CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – At an early age, Linda Hyslop developed a love for art. In fact, her passion for the subject prompted her to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tulane University. Simmering in the background, however, was another love – one that quietly and strongly took root as she grew up – the desire to be a teacher. Hyslop, inspired by her grandmother and her aunt, both of whom were teachers, took her first job as an educator at a Hopewell elementary school in 1967, and she never looked back. Since then, she’s not only taught elementary school children, she’s also been the assistant principal and principal of Woodlawn Elementary School in Hopewell, an elementary and reading supervisor for Hopewell City Schools, assistant superintendent for instruction for Hopewell’s school system, and a division liaison for the Virginia Department of Education and the College of William and Mary. Most recently, she was the executive director of the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Now, Hyslop is helping to represent education in the City of Hopewell in another way by serving on the John Tyler Community College Board. This is not a new experience for Hyslop. She was a member of the College’s board in the 1990s and says she is thrilled to be back. “John Tyler Community College is giving kids a future,” says Hyslop. “It opens opportunities to those who might otherwise not have believed they were college material. And, it is a stepping stone – not just for those students who have just graduated from high school but for those who’ve been out working and want to go to college.” Hyslop says since most jobs today require at least some college education, she believes institutions like John Tyler are vital to the communities they serve. “John Tyler Community College offers a huge benefit to Hopewell students and their parents,” she says. “It brings higher education to the community in a number of ways, including programs like career coaches and dual enrollment. It has faculty who work closely with students and encourage them, so students know they can succeed.”

In addition to holding a bachelor’s from Tulane, Hyslop holds a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Virginia State College. She also serves on the John Randolph Foundation Board, is a member of the Hopewell-Prince George Crime Solvers Association, and is a member of the State Charter School Committee.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – When you think of summer, picnics, vacations with family and friends, and outings to the pool and beach often come to mind. Summer is definitely a great time for all those activities. It’s also a wonderful time to catch up, get ahead, get creative and continue your education. John Tyler Community College can help you do that. The best part? You don’t have to give up summer fun to take classes. At John Tyler, we understand that our students often must juggle family, work and time off with their classes, so our summer schedule includes day, evening, weekend, online and hybrid (partially online and partially in the classroom) courses offered in 5-Week,  6-Week and 10-Week session lengths. And, whether you are a new student, a continuing John Tyler student, a teacher who needs recertification credits, or a student at a four-year college or university who is home for the summer, we have classes that will meet your needs. Our schedule includes classes in subjects such as calculus, biology, U.S. history, creative writing, German, music appreciation, first aid and safety, drawing, developmental psychology, jazz and more. We also know money matters. So we work hard to keep classes affordable. Currently, tuition and fees at John Tyler are just over one third the tuition and fees charged at a four-year public college or university in Virginia. And, thanks to guaranteed transfer agreements, John Tyler associate degree graduates who wish to continue their education and who meet certain criteria are able to seamlessly transfer to more than 25 four-year colleges and universities in Virginia where they can finish their bachelor’s degrees.

General Registration for John Tyler Community College’s Summer 2013 semester begins April 8, 2013. A complete list of classes may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule. If you already are enrolled at John Tyler, you may register online using the Student Information System found at http://www.jtcc.edu/myTyler. You also may register in person at either the Chester Campus, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, or the Midlothian Campus, located at 800 Charter Colony Parkway. 

Hours for in-person registration are as follows:

Chester Campus
Monday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Midlothian Campus
Monday – Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Extended Hours (both campuses)
May 13-16 and May 20-23
8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please note: On Wednesday, May 8, the College will close at 10:00 a.m. for an internal college-wide event. Online registration will still be available on that day.

If you are interested in attending John Tyler but are not enrolled at the College, you must first submit an application for admission. If you applied to the College but did not attend classes in the past year, you must reapply to John Tyler. The application for admission may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu, or it may be picked up at the Chester or Midlothian campuses. There is no application fee. Tuition and fees are $124.50 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $316.60 per credit hour for out-of-state residents.  All students must pay a comprehensive fee of $25.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – John Tyler Community College will hold its 45th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the College’s Chester Campus, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway. The graduating class will be approximately 948 strong.

The commencement address will be delivered by Dr. Marshall W. Smith, who will be retiring August 1, 2013 after serving nearly 23 years as John Tyler Community College’s president. Dr. Smith became the sixth president of John Tyler Community College in September of 1990, and in the time since, has become the College’s longest serving president. Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, the College built a second campus; added a Nursing Education Center; nearly doubled in enrollment; became the first Virginia community college to construct an environmentally friendly building that received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification; and expanded its offerings and partnerships. Dr. Smith is active in accreditation work for the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, chairing the Virginia delegation to the Commission for three years, serving on the Executive Council of the Commission for three years, and chairing over thirty reaffirmation and special committees. He also served twelve years as secretary/treasurer and one year as president of the Southern Association of Community, Junior, and Technical Colleges. Before beginning his career at John Tyler Community College, Dr. Smith was vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the Virginia Community College System; president of Germanna Community College; and dean of instruction and then dean of the college at Calhoun State Community College in Alabama. He also served as dean of students and assistant professor of education at South Georgia College; director of residence halls at The University of Alabama; and assistant director of housing at West Georgia College. In addition, he has been an adjunct member of the graduate faculty of Old Dominion University and George Mason University. He holds a B.A. from The University of Alabama, a M.Ed. from West Georgia College, and a Ph.D. from The University of Alabama.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – There are many questions that must be answered when you are searching for a college. What do you want to major in? What is the tuition, and how will you pay it? Do you want to live at home or on campus? What are the class sizes? Does the institution offer classes at the times and in the formats you want? Does the college have options for working adults? You can get the answers to these questions and more during a college fair hosted by John Tyler Community College’s Chester Counseling Center in cooperation with the Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (VACRAO). The VACRAO College Fair takes place April 15, 2013, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. at John Tyler Community College’s Nicholas Student Center, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway. Representatives from numerous colleges and universities will be on hand to talk to you about their institutions. The VACRAO College Fair is free and open to high school students, their parents, and anyone interested in learning more about their higher education choices. For additional information about College Night, contact Tom Parrott at tparrott@jtcc.edu.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

by Holly Walker

How would you like to receive up to $5,000 to pay for your tuition, books, fees and supplies? The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education is once again offering Valley Proteins Fellowships for the 2013 – 2014 academic year. In addition to funds for tuition and supplies, the program provides Fellows with opportunities to share in a variety of cultural and educational experiences and to meet with successful business and government leaders from across Virginia. Fellows also have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 summer stipend. Fellows will be selected based on their academic records, leadership potential and commitment to community service.

To be eligible for the Fellowship, applicants must be full-time students who, at the beginning of the Fall 2013 semester, will be starting their second full year of college at John Tyler Community College or another Virginia Community College. They must have completed their first full year of college by the end of the Spring 2013 semester and have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Additional information about eligibility requirements and the application process may be found at http://www.vccs.edu/Foundation/Scholarships/ValleyProteinsFellowsProgram.aspx.  A link to the application, which includes a checklist showing the supporting materials that must be submitted, may be found at http://www.vccs.edu/Foundation/Scholarships.aspx.

The deadline to apply for the Valley Proteins Fellowship is April 15, 2013.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Use science to create a beautiful t-shirt design. Learn how to make your own movie. Be wowed by the skills of some amazing robots. Test your knowledge of the human skeleton. Stretch those muscles with yoga. Get tips on how to navigate the web. Discover the safest way to discard medications and household waste. Find out how your teenager can earn college and high school credit simultaneously. Get creative by making your own book. Explore ways to improve your resume-writing skills. These are just a few examples of the many activities you can participate in during Fool for Art. This annual festival, held by John Tyler Community College in partnership with Chesterfield County, will take place Saturday, April 13, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the College’s Midlothian Campus (800 Charter Colony Parkway). Admission is free.
The day will be packed with family fun, including art, music, hands-on activities and free educational sessions, and much more. Highlights include:

• Art and craft area: Stroll through this area, which will feature more than 100 vendors, and shop from a selection of paintings, ceramics, woodwork, glass art, jewelry, photographs, folk art and more.
• Art of Learning Tent: Experiment, design, plant, imagine, create and learn. Get ready for lots of fun hands-activities for all ages.
• Celebrate our Earth Tent: Want to go green? Chesterfield County wants to show you how. Find out what you can do at home to protect the environment, learn about regional wildlife, and check out the newest eco-friendly cars.
• Free educational sessions, demonstrations and activities: Head inside Eliades Hall and Hamel Hall for a variety of activities and sessions. Whether you want to get in shape, be wowed by robots created by the Midlothian Area Robotics Team, improve your job-hunting skills, get creative, challenge your mind, get technical or find out ways to help your child explore his/her future – there’s a topic for you – no matter what your age.
• Music, dancing and comedy: Get ready to have more fun in the courtyard, which will be filled with music, dancing, and improv.
• Meet furry friends: Find out how to adopt a pet at the SPCA’s Tail Wag’N.
• Paper shredding: Free document shredding will take place from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in parking lot D.
• Food: Yummy offerings from a variety of vendors will be available throughout the day.

To learn more about Fool for Art; to get directions to the campus; and to find a complete list of art and craft vendors, activities, sessions, and food vendors, visit http://www.jtcc.edu/foolforart. Still want to know more? Contact Lisa Kendrick at lkendrick@jtcc.edu or 804-594-1527.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – At an early age, Linda Hyslop developed a love for art. In fact, her passion for the subject prompted her to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tulane University. Simmering in the background, however, was another love – one that quietly and strongly took root as she grew up – the desire to be a teacher. Hyslop, inspired by her grandmother and her aunt, both of whom were teachers, took her first job as an educator at a Hopewell elementary school in 1967, and she never looked back. Since then, she’s not only taught elementary school children, she’s also been the assistant principal and principal of Woodlawn Elementary School in Hopewell, an elementary and reading supervisor for Hopewell City Schools, assistant superintendent for instruction for Hopewell’s school system, and a division liaison for the Virginia Department of Education and the College of William and Mary. Most recently, she was the executive director of the Virginia Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Now, Hyslop is helping to represent education in the City of Hopewell in another way by serving on the John Tyler Community College Board. This is not a new experience for Hyslop. She was a member of the College’s board in the 1990s and says she is thrilled to be back. “John Tyler Community College is giving kids a future,” says Hyslop. “It opens opportunities to those who might otherwise not have believed they were college material. And, it is a stepping stone – not just for those students who have just graduated from high school but for those who’ve been out working and want to go to college.” Hyslop says since most jobs today require at least some college education, she believes institutions like John Tyler are vital to the communities they serve. “John Tyler Community College offers a huge benefit to Hopewell students and their parents,” she says. “It brings higher education to the community in a number of ways, including programs like career coaches and dual enrollment. It has faculty who work closely with students and encourage them, so students know they can succeed.”

In addition to holding a bachelor’s from Tulane, Hyslop holds a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Virginia State College. She also serves on the John Randolph Foundation Board, is a member of the Hopewell-Prince George Crime Solvers Association, and is a member of the State Charter School Committee.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – When you think of summer, picnics, vacations with family and friends, and outings to the pool and beach often come to mind. Summer is definitely a great time for all those activities. It’s also a wonderful time to catch up, get ahead, get creative and continue your education. John Tyler Community College can help you do that. The best part? You don’t have to give up summer fun to take classes. At John Tyler, we understand that our students often must juggle family, work and time off with their classes, so our summer schedule includes day, evening, weekend, online and hybrid (partially online and partially in the classroom) courses offered in 5-Week,  6-Week and 10-Week session lengths. And, whether you are a new student, a continuing John Tyler student, a teacher who needs recertification credits, or a student at a four-year college or university who is home for the summer, we have classes that will meet your needs. Our schedule includes classes in subjects such as calculus, biology, U.S. history, creative writing, German, music appreciation, first aid and safety, drawing, developmental psychology, jazz and more. We also know money matters. So we work hard to keep classes affordable. Currently, tuition and fees at John Tyler are just over one third the tuition and fees charged at a four-year public college or university in Virginia. And, thanks to guaranteed transfer agreements, John Tyler associate degree graduates who wish to continue their education and who meet certain criteria are able to seamlessly transfer to more than 25 four-year colleges and universities in Virginia where they can finish their bachelor’s degrees.

General Registration for John Tyler Community College’s Summer 2013 semester begins April 8, 2013. A complete list of classes may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule. If you already are enrolled at John Tyler, you may register online using the Student Information System found at http://www.jtcc.edu/myTyler. You also may register in person at either the Chester Campus, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway, or the Midlothian Campus, located at 800 Charter Colony Parkway. 

Hours for in-person registration are as follows:

Chester Campus
Monday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Midlothian Campus
Monday – Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Extended Hours (both campuses)
May 13-16 and May 20-23
8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please note: On Wednesday, May 8, the College will close at 10:00 a.m. for an internal college-wide event. Online registration will still be available on that day.

If you are interested in attending John Tyler but are not enrolled at the College, you must first submit an application for admission. If you applied to the College but did not attend classes in the past year, you must reapply to John Tyler. The application for admission may be found online at http://www.jtcc.edu, or it may be picked up at the Chester or Midlothian campuses. There is no application fee. Tuition and fees are $124.50 per credit hour for Virginia residents and $316.60 per credit hour for out-of-state residents.  All students must pay a comprehensive fee of $25.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – John Tyler Community College will hold its 45th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the College’s Chester Campus, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway. The graduating class will be approximately 948 strong.

The commencement address will be delivered by Dr. Marshall W. Smith, who will be retiring August 1, 2013 after serving nearly 23 years as John Tyler Community College’s president. Dr. Smith became the sixth president of John Tyler Community College in September of 1990, and in the time since, has become the College’s longest serving president. Under Dr. Smith’s leadership, the College built a second campus; added a Nursing Education Center; nearly doubled in enrollment; became the first Virginia community college to construct an environmentally friendly building that received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification; and expanded its offerings and partnerships. Dr. Smith is active in accreditation work for the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, chairing the Virginia delegation to the Commission for three years, serving on the Executive Council of the Commission for three years, and chairing over thirty reaffirmation and special committees. He also served twelve years as secretary/treasurer and one year as president of the Southern Association of Community, Junior, and Technical Colleges. Before beginning his career at John Tyler Community College, Dr. Smith was vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the Virginia Community College System; president of Germanna Community College; and dean of instruction and then dean of the college at Calhoun State Community College in Alabama. He also served as dean of students and assistant professor of education at South Georgia College; director of residence halls at The University of Alabama; and assistant director of housing at West Georgia College. In addition, he has been an adjunct member of the graduate faculty of Old Dominion University and George Mason University. He holds a B.A. from The University of Alabama, a M.Ed. from West Georgia College, and a Ph.D. from The University of Alabama.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – There are many questions that must be answered when you are searching for a college. What do you want to major in? What is the tuition, and how will you pay it? Do you want to live at home or on campus? What are the class sizes? Does the institution offer classes at the times and in the formats you want? Does the college have options for working adults? You can get the answers to these questions and more during a college fair hosted by John Tyler Community College’s Chester Counseling Center in cooperation with the Virginia Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (VACRAO). The VACRAO College Fair takes place April 15, 2013, from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. at John Tyler Community College’s Nicholas Student Center, located at 13101 Jefferson Davis Highway. Representatives from numerous colleges and universities will be on hand to talk to you about their institutions. The VACRAO College Fair is free and open to high school students, their parents, and anyone interested in learning more about their higher education choices. For additional information about College Night, contact Tom Parrott at tparrott@jtcc.edu.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

by Holly Walker

Did you know that if you live in Amelia, Dinwiddie or Sussex counties, then you might be eligible to receive tuition assistance? Thanks to a grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (TICRC), the John Tyler Community College Foundation was able to create a scholarship program for students from Amelia, Dinwiddie and Sussex that will pay for tuition and fees not covered by financial aid.

Scholarships are awarded each semester and are available to full- and part-time students. To be considered for a TICRC scholarship, you must:

• Reside in Amelia, Dinwiddie or Sussex counties
• Be a student at John Tyler Community College. If you are not already a student, you may apply by visiting www.jtcc.edu, and clicking “Apply Now”
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and qualify for financial aid
• Be enrolled in or plan to enroll in a certificate or degree program at John Tyler (preference is given to those enrolled in programs tied to science, technology, engineering and mathematics – also known as STEM – and to those enrolled in health care programs)
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress if you are a recipient of a TICRC scholarship award

Students do not need to fill out a scholarship application to be considered for TICRC funds, and there is no deadline to apply. Students or potential students who are interested in learning more about the TICRC scholarships should contact the JTCC Foundation at 804-594-1574 or foundation@jtcc.edu.

The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999 with funds from the national tobacco settlement. The commission’s mission is to promote economic growth and development in tobacco-dependent communities, so the commission only funds projects in Virginia’s tobacco region. The counties of Amelia, Dinwiddie and Sussex are the only localities in John Tyler Community College’s service area that are part of the tobacco region.

Don't forget - if you want to apply for one of the more than 100 scholarship offered annually by the John Tyler Community College Foundation, you must turn in your application by no later than May 1.

Minimum qualifications for any John Tyler Foundation scholarship:

• Submit one complete scholarship application prior to the appropriate deadline.
• Possess a 2.5 minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA).
• Be enrolled or planning to enroll in a certificate and/or degree program at John Tyler for the current academic year. Students must be officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program before scholarship funds will be disbursed. Not enrolled? Make an appointment with the Counseling Center. - -
• Have in-state tuition status.
• Have a completed, current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file at John Tyler on or before the scholarship deadline. Please visit www.FAFSA.ed.gov for more information and an application.

Start your application today!  Learn more at www.jtcc.edu/scholarships.

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Sometimes you don’t find a career; it finds you. That’s just what happened to Thomas Mattis. At an early age, he knew he wanted a career in public service, but he wasn’t exactly sure what it should be. That all changed after he found his way from his home state of Ohio to Texas, where he was hired as the city manager of Rosebud. Suddenly, his future came into sharp focus. “It was definitely a challenging experience, but I was bitten by the city management bug, and I have not ever really considered doing anything else,” says Mattis. After Rosebud, Mattis became budget analyst for the City of Dallas; city administrator of Pilot Point, Texas; city manager of Bonham, Texas; municipal administrator of Waterville, Ohio; and city manager of the City of Kyle, Texas. In 2010, he moved to Virginia and became city manager of the City of Colonial Heights. Mattis says he’s enjoyed the path his career has taken because it has given him the opportunity to really get involved. “It’s allowed me to meet and work with a long list of interesting people and to be part of a number of great communities,” says Mattis. “And, it’s always been important to me that my work has a positive impact on people’s day-to-day lives, and I believe my profession has enabled me to do that.”

Now, Mattis is impacting lives in another way, by helping to represent his community of Colonial Heights on the John Tyler Community College Board. Mattis, who was once a community college student, says he understands how crucial education is to a community, and he believes John Tyler Community College is a true asset to Colonial Heights and to the Tri-Cities region as a whole. “I am a firm believer in higher education and recognize that JTCC plays a vital role in providing educational opportunities for our residents who for whatever reason don’t fit the typical mold of a student at a conventional four-year institution,” says Mattis. “JTCC also provides job training opportunities that are essential to creating an effective economic development environment in our region.” Mattis says he looks forward to serving on the College’s Board and believes his experience in city management and his time in other states will allow him to bring unique perspectives to the issues and challenges handed by the Board.

Mattis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have a daughter, Lillian, who is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin and a son, Alex, who is a graduate of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Two huge tents - the Art of Learning Tent and the Celebrate our Earth Tent - will be going up soon at the Midlothian Campus in preparation for this weekend's Fool for Art Festival. The festival features more than 100 art and craft vendors, lots of hands-on activities, free educational sessions, information on how to go green, food, music and so much more.  Fool for Art, now in its eight year, is free and open to the community.

What's Fool for Art like? Well, in the past, John Tyler Community College and Chesterfield County have packed the day with fun activities, including exploding pickles, basketball-playing robots, jesters, nature journals, sun visors, storytelling, music, photography sessions, technology classes, green displays and tips, super bouncy balls and so much more. New activities/sessions this year include making your own lip balm, yoga, funeral planning, juggling, beekeeping, a Civil War primer, Irish dancing, balloon animals, personalized tote bags, soccer drills and Roman coin painting.

Fool for Art runs Saturday, April 13 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on the Midlothian Campus. There will also be free paper shredding in parking lot D from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Find a complete list of art and craft vendors, class offerings, activities and more at www.jtcc.edu/foolforart.

Two huge tents - the Art of Learning Tent and the Celebrate our Earth Tent - will be going up soon at the Midlothian Campus in preparation for this weekend's Fool for Art Festival. The festival features more than 100 art and craft vendors, lots of hands-on activities, free educational sessions, information on how to go green, food, music and so much more.  Fool for Art, now in its eight year, is free and open to the community.

What's Fool for Art like? Well, in the past, John Tyler Community College and Chesterfield County have packed the day with fun activities, including exploding pickles, basketball-playing robots, jesters, nature journals, sun visors, storytelling, music, photography sessions, technology classes, green displays and tips, super bouncy balls and so much more. New activities/sessions this year include making your own lip balm, yoga, funeral planning, juggling, beekeeping, a Civil War primer, Irish dancing, balloon animals, personalized tote bags, soccer drills and Roman coin painting.

Fool for Art runs Saturday, April 13 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on the Midlothian Campus. There will also be free paper shredding in parking lot D from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Find a complete list of art and craft vendors, class offerings, activities and more at www.jtcc.edu/foolforart.

Don't forget - if you want to apply for one of the more than 100 scholarship offered annually by the John Tyler Community College Foundation, you must turn in your application by no later than May 1.

Minimum qualifications for any John Tyler Foundation scholarship:

• Submit one complete scholarship application prior to the appropriate deadline.
• Possess a 2.5 minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA).
• Be enrolled or planning to enroll in a certificate and/or degree program at John Tyler for the current academic year. Students must be officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program before scholarship funds will be disbursed. Not enrolled? Make an appointment with the Counseling Center. - -
• Have in-state tuition status.
• Have a completed, current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file at John Tyler on or before the scholarship deadline. Please visit www.FAFSA.ed.gov for more information and an application.

Start your application today!  Learn more at www.jtcc.edu/scholarships.

The State Board for Community Colleges has certified finalists for the position of president at John Tyler Community College.  Finalists are:

Dr. Edward Raspiller is currently president of the Brazos County Campuses at Blinn College in Bryan, Texas, a position he has held since 2010. He was previously at Old Dominion University in Norfolk where he was a department chair in educational foundations and leadership from 2009-2010 and was graduate program director of the Community College Leadership Program from 2006-2010. Prior to that he was interim president at Waukesha County Technical College in Wisconsin in 2006 and also vice president of Learning Innovations there from 2003-2006. He also served as dean of technical and workforce education at Blinn College and held positions at Texas State Technical College, Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa, and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. He holds a doctorate and a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University as well as a bachelor’s degree from Governors State University and an associate’s degree from the College of DuPage.

Dr. William Stoy is currently serving as special assistant to the president at Middle Georgia State College in Macon, Georgia, a new university created in January 2013 with the merger of Macon State College and Middle Georgia College. He was previously president at Middle Georgia College from 2008-2013. Prior to that he was vice president for academic affairs, dean of the faculty and professor of biology at Gainesville State College in Gainesville, Georgia from 1999-2008. He served as chair of the science and mathematics division and as associate professor of biology at Darton College in Albany, Georgia, from 1989 to 1999, and also taught at Bismarck State College from 1978-1989. He has a doctorate from North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota; a master’s degree from Miami University; a bachelor’s degree from Thomas More College in Covington, Kentucky; and an associate’s degree from Bismarck Junior College.

Dr. Cheryl Thompson-Stacy is currently president at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown and Warrenton, a position she has held since 2009. Prior to that appointment she was president at Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, Virginia, from 2006 to 2009. Previously she served as vice president for academic and student affairs at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College from 2002-2005 and as college dean for academic and student affairs at Mississippi Gulf Coast from 1997-2001. She has also held administrative and faculty positions in business and technology at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland and at Jefferson Community College in Steubenville, Ohio; and served as director of academic and student affairs at Kent State University, Geauga Campus, in Burton, Ohio. She has a doctorate from the University of Sarasota (now Argosy University), in Sarasota, Florida and an MBA, a master’s of educational administration, and a bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

Candidates will attend college interviews at the College; VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois hopes to make the appointments in May.

Read the full VCCS press release.

by Holly Walker

Have you signed up for your summer classes yet?  If not, you’ll want to check out all the interesting offerings found in JTCC’s summer schedule. Here’s just a taste:

• Feeling creative?  You’ll want to explore our many art, music, photography and theatre courses, including Intro to Graphic Novels, the History of Film and Animation, Drawing, and Guitar Theory and Practice.


• Interested in learning a new language? Our summer schedule includes classes in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.


• Ready to get technical? JTCC has lots of great IT classes that cover everything from web design to popular programs.


• Want to improve your health? We have classes about nutrition and wellness as well as PE classes ranging from Jazz, Volleyball, Ballet, Fitness Walking, and Weight Training.


• Like to be hands on? You may want to check out one of our welding or machining classes.


• Like to read and write? Take a look at all of JTCC’s English offerings ranging from Children’s Literature, Science Fiction Literature, Film & Literature, and Women & Literature to Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and College Composition.


• Need to fulfill some of your general education requirements? We offer classes that will meet those needs from science, economics and math to humanities, religion and sociology.

Courses are offered in a variety of formats, including online, hybrid, in the classroom, and in a variety of session lengths.

Go to www.jtcc.edu/schedule for a look at all the class offerings for summer, and sign up now to make sure you get the class you want!

CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Personal, thought-provoking, colorful, dramatic and imaginative – these are just some of the words that come to mind when walking among the eclectic mix of artwork that makes up the 2013 Juried Student Art Show at John Tyler Community College. The show features work in mediums such as oils, charcoal, photography, ceramics, wood, cardboard and paper and puts the many talents of the College’s art students on exhibit. “It’s amazing to see the increase in quality and variety of our students’ artwork year after year as our Visual Arts Program expands,” says Colin Ferguson, professor of art at John Tyler Community College. “I’m always surprised how they continue to top themselves with more challenging, creative, thought-provoking and well-crafted pieces every semester.”  More than 90 pieces of art make up this year’s exhibit, which was juried by Michael Gettings, artist and Chesterfield County Public Schools visual arts instructional specialist. During an opening reception on March 29, 2013, Gettings announced the award winners. The winners are as follows (zip codes are in parentheses):

Best in Show
Terry Smith (23834)
Artwork – Time Passes Away

Plaza Art Awards
Robert Miller (23832)
Artwork – Koi Fish of Maymont

Donna Sully (23222)
Artwork – Ready for Breakfast

John Tyler Community College Midlothian Bookstore Art Award
Tyler Bond (23112)
Artwork – Untitled Toothbrush

Richmond Camera Photography Award
Kathleen May (23852)
Artwork – Vacancy

Rosewood Pottery Ceramics Award
John Mallon (23114)
Artwork – Koi Jug

Karen Gammon Drawing Award
Megan Way (23114)
Artwork – Point of View

Jonathan Burnley Graphic Design Award
Jenna Farley (23834)
Artwork – The Witches Spell

J. Wade Ferrell Art Award
Donya Heide (23112)
Artwork – Windy Bones

Honorable Mentions
Annabel Goodridge (23113)
Artwork – Still-Life with a Beer Mug

Donya Heide (23112)
Artwork – Dancing Tea

Joann Mosman (23113)
Artwork – Sitting by the Window

The community is invited to visit John Tyler Community College to enjoy the 2013 Juried Student Art Show. The exhibit will remain on display through April 26, 2013. It is located at the Midlothian Campus on the second floor of Eliades Hall.

Photographs of the artwork, artists and opening reception may be found at  http://www.flickr.com/johntylercc.  Information about upcoming art courses at John Tyler Community College may be found at http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule.

John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. With campuses in Chester and Midlothian and off-campus classrooms throughout the area, John Tyler offers quality and economical opportunities for students who want to earn a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year college or university, train for the workforce, or switch careers. The College, which served more than 14,895 students during the 2011-12 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, eight certificates, and 35 career studies certificates. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. The College also is committed to sustainability. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for Hamel Hall on its Midlothian Campus, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition. John Tyler Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

by Holly Walker

Have you signed up for your summer classes yet?  If not, you’ll want to check out all the interesting offerings found in JTCC’s summer schedule. Here’s just a taste:

• Feeling creative?  You’ll want to explore our many art, music, photography and theatre courses, including Intro to Graphic Novels, the History of Film and Animation, Drawing, and Guitar Theory and Practice.


• Interested in learning a new language? Our summer schedule includes classes in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.


• Ready to get technical? JTCC has lots of great IT classes that cover everything from web design to popular programs.


• Want to improve your health? We have classes about nutrition and wellness as well as PE classes ranging from Jazz, Volleyball, Ballet, Fitness Walking, and Weight Training.


• Like to be hands on? You may want to check out one of our welding or machining classes.


• Like to read and write? Take a look at all of JTCC’s English offerings ranging from Children’s Literature, Science Fiction Literature, Film & Literature, and Women & Literature to Creative Writing, Technical Writing, and College Composition.


• Need to fulfill some of your general education requirements? We offer classes that will meet those needs from science, economics and math to humanities, religion and sociology.

Courses are offered in a variety of formats, including online, hybrid, in the classroom, and in a variety of session lengths.

Go to www.jtcc.edu/schedule for a look at all the class offerings for summer, and sign up now to make sure you get the class you want!