COMMENCEMENT: 'You have to have a destination. You have to have a dream.'

Hundreds of jubilant Germanna Community College students received their degrees last night before an estimated crowd of 2,500 at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

The rapidly growing community college serves a total enrollment of 11,000 students from seven counties, including Culpeper, and from the city of Fredericksburg. The Expo Center located at Celebrate Virginia is one of few indoor facilties in the region that could accomodate a crowd as large as the GCC commencement drew.

The graduates heard an inspirational message from commencement speaker Del. Robert D. "Bobby" Orrock, who represents the 34th House District including parts of Caroline and Spotsylvania counties. Orrock, a Germanna alumni himself, told the graduates:

"You have to have a destination. You have to have a dream."

But, he added, "It is OK to ask for directions along the road of life."

Perhaps the best roadmap, Orrock said, is to "make every day count by focusing on what you can do for others."

They say a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.

Student speaker Jacquelene Whelchel told her fellow graduates:

"If you are participating in this ceremony, you are literally taking the next step toward your future goals and dreams.

"For those of you who have just finished your transfer degrees and are pursuing your education at a four-year university, let me say congratulations."

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

RESPONDING TO A NEED FOR NURSING

Emily Conan and Phyllis Smith were all smiles after yesterday's Germanna LPN & RN pinning ceremony Thursday at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

LPN & RN PINNING CEREMONY A CELEBRATION OF NOBILITY OF NURSING

Elsy Hernandez, left, and Nancy Beebe beam after Germanna's LPN & RN pinning ceremony Thursday at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

BLESSED? TOP GERMANNA GRAD JACQUELENE WHELCHEL BELIEVES SHE'S GETTING HELP FROM ON HIGH

Jacquelene Whelchel believes a higher force is looking out for her.

But brains, drive and a dazzling personality don't hurt, either.

Her single mom didn't have a lot of cash to spare with both Jacqueline and a younger sister to take care of. And college didn't seem affordable as graduation approached at Fredericksburg Christian School. A Commonwealth Legacy Scholarship took care of that very neatly, paying for her tuition and books.

She repeatedly says that God is taking care of her.

When Jacquelene needed a summer job, an opportunity presented itself when she was part of a student delegation visiting legislators in Richmond in February. VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois suggested she apply for an internship in U.S. Sen. Jim Webb's office

"I made the first cut, then I kept getting calls, then I finally got the call saying I was accepted," she said.

She openly admits she's no political wonk, and that she's a little bit nervous about going to Washington. She says she thinks she may be more interested in journalism than politics. But Washington is where politics and journalism combine to bring things to a boil and make things happen. And things do seem to have a way of cooking for her.

Jacquelene says she's studied Sen. Webb's new G.I. Bill proposal to help troops returning from the Middle East and other veterans, "but I still have a lot to learn about that." Some speculate that Sen. Webb may be on a short list of vice presidential possibilities for Barack Obama. So it could be a very exciting summer.

When she returns in the fall, Jacquelene, a top student, will be transferring to the University of Mary Washington.

But first she'll speak at this evening's GCC commencement at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.

Whoever deserves the credit, if things keep going the way they have, it won't be her last speech.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

'You are just in the beginning of your learning process. This school has prepared you well ... but the learning never ends.'

Sixteen nursing graduate candidates were pinned Wednesday in a VCCS ceremony at the Joseph R. Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper.

Janice Suter, director of nursing for the Culpeper Regional Health System told the group:

"You are just in the beginning of your learning process. This school ... has prepared you well ... but the learning never ends."

Germanna students involved were Andrea Moffett, Jessica Mountjoy, Thahn Nguyen, Julie Phillip, Kidist Pilgrim, Mark Schroeder, Kristina Shifflett, Kathyrn Weaver and Rhonda Williamson.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

19-YEAR-OLD EL SALVADOR NATIVE RAN OWN BUSINESS WHILE ATTENDING MIDDLE COLLEGE AT GERMANNA

Sergio Gomez, 19, graduated from Germanna's Middle College Monday after taking classes while running his own landscaping business.

The native of El Salvador and Rixeyville resident came to America with his family when he was 8 years old.

Middle College helps high school dropouts earn their GED and prepares them to continue their education in college.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

'WE MUST ALL HANG TOGETHER, OR, MOST ASSUREDLY, WE WILL ALL HANG SEPARATELY'--BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Ben Franklin and John Adams would implore you to submit your nominations by Wednesday for Germanna's new College Council, which will replace the Executive Council in August.

The College Council will serve as an advisory group for the President and his staff on matters of college-wide concern, including strategic planning, budgeting, faculty, staff and student recommendations and review of policy and procedures.

Voting members of the College Council will include two current students, five full-time faculty (Faculty Senate President and four elected), three elected full-time support staff (non-exempt), three elected administrative faculty and professional staff (exempt) and two elected adjunct faculty. A list of potential nominees in each group will be made available later today.

Please submit nominations to Ashley Finelli at afinelli@germanna.edu by Wednesday.

Voting will begin Thursday and continue through May 15.

The College Council will meet at 1 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month, with meeting sites alternating between Fredericksburg, Locust Grove and Culpeper.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

HIGHER EDUCATION, LOWER COST

Joan Fischer, above, told students at the recent Culpeper High School Career Expo that the cost of two years at Germanna is typically about one-third or less than that of two years at a four-year college or university.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

YOUR TIME HAS COME. TAKE ACTION. DECIDE WHERE AMERICA IS HEADED.

Germanna students packed Sealy Auditorium in Fredericksburg for the launch of the College's chapter of Virginia21--the country’s first true generational advocate for young people.

Virginia21 Deputy Director Steven Jones called it the biggest turnout he has seen in the five-year history of the organization.

Virginia21 mobilizes young people across the Commonwealth by providing information, directing advocacy and coordinating political action on a non-partisan issue agenda.

Students, faculty and staff who'd like to help start up the Germanna chapter of Virginia21 and take part in a non-partisan voter registration effort for the fall campaign may e-mail Stuart Smith at ssmith@germanna.edu.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

'ALL I KNEW WAS THAT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE BEING KILLED ... THE MEMORY OF THAT DAY ... IT WAS SO TERRIBLE ...'

A year ago Stephanie Broman sealed herself in her Virginia Tech dorm room, afraid to go outside. She could only watch in horror as that day's tragedy unfolded on cable news.

Broman, now a student at Germanna Community College's Fredericksburg Campus in Spotsylvania, speaks emotionally here about April 16, 2007.

Germanna observed the anniversary with a moment of silence Wednesday. The College extends its condolences to the families of the victims at Virginia Tech, and to those of the victims of other campus shootings as well.

  Germanna current RSS Feeds

Use scrollbar at immediate right to see more news!------------>

'My father’s mother lived the better part of a century and never had a day of school, nearly illiterate to her last day'

"My father’s mother lived the better part of a century and never had a day of school, nearly illiterate to her last day," new Germanna President David A. Sam said in his inaugural address.

"My mother’s father took whatever jobs he could find, working as a handyman, mining the coal of Pennsylvania and farming its hills with his wife."

His mother cleaned houses until World War II gave her the opportunity to go to nurse cadet school, he said.

His father served in the Navy, became a welder, and worked his way through the factory to become a plant superintendent.

"And yet both gave me the unspoken promise and expectation that I would go to college and do better than they had,” Dr. Sam said. "...Whatever I have accomplished in life has been realized because they lifted me up high enough for those things to come within my reach."