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Fall 2011 - Central Virginia Community College

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CVCC Outstanding Alumnus <strong>2011</strong><br />

President’s letter<br />

Greetings Alumni and Friends,<br />

You are likely familiar with the oft-quoted wisdom of the Chinese<br />

philosopher Lao-tzu: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single<br />

step.” My journey with you will be measured not in miles but in days and<br />

months and years. Nonetheless, today marks the first step I take as I serve<br />

you as your new president.<br />

At the outset, I want you to know that I am both honored and excited to<br />

be with you. CVCC enjoys an outstanding reputation, and I consider myself<br />

blessed to be joining your community. The reason for CVCC’s success rests<br />

with all of you who claim an allegiance to the college: with the alumni, students, friends, faculty, and staff<br />

of the institution. A college is much larger than its president, so I want to make this truth clear from the<br />

beginning: I work for you. Really, as far as I am concerned, the process that led to my selection is but the first<br />

phase of a more important series of steps. The true presidential selection process begins now as I strive to<br />

earn your trust and support. My goal is to be the leader you deserve.<br />

Dr. Staat and Dr. Bambara, my predecessors, have provided CVCC with exemplary leadership, and I am<br />

humbled that I am following such greatness. Dr. Staat can claim an endless list of accomplishments that<br />

defy any type of quantitative measure. His legacy surrounds us: in the college and the community and in<br />

the academic and workforce development initiatives that invigorated his administration. We owe a debt of<br />

gratitude to Dr. Bambara as well, for she provided steady, stable, and consistent leadership as the college’s<br />

interim president—an achievement that is all the more remarkable since she served CVCC during a time of<br />

transition and change.<br />

Thanks to their vision and through your support, CVCC has continued to grow in strength and excellence<br />

during the past year. In 2010-11, the college served over 8,000 students, the largest enrollment in the history<br />

of the institution. Reflecting our determination to match our mission to the needs of our community, we<br />

launched a new Culinary Arts program in the fall, and we dedicated a new Culinary Arts building in July.<br />

(Both those initiatives are featured in this issue of CVCC.) As a further reflection of that commitment, we<br />

introduced a new Machine Tool and Quality diploma, and we graduated scores of students in high-demand<br />

curricula like science, technology, engineering, and health professions.<br />

From these examples—and these are but a few of many—you can see that CVCC is committed to meeting<br />

the needs of the residents and businesses in Region 2000. We are a partner in regional vitality, a catalyst for<br />

economic development, a leader in workforce training, and the first choice and the last chance for all those<br />

who aspire to improve their lives through the power of education. When those ingredients are combined<br />

with our world-class faculty and staff and our business, civic, political, and educational partnerships, CVCC’s<br />

potential to contribute to the economic vitality of Region 2000—and to its quality of life—is limitless.<br />

For all those reasons, I am excited to share in the remarkable work that bears our collective signature. As<br />

friends and alumni of the college, you already know what I am now in the process of learning: CVCC is this<br />

community’s college. I am proud to be the newest member of the CVCC family, honored to be part of your<br />

rich tradition of excellence, and grateful I can now refer to CVCC not as “your” college but as “our” college.<br />

Sincerely,<br />

John S. Capps<br />

President<br />

Senator Stephen D. Newman<br />

STATE SENATOR, 23RD DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA<br />

“CVCC enhanced and changed my life and graduates,<br />

it will change yours too!” Senator Steve Newman<br />

said as he welcomed the graduating Class of<br />

<strong>2011</strong>. As the <strong>College</strong>’s <strong>2011</strong> Outstanding Alumnus<br />

and Commencement speaker, he challenged<br />

the class by encouraging them to remember<br />

CVCC and the adversities they faced to earn their<br />

degrees. Most of all, he urged them to find their<br />

next big mission and to never, never quit.<br />

Senator Newman acknowledged the special honor<br />

to be chosen as their commencement speaker and<br />

added that both his<br />

wife and mother<br />

had attended CVCC.<br />

Originally from<br />

Stuart, <strong>Virginia</strong>,<br />

Senator Newman<br />

calls Lynchburg<br />

his home. Steve<br />

attended Lynchburg<br />

Christian Academy,<br />

<strong>Central</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

<strong>Community</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

and Lynchburg<br />

<strong>College</strong>. He is<br />

employed as Vice<br />

President of Marketing and Sales and serves as a<br />

Board member of Delta Star, Inc., a manufacturer of<br />

medium power transformers and mobile substations.<br />

Currently, Senator Newman serves on several<br />

vital committees in the State Senate including<br />

Commerce and Labor, Education and Health,<br />

Transportation (ranking member), and Senate<br />

Rules Committee. He is also involved in the <strong>Central</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Planning Committee and Lynchburg<br />

Transportation Safety Commission, both nonlegislative<br />

committees. Capping off his political<br />

resume, he also serves as Chair of the Senate<br />

Republican Caucus. Governor McDonnell’s entire<br />

Education Package was authored by Senator<br />

Newman while he served on the Higher Education<br />

Reform Commission in the 2010 General Assembly.<br />

Senator Newman is responsible in part and, in<br />

some cases, entirely for many of the capital upgrades<br />

at CVCC, including construction of the Merritt<br />

Building, renovation of the CVCC Library, funding<br />

for the AREVA project, and securing approval for<br />

many of the programs and yearly budget items.<br />

Senator Newman challenged the CVCC <strong>2011</strong> graduates to remember<br />

the adversities they faced earning their degrees, and to never quit.<br />

Education has been a priority for Senator Newman<br />

since going to Richmond as a legislator. In this<br />

current year, he has backed the Charter School Bill,<br />

the Lab Schools Bill and the Virtual Schools Bill. All<br />

of these support innovative and technologically<br />

advanced programs aimed at improving the <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

education system.<br />

Senator Newman<br />

also supports the<br />

American Cancer<br />

Society and the<br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Municipal<br />

League. Issues of<br />

faith and family<br />

are important to<br />

him, according to<br />

Senator Newman.<br />

Steve enjoys<br />

spending time<br />

at home with his<br />

lovely wife Kim<br />

and their two sons,<br />

Tyler and Wesley.<br />

It is with great<br />

pride and honor<br />

that we named<br />

Senator Stephen<br />

D. Newman, a<br />

person dedicated<br />

to his state and<br />

to the health, welfare and education of its people, as<br />

the <strong>2011</strong> CVCC Outstanding Alumnus.<br />

4 <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> <strong>Fall</strong> <strong>2011</strong> <strong>Central</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Community</strong> <strong>College</strong> 5

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