Holiday Message

``Business!'' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. ``Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!''

So speaks the ghost of Jacob Marley to his old partner, Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

The difficult economic times and the wars we are engaged in cause us to worry and perhaps to fear. Our budget has been cut and will be cut further in the New Year. The State tax revenues seem likely to be moribund for up to two more years. Around us and perhaps in our families there are those who are out of work, some now into their second year of unemployment, some perhaps having given up. Loved ones are serving their country and some are in harm’s way.
We have seen the evil that results when some believe their own narrowest self-interest is all that matters, when they best even Scrooge in ignoring Want and Ignorance for their own wealth or fanatical belief.

During times such as these, the work we do every day at Germanna Community College rises to an even higher level of importance and meaning. Our students, their families and communities, our Commonwealth and our nation are looking to Germanna and other community colleges for real hope---hope through valuable skills that lead to good work with good pay.

As we come to the end of another year and the holidays that fall at that time, it is good to reflect as well as celebrate. We at Germanna are blessed to have a mission that does indeed serve mankind.

My highest hope for all of those in our service area and for all of the faculty and staff at Germanna is that you each surround yourself with those who matter to you over the holidays, get away from work for a little while, and then come back with the same deep dedication to that mission of serving our students and communities that I have observed in every daily effort you give.

My highest hope for our students is that they come to us with a spirit of optimism and add to that their own best effort to take full advantage of the opportunities Germanna offers them, and that they each leave with more opportunities for good employment with good wages. I also hope they leave with an ethic of service to give back to others throughout their lives.

Regardless of our individual faith or beliefs, what Scrooge says during his transformation is a good goal for each of us:

``I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”

My highest hope for each of you and for myself as well is that when our lives are accounted for we have said of us that we lived a life of service and of giving, that we left more than we took, that we made a difference. If that more broad definition of “honoring Christmas” is used, may we each have said of us what was said of Scrooge after his redemption:

“It was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!”

A time to give thanks

The great German mystic and philosopher, Meister Eckhart, once wrote that “if the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

We have so much that preoccupies us today that it is easy to take for granted those simple joys that are everyday gifts. I hope never to be so ungracious that I fail to express my thanks to:

- all of the students who trust us with their education
- all of the family members and communities that trust us with their students
-all of the faculty and staff who work tirelessly every day for the success of our students and our college
-all of our government officials, private sector partners, and colleagues around the state who help us to do our good work
-all of our donors and investors who help give us the resources we need
-all of the public safety officers, security personnel, and service men and women who help make us safe enough to do our work
I do appreciate the mission that Germanna Community College serves, but I appreciate even more those who make that mission real through their work every day of every year.

Thank you.

David

Congratulations to Connie Kincheloe

Congratulations to Connie Kincheloe, member of our Germanna Educational Foundation Board since 1993, for receiving the Excellence in Governance Award by the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. She was recognized for her work on the Board of the Culpeper Regional Hospital in part because of her work fostering collaboration between CRH and Germanna.

Happy birthday, Veteran's Day. Celebration of service, sacrifice and heroism is 90 years old today.

From Armistice Day in 1919 to Veterans Day today, Nov. 11 has been a day for honoring our military veterans ...

Today we express our gratitude to all U.S. military veterans and current members of our armed forces--those who are retired and remain with us, those who who have fought in the past, and as Gen. Douglas MacArthur famously said, "faded away," and those who protect us today at great personal sacrifice.
At the end of World War I, Woodrow Wilson proclaimed an Armistice Day for Nov. 11, 1919. Seven years later, Congress asked that the president issue another proclamation to observe Nov. 11 with appropriate ceremonies as "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.' "
Then it occurred to Al King, a Kansas shoe store owner and father of a World War II veteran, that Armistice Day should celebrate all veterans, not just World War I vets, and started a campaign to turn Armistice Day into "All" Veterans Day. The Emporia, Kan. Chamber of Commerce supported the idea and stores and some offices closed on Nov. 11, 1953, to honor veterans.
With the support of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, an Emporia native, also helped push a bill making it a national holiday on and the bill was signed by into law by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954. Later that year, Congress formally changed "Armistice Day" to "Veterans Day."
Since 1978, a trend has developed which has seen fewer schools, businesses and offices close on Veterans Day.
Contact Joan Fischer at jfischer@germanna.edu about joining the GCC Veterans Club.
Germanna has seen a surge in veteran enrollment this year due to benefits extended by the new G.I. Bill. Please see post about that below and video post on homepage highlights at http://www.germanna.edu/.

Employee Climate Survey

The results of the 2009 Employee Climate Survey have been received and we will begin the process of reviewing the data and recommendations and determining what we need to do to maintain what seems to be working while improving areas that should be improved.

Overall, the results show a modest improvement in the climate since two years ago. Eight questions showed positive movement and two negative.

As was true two years ago, results will be posted to the "S" drive once administration has had time to preview the findings. NOTE: the results will be published in uncensored and complete form. Employees may review the 2007 results by accessing the S drive and going to the folder labeled "Employee Climate Survey 2007." The 2007 study was done as a "benchmark" so we could measure progress or regression with future surveys.

The 2009 results will be shared in the following ways:

• President and VPs review and discuss beginning on September 30
• Leadership Team of all administrators and managers reviews and discusses beginning with special meeting on October 5
• President's Council reviews and discusses beginning with October 19 meeting
• A summary presentation and publication of all results will occur at the College Council meeting of October 23
• A copy of all results will be placed in S drive under folder "Employee Climate Survey 2009" - October 23
• Open Forum discussions of results and suggestions for action steps will be arranged for later this fall semester

I appreciate the honesty that those who chose to participate demonstrated in completing the survey this year. We will follow up over the course of the year with action steps and changes in plans directly resulting from our discussions of the survey data. These actions, plans and snapshots of the data will be the subject of regular Germane newsletter articles, in emails where appropriate, and through this blog. I will expect that all administrators and managers will look for implications in their own areas and ways that they can use the data.

Germanna is a very positive place with a great mission. However, as is true with any organization and especially in stressful times, we can and we will get better.

David Sam

Germanna sees nearly 40% Increase in Students using VA Benefits this Fall

The number of students attending Germanna Community College and receiving VA benefits has grown by 39.2% from Fall 2008 to Fall 2009.

Comparing calendar year 2009 with calendar year 2008, there are 20% more receiving these benefits.

The enhanced GI Bill benefits, the return of veterans to their homes from active duty, and the economy may all be factors in explaining this increase.

Germanna's overall enrollment has climbed to nearly 7000 students this fall, which is a 7% increase from last fall. Full-time equated enrollment has grown by over 12%, suggesting s students are also taking more classes while enrolled.

We are proud and humbled to serve our veterans and gratified that they see us as a place for their lifelong learning to continue.

Spotsylvania County BOS Supports Building III

Good News! Last night after my presentation and Q&A, the Spotsylvania BOS voted 7-0 asking County staff to prepare a plan with college personnel for committing to fund $1.2 million over several years for Building III at FAC. Final vote will be at the regular meeting on either October 13 or 27.

My thanks to all the Spotsylvania Board members, to chair Hap Connor and Vice Chair Gary Skinner, to Doug Barnes and Russell Seymour at the County Administration, and to college staff who helped me prepare my presentation.

Special thanks to Bruce Davis of both of our Boards for his help and to Bruce and Jane Wallace for their presence and support last night. Much thanks also to Rick Brehm for being at the meeting, helping answer questions, and his ongoing and superlative hard work.

See today’s FLS:

http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2009/092009/09232009/495602

David

Financial Aid Success

Congratulations to Mike Farris and the staff in Germanna's Financial Aid Office.

Despite a more than doubling of Pell applications for the month of August between 2007 and 2009, and an increase of 40% more Pell recipients than last year already, all Financial Aid for fall has been disbursed to students as of Friday September 18 at 5 pm--- One month earlier than in the past.

I deeply appreciate all of the hard work Financial Aid staff have done and continue to do to serve the increased number of students who need us.

I am proud of all of our staff and faculty. Their dedication and service during these hard times is exemplary.

More details on how the state budget cuts will affect Germanna

Friday afternoon, during a conference call with the Chancellor and presidents of all 23 community colleges, we heard the grim details on the cumulative effect of all of the cuts. The cumulative effect of the previous and new cuts in the VCCS budget will take over $105 million out of the combined budget by fiscal year 2012.

This recent cut will take $20 million out of this year’s budget because of the one-time use of the Federals stimulus monies, once the Federal Government approves this use. Beginning July 1, 2010, this total cut rises to nearly $46 million. On July 1, 2011, the stimulus monies run out and the total cuts made since 2007 rise to $105 million a year.

We now have the following clarifications regarding the Governor’s budget cuts:

• The one-day furlough applies to all full-time employees including faculty. Each college has the flexibility to determine the least disruptive date, but we were advised to wait on implementing until after the Assembly meets in the new year. This furlough day will not impact VRS final compensation calculations for those who are retiring.
• The State has been paying both the employer cost and the employee cost for VRS retirement contributions. Employees used to pay 5%. The state will not make the employer contribution in the fourth quarter. This will not affect service credits or final retirement amounts. Nor do the employees have to pay this contribution in the fourth quarter.
• We are being told that the VRS rate for fiscal year 2011 will jump significantly due to losses in the investment portfolio used to pay out, but details on how much and whether employees will have to pay any or all of this remains undetermined at this time.
• Those in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) are not affected this year. Whether the state contribution will change next year is also undetermined.

In the last two years, all 23 community colleges combined have seen an enrollment increase of about 20,000 students, roughly the size of 4 new state universities. Germanna's enrollment has climbed to its highest level ever.

Without a tuition increase or some other way of compensating for some of the lost revenue, Virginia’s community colleges will be reducing programs and services at the same time that huge numbers of additional students are coming to us for their education towards a good career.

We are using every efficiency and quality improvement we can. Nonetheless, we have reached past the point of doing "more with less."

I am confident in our faculty and staff. I have never been prouder in them than now, watching how hard they work with 25% more students than 3 years ago and fewer staff. It will be hard, but we will continue to do our best to serve our students and communities and fulfill our mission.

Lest We Forget

All of us lost something on September 11, 2001.

Some of us lost all.

Let us pause today to remember:
- those who died
- those who were hurt
- those who rushed in to help, some of whom never came out
- those who lost someone they loved
- those who have died fighting since then
- those who may be in combat at this moment, some so young they do not even clearly remember this day eight years ago

And let us affirm that the values our nation stands for at its best will be preserved not only in the actions of the heroes who battle fire and crime or who battle in war, but also those who are patriots in their quiet actions of each common day.

More Details on the Budget Cuts

We have received clarification on two items in the Governor's press release:

• Further savings are achieved through targeted strategies that will reduce general fund spending by an additional $446 million—including more than $104 million in reduced payments to the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) for the final quarter of FY 2010. Contribution rates for the Commonwealth and its employees will be changed in July at the beginning of the next biennium to adequately fund the long-term needs of the retirement system.

We believe that employees will not see a difference in the current year but that as early as the last quarter of this fiscal year and most likely beginning in July employees will be asked to pay for a portion of our state retirement.

• A one-day furlough of all state employees on the Friday proceeding Memorial Day 2010. Agencies with critical or emergency personnel are instructed to accommodate staffing needs and make adjustments to the furlough date accordingly.

We now know that this does apply to us. I will decide how we will implement after further discussions with vice presidents and other administrators and let you know.

I regret the hardships these decisions will bring to all of you. Further clarification will be announced as soon as available.

Governor Kaine announces further budget cuts

As you may have heard, Governor Kaine has announced that he is permanently cutting the budget for community colleges totaling 13% of our appropriation. The Governor is going to partially offset that cut by about 6% using federal stimulus funds this year, so that the current year net reduction will be about 7%. Next year's budget will include the full cut.

Details on this will be coming to us over the next couple of days, including whether the one-day furlough announced will apply to community colleges.

The good news for Germanna is that our reduction in the current year will be around 7% and that we have already made cuts in anticipation. No additional cuts will be required this year.

However, next year's budget will require further reductions. I will keep you informed as we build that budget. I also will be available to employees for questions at the upcoming open forum on September 15 11 am to noon in rooms LGC 100 and FAC 225 and at the In-Service meeting on October 1 at DTC.

Please check back on this blog for further information as it becomes available.

Financial Aid Applications up 67%

Michael Farris, Germanna's Financial Aid Coordinator, reports that applications for financial aid this year are up 67% as of August 6 over last year at the same time. This is 104% increase over the same point in 2007.

Despite no increase in staff in the Financial Aid office because of state budget cuts, Michael and his colleagues have managed to keep up with this tremendous growth in demand. My personal thanks goes out to all of them for going above and beyond to help our students afford college.

Michael reports that students may still apply for financial aid right up to the start of classes. However, he notes that students' awards may not be ready in time to pay for classes the longer that they wait.

Therefore, "... [the student] needs to be prepared to make payment at the time of registration. After the August 12th tuition due date has passed, payment is due at the time of registration. For these students, financial aid is used to reimburse for courses already paid for and cannot be processed quickly enough to reserve courses."

This dramatic increase in applications for aid is due to two things: 1) the economy is causing many more students to need assistance; and 2) Michael, his staff, and counselors and student affairs staff have done a tremendous job of reaching out to students and informing them in a timely way. My thanks again to them all.

Thank you to all the Germanna staff for geting the Stafford Center Ready

My thanks to all those who worked hard on July 29 to get the Stafford Center ready for the Governor's visit and ribbon-cutting.

Shown with the Governor are just a few who made the event possible (from left to right, Ron Williams, Aubrey Collier, Governor Kaine, Garland Fenwick, and Chris Cooper.

Every day our faculty and staff do a great job and much of it is hidden from view.

Tuition

As the Free Lance-Star and the Culpeper Star Exponent note today, community college tuition and fees was increased by 7.6% at the May meeting of the State Board for Community Colleges. However, it is not true that Germanna's increase is more than the other 22 community colleges.

Germanna's tuition is set by the State Board and is the same as 20 of the other 22 community colleges. Northern Virginia and J. Sergeant Reynolds CCs both charge a slightly higher tuition. Germanna has the option of requesting a similar increase, but we have chosen not to do so in order to stay more affordable. Fees varies slightly from college to college, although Tidewater has the highest student activity fee as part of their effort to erect student center buildings.

While the percentage increase for community colleges was higher than other public institutions for higher education in Virginia, it was the second lowest dollar increase across the state.

As a comparison, while Germanna's tuition for an average full-time student will rise by just under $200, both Virginia Tech and UVA will see an increase of about $400 and William and Mary about $500. The difference in cost between a community college education and a state university education in Virginia will thus grow even greater.

Nonetheless, we do not take the cost increase lightly. Our mission is to be both accessible and affordable. We regret any increase in tuition and fees.

But we face the third cut in state funding in less than 2 years, which the Governor will announce in the next few weeks. We are too often faced with a choice between increasing tuition or reducing even further the services and programs we offer our students and communities.

Should further budget cuts put at risk our ability to offer fundamental services or necessary programs, we will be forced to seek additional funding. We hope to do so through grants and donations.

It is a tough time for our citizens, students and communities. Community colleges are being called on to be an even better resource to help turn our commonwealth and nation around, and to prepare the citizens and workforce for a positive future. We at Germanna promise to do all that we can to limit the harm done by the budget cuts and to provide the key programs, learning and services you need.

That is the mission we have signed on to.

July 29 Events - A Good Day for Germanna

On Wednesday, July 29, Governor Kaine joined Germanna Community for three outstanding events:

• First at 10:45am the Governor cut the ribbon on our new Stafford Center in Aquia Park. About 100 guests witnessed the ceremony and toured our new center, which has 3 standard classrooms, one computer classroom, a computer lab, and an office for faculty. The center will be open for classes to begin on August 20.

More photos are available for viewing on the Governor's web site.

• Next, the Governor spoke at a Business Sales Growth Seminar held at our Fredericksburg Area Campus, presented by the Virginia Department of Business Assistance and cosponsor ted by Germanna Community College, Fredericksburg Department of Economic
  Development, Spotsylvania County Department of Economic Development, Stafford County Department of Economic Development, Fredericksburg Regional Alliance and Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.


• There followed a luncheon sponsored by Spotsylvania County Department of Economic Development,and Fredericksburg Regional Alliance on our FAC campus. Thanks always to Gene Bailey for his support of Germanna.

I deeply appreciate all of the work done by college staff to get the new center ready, make arrangements for the Governor's visit, and support the three events in the same day.

I also appreciate Michael Kelly's work in the Governor's Office. He made the schedule go very smoothly.

Finally, I want to thank Stafford County Government for all of their support, Stafford County Economic Development Authority for their investment in Germanna and the new center, Jack Rowley for his help in getting the process going, and the Harts at Virginia Properties for their collaboration and ability to develop the center to our specifications in an amazingly short time.

It was a very good day, and we are happy that we can continue to serve our citizens, communities and businesses in these ways despite the budget cuts and hard times.

Leadership Fredericksburg Selects 2 Germanna Administrators

Congratulations to Dr. Yanyan Yong and Michael Catell. Both were this week selected as participants in the 2010 class of Leadership Fredericksburg.

Independence Day

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

With these words, some 56 men chose to set themselves against the greatest military power of their time 233 years ago this month.

It is easy for us in our own troubled times to think things are as bad as they can be. Certainly the state of the economy and our risking the lives of some of our best young women and men in two different wars would argue for that. Certainly the arrogance and deceit of a few of our business leaders would argue for that.

But consider what it must have been like for those men--and for those women and men who depended on them to make right decisions rightly at the risk of their lives and well-being. Not only were we likely to lose the war, it was considered impossible that if we won we could govern ourselves as a democratic republic across such a huge expanse of geography and with so many people. And there were some fundamental flaws built into our beginnings, including slavery and a basic disagreement about how far individual liberty should be taken at the expense of the common good, and vice versa.

They knew what they were facing, and wrote their pledge accordingly:

"And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

Or as Benjamin Franklin more wittily put it:

"We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."

On this 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration and the birth of a new nation, let us all draw from their courage and vision to face our challenges and fundamental flaws as a nation and a people.

This weekend, as we watch the "pomp and parade, ...shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations" that John Adams predicted, as we get together with family and friends to picnic and barbecue, let us silently, or by singing, or by affirming out loud reaffirm our own commitment to what really makes the United States great:

More than wealth and natural resources, more than size and military might, it is the idea that a people can govern themselves, can make and support hard choices, can defend their own liberty by serving in the military but also by serving on a jury or voting or signing a petition or helping their neighbors recover from disaster without being asked.

Please join with me in that reaffirmation, in pledging our sacred honor to making those brave words written over two centuries ago live on for our grandchildren and beyond.

Please join with me in thanking those who serve their nation across the globe and praying for their safe return home.

I wish all of the students, faculty, staff, friends, supporters, alumni and their families a fun-filled but meaningful Fourth of July.

David Sam

A record 601 students pass GED exam during 2008-09

With 35 men and women passing their GED exams on Saturday June 27, a grand total of 601 test-takers have earned their GEDs for 2008-09. The previous high was 537 in 2007-08.

My congratulations to the students and thanks to the staff at Germanna and all of our partners who helped them succeed.

Let us gather around their sacred remains

On this Memorial Day weekend, we gather family and friends for picnics and barbecues. We hope for nice weather and good company, and there is nothing at all wrong with these activities and these hopes.

However, we should not forget the original and still timely purpose of what was first called "Decoration Day." Today, as throughout our history, men and women are placing their lives and bodies in harm's way so that we here at home remain safe and free. If we cannot actually decorate the graves of the fallen, we can stop in our activities to remember and silently thank those who did not come home. We can also take time to thank the living veterans for their high service.

We can remember the original purpose for this holiday:

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Here follows an excerpt from the original proclamation of 1868:

Headquarters, Grand Army of the Republic Washington, D.C., May 5, 1868

The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country....

... All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the Nation can add to their adornment and security is but a fitting tribute to the memory of her slain defenders. Let no wanton foot tread rudely on such hallowed grounds. Let pleasant paths invite the coming and going of reverent visitors and found mourners. Let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time, testify to the present or to the coming generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of free and undivided republic.If other eyes grow dull and other hands slack, and other hearts cold in the solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain in us.

Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude,—the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.

By command of:
JOHN A. LOGAN,Commander-in-Chief.
N. P. CHIPMAN,Adjutant-General.

100% Pass rate for Dental Hygiene Students

Congratulations to the dental hygiene students and their faculty. Once again, 100% passed their National Board examinations.

MORE's Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was both humbled and honored today to be able to speak a few words at the Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sponsored by the Multicultural OutReach Effort (MORE). Here are my comments spoken at James Monroe High School:

****

Thank you for the humbling honor of being in the presence of those of you who are heroes of America's Second Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, and for the opportunity to combine some of my poor words with those great expressions by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” He knew that to have an education was to have hope. To have an education was to have a dream, to have the knowledge, skills and character to achieve that dream. He knew that if we were truly to be judged by the content of our character, it was education that molded and shaped that character.

Dr. King said that "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. [That] Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education."

Dr. King knew that, for most of American history, education had been used to divide the races, to keep a whole people from having and achieving their dreams for themselves and their children.
“It is precisely because education is the road to equality and citizenship, that it has been made more elusive for Negroes than many other rights,” he said. “The walling off of Negroes from equal education is part of the historical design to submerge him in second class status. Therefore, as Negroes have struggled to be free they have had to fight for the opportunity for a decent education.”

He said that the family ”is the main educational agency of mankind,” and that as long as the family was being undermined, dreams and hopes were often replaced by despair and hopelessness.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity," he said. And his entire life was dedicated to defeating ignorance and stupidity. His life serves as a model. He was educated and fought for others to be so educated. He saw his ministry and his activism as opportunities to teach with the entire nation, indeed the entire world, as his classroom.

His too brief life modeled his belief that “the quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.” His life is a beacon that shines a light on our successes and failures, and guides us from the shoals of failure towards his dream of a society and educational system where we can truly be judged by the content of our character and not the color of our skin. Too many are still left behind. The beacon of his life glares a spotlight on what we have yet to do and aims us towards the way to achieve the dream of an empowering education for all of our citizens.

Russell James, Director of the Daniel Center, Earns Professional in Workforce Development Certification

Congratulations to Russell James, Director of the Daniel Center in Culpeper for successfully completing a certificate from the University Of Virginia School Of Continuing and Professional Studies and the Workforce Development Academy designating him as a "Professional in Workforce Development."

According to Barbara Kessler at UVA, "The PWD certification designation signifies exceptional knowledge and practice of the workforce development professional competencies." Good show, Russell.

Annual Report provides glimpse at what makes Germanna Community College special

This year’s Annual Report, available now, celebrates the contributions and achievements of Germanna students, faculty, alumni. And it recognizes the generosity of community stakeholders whose contributions have become more important than ever as the state has been forced to make budget cuts.

Among those featured:

• Ninety-four -year-old Germanna computer science student Claire Ducker, for providing an inspiring example of what lifelong learning is all about.
  
• Associate Dean Judi Bartlett, whose selflessness in giving of her time sets a standard of going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to caring about, taking a personal interest in, and helping students.
  
• Retiring English instructor Rob Sherwood, who brought an energetic, imaginative and fun approach to learning despite a long and debilitating battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
  
• David Rose, who has been a part of Germanna since the College opened in 1970 as a student, faculty member and a member of the GCC Local College Board.
  
• Hugh Cosner, whose generosity to Germanna earned him a statewide award for philanthropy.

We hope you’ll agree with us that the report provides a glimpse of the heart and dedication that make Germanna a special place, even in the most difficult times.