Virginia Western Community College’s Educational Foundation held a naming ceremony for the Plastics One Student Information Center, in recognition of a $100,000 contribution by Plastics One to support Virginia Western’s Community College Access Program. A check presentation and reception was held onsite May 20 at the College’s newly renovated Student Life Center.
Plastics One is a plastic component manufacturer, providing custom design and manufacturing solutions to customers around the world. Based in southwest Roanoke County, the firm has been serving industry since 1949, and the nearly 86,000-square-foot facility houses 325 employees. Specializations include the design and build of custom medical and high-end audio cable assemblies with applications for entertainers, musicians, racecar drivers and individuals; and expert design and manufacturing of in-vivo neuroscience research components.
“We are a 100 percent employee-owned company, and we have always believed in giving back to the community,” said David Wallenborn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Plastics One. “Virginia Western is a high quality, low-cost option in higher education. We have partnered with Virginia Western to offer workforce training and classes to our people, and our employees chose to support Virginia Western in order to help deserving students in the community achieve their dreams.”
The Virginia Western Community College Access Program (CCAP) is a series of public/private partnerships serving the entire Virginia Western service region, including the counties of Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke and the cities of Roanoke and Salem. The program covers the cost of tuition for two years at Virginia Western for area high school graduates who meet program guidelines. CCAP supports as many students as possible based on student need and available funds.
“There is nothing more valuable than ensuring that young people can achieve their aspirations through education,” said Dr. Robert Sandel, President of Virginia Western. “Plastic One’s support for CCAP will make the dream of college a reality for so many talented individuals.”
For more information about CCAP, contact Carole Tarrant, Coordinator of Development, at (540) 857-6281 or ctarrant@virginiawestern.edu. For more information about Plastics One, contact Lydia Brantingham-Payne, Marketing Communications Manager, at (540) 772-7950.