Early each year, Virginia legislators convene in Richmond to make decisions on behalf of their constituents. Helping to give a face to the many people being represented, five Virginia Western students met with members of the General Assembly on Monday, Jan. 27, at the Virginia State Capitol.
Those students spoke to their experiences in an array of programs: Joshua Hawks from Engineering; Yassine Abdelkader from Business Administration; Chanell Johnson from Liberal Arts, Fine Arts; and Grace Dillon and Ulekesis Williams from Practical Nursing. They were accompanied by Vice President of Student Affairs Bernadette “Bern” Battle and Student Activities Coordinator Natasha Lee.
Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, greeted the Virginia Western delegation and joined them in meeting with members of the legislature. Each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges visits the General Assembly during its annual session, which began meeting in mid-January and is scheduled to adjourn Feb. 22.
During a full day, the students met with Senator Chris Head and Delegate Terry Austin, both of Botetourt County, and spoke to the legislative aides for Senator David Suetterlein of Roanoke County and Delegate Sam Rasoul of Roanoke. During a session of the state Senate, Sen. Head introduced the Virginia Western students, noting that he served as commencement speaker last year, and praised the work being accomplished at the College. The students observed how proceedings take place in the Senate, and later took a tour of the Capitol building’s historic rooms.
Coming from an array of backgrounds, the students covered a range of topics in their meetings. They shared how Virginia Western’s affordability made going to college possible, which for their families would not have been the case for a four-year college right after high school.
The Practical Nursing students spoke in support of bills, SB 953 and HB 2548, to strengthen the pathway that bridges from Practical Nursing programs to Registered Nursing programs. Each of these bills passed their respective houses and is proceeding through committees of the other chamber.
Four of the students also shared personal stories about the positive impacts of taking Dual Enrollment courses in high school, which they said provided a bridge to college and helped them become interested in Virginia Western. One of the students advocated for letting more students know about Dual Enrollment’s benefits, including how these classes can help students’ transition to college.
The contingent of students also advocated for increased funding for Virginia Western, given that Virginia community colleges do not receive the same level of funding as state four-year schools. For every $1 that supports a full-time equivalent student at a public Virginia university, VCCS receives 57 cents. Each year, Virginia’s Community Colleges account for 46% of all public undergraduate students in Virginia.
