Over the past ten years, the Richmond Health and Wellness Program, led by the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing, has delivered weekly wellness clinics that focus on health assessment, monitoring and coaching in five community-based sites across the Richmond region.

The program recently received a four-year federal grant of nearly $4 million that will allow it to expand into new communities with the addition of a mobile van by the year 2026. In the meantime, SVCC in Alberta will be a host site.

“We can see individuals once a week, and there is not a charge for the services,” said Pamela Parsons, the director of the RHWP at VCU School of Nursing.

In addition to VCU health science students, nursing students from SVCC will participate in the program as well.

New Campus Within Walls Coordinator

Amanda Cox is SVCC’s new Campus Within Walls (CWW) Coordinator. Amanda graduated from Fuqua School and earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Longwood University and graduate degree in education from Liberty University.  She has taught for 15 years in public education within juvenile and adult correctional centers. Most recently, Amanda was the Principal for Baskerville Correctional Center, Virginia Correctional Center for Women, and State Farm Work Center. 

CWW began in 1989 and has enrolled over 6,000 students to educate college-ready inmates, providing them with the opportunity to attain college credentials while incarcerated. The program's goal is preparation for re-entry into society, which improves their chances for success upon release.  

Foundation Receives Walmart Community Grant

The Southside Virginia Community College Foundation received a $1,000.00 Local Community Grant from Blackstone Walmart to support its Career Coach program.

The Career Coach program offers mentoring and advising services to students in all of the

region’s public schools, three private schools, and the local homeschool community.

Dr. Daryl Minus, SVCC’s Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success,

states "We are grateful to Walmart for their support of our Career Coach program. Our Coaches

are vital to continuously improve the college-going rate of high school students in our service

area. They empower students to make informed decisions regarding career and educational

plans, and they do an outstanding job preparing them for post-secondary success and viable

careers."

Diesel Technician Graduation

A graduation ceremony was held at the college's Occupational Technical Center in Blackstone, awarding certificates to its latest Diesel Technician graduates.

The graduates were: Johnathan Clayton of Boydton, Daniel Lara of Keysville, Dustin Townsend of Dinwiddie, Tanner Allgood of Brunswick and Matthew Pitts of Disputanta (also pictured are instructors Billy McGraw and Russell Hicks).