Monday, December 21, 2009

Germanna student takes online courses in Iraq, bringing new meaning to 'distance learning'


For an American contractor thousands of miles away in Iraq, taking Germanna Community College classes online really is "distance learning"
Matthew Strickland, a Germanna student from Spotsylvania, is getting closer to earning his associate's degree online while he works for a private contractor providing support for the U.S. effort in Iraq.

He took a story genre literature class in the Fall, and his experiences in the Middle East might be expected to provide fodder if he eventually writes some himself.

"I joined the Army when I was 17, so I was unable to attend college in the traditional way," Strickland said from Iraq after completing an exam online last week. "I began my career with the 25th Infantry Division, and being in the infantry it was difficult trying to find time to take classes--especially after 9/11 hit. Since then I have been slowly chipping away at my degree in business administration, mostly online, because since both of the wars started, I've spent a lot of time in either Afghanistan or Iraq."

Cheryl Huff, who taught an online Introduction to Short Story Writing class that Strickland took this semester, said: "He's a wonderful student, though I worried everytime I heard of a bombing or shootings in Iraq."

"But his work is very high quality and I have really enjoyed having him in the class, contributing. I've been flexible because of the circumstances, but he is very conscientious."

Strickland said he appreciated the personal attention and understanding.

"I thank Germanna and its staff very much for allowing those of us who are unable to attend classes on campus the opportunity to further our education. These days especially, it is important to have a high level of education, and a degree is a must in today's job market.

"My grandfather was in World War II and his life in the states was basically on hold until he returned from the war.

"These days that is not the case. Thanks to schools like Germanna we can continue to better ourselves through distance learning and not fall behind our peers.

"I've attended a few different online schools and Germanna's distance learning program is by far the best. All of my professors have been very supportive and flexible. They've understood that there are times that I don't have internet access and they have always been fair."

Strickland also has to devote time to talking to and writing to his family. "I'm married and have children, so distance learning helps me balance work, family time, and allows me to complete my coursework at my leisure." His wife Maria also attends Germanna and will be starting the registered nurse program soon. "She also loves the flexibility that Germanna offers," he said. "She is the most wonderful woman I know, she is even busier than me but still is able to further her education thanks to Germanna. We help each other out and motivate each other, I would definitely not be as successful without her."

"Germanna," he said, "is hands down the best institution for distance learning."

Monday, December 14, 2009

Germanna's Certified Nurse Aid program 'a wonderful way to start and build the basics and go from there'



GCC Certified Nurse Aid program helps students into entry level health care jobs in a matter of weeks ...


Germanna Community College's Dr. Zoila Ortega, RN, talks about the college's rapidly growing CNA program, which provides an inexpensive and fast track to a health care career. Click here for video.

Despite recession, Germanna employees double their contributions to charity over 2008 total


Hard times don't deter Germanna Community College employees from increasing charitable giving ...

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Shrugging off the impact of the recession, Germanna employees more than doubled the amount pledged to the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, compared to 2008. GCC employees pledged $7,712.00. Nearly $1,000 of that total was designated to the Germanna Educational Foundation. Since 1997, state employees have raised over $25 million for over 1,300 charities through the campaign.
"Despite challenging times, Germanna faculty and staff have once again demonstrated their extraordinary commitment to the students and communities we serve," said Michael Catell, Director of the Germanna Educational Foundation and Alumni Relations. "Thank you very much!"

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Monday Job Fair at Germanna's Daniel Center in Culpeper could attract thousands of job-seekers


Forty employers will talk to prospective hires about jobs Monday at Germanna's Daniel Center


U.S. Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, will hold a job fair in Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Germanna Community College's Daniel Center in Culpeper. About 40 employers will be available to talk to prospective employees. A job fair in Chesterfield County in August drew more than 3,200 people, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported. The event is open to the all job-seekers, not just students

Monday, November 16, 2009

Germanna to help area unemployed and underemployed find work with free Job Resource Fair


Just walk in and get free job-hunting advice from experts at Tuesday Nov. 17's Germanna Job Resource Fair ...

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Germanna Community College's Center for Workforce & Community Education will be bringing together state and local experts to provide the unemployed and underemployed free advice on maximizing their chances of landing a job.

There will be free seminars and workshops at the Germanna Job Resource Fair from 8 am to 5 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at GCC's Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania near Cosner's Corner.

Virginia Department of Business Assistance & Germanna Community College

Employment Resource Fair

Tuesday, Nov. 17

All morning sessions open to walk-ins, free of charge

8:00 AM

Coffee, Networking, and Resource Tables

8:30 AM - 8:45 AM Welcome, Dr. Jeanne Wesley, GCC Vice President, Workforce & Community Relations

Opening Remarks, Danny LeBlanc, Virginia’s Senior Advisor for Workforce \ Sealy Auditorium, Room 134

8:45 AM - 10:00 AM Panel Presentation: Trends and Transferable Skills

With distinguished speakers from state, regional, and local entities including: Economic

Development, Bay Consortium Workforce Investment Board, the Va. DBA, Society of

Human Resources Management, and the Va. Employment Commission -Moderator, Dr. Jeanne Wesley Sealy Auditorium, Room 134

10:00 AM - 12:30 PM Virginia Wizard, Hands-on Demonstrations, Room 112-A (Continuous) Pam Frederick, GCC Dean of Student Services, Kay Loving and Marie Hawley

10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Breakout Sessions

Applications and Resumes, Jon Zitz, Sealy Auditorium, Room 134 Interviewing,

Peter Mocarski, Room 105-A Networking and

Cold Calling, Neil Mairs, Room 105-B Managing

Finances, Ann Estes, Room 126 11:30 AM -12:30 PM

Breakout Sessions Repeated

(Openings still available for afternoon sessions... check at desk

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Career Readiness Certificate Testing, Sponsored by Virginia Community Colleges, Room 105-B

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Effective Internet Job Search Skills, Sponsored by VEC, Room 112-A, Cheryl Alderman and Michelle Hochstein

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Career Readiness Certificate Testing, Sponsored by Virginia Community Colleges, Room 105-B

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Effective Internet Job Search Skills, Sponsored by VEC, Room 112-A

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt to discuss negotiations with David Koresh at Waco, working Unabomber, Timothy McVeigh cases


MSNBC analyst and former FBI profiler Clint van Zandt will speak at GCC's Sealy Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9. It's free and open to the public ...

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By MICHAEL ZITZ

From time to time, people ask Clint Van Zandt if he's seen a new movie about the investigation of a particularly heinous crime.

"No," he'll say. "I spent my whole life doing that. I'm not gonna pay to see that."

For years, Van Zandt, now a news analyst for MSNBC, was part of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit at Quantico upon which the film "Silence of the Lambs" is based.

"Besides, he says, movies aren't true to life. Spotsylvania County resident Van Zandt knows the real stories firsthand. Click to read more...

Friday, October 30, 2009

Contemporary Art Center Exhibits


More from exhibits at the Contemporary Art Center in Virginia Beach featuring Germanna’s Art Department Chair, Sandra Luckett. The work “Positive Spin” is currently on display. Click on the image above for a live experience.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Sen. Mark Warner: Third building at GCC's Fredericksburg Campus would help attract "world-class jobs" to area


Sen. Warner says expansion of Germanna's Fredericksburg Campus critical to area's economic future.

"In the past," Sen Mark Warner says, "there was the expectation that public education would be funded by public funds. Increasingly, that’s not the case."

"... Community college, where so much is really done, particularly in terms of economic development, doesn’t have the kind of donor base universities do. [Capital] has to come from the business community."

Sen. Warner says area businesses would be wise to help supply seed money necessary to break ground on a third building at Germanna's overcrowded Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania.

"Part of the challenge this community has got is not just attracting jobs—it’s attracting world-class jobs," he said.

"This is a community that in its own right is world class. You don’t want it to be just the lower-income jobs that are actually coming. At the end of the day, you want to have that kind of world-class job."

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Veteran enrollment sees record surge at Germanna


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New G.I. Bill fuels 21 percent jump in veteran enrollment at Germanna Community College
In this video, Germanna Veteran Affairs Representative Angela Sawyer explains the largest increase in veteran enrollment in the college's history

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Dangerous depression: The warning signs, by GCC Prof. Kevin Handley


Depression and suicide ...


From today's Free Lance-Star:
By Kevin B. Handley


MOST PEOPLE think of physical illness when asked about the most common causes of death. But suicide, which is almost always the result of mental illness, is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.

Among young people between the ages 10 and 24 years of age, suicide is the second leading cause of death.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

GCC student Carol Anne Brown took her own life in April after a struggle with bipolarism and depression ...






During Monday night Oct. 5th's 7 p.m.'Depression & Suicide: Lifting the Stigma' event at Germanna's Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania, prominent local people will share stories of their battles with depression and of dealing with the suicides of loved ones. Attending the event could save a life
Suffering from depression is nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is getting help. If you had diabetes, would you be embarrassed to go to a doctor and take insulin?


Depression affects millions of Americans, including some of the most famous and successful among us.

Please join us for a panel discussion on depression awareness and suicide prevention Monday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at GCC's Fredericksburg Campus, Sealy Auditorium.

We are thankful that members of our community are willing to share their experiences and their journeys as we participate in this thoughtful discussion.

Panelists will include Todd Brown, the father of Carol Anne Brown, a Germanna student who suffered from bipolar disorder and took her own life; Nick Cadwallender, associate publisher of The Free Lance-Star, who has battled depression his whole life; Mary Gilkey, Germanna’s Dean of Nursing, who is a licensed clinical nurse specialist psychotherapist and whose sister committed suicide; and H. Reese Butler II, who founded a national teen suicide hotline after his wife killed herself. The moderator will be Ed Jones, editor of The Free Lance-Star.

National Depression Screening Day is October 8th.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Sign up to get your seasonal flu shot now!



Where:
Locust Grove Campus-Wellness Center-Room 608
When:
September 30th-11:00am-1:00pm



Where:
Fredericksburg Area Campus in Spotsylvania-Room 212
When:
October 6th-10:00am-2:00pm



Cost: No cost for those with COV Health Insurance.


Click here to read more

Sunday, September 13, 2009

More details emerge about impact of budget cut on Germanna, retirement contribution, furlough



Germanna President David A. Sam has received more details from the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System regarding the state budget cut and retirement for Germanna Community College employees. He explains in his blog.

There will be two Open Forums about the budget cut impact on Tuesday, Sept. 15 to allow all employees an opportunity to attend and ask questions. Both forums will involve interactive video in Room 225 at the Fredericksburg Campus and Room 100 at the Locust Grove Campus. The first forum will be held from 11 a.m. to noon and the second forum will be held from noon to 1 p.m.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

One-day furlough will apply to Germanna faculty and staff; Virginia Retirement System contribution rates to be adjusted in 2010


Germanna Community College has received clarification on two items in yesterday's budget cut announcement by Gov. Kaine:

State savings will include more than $104 million in reduced payments to the Virginia Retirement System for the final quarter of FY 2010. Contribution rates for the Commonwealth and its employees will be changed in July at the beginning of the next biennium to adequately fund the long-term needs of the retirement system.

"We believe that employees will not see a difference in the current year but that as early as the last quarter of this fiscal year and most likely beginning in July employees will be asked to pay for a portion of our state retirement," said GCC President David A. Sam.

Also, a one-day furlough of all state employees on the Friday proceeding Memorial Day 2010 does apply to Germanna. Agencies with critical or emergency personnel are instructed to accommodate staffing needs and make adjustments to the furlough date accordingly.

"I will decide how we will implement after further discussions with vice presidents and other administrators and let you know," President Sam told faculty and staff.

To allow all employees an opportunity to attend, a second Open Forum has been added for Tuesday, Sept. 15. Both forums will involve interactive video in Room 225 at the Fredericksburg Campus and Room 100 at the Locust Grove Campus. The first forum will be held from 11 a.m. to noon and the second forum will be held from noon to 1 p.m.

"I regret the hardships these decisions will bring to all of you," President Sam told GCC faculty and staff. "Further clarification will be announced as soon as available."

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Pharmacy Tech certification program can quickly prepare you to land a job in a field that's hiring


Need a job in a hurry? Try GCC's Pharm Tech program ...



As health care needs grow with the aging of the Baby Boomers, drug stores across the country need people to fill Pharmacy Tech openings. Germanna still has seats open for the Fall in its Pharmacy Tech certification program/ It's a quick path to a job in a field that's hiring. For more information, go to the GCC Pharm Tech page, call 540/891-3000 or email John Stroffolino at jstroffolino@germanna.edu

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Gov. Kaine after GCC Stafford Center ribbon-cutting: 'Talent is the most valuable asset. Workforce is now the most important thing.'

Stafford Economic Development Authority Chairman Don Newlin, Gov. Tim Kaine and GCC President David A. Sam cut the ribbon to open the new Germanna Stafford Center


When Gov. Tim Kaine cut the ribbon to open Germanna’s new Stafford Center Wednesday, he said Virginia is rated the state best positioned to rebound from recession in part because of community colleges like GCC.

Kaine said he’s counting on GCC and rest of the Virginia Community College System to help the Old Dominion recover from the recession -–and to give its workforce an edge going forward.

“Community colleges play an important role, especially in a challenged economy,” Kaine told a crowd at the opening of the Center.

He said Virginia has been rated the state best positioned to rebound not just because of a positive business climate, but because of the competitiveness of its workers.

And when it comes to companies deciding where to relocate, the quality of Virginia’s workforce is key, Kaine said.

“Whatever the price of oil is, talent is the most valuable asset,” Kaine said. “Workforce is now the most important thing,” and community colleges play a vital role in educating and training Virginia’s workers to keep them competitive in the global economy. “Nothing else is even a close second.”

The fourth Germanna location--which has four state of the art classrooms, computer labs, and office space--is expected to offer 52 classes this fall and serve approximately 1,000 students.

The Center is a partnership between GCC and Stafford Economic Development Authority, which has invested $300,000 over three years to promote economic development through Workforce training. The center will also meet anticipated needs associated with the BRAC expansion at Quantico and the new Stafford Hospital Center. It’s located at Aquia Park, just south of the intersection of U.S. 1 and State Route 610 in North Stafford, which is one of the fastest-growing and congested areas in the region.

The governor said he doesn’t have a crystal ball when it comes to economic forecasting, but added, “We are seeing some positive signs,” including improvement in the housing market, “but I don’t yet call them trends.”

He said that while areas within commuting distance of Washington like Culpeper and the Fredericksburg area are feeling the impact of the economic downturn, they will be shielded from the worst of it.

“The world will always beat a path to the broad region that surrounds the nation’s capital,” Kaine said.

Germanna has experienced state budget cuts totaling 15 percent, with another soon to come, during a two-year period when it has been the fastest-growing college in Virginia.

But GCC President David A. Sam said opening the Stafford Center during lean times signals Germanna’s commitment to help the area bounce back from tough times and help build a new prosperity.

“This area needs us in bad times and in good,” Sam said. “We promise that, no matter what happens, we will try to meet the needs of our area’s students, parents and businesses.”

Despite hardships, Virginia 'very, very lucky,' and likely to be first state to see economic turnaround, Gov. Kaine says at GCC-hosted seminar

Below, Gov. Tim Kaine talks with GCC President David A. Sam before cutting the ribbon to open Germanna's new Stafford Center.

Gov. Kaine addresses a crowd of 132 small business owners at Wednesday's Business Sales Growth Seminar at Germanna Community College.

At GCC, Gov. Kaine says a talented workforce and business-friendly climate are bringing in new companies and foreign investors: 'We're very, very lucky that we are positioned well in a variety of different ways going forward.'

The governor and state Secretary of Commerce and Trade Patrick O. Gottschalk both spoke and met with attendees.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Opening of new Stafford Center reflects both Germanna's and Stafford County's determination to meet growing needs in time of shrinking resources


Gov. Kaine to open Germanna Stafford Center Wednesday at Aquia Park. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Gov. Tim Kaine will cut the ribbon on Germanna Community College’s new Stafford Center at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 29.

The fourth location of Germanna Community College—which will have four classrooms, computer labs, and office space—is expected to offer 52 classes this fall and serve approximately 1,000 students.

The Center is a partnership between GCC and Stafford Economic Development Authority, which has invested $300,000 over three years to promote economic development through Workforce training. The center will also meet anticipated needs associated with the BRAC expansion at Quantico and the new Stafford Hospital Center.

The event is open to the public Wednesday at 10:45 a.m. at Aquia Park, located at 2761 Jefferson Davis Highway (U.S. 1) in North Stafford.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

'We're the best deal for the American taxpayer'


In Fox Business News interview, VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois explains the importance of the $12 billion federal community college initiative in turning economy around ...

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VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois this week on Fox Business News: "Harvard has been around for 10-plus generations or more. Community Colleges have been around for less than our lifetime. And already we've enrolled half of the nation's undegraduates--here in Virginia we enroll two-thirds of undergraduates. "We've come a long way in a short period of time and I think we're prepared to help more and more Americans..."
in

Wednesday, July 15, 2009



Germanna Community College to be site for statewide electronic “Act on Poverty” Town Hall Saturday, July 18 at GCC’s Fredericksburg Campus

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Germanna Community College to be site for statewide electronic “Act on Poverty” Town Hall Saturday, July 18 at GCC’s Fredericksburg Campus Germanna Community College will be one of the hosts of a statewide town hall discussion on poverty in Virginia from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday July 18, providing an unprecedented opportunity for local citizens, groups and organizations to pitch ideas for reducing poverty in their localities and statewide.

Participants are encouraged to recommend specific strategies for the Commonwealth’s Poverty Reduction Taskforce and local and state officials to consider. GCC will host the area’s Act on Poverty conversation at its Fredericksburg Campus off U.S. 17 near Cosner’s Corner in Spotsylvania while other Virginia Community College System campuses host talks in their regions of the state.

Latoyia Jones, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Virginia Cooperative Extension assigned Planning District 16, which includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, Stafford and the city of Fredericksburg, noted that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 37.3 million Americans, including 18 million children under the age of 18, live in poverty. In Planning District 16, Jones says, it’s reported that over 18,000 Fredericksburg-area residents live in poverty. “Many more have incomes above the poverty line, but their incomes are still low enough to qualify for programs like Food Stamps and Medicaid,” Jones said. “The recent economic downturn has seen unemployment rates rise and the use of emergency food pantries increase.”

Living in poverty can have negative impacts at any age, including poor nutrition during infancy, increased risk for academic failure in school age children, poor overall health in adults, and decreased access to prescription medication for seniors.

Gov. Tim Kaine will speak to participants at each site via YouTube prior to the beginning of the discussion, then suggestions. The statewide town halls will then result in the compilation of a formal list of recommendations for reducing poverty in Virginia, with suggested action steps for local and state implementation. The plan will be presented to this administration and the next, with advance consideration by Virginia's gubernatorial candidates.

In a recent address to state officials, bankers, nonprofit leaders and legislators at a "Rethinking Poverty: Exploring Economic Opportunity for All Virginians" gathering at the Omni Hotel in Richmond, Gov. Kaine said: "There are tough times out there facing Virginians through no fault of their own. It means we have to rethink the way we do business.”

Current data show approximately 739,000 people, nearly 10 per cent of all Virginians, live below the federal poverty line, including 232,600, or 12 per cent, of Virginia’s children.

As of 2007, the federal poverty line was $10,210 in annual income for an individual or $20,650 for a family of four. While Virginia’s statewide poverty rates are among the 10 lowest in the nation, certain regions are affected much more dramatically than others, with Southwest and Southside Virginia each having rates over 17 percent.
The governor called current federal guidelines that set the poverty line at $20,650 for a family of four "outdated".

The event, to be held in GCC’s Sealy Auditorium, is free and open to the public. No advance registration is required. For directions, go to http://www.germanna.edu/.

For other information, visit: http://www.hhr.virginia.gov/povertysummit/

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Young mom is engineering a way to a good life for herself and her 2-year-old daughter


UVa feeder program allows Germanna students to get a leg up on engineering degree ...

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2007 Massaponax High grad Rocio Fernandez loves her 2-year-old daughter--and math.

The young mom says Germanna's new engineering program partnership with UVa will allow her to take care of her little girl and still pursue her dream career.

Called "Produced in Virginia," the program uses the community college system as a pipeline for students into U.Va. for its Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.

Germanna plans to offer an associate of science in engineering that will be aligned with the U.Va. program starting this fall. Details are available here on the Web or by calling Mark Gibson, engineering program director, at 540/834-1063 or e-mailing: mgibson@germanna.edu.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

'Let us all draw from their courage and vision to face our challenges ... as a nation and a people'


The challenges we face today, Germanna President David A. Sam writes, may seem insurmountable, but our Founding Fathers had the courage and vision to overcome much longer odds ...
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"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
With these words, some 56 men chose to set themselves against the greatest military power of their time 233 years ago this month.

It is easy for us in our own troubled times to think things are as bad as they can be. Certainly the state of the economy and our risking the lives of some of our best young women and men in two different wars would argue for that. Certainly the arrogance and deceit of a few of our business leaders would argue for that.

But consider what it must have been like for those men--and for those women and men who depended on them to make right decisions rightly at the risk of their lives and well-being. Not only were we likely to lose the war, it was considered impossible that if we won we could govern ourselves as a democratic republic across such a huge expanse of geography and with so many people. And there were some fundamental flaws built into our beginnings, including slavery and a basic disagreement about how far individual liberty should be taken at the expense of the common good, and vice versa.

They knew what they were facing, and wrote their pledge accordingly:

"And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

Or as Benjamin Franklin more wittily put it:

"We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."

On this 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration and the birth of a new nation, let us all draw from their courage and vision to face our challenges and fundamental flaws as a nation and a people.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Virginia business coalition says investing in higher education is the surest path to future prosperity


The Grow By Degrees coalition says sustained funding of higher education is critical to the state's economic well being ...

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A coalition of Virginia business leaders says the way to kick start the state's economy and insure future prosperity is to mandate proper funding for higher education in spite of the current economic doldrums.

The goal of a campaign launched this week by the Virginia Business Higher Education Council is to promote economic growth through high-impact investment and innovation in Virginia’s colleges, universities, and community colleges.

Grow By Degrees advocates a sustained, long-term program of higher education investment and reform, embodied in state law, to ensure affordable access for Virginia students and to generate strong economic activity and growth revenues for the Commonwealth.

Prominent business leaders in the Grow By Degrees coalition include Medical Facilities of America CEO W. Heywood Fralin; Dominion Resources President Thomas F. Farrell II; and Landmark Communications former President John O. “Dubby” Wynne.

“It is a startling reality that 75 percent of voters we polled in Virginia say a college degree is needed to succeed in today’s economy, but only 35 percent of college-age Virginians enroll in college and only 42 percent of Virginians have college degrees,” said VBHEC Chairman Heywood Fralin. “There is a broad gap between Virginians’ expectations and reality, and to turn those numbers around we need to take action now.”

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Germanna's Tech Prep Camp opens eighth-grade eyes to career possibilities


Germanna's Russell James, above, says the week-long camp shows 13-year-olds first-hand what careers are really like ...
In an interview with Charlottesville's Channel 29, Russell James, director of Germanna's Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper, said of the college's Tech Prep Camp for eighth-graders: "The point of this whole week is to expose them to all these various trades that they can go into that can start as a basic laborer and then go up to owning a business or being an engineer."

Watch the Channel 29 report http://www.nbc29.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=3894596&h1=Tech%20Prep%20Students%20Visit%20Construction%20Site%20for%20Lesson&vt1=v&at1=News - Special Coverage&d1=114667&LaunchPageAdTag=News - Special Coverage&activePane=info&rnd=295.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Germanna veterans honored at Flag Day celebration at Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania


Ken Creasy, captain of the Spotsylvania American Legion Post 320 color guard, plays the bugle at Monday's Flag Day ceremony at Germanna.



During a Flag Day ceremony and tree planting Monday at the Fredericksburg Campus to recognize the service and sacrifice of Germanna Community College veterans and there families, Germanna Veterans' Association adviser Joan Fischer, a veteran herself, spoke of the service of her grandfather and father in World War I, World War II and Korea.

She said that throughout her life, the flag has always held a special place in her heart because of that service, even during times of political turmoil.

"The flag has come to mean many things to many people," Fischer said. For some it is a symbol of freedom and honor. For others, it is a symbol to be torn, burned or spat on. It's worn on uniforms and has patched holes in jeans."

But for Fischer, the memory associated with the flag will always be the image of her father, years after retirement from the military, "removing his hat, hand over heart and standing for the flag. He did not consider it a bother, but rather a duty and an honor."

Germanna vets to be honored at Flag Day celebration today at Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania


Flag Day ceremony will be held today at 4 at GCC's Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania ...


There will be a Flag Day ceremony and tree planting today in Fredericksburg to recognize the service and sacrifice of Germanna Community College veterans and there families.

The ceremony, hosted by the Germanna Veterans' Association, will take place at 4 p.m. behind the V. Earl Dickinson Building on GCC's Frederickburg Area Campus in Spotsylvania.

Germanna President David A. Sam will speak and light refreshments will be served.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Germanna to offer classes at new Stafford Center at Aquia Park this fall


Germanna opens a center in North Stafford on Aug. 20. Above, a student in an art class at GCC's Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania works on a piece ...
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By PAM GOULD

The Free Lance-Star

Germanna Community College will begin offering classes in North Stafford in the upcoming fall semester.

The school is finalizing its lease for 5,000 square feet of space within a mixed-use development known as Aquia Park, Vice President Rick Brehm told the college's board Thursday.

Classes are to begin at Aquia Park on Aug. 20.

"We are excited to be opening our first Germanna Center in Stafford County, and see it as a first step to better meeting the needs of students and businesses in the Stafford community," President David Sam said.

"It is difficult to begin a new venture in a time of budget cuts and economic downturn. However, it is in a time such as this that Germanna is needed even more," he added.

Sam thanked the Stafford Economic Development Authority for deciding to invest $300,000 in the project over three years. He said that decision helped make it possible to begin offering classes in the fall semester.

Sam and Brehm met recently with Donn and Donna Hart, partners in the Aquia Park development, to finalize details for the college's space.

Aquia Park is located on the west side of U.S. 1, about a quarter-mile south of the Garrisonville/Aquia exit of Interstate 95.

The school will have four classrooms plus offices and computer space in a two-story office building.

Donna Hart said the plan is to have the space ready for Germanna in July.

The North Stafford location brings to four the number of Germanna campuses or centers. In addition to its main campus in Locust Grove, the college operates the Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper and a Fredericksburg campus in the Massaponax area of Spotsylvania County.

Stafford Economic Development Director Tim Baroody said the North Stafford facility is the result of roughly four years of effort on the part of college, community and government officials.

"A lot of pieces have come together and we are delighted," Baroody said. "It obviously helps us provide additional work force develop-ment opportunities to our residents. Obviously, that helps Stafford economic development."

College officials realized that many Stafford residents driving north to work did not want to extend their commute to Germanna's Fredericksburg campus. The college also recognized the growth in population and businesses in North Stafford.

The North Stafford center is envisioned as the first step toward establishing a free-standing campus. Sam said this week that he is still looking for a donor to provide land for a campus.

Germanna officials expect North Stafford students to have a variety of goals, including an associate degree, preparing to transition to a four-year college and enhancing workplace skills to continue in a current job or make a career switch.

The college will assess the needs of North Stafford students over the first two or three semesters to pinpoint the community's interests, Germanna spokesman Mike Zitz said.

Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972

Email: pgould@freelancestar.com

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

New nurses reporting for duty



Germanna Community College graduated 72 new registered nurses last night. They are among more than 100 people who graduated from one of the school's medical training programs. The new graduates should have no trouble finding work. MediCorp Health System, parent company of both local hospitals, had 38 vacancies for registered nurses on its Web site this morning.

My colleague, Pam Gould, covered the graduation. The ceremony included a speech by Lisa Seay, one of the administrators at the new Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center
--Jim Hall, The Free Lance-Star

Mother gets degree at GCC to fulfill wishes of daughter who died in car crash. Jan Broom to transfer to UMW to study memoir writing


Jan Broom holds a photo of her daughter Shannon, who inspired her to go back to school at Germanna. Shannon died in a car crash. Photo by SUZANNE CARR ROSSI, The Free Lance-Star ...


By PAMELA GOULD

The Free Lance-Star

In the back of her mind, Jan Broom always felt she wasn't quite good enough.

After she graduated from high school in 1973, all of her friends headed off to college but she didn't have the money to go.

When her only child started college 20 years later, she pushed Broom to resume her own studies.

"She was firm with me. 'Mom, you've got to get a life of your own,'" Shannon Broom told her mother.

That launched Jan Broom on a journey that brings her to her own graduation. Tonight, Broom, 54, receives her associate degree in general studies from Germanna Community College.

She has been accepted into the bachelor's degree program at the University of Mary Washington, her daughter's alma mater.

"When the letter came, I realized I don't necessarily need to go. I just wanted to be able to say I got into the same college she did," Broom said this week during an interview at her Spotsylvania County home.

Broom plans to take a course on memoir writing at UMW this summer but is unsure if she'll continue her studies beyond that.

The goal is to tell Shannon's story.

Shannon Broom, 23, died in a car accident along State Route 3 on May 1, 1998. FITTING IN, STANDING OUT

Tonight, Broom will have the graduation she thought would never come.

Not only will she receive a college degree, her 78-year-old mother will be there.

The day Broom graduated from high school her mother had a medical emergency and missed the ceremony.

Throughout her studies at Germanna, Broom has had varying thoughts about being an older student.

She noticed those around her were in the throes of dramas that play out in the lives of 20-year-olds.

She found herself surrounded by incessant texting.

And she encountered one instructor who didn't think middle-aged women should be enrolled in high-tech courses.

She confronted the instructor, who changed his attitude and his mind.

And she took classmates under her wing.

Biology instructor Shashuna Gray was so impressed with Broom that she nominated her for an award of excellence for biology.

Gray described Broom as "a dedicated, hardworking student with a zeal for learning." She also noted Broom "considers herself the mother of the class and reaches out to help her classmates study and prepare for course assignments."

Broom was honored to be one of 33 Germanna students singled out for an award but said she wasn't initially ecstatic about how she was described.

"At first, I was offended a bit," Broom said. "And in the next second, I thought there couldn't be anything better.

"That's what I wanted to be--a mother."
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972 Email: pgould@freelancestar.com

"Janice Broom is a dedicated, hardworking student with a zeal for learning, especially biology. Jan considers herself the mother of the class and reaches out to help her classmates study and prepare for course assignments. It has been an honor to have her in both Biology 101 and 102." --Instructor Shashuna Gray, on why Broom was chosen for an award of excellence in biology.

GCC graduation speaker Lisa Seay went from taking her toddler to nursing classes at Germanna to becoming a vice president at HCA's Spotsylvania Region



Students line up to walk at GCC commencement ceremony Wednesday night at the Fredericksburg Expo Center ...

By PAMELA GOULD

The Free Lance-Star

Germanna Community College's graduation speaker offered words of advice last night, telling the class of 2009 to find their passion, retain their integrity and respond to opportunities.

Lisa Seay, a Germanna graduate herself, also offered insight-- into the struggles many of the students had endured to reach the finish line.

But the most significant thing Seay may have to offer--at least to some of the graduates--is what many people graduating from college today find is in short supply: a job.

Seay is vice president of development for Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, an HCA hospital slated to open near Cosner's Corner next year.

Among the Germanna students graduating yesterday were dozens with health care training.

More than 70 men and women completed the registered nurse program this spring and received associate degrees. Another 13 received certificates for completing practical nurse training. In addition, 18 earned a certificate for phlebotomy work, five earned a certificate as scrub nurses and one finished nurse-aide training, according to graduation materials provided by the college.

Thirteen earned degrees for dental hygiene.

If the nursing students follow Seay's path, they will go on to earn bachelor's and master's degrees.

"This is one accomplishment in your life," Seay told the graduates assembled at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center last night. "It was not your first, nor will it be your last."

Seay was in her mid-20s with two young children when she began taking classes at Germanna to become a registered nurse.

She remembered studying while her then 2- and 5-year-old boys were sleeping, and even taking them to class on occasion.

That effort launched a career that has included nearly two decades in both clinical and administrative positions in Virginia.

Seay urged the graduates to "create a vision" to guide them through life as they pursue their passion, maintain their integrity and seize opportunity.

Nursing graduate Laura Daniels challenged her classmates to inspire others to pursue their dreams and to view their diplomas as "a map that continues to unfold, a GPS that continues to reset."

Though Seay's and Daniels' messages were well-received, it was Germanna President David Sam who received the most resounding applause--apart from the graduates.

The first came when he volunteered to stay as long as necessary to be sure every family got a photo of their graduate receiving a diploma.

The second came when he uttered words many in the crowd never thought they would hear.

"Congratulations, graduates of 2009."

Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972

E-mail: pgould@freelancestar.com

Thursday, May 7, 2009

'Germanna Presents the Rappahannock Film Club Cinema Series' opens with 'The Third Man' Saturday. GCC student short "Perspectives" will also be shown


New film series debuts hosted by the Germanna Center for Workforce and Community Education kicks off with the classic "The Third Man" and GCC student short "Perspectives" Saturday night at Fredericksburg Campus ...

By PAMELA GOULD

The Free Lance-Star

Germanna Community College's Center for Workforce and Community Education kicks off the Rappahannock Film Club Cinema Series this Saturday with a showing of "The Third Man."

The film series is aimed at providing an affordable cultural experience during tough economic times, according to Germanna spokesman Mike Zitz.

Movies are shown at 7 p.m. in Sealy Auditorium on the Fredericksburg campus. The cost is $3 per person. Films selected are suitable for all ages, Zitz said. (Those who come early for the 6:30 p.m. showing of the GCC student film "Perspectives" will be admitted free.)

No reservations or advance ticket purchases are necessary. The program is officially considered a non-credit class and will include a post-screening panel discussion featuring Germanna faculty and Rappahannock Film Club members.

The college is partnering with the Rappahannock Film Club to provide the series that will show classic films the second Saturday of each month through the summer. (Scott Lyons, the RFC president, has played a major role in getting the series started.)

"The Third Man," made in 1949, is a mystery set in post-war Vienna, Austria.

The cast from the Oscar-winning film includes Orson Welles.

Jeanne Wesley, vice president of Germanna's Workforce and Community Education program, said she hopes to see the series continue indefinitely.

"It's a great, inexpensive way for people to come out and talk to one another and see some really good films, too," she said.


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Sunday, April 26, 2009

Autism in higher education talk set for Wednesday


The Regional Director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network is to speak to Germanna students, faculty, and staff about autism in higher education Wednesday ...



April is Autism Awareness month, and the Germanna Community College counseling department has invited Paula Durbin-Westby, the Regional Director of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, to speak to students, faculty, and staff about autism in higher education.

Ms. Durbin-Westby will be give a talk at the Locust Grove Campus's room 100 on Wednesday, April 29th from 11 a.m.-noon, with an interactive video link set up for Fredericksburg Area Campus' Dickinson Building room 225.

Ms. Durbin-Westby will also be meeting with Germanna students in the autism spectrum following the larger presentation.

Those interested in attending should contact Kelly Wolfe at kwolfe@germanna.edu 540-423-9140 or Win Stevens at wstevens@germanna.edu 540-891-3019.

GCC art student Jessi Fischer earns scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design


A Jessi Fischer work titled 'Fisch' ...


Germanna student Jessi Fischer has received a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design and will transfer there as a junior in the fall and pursue a BFA in illustration.

She's a graduate of Colonial Forge High School in Stafford.

Germanna Community College's Dr. Kevin Handley earns Chancellor's Commonwealth Professorship


Dr. Kevin Handley, Germanna professor of psychology, has been honored by the Virginia Community College System ...

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Dr. Kevin Handley, professor of psychology at Germanna Community College has been awarded the 2009-2011 Chancellor's Commonwealth Professorship, which acknowledges teaching excellence while advancing the art of instruction.

He will be honored by the State Board for Community Colleges on July 16.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

NEW GCC PROGRAM BEGINS WITH 16-DAY STUDY ABROAD TRIP IN JULY AND AUGUST; INCLUDES ELEPHANT AND CAMEL RIDES, TAJ MAHAL STOP, CULTURAL & BUSINESS STUDY


Germanna student Kristeen Hadeed talks with Indian fashion designer Elisheba John of Magic Clothing Pvt. Ltd. about the business. John was part of an Indian delegation that visited GCC this week. ...


Germanna Community College has established a program that will involve cultural and business study in India as well as student exchange.

The India Study Abroad program launches this summer, with destination cities of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kumarakom and Chennai.

There will be three travel tracks--an India Study humanities class track, a Business/IT/Ayurvedic visit track and a general cultural interest track. Ayurvedic is a system of traditional medicine native to India.

Highlights of the 16-day, July 23-Aug. 8 tour will include the Taj Mahal, an elephant ride at Amber Fort in Jaipur, a cross-country Jeep safari ride, a camel ride in Samode, a house boat cruise in Kumarakom, Hindu Temples and other stops. The deadline for registration is May 15.

Last year, a small committee traveled to six Indian cities to investigate opportunities in information technology, history and culture.

Germanna is the first institution in the Virginia Community College System to establish a program in India.

Frances Lea, GCC associate professor of economics and marketing and a member of the committee, said that during an exploratory mission to India last year, “We were surprised by how open the Indian universities and chambers of commerce are and how wiling they were to work with us.”

“I am delighted that Germanna has approved its first Study Abroad Program to India,” said Sunithi Gnanadoss, a GCC faculty member who was part of the team that traveled to India on the exploratory mission. “This is a fruition of a vision, research, and much work. It is good for students to connect with the global world--connecting today with tomorrow's world is very important.”

This week a delegation of Indian business people visited Germanna and talked to students and faculty about opportunities and culture there.

GCC associate professor of English Gnanadoss, who is a native of India, said she hopes the relationship will help change the idea that American can only lose jobs to India through outsourcing. She sees the program as a step toward creating American jobs.

She sees opportunities instead: Student exchange could provide internships at information technology centers and jobs tutoring English.

GCC Director of Workforce and Community Education Martha O'Keefe, who also was part of the exploratory committee trip, agreed. "I think it will lead to just a better understanding of the business climate in India," she said.

Unlike study-abroad programs in Europe, where some customs are similar to American culture, India would immerse students in an entirely different environment, Gnanadoss said.

For more information, call 540/423-9857, e-mail sgnanadoss@germanna.edu or go to www.germanna.edu.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Germanna and University of Virginia plan to team up on engineering program


Learn about plans for Germanna's new engineering program at 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 14 at the Fredericksburg Campus ...

Virginia community colleges are partnering with the University of Virginia to increase the number of engineering graduates.

James Groves, assistant dean of research and outreach at U.Va.'s School of Engineering and Applied Science, will make presentations on the program at Germanna Community College this week and next.

Called "Produced in Virginia," the program uses the community college system as a pipeline for students into U.Va. for its Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.

Germanna plans to offer an associate of science in engineering that will be aligned with the U.Va. program starting this fall.

Groves' presentation will take place on Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in Room 212 of Dickinson Building at the Fredericksburg Area Campus in Spotsylvania.

Information on the program may be found on the Web at seas.virginia.edu/producedinva/engsci.php or by calling Mark Gibson, engineering program director, at 540/834-1063 or e-mail: mgibson@germanna.edu.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Scotty, prepare Germanna Community College engineering program to go to warp speed!




Mr. Scott, head engineer for the U.S.S. Enterprise, tries to give a primitive computer voice commands in one of the "Star Trek" movies. The "Star Trek" character inspired a whole generation of engineers to go into the field. Now America needs an infusion of new engineers to compete with rising economic powers like China.

Germanna Community College is planning to start an engineering program, partnering with UVa., this fall. Attend a meeting Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in Room 212 of Dickinson Building at the Fredericksburg Area Campus in Spotsylvania to learn more.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Coca-Cola Foundation helps GCC student with learning disability excel in her 30s: 'I proved to myself that I can do it'


Cheryl Rose says she thought she could never go to college. Now she's a top student with a scholarship from Coca-Cola ...

Cheryl Rose, a student at Germanna Community College, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Through the Coca-Cola Two-Year Colleges Scholarship Program, the Foundation awards a total of 400 scholarships annually to students attending higher-education institutions granting two-year degees. All recipients have demonstrated academic success and participated in community service within the past year.


“The scholarship honors students who often balance responsibilities of school, work and family, but also find time to give back to their communities through community service,” said J. Mark Davis, president of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

“This is a big accomplishment for my family and for me,’ Rose said. “I was the first one to go to college out of myself and my two older brothers”

She said she had never thought she’d be able to go to college because her family lacked the money.

“I was an average student in high school—C’s, D's … I did not have anyone to tell me that if I made good grades I could earn a scholarship to go to school. I started college in my 30's. I proved to myself that I can do it, that I am smart, that just because I have a learning disability doesn't mean I can't achieve.”

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Hunting meaty jobs in lean times


At 11 a.m. Thursday, March 19, Free Lance-Star Business Columnist Bill Freehling talks at Germanna's Fredericksburg Campus about the chilly jobs climate ...


The jobless rate in the Fredericksburg area rose to 6.2 percent in January, its highest level for that month since 1993.

Bill Freehling, Business Columnist for The Free Lance-Star, will talk about what the jobs picture looks like in the area at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 19 in room 212 of the Dickinson Building at Germanna's Fredericksburg Campus.

New, interest-free Germanna plan makes paying for college easy


Sign up for GCC's new Automatic Payment Plan now and enjoy lower monthly payments, interest-free ...


Germanna's new Automatic Payment Plan is an easier way to pay for college that's affordable, convenient and interest-free.

Students who start early with the plan will have more time to pay, with lower payments. The last day to enroll online with no down payment is April 16.

Advantages


• Easy online enrollment

• Monthly payment plan

• Flexible payment options

• No interest

Payment Methods


• Automatic bank payment

• Use your credit card or debit card

Payments are processed on the 20th of each month and will continue until the balance is paid in full. If a credit/debit card is used, a convenience fee in addition to the enrollment fee will be assessed.

Cost to Participate


• $25, $35, $40, or $45 nonrefundable enrollment fee (debit or credit card)

Simple Steps to Enroll in the Payment Plan

• Log on to www.germanna.edu

• From "Popular GCC Links," choose "FACTS/Credit" or "FACTS/Non-Credit"

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Easter Grizzly to come hop, hop, hopping along a little early at Germanna's Locust Grove Campus


Hippity hop, GRRRR... Hippity hop, GRRRR... Germanna Grizzlies host an early Easter Egg Hunt March 28 ...

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Germanna Community College's mascot may be the Grizzly, but GCC students will be playing Easter Bunny on Saturday, March 28 from 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., when the Student Government Association and Student Activities Office host an egg hunt for children between the ages of 1 and 10.

The hunt will take place in the Student Lounge at the Locust Grove Campus. There will be free hot dogs, snacks and sodas along with egg hunts and games for kids.

For more information, contact Tami Goodstein at 891-3004 or email tgoodstein@germanna.edu

Monday, March 16, 2009

AUNTIE EM! AUNTIE EM! IT'S A TWISTER! GERMANNA DRILL SET FOR 9:45 A.M. TUESDAY

Germanna Community College is participating in a state-wide emergency response drill Tuesday. March 17 at 9:45 a.m. so students, faculty and staff can become familiar with where to go when the school receives a tornado warning.

"Please cooperate with the hall monitors who have volunteered their time to help direct students and faculty to the shelter locations," said GCC Safety and Security Manager Mark Borchers. "The drill will not take very long," Borchers said. "I am hoping you will see that a little time spent in practice may make a big difference when a real storm occurs. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions about how the drill was conducted, or other comments you wish to share please address them to mborchers@germanna.edu.

In the event a tornado or microburst should strike one of Germanna's campuses or sites, move to an interior room or hallway away from windows. If that isn't possible, shield yourself from windows or doorways where debris may be blown.

Generally, you're safer remaining inside, rather than trying to get in your car and drive home.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A QUICK LOOK AT GOP ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES SET TO DEBATE AT GERMANNA DANIEL CENTER MONDAY NIGHT, MARCH 16


Who are the GOP candidates for Attorney General to debate Monday night, March 16 at 7 at the Germanna Daniel Center in Culpeper follow? Allison Brophy Champion of the Culpeper Star-Exponent fills us in:

JOHN BROWNLEE: Former U.S. Attorney, 2001-2008, appointed by President George W. Bush. Retired U.S. Army officer. Attended high school in Fairfax, graduate of Washington & Lee University and William and Mary School of Law. Served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia 1997 to 2001. Teaches trial advocacy at the University of Virginia. Married to Lee Ann, a former TV news anchor and reporter. The couple has two daughters and live in Roanoke.

KEN CUCCINELLI: State senator, District 37, Fairfax. Patent lawyer who grew up in Northern Virginia. Graduate of the University of Virginia and George Mason University. Married to Teiro. The couple has six children and live in Centreville.

DAVE FOSTER: Partner in Washington, D.C. law office. Served two terms on Arlington County School Board. Longtime member Arlington County Republican Committee. Graduate of University of Virginia School of Law. Married to Martha. The couple has two children and live in Arlington.

The Republicans will select an attorney general candidate to be on the ballot in November at its convention May 29 and 30 in Richmond.

Former Attorney General Bob McDonnell stepped down from the office last month to run on the Republican ticket for governor. The General Assembly appointed Bill Mims, a lawyer and former state legislator, to fill out McDonnell’s term, which expires in January.

Steve Shannon, a Fairfax County state delegate, is the Democrat running for attorney general.

For information about the debate, contact Doug Rogers, 30th District legislative chairman, at 972-8117.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

GERMANNA HOSTS DEBATE BETWEEN REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATES MONDAY NIGHT AT 7 AT DANIEL TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN CULPEPER


Republican attorney generals consistently end up becoming GOP candidates for governor

The three Republican candidates for attorney general will debate in Culpeper on Monday night.

The debate, at Germanna Community College's Daniel Technology Center, will be moderated by former Republican attorney general Jerry Kilgore.

The candidates are state Sen. Ken Cuccinelli of Fairfax; John Brownlee, a former U.S. attorney for Virginia's Western District; and former Arlington County School Board member Dave Foster.

All three candidates are scheduled to participate.

The Republican Party will choose its candidate at a convention May 30.

The debate begins at 7 p.m., and doors open at 6:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public, and sponsored by the Republican committees of Culpeper, Orange and Madison counties.

--Chelyen Davis

The Free Lance-Star


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Friday, March 13, 2009

AS CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF NURSES GROWS, REP. ROB J. WITTMAN PUSHES THROUGH FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GERMANNA NURSING PROGRAM


Federal omnibus spending bill will help GCC Nursing Program in part through expansion of Virtual Hospital.
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The Culpeper Star-Exponent reports that Germanna's nursing program will be getting a boost from Washington:

RICHMOND — Germanna Community College will receive $285,000 in federal money thanks to Rep. Rob J. Wittman, R-1st.

The Westmoreland native requested the funds through the omnibus spending bill signed into law by President Barack Obama on Wednesday, granting $155.1 million to 186 projects into Virginia localities, university and nonprofit groups.

That spending amounts to $19.97 per capita for Virginia, less than the national per capita figure of $22.39, according to the government watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

The GCC money would help pay for a nurse training initiative and state-of-the-art equipment.


The spending bill allocates $287,000 for upgrades to the combined sewer overflow system in Richmond, $400,000 for security upgrades at the Oliver Hill Courts Building and $617,500 for GRTC buses.

While pet projects continue to benefit, Virginia’s congressional delegation varies on the view of earmarks and the method for doling them out.

Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, didn’t put in for any. He favors a freeze on earmarks because he thinks they contribute to the federal deficit.

Sen. Jim Webb, on the other hand, sent out news releases Wednesday about project money he secured.


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Monday, March 2, 2009

SNOW DAY WASTED ON SPRING BREAK


Heavy snow closed Germanna Community College for administrators and staffers on Monday ...


Germanna Community College students could've enjoyed a day off from school Monday--if they hadn't already been off.

The college was closed due to a heavy snowfall Sunday night, but students and faculty were already on Spring Break. Staff and administrators did get a mini-break of their own, though, when the snow gave them a three-day weekend.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

GERMANNA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALPHA LAMBDA PSI CHAPTER OF PHI THETA KAPPA INDUCTS 49


Students being inducted into Phi Theta Kappa light a candle as part of the ceremony ...
The Alpha Lambda Psi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the two-year college held its fall induction ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 28, at Germanna Community College. The induction ceremony is held once per semester to acknowledge the academic achievements of students who have achieved a 3.5 grade point average and have completed 12 credits towards a degree program.

During the Induction Ceremony, the new members pledged an oath to the chapter, signed their name into the Induction record book and lit the ceremonial candle. Upon completion, the inductee is an official Phi Theta Kappa member.

The Alpha Lambda Psi Chapter proudly announces the induction of the following students:

Sarah Alston, Dayna Austin, Erika Baardsen, Misty Baker, Cora Boyd, Derek Breitenbach, Zachary Briley, James Byrne, Gail Cheromiah, Regina Childs, Ryan Corbett, Ashleigh Cramssey, Stephen Dinehart, Denise Epperson, Donna Ferrer, Jennifer Fleece, Sherry Garretson, Kenneth Gerbert, Nina Griffin, Rebekah Hader, Nijessia Harmon, Andrew Henson, Douglas Jett, Cassandra Leblanc, Christopher Lonzo, Nadia Mardini, Sherry Martell, David Morales, Stacy Owen, Pamela Petzold, Michael Phillips, Cheri Pryor, Amanda Redman, Lawrence Reinhart, Laurie Reiss, Chelseay Reynolds, Faina Sapozhnikova, Erik Schade, Jaclyn Schwart, Austin Sites, Arlene Smith, Douglas Stevenson, Marie-Claire Stokes, Jonathan Sullivan, Blair Tarbert, Sara Tenda, Andrew Tonnacliff, Michael Wilford, Jr., and Kaitlyn Wilson.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Germanna Daniel Center packed as Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women kicked off farewell tour with rollicking, bawdy, funny blues tour de force in Culpeper

SAFFIRE--THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN CONCERT A HIT BEFORE CAPACITY CROWD AT GERMANNA'S DANIEL CENTER IN CULPEPER .....MAKE-UP TEST AT GERMANNA LAUNCHED SAFFIRE--THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN. 25 YEARS LATER, THE NATIONALLY KNOWN BAND KICKED OFF ITS FAREWELL TOUR SATURDAY NIGHT AT GCC

They regularly headline at major music venues like Wolf Trap and the Birchmere, but the nationally known SAFFIRE—THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN got their start at Germanna Community College.
Twenty-five years later, they kicked off their farewell tour where they got started—at Germanna, with a show at the Daniel Center in Culpeper Saturday, Feb. 21.

The concert was a smash hit, drawing a capacity crowd of 700 that had a rollicking time as Saffire put on a blues tour de force that had the audience swaying rhythmically in their seats and laughing out loud at songs like "Too Much Butt."

Band member Gaye Adegbalola, who had the flu, climbed out a sick bed at the last minute to do the show, and give a spirited performance.

Fans came from both Culpeper and Fredericksburg, and prior to the show, downtown Culpeper restaurants were packed with out-of-towners there for the concert.

Pianist/guitarist/songwriter Ann Rabson was on faculty at Germanna, teaching computer science, when one of her students had a death in the family and missed an exam. So Rabson took the exam to student Earlene Lewis’ home. Turned out that Lewis had a piano and a bass --and Saffire was conceived from a Germanna makeup exam.

Rabson and Lewis convinced singer Adegbalola, a Virginia Teacher of the Year at James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg, to join them. The rest is blues history. Saffire—The Uppity Blues Women developed a cult following, not just in America, but around the globe. And they remain relevant after a quarter of a century of touring and recording. Adegbalola has just been nominated for honors as 2009 Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist at the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards to be held May 7 in Memphis.


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Saturday, February 21, 2009

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR TONIGHT! SAFFIRE KICKS OFF FAREWELL TOUR AT GCC DANIEL CENTER

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR TONIGHT.....MAKE-UP TEST AT GERMANNA LAUNCHED SAFFIRE--THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN. 25 YEARS LATER, THE NATIONALLY KNOWN BAND KICKS OFF ITS FAREWELL TOUR TONIGHT AT GCC'S DANIEL CENTER IN CULPEPER

They regularly headline at major music venues like Wolf Trap and the Birchmere, but the nationally known SAFFIRE—THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN got their start at Germanna Community College.

Now, 25 years later, they’re kicking off their farewell tour where they got started—at Germanna, with a 7 p.m. show at the Daniel Center in Culpeper tonight, Saturday, Feb. 21. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the all ages show. Profits will go to scholarships through the Germanna Educational Foundation.

Pianist/guitarist/songwriter Ann Rabson was on faculty at Germanna, teaching computer science, when one of her students had a death in the family and missed an exam. So Rabson took the exam to student Earlene Lewis’ home. Turned out that Lewis had a piano and a bass --and Saffire was conceived from a Germanna makeup exam.

Rabson and Lewis convinced singer Gaye Adegbalola, a Virginia Teacher of the Year at James Monroe High School, to join them. The rest is blues history. Saffire—The Uppity Blues Women developed a cult following, not just in America, but around the globe. And they remain relevant after a quarter of a century of touring and recording. Adegbalola has just been nominated for honors as 2009 Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist at the 30th Annual Blues Music Awards to be held May 7 in Memphis.

TICKETS FOR GERMANNA FACULTY AND STAFF ARE JUST $5. That’s quite a deal, because tickets for a Saffire show at the hallowed Birchmere next month are going for $35.

Tickets are available at GCC Workforce offices at both the Fredericksburg Area Campus and at the Daniel Center, or by calling the numbers below:

7 p.m, Saturday, February 21st

The Daniel Center

18121 Technology Dr.

Culpeper

540-937-2900 Daniel Center

540-891-3095 FAC II

$15 General Public/ $5 Faculty & Staff/ $3 Students


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