Fred Rankin to be honored as GCC Educational Foundation's Distinguished Person of the Year on Feb. 10

The Germanna Community College Educational Foundation will award its 2012 Distinguished Person of the Year award to Mr. Fred M. Rankin III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mary Washington Healthcare, at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Fredericksburg Country Club.

"Fred Rankin is a difference-maker," GCC President David A. Sam said. "He's made a difference in our community and he and Mary Washington Healthcare have made a difference for Germanna's 15,000 students. I don't think he knows how much of a positive impact he's had on our college and our area."

In 1992, Mr. Rankin was named president of Mary Washington Hospital. In 1995, he was promoted to and continues in his current position with Mary Washington Healthcare. Under Mr. Rankin's leadership, Mary Washington Healthcare has been Germanna's biggest corporate benefactor, investing $1.4 million in the college.

"Mr Rankin and Mary Washington Healthcare have been critical partners in developing Germanna's highly-respected nursing program and helping us double the program's size," said Michael Catell, director of GCC's Educational Foundation and Alumni Relations,

The event will begin with a 6 p.m. reception, followed by dinner and the award presentation.

Go to www.germanna.edu or call 540/834-8988 for reservations or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities.



Germanna Educational Foundation Distinguished Person Of The Year BanquetDate: Friday, Feb 10th, 2012

Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Fredericksburg Country Club

Cost: $75 Per Person

Share in a very special evening to honor this year's recipient Fred M. Rankin III. President and Chief Executive Officer, Mary Washington Healthcare.

The reception will be followed by dinner and award presentation.

Your financial aid questions answered on "Super Saturday," Feb. 4

GCC will help with your FAFSA and other financial aid questions on Super Saturday, Feb. 4. See flyer.

Michael Farris, Germanna's Financial Aid Coordinator, answers questions in a MoneyTalks Fredericksburg.com chat.

The unsinkable Melissa Eadie sets example for all of us

GCC students Kelly Ackert (left) and Melissa Eadie (second from right)and faculty member Davyda Hammond visit with Del. Ed Scott (second from left)

Nothing is going to stop Melissa Eadie—or even slow her down.
She lost a leg to cancer just before Germanna’s Fall semester began.
Without hesitation, she forged ahead, taking a full slate of classes as a GCC work study and doing quite well, thank you.
That comes as no surprise to those who know her. She’s a ballet dancer and has vowed to dance again.
Last week she joined a group of Germanna students visiting members of the state legislature.
She blogs about it here.

From high school football hero to war hero to college football hero?

Great story by Adam Himmelsbach in Sunday's Free Lance-Star on GCC student Daniel Rodriguez.


Rodriguez, a Stafford resident, is attending Germanna on the GI Bill.

A camera crew from Dan Rather Reports is set to visit the Germanna Stafford Center early this week for a story on Rodriguez, who starred in football at Brooke Point High School and planned to go to college before his father died of a heart attack just prior to graduation. he enlisted in the Army and was decorated for valor in Afghanistan. While studying at Germanna he's been working out, hoping to fulfull his dream of playing college football. Now Virginia Tech and U.Va are interested.

Area economy on the rebound in 2012, with Germanna's help in making the workforce competitive

Germanna President David A. Sam writes about what 2012 may hold in store for the area's business climate in Business Insider.

Grit of Germanna's Fall 2011 grads called "legendary"

Germanna Student Government President Carla Marie Craft addresses crowd of 1,000 at 2011 Fall Commencement
In wake of quake, Virginia Community College Chancellor Glenn DuBois calls grit of Germanna 2011 Fall Commencement graduates "legendary"

Go to Germanna home page to register for classes for the spring.

Shootings at Virginia Tech and in Caroline County

Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the students, faculty, staff of Virginia Tech and to the families of the victims. Colleges should be places of enlightenment, free of fear. We must not develop a siege mentality and we cannot turn campuses into fortresses. They must remain places where members of our communities are able to come and go freely in order to benefit from all we have to offer.

Germanna has always been a safe place to learn and work. Nonetheless, the college continually takes steps to make our security tighter, smarter and better able to respond to any problem nimbly and effectively, and we will continue to do so. We will review the actions taken at Tech and learn from their responses.

We also send our deepest our concerns and care to the state trooper wounded in Caroline yesterday. Both incidents show that law enforcement personnel daily put themselves at risk to protect and serve all of us.

--Germanna Community College President David A. Sam