Virginia Peninsula Community College is the recipient of a $500,000 federal grant through a bill sponsored by Congressman Bobby Scott.
The funds will be used to establish VPCC’s Community Wellness & Workforce Center and support the College’s efforts to help students in the maritime, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing sectors overcome barriers to graduation – investments that will strengthen workforce development across Hampton Roads.
VPCC President Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon said it’s another step forward in the College’s “Culture of Care” initiative, which began two years ago.
“Since then, every year we have had a theme of how we will invest in the physical, emotional and financial wellness of our students, faculty and staff,” she said. “One of the things our students have petitioned for repeatedly is more support for emotional well-being and physical well-being. These funds allow us to invest in those two things.”
The grant will support the renovation of two campus spaces, one at the Hampton Campus and one at the Historic Triangle Campus in Williamsburg. The renovations will include upgrading technology and software, providing fitness and meditation tools, as well as furniture to create a supportive, modern, and accessible experience for students.
“We’ve used past funding to support mental health,” Dr. Brannon said. “We haven’t had funding to support physical well-being.”
The College soon will be reopening its fitness and wellness center at the Historic Triangle Campus and will be able to create a wellness center at the Hampton Campus.
“It will also allow us to make sure mental health support for our students exists for years and years to come,” said Dr. Brannon.
Congressman Scott noted community colleges provide a great service, and many future jobs will require education past the high school level, though not necessarily a four-year degree. However, community colleges are about more than providing education and training.
“A lot of services the community college needs to provide are in wellness, mental health and services like that, and that’s what the grant will provide,” he said.
Data from the College shows program completion rates increase from 59% to 75% when students receive integrated wellness support. The College’s goal is to reach more than 2,500 students each year across maritime, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, which are facing the most critical workforce shortages in Hampton Roads.
“We believe those two things are not just about the well-being of our students, faculty and staff, but it’s also about keeping them here,” Dr. Brannon said. “When our students have challenges that might usually cause them to withdraw from the College, we can now support the out-of-classroom issues that threaten student enrollment.”
That will lead, she said, to the College retaining more students, graduating more students and getting more students into the workforce.
“Which is a win for everybody on the Peninsula,” she said. “The funds are going to allow us to do some incredible things for our students’ mental, emotional and physical well-being.”
Dr. Brannon couldn’t thank Congressman Scott enough and pointed out his continued efforts to not only make education accessible but to create opportunities for students to complete their education or enter the workforce.
“We could not do this without his ongoing support,” she said. “The one-time funding is great, but he is a constant on our campus and in our community supporting our efforts.”
Congressman Scott said he was proud to help projects that “deliver the resources our communities need to thrive. These projects will lead to increased support for young people, improved neighborhoods and better services. I look forward to the positive impacts that these projects will bring throughout the district.”
The Hampton Roads Workforce Council projects Hampton Roads is facing a shortage of 10,000 maritime workers, which could reach 40,000 by 2030. Regarding healthcare, the are 2,000 nursing positions open in Hampton Roads and thousands more in allied health roles. VPCC is one of the main talent pipelines for Newport News Shipbuilding, Sentara and Riverside Health System.
The funds come from the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development’s Economic Development Initiative. VPCC will hire staff and supplement the grant funds with fitness equipment, virtual therapeutic services and professional development training.