CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Zelda D. Tucker-Dugger has a passion for education and the possibilities it can offer. She discovered this love when she was a college student. During her breaks, she took substitute teaching jobs, and the experiences inspired her, prompting her to seek a career in which she could help others. She’s been doing just that. For nearly three decades, Tucker-Dugger’s been assisting students at Virginia State University (VSU), and now, she’s bringing her talents and all the lessons she’s learned to the John Tyler Community College Board where she will help represent the City of Petersburg.
Tucker-Dugger began her career at VSU as an outreach counselor for the Educational Talent Search Program. “We served nine areas in the Tri-Cities and surrounding counties, encouraging first-generation and low-income students to continue their education,” says Tucker-Dugger. She spent 13 years as a counselor before becoming director of the program. The work was rewarding. “I had the opportunity to touch the lives of many high school and middle school students and networked with many of the school personnel,” says Tucker-Dugger. When the grant money that supported the Educational Talent Search Program went away, Tucker-Dugger moved to VSU’s Office of Financial Aid to become the work study coordinator.
In addition to her vast experience at VSU, Tucker-Dugger brings another perspective to the John Tyler Community College Board – that of a community college alumna. Her higher education experience began at John Tyler and then continued at Southside Virginia Community College where she earned an associate of applied science in business management. Tucker-Dugger enjoyed her community college experience and believes others can benefit from the programs, services and options offered by colleges like John Tyler, including dual enrollment, which gives high school students the chance to jump-start their college educations, and guaranteed transfer agreements, which help community college graduates seamlessly transfer to four-year colleges and universities to complete baccalaureate degrees.
In addition to holding an associate degree, Tucker-Dugger has a bachelor of science in business administration and a master of education in guidance from Virginia State University. Her interests include helping senior citizens and young adults, and she is the proud mother of an adult child.
John Tyler Community College 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 nearly 14,000 students during the 2013-14 academic year, offers 18 associate degrees, seven certificates, and 36 career studies certificates. The institution also serves more than 13,000 non-credit trainees and over 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance.