MEDIA ADVISORY
WHAT:
Virginia’s Community Colleges will announce a major donation to help fight homelessness for Great Expectations students at three community colleges in Southwest Virginia. Great Expectations (GE) is a nationally recognized program that helps Virginia’s foster youth succeed in college, earning degrees, diplomas, and certificates needed to achieve an independent and successful life.
Housing insecurity and homelessness are major barriers to educational success for many young people attending community college. For those who have aged out of foster care, the problem is even worse. Over 30% will have experienced homelessness by the time they turn 26. According to our GE coaches, it is the number one concern among the students they help.
WHO:
VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois; Southwest Virginia Community College President Tommy Wright; Julia Gilliam Sterling, Director of Grantmaking at the Richard and Leslie Gilliam Foundation; Jennifer Roark, Southwest Virginia Community College GE Coach; Andrea Keen, Southwest Virginia Community College GE student; and Dorcas Helfant-Browning, Virginia Foundation for Community College Education board chair.
WHEN:
Thursday, August 8, 2019 at 11:30am
WHERE:
Ratcliffe Commons, Dellinger Hall
Southwest Virginia Community College
635 Community College Rd,
Cedar Bluff, VA 24609
Supplemental:
Access to the facility starts at 11:00 AM. Audio drop and camera riser will be provided. Speakers and special guests will be available for media interviews at the conclusion of the event.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeffrey Kraus
Asst. Vice Chancellor for
Strategic Communications
(804) 592-6767
jkraus@vccs.edu
About The Richard and Leslie Gilliam Foundation: The Richard and Leslie Gilliam Foundation is committed to strengthening the community and improving the quality of life in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. We invest in programs and initiatives that support the following areas in our home region: education, health and wellness, community service, entrepreneurship, and the arts. Learn more at www.gilliamfoundation.org.
About the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE): The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) is the supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. The VFCCE works to broaden educational access, support student success, and provide innovative solutions to workforce needs. Our mission is “providing access to education to all Virginians,” with a focus on expanding access and programs for underserved populations. To ensure access to high quality, affordable education, the VFCCE provides statewide leadership in raising funds for community college education, supplementing and supporting the activities of the 23 individual colleges, and securing support for major system-wide initiatives that could not be undertaken by any single college. For more information, please visit www.vfcce.org.
About Virginia’s Community Colleges: Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve more than 241,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.
About Great Expectations: Great Expectations is a nationally recognized program that helps Virginia’s foster youth earn the postsecondary credentials they need to achieve an independent and successful life. Great Expectations is currently available at 21 of Virginia’s Community Colleges. For more information, please visit www.greatexpectations.vccs.edu.