OUR REGION'S FUTURE. - Virginia Western Community College

skilled applicants to fi ll positions. Many jobs require postsecondary
training/education beyond high school, but less
than a four-year degree. “Th e Roanoke CCAP can provide
candidates who meet these needs,” says Bingham. “Th ese
are kids who are staying in the area as we train them for jobs
that need to be fi lled.”
WE ALL VIEW THIS AS A
PROGRAM THAT DIRECTLY
AFFECTS OUR CHILDREN, GIVES
THEM HOPE, KEEPS THEM IN
SCHOOL AND ENCOURAGES THEM
TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL
Sandel calls the program a “pipeline” to the job market
and says, “We want students to come to college here and
have an opportunity to take programs of study that will
lead them into job opportunities.” Once students complete
a certificate program,
earn an associate’s degree
or complete coursework
to transfer to a four-year
college or university,
they can utilize the Hall
Associates Career and
Placement Center located
on the Virginia Western
campus to help them line
up internships and jobs.
Th anks to the generous
grant from the RWF, this
pilot program begins
in fall 2009. By the
next academic year, the
Roanoke CCAP will be
a full-fl edged program
with funding from fi ve
entities: area business and
industry, Roanoke City
Schools, Roanoke City,
the federal government
and the Virginia Western
From left to right, Jason Bingham,
Kandy Elliott, David Carson, and
Ginny Jarrett
Educational Foundation.
“We all view this as a program that directly aff ects
our children, gives them hope, keeps them in school and
encourages them to do well in school,” says Dave Carson,
Chairman, Roanoke City School Board.
Th at’s why Bingham says, “Th ere’s no ‘sell’ to this
program. As soon as people hear about it, they say, ‘How
can I help?’” And it’s a key reason the Roanoke CCAP
garnered such overwhelming support from the RWF, which
off ers women a vehicle for collaborative giving in response
to the communities’ many needs. Th e Roanoke CCAP fi t
into one of the RWF’s four broad areas of support, but also
addresses the plight of the city schools—a key community
issue brought to the organization’s attention before their
annual grant application review process.
Individual women comprise RWF membership, and
each member casts an equal vote when selecting its annual
large-impact grants. Th e RWF has given away $618K to 14
non-profi t organizations in just four years.
Walker says the broad impact the Roanoke CCAP has on
the larger community is what makes it so exciting. “Th is is
the kind of program that aff ects these students in a way that
makes them want to talk about it. Everybody recognizes the
importance of it. Everybody gets it.”
Virginia Western Educational Foundation Alumni & Friends News • Volume 2 • Issue 2 Spring/Summer 2009 • 11