Uncategorized Archives - Page 7 of 13 - Grants Development & Special Projects at Virginia Western

Mar

How I’m coping with the pandemic … and how can the engagement team help?

March 25, 2020Uncategorized

The first time I cried was after I read that commencements across the VCCS had been canceled. The second, more intense sobbing happened as I overheard my daughter’s teacher reading excerpts of “The BFG” during their first classroom Zoom session. Waves of emotion continue to crash over me during my days at home …. fear,… Continue Reading How I’m coping with the pandemic … and how can the engagement team help?

Mar

One year later: How ‘Traction’ keeps changing my life & work

March 3, 2020Uncategorized

Early in 2019, I checked out the business book “Traction” (by Gino Wickman) from Brown Library. I heard about the book at the VCCS Hire Education conference, where folks from Lord Fairfax Community College explained how they used it to transform their Workforce division. It was my favorite session of the conference, as it was… Continue Reading One year later: How ‘Traction’ keeps changing my life & work

Feb

Field trip! Sign up to attend the Innovations in Pedagogy Summit at UVA

February 25, 2020Uncategorized

Dr. Jen Moon and Katie Dawson, both from the University of Texas at Austin, will deliver the keynote session: “Teaching with Intention: Facilitating an Inclusive and Joyful Classroom Culture for Effective Learning” If you are feeling a bit restless … want to shake up your routine … or just need some inspiration, consider joining me… Continue Reading Field trip! Sign up to attend the Innovations in Pedagogy Summit at UVA

Feb

Joy is the energy of innovation … and 4 other takeaways from ‘Launching Innovation in Schools’

February 14, 2020Uncategorized

You remember when I said I read about creativity for fun? Just in the last month, I enrolled in an MIT massive open online course (MOOC): “Launching Innovation in Schools.” This course — which is free and open to all — is co-taught by Peter Senge, author of “The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice… Continue Reading Joy is the energy of innovation … and 4 other takeaways from ‘Launching Innovation in Schools’

Feb

Pop quiz! What was the No. 1 soft skill sought by employers in 2019?

February 13, 2020Uncategorized

? ? ? (If you read 20 Ways to Be a Virginia Western Superhero, you probably know already!). ? ? ? Answer: Creativity … followed by persuasion, collaboration, adaptability, and time management (source: LinkedIn). But I don’t need a LinkedIn employer survey to tell me creativity matters. I’ve known this most of my life. Fostering… Continue Reading Pop quiz! What was the No. 1 soft skill sought by employers in 2019?

Feb

I binged that ‘Cheer’ documentary; now I have 3 questions for Virginia Western

February 3, 2020Uncategorized

Perhaps you’ve heard the buzz about “Cheer,” that new cheerleading documentary series on Netflix. What I didn’t know before bingeing all six hours of the series over one weekend (don’t judge) was that the school at the center of the series is a community college. Navarro College, in Corsicana, Texas (outside Dallas), has an open-door… Continue Reading I binged that ‘Cheer’ documentary; now I have 3 questions for Virginia Western

Jan

20 ways to be a Virginia Western superhero

January 31, 2020Uncategorized

Back in April, in a design-thinking session related to Virginia Western’s G3 planning grant, about 30 faculty, staff, and administrators across the college had the opportunity to interview eight students about their experiences at VWCC. Over and over again, the students talked about the personal relationships they developed on their journey, as well as the… Continue Reading 20 ways to be a Virginia Western superhero

Jan

Curious about Innovation Grants? Sign up to learn more

January 29, 2020Uncategorized

If you missed the “5 Secrets to a Funded Innovation Grant” session during in-service, you can see the same presentation during the following times in the grants office conference room (top floor of Fishburn Hall, Room 204): Monday, Feb. 3, 3 to 4 p.m.Wednesday, Feb. 5, 10 to 11 a.m.Tuesday, Feb. 11, 10 to 11… Continue Reading Curious about Innovation Grants? Sign up to learn more

Dec

Wouldn’t it be cool if … (a grant idea generator)

December 18, 2019Uncategorized

We’re on the home stretch before winter break … and just before we leave, I’d like to challenge us to dream up cool ideas for grants, whether they be for Innovation Grants (from the Educational Foundation) to professional development grants (from the VCCS), and beyond. Too often we get bogged down in the rules and… Continue Reading Wouldn’t it be cool if … (a grant idea generator)

Dec

Superheroes, assemble! How we can all help end poverty in the Roanoke Valley

December 11, 2019Uncategorized

“The community college can be the catalyst to end poverty in our community.” I sat through hours of sessions during the VCCS Hire Education conference earlier this month in Hot Springs. But this message got my attention. I’m still thinking about it, so I’ll repeat: “The community college can be the catalyst to end poverty… Continue Reading Superheroes, assemble! How we can all help end poverty in the Roanoke Valley

1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 13

Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.