Reynolds receives top safety ranking

StateUniversity.com ranked J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College #4 in the state of Virginia for campus safety. The ratings are based on incidents of campus crime including assault, theft, motor vehicle theft and violent crimes. StateUniversity.com is a leading source of data and information on higher education. The site features profiles about colleges and provides tools to help prospective students narrow their choices.

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Department of Police Chief Paul Ronca said, “learning in a safe environment is a JSRCC priority. The Police Department recognizes that this can only be accomplished through partnerships created with our faculty, students and staff. Our officers work diligently to provide an excellent and professional department that is committed to the safety of our community. However, the credit is not the Department’s alone, it belongs to all of the JSRCC faculty, students and staff."   

Ronca joined Reynolds as the Chief of Police in 2010. The J. Sargeant Reynolds Police Department adopted the community policing model and believes safety of the college can only be achieved with our internal and external partners. 

Reynolds hosts an update on Jobs for Vets

(left to right) VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois, JSRCC President Gary Rhodes,
Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Bobby Scott.

Virginia’s leaders came together on Reynolds’ Parham Road Campus recently to update each other and the community on efforts that encourage private sector employers to hire veterans. Following comments from Virginia’s Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Mark Warner and Congressman Bobby Scott, representatives from the Armed Forces discussed the transferable skills that today’s military veterans could bring to the private sector workforce.

Noting that unemployment rates for veterans returning from war is now more than of 12 percent, Warner said that jobs in the energy field offer the most potential. Dominion representatives concluded the event with information about their Troops to Energy Jobs Initiative, a new initiative designed to accelerate the training and employability of veterans in key energy positions. According to troopstoenergyjobs.com, Troops to Energy Jobs is currently in a pilot stage, and includes selected pilot utilities that have been recognized as Top Military Employers and that work in states with a strong State Energy Workforce Consortia. Dominion Resources Services, from Dominion Virginia Power is one of those companies. The goal is to expand the program to the entire energy industry.

Virginia Community College System Chancellor Glenn DuBois and other VCCS representatives also provided remarks regarding the role community colleges could potentially play in this initiative. Military personnel explained that although the skills and experience they receive over the course of their careers often match private sector needs, they lack the civilian certifications necessary for private sector employment.

Reynolds campuses embrace multiculturalism

Some of the most successful events hosted by Reynolds are coordinated through the College’s Multicultural Enrichment Council. This semester, the MEC hosted a Diversity Health Fair, a multicultural movie series, and a book discussion. The vision of the MEC is to create and implement multicultural experiences for faculty, staff, students and the community. The Council also attempts to educate the college community on the importance of fairness and inclusiveness, and the acceptance of differing views, beliefs, opinions, and perspectives of other people—both inside and outside of the classroom.

For the holidays, the MEC is showcasing information on Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights (celebrated December 20 through December 28) and Kwanzaa, a Celebration of Family, Community and Culture (celebrated December 26 through January 1). Read more about these holidays and the traditions associated with them at www.reynolds.edu/events.

Stay tuned for events during the spring, including another book discussion, a Black History Month speaker series, and a women's history month event that includes a panel of renowned women and a spring concert.

Diversity Health Fair participants get moving.

Diversity Health Fair exhibitors offered information on back health, child safety, men's health and more.

MEC book discussions and movie nights always include a discussion about the cultures and traditions portrayed in the films and novels. Traditional foods are often served as well. Recently, traditional Persian cuisine was offered during the discussion of the movie "House of Sand and Fog."