CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – Altria Group has received the 12th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy for its work with John Tyler Community College (JTCC). Nominated for the award by the John Tyler Community College Foundation, Altria Group was recognized during a luncheon ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia on April 18, 2017.
For more than 25 years, Altria Group and its affiliate company, Philip Morris, have been partners and supporters of John Tyler Community College and the communities served by the college. During that time, Altria Group and Philip Morris have provided more than two million dollars in financial support to the college through investments in academic programs and equipment; faculty development; student scholarships; and special event sponsorships. In addition, Altria has encouraged its company leadership to be actively involved in the JTCC community. This includes serving on the JTCC Foundation’s board of directors and on the college’s academic advisory committees.
“We are grateful to have Altria working side-by-side with John Tyler Community College, supporting educational opportunities that empower students and put them on the path to in-demand careers,” says Dr. Edward “Ted” Raspiller, president of John Tyler Community College. “Altria’s generous support of Tyler’s initiatives tied to STEM-H (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and health care) continues to open doors for students as they work to obtain high-demand credentials. It also strengthens our community by helping us build a tech-savvy workforce that’s prepared to meet the needs of an ever-changing economy.”
The annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy luncheon, hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, honors leading philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, as well as the statewide foundation. This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of more than $10 million dollars to Virginia’s community colleges. During the 2017 luncheon, recipients heard from keynote speaker John O. “Dubby” Wynne, chairman of GO Virginia and Reinvent Hampton Roads, who said the generous donations and support given to Virginia’s community colleges are having a positive impact on the communities served by the colleges. “In many instances, your gifts are the difference between average or good and excellent in student performance,” he observed. Wynne also issued an appeal to members of the audience to increase their level of support to help train and educate Virginia’s workforce for economic growth. Chancellor Glenn DuBois expressed his gratitude in his address to the crowd. “You are difference-makers. You are opportunity-creators,” he said. “We thank you, not just for the dollars donated, but for the standard of leadership you represent. Your example motivates and challenges us all to do more to ensure that opportunity is there for those who come next.”
The JTCC Foundation provides scholarships for students; funds academic programs, capital projects, and renovations to modernize classrooms and labs; and encourages the professional development of John Tyler Community College’s faculty and staff. This work ensures the College continues its pledge of providing academic excellence to students while expanding the services it offers to meet the community’s workforce requirements. Since most of the College’s graduates live and work in the area, gifts to the Foundation are an investment in the future of the community.
John Tyler Community College, celebrating 50 years of providing educational opportunities to Central Virginia, 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 affordable, quality programs 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 14,100 students during the 2015-16 academic year, offers more than 60 majors, including associate degrees and certificates. The institution also serves more than 12,000 non-credit trainees and over 900 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance.