of almost 20 years, Dr. James Perkins, recently announced his plans to retire in August of this year.  Now that’s change that directly affects many of us—college employees, students, employers, our entire community–a change we would have much preferred to delay or avoid altogether!  Nonetheless, just as we trust and respect this remarkable leader, we must trust and respect his decision to make this change at this time in his highly successful career—and embrace it ourselves!

Because we hold him in such high regard, we would like to pay tribute to him in this edition of The Resource by reflecting on just a few of his many accomplishments, especially those most directly connected to his work in support of BRCC’s Workforce Services and Continuing Education (WSCE) division.

Continue Reading »

One lucky participant at BRCC’s May 6 Disney Institute will win a free registration to the Disney Institute at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida!  (estimated retail value is $3,995.00)
Join others from your local business community as BRCC welcomes the world-renowned Disney Institute for an incredible day of learning, insight, and inspiration.  This is a rare opportunity to take an inside look at the “business behind the magic” from Walt Disney World® insiders, who will share the successful business practices and unique philosophies that have made the Disney name synonymous with creativity, quality, and innovation the world over. Continue Reading »

BRCC’s Workforce Services Division offers several online training opportunities for businesses and individuals, including Ed2Go, Command Spanish, and Gatlin Education Services career training certificates.   Continue Reading »

In response to the current economic crisis, there has been much talk about “stimulus packages” and other legislation aimed at boosting the American economy.  However, it can be difficult to sift through all the facts and find the information relevant to Virginia schools and business communities.  The following resources do a good job of zeroing in on the aspects of legislation that particularly affect Virginians: Continue Reading »

Click on the "cool guys" for LCBF schedule

BRCC’s summer 2009 class schedule (for both credit and non-credit classes, including Learning Can Be Fun!) is now available on the web, complete with online registration options for many courses!  Click here to see an overview of continuing education classes being offered, and be sure to check out this page which explains the online registration process.
To browse the schedule on-line, go to:  www.brcc.edu/wsce and click on the “Classes” tab or click here.  Some highlights include: Continue Reading »

Part of the recent Ceramics Exhibit

The Bridgewater College Faculty Exhibit drew large crowds during its five-week run in January-February.  On display through April 6 was Ceramics of the Shenandoah Valley, featuring works by artists Suk Jin Choi, Michael Hough, Jessica Martinkosky, Masako Miyata, Kreg Owens, Terry Porter, Rudy Tucker and Phillip Ungar.

From now through April 30, stop by to see BRCC Student ArtWorks.  An opening reception was held Thursday, April 16, from noon to 2 p.m., and was attended by numerous students, faculty, and community members.

The BRCC Art Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.  There is also a virtual gallery available online 24/7 – feel free to check it out here!

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) began the Career Coaches program in 2005 with 11 coaches based at 13 high schools. Today, more than 90 career coaches serve students in more than 130 high schools throughout Virginia. Continue Reading »

      The Fine Arts Center’s Spring 2009 season began Jan. 16 with an American Shakespeare Center on Tour performance of Hamlet, drawing a crowd of 123 students and community members. February’s featured event was the popular Appalachian Music Concert, sponsored by BRCC Educational Foundation Endowment for Cultural Enrichment. This exciting performance highlighted the talents of Faster Than Walking and Mando Mafia for 119 enthusiastic attendees. Continue Reading »

The Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center is a full-service, state-of-the-art meeting and training facility. We can assist your business with specialized classes tailored to your employees’ needs or provide meeting rooms and catering professionals to take care of your periodic team meetings, sales promotions, trade shows or group conferences. Rental rates and meeting room layouts are available on our website at Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center. Continue Reading »

This reminder was sent to me recently from one of the VCCS training partners:

In light of the H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) outbreak, it’s important to remember that you can help prevent exposure to the flu – and any other germs – by practicing simple but effective hand hygiene guidelines. 

Continue Reading »