Tag Archives: Blue Ridge Community College

Chasing a Childhood Dream

brcc-90.jpg“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” says Anne Lynch, a veterinary technician student at Blue Ridge Community College.

After a recent move with her family from New York to Fishersville, Virginia, Anne decided it was time to change careers and pursue her true interests. Formerly a database developer, Anne wanted to follow her childhood dream of working with animals. BRCC provided the unique and challenging courses that pushed her to attain her dream job.

“There aren’t too many cows in New York, I guess” jokes Delegate Chris Saxman when Anne visited today. “But I think it’s thrilling that community colleges give people a chance to go back and do what they really want to do.”

Anne joined the BRCC delegation at the General Assembly as part of her last semester of coursework. She has just completed her National Boards, a required examination for completion of the program, and won’t find out the results until March.

“I am positive Anne will pass the Boards. She is a bright student and we have a 100% pass rate at Blue Ridge,” said Dr. Perkins, president of BRCC, who chaperoned the student’s visit to the General Assembly.

Her  favorite courses are hands-on clinicals and an externship with a local veterinarian who specializes in avian and exotic animals. Among her new furry friends are ferrets, rescued lab rats and chinchillas. The location of Blue Ridge Community College in the Valley has also given Anne a chance to work with farm animals. 

Anne describes the veterinary technician program as “very intense” but says she appreciates the courses and the experience to do hands-on work with animals. Her hard work will soon pay off. After graduation, she will continue to work with the local veterinary clinic. How does Anne feel about working toward her dream job?

“I’m loving every minute of it.”

Posted by Lauren Von Herbulis

Senator Commends Championship BRCC Team

Blue Ridge Community College’s award-winning Students in Free Enterprise  (SIFE) team can now add a new commendation to their list:  The Senate of Virginia. Sen. Emmett Hanger last week submitted a resolution in honor of the team’s selection as the 2007 National Champion for the Two Year College Division in May 2007.  The team, which promotes understanding of the principles of the free enterprise system, has spearheaded a number of environmental and community service projects and was also featured as a promotion on a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box.

Hanger’s SJ 78 was approved by the full Senate today and was sent over to the House for their concurrence.

Computer gaming brings excitement to NVCC campus

NVCC Business Dean John Min’s idea to turn a computer lab into a “Game Pit” is getting national publicity and creating a sense of excitement on the Alexandria Campus. They’ve been written up in PC World. You can see the “Game Pit” in action in this Chronicle video.

With Blue Ridge’s student SIFE team on boxes of corn flakes across the country and featured in advertising in Fortune magazine, and Piedmont highlighted in Good Housekeeping magazine — transferring from a community college makes economic and academic sense (who knew?) — Virginia’s community colleges are making national pr waves in some very nontraditional ways.

Posted by Susan Hayden