Two Virginia Western students, Whitney Young and Briana Wood, represented the College in Richmond during the Virginia General Assembly session this winter. They met with Sen. Chris Head, Del. Sam Rasoul and Del. Joseph McNamara and asked for continued state support on behalf of all students.
“Speaking with them and representing Virginia Western Community College was a great experience,” Wood said. During talks about funding, “they were asking us, ‘How can we help you?'”
The students were accompanied by Student Activities Coordinator Natasha Lee and Dean Yvonne Campbell of Virginia Western’s School of Business, Technology and Trades.
Young and Wood were among the students from across the Virginia Community College System who visited legislators this session, which began in January and ended in March. Students were able to share about how their education will in turn help Virginia’s economic outlook. Virginia’s Community Colleges enroll 46% of all public undergraduate students in Virginia, and 81% of VCCS students stay local and contribute back to their communities and economies.
The Virginia Western students also took a tour and observed the state Senate in action. Wood said that Sen. Head introduced Young, Lee, Campbell, and herself at the start of the session they attended, and that senators stood and applauded. “It was really nice that they were able to do that for us,” she said, noting that the entire experience has motivated her to keep speaking on behalf of Virginia Western.
