New Dean of Students Hits the Ground Running

Wendy Bolt began her new role as Dean of Students at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College this past September. Bolt is no stranger to the community college experience – she started her higher education journey as a non-traditional student at New River Community College after working the first four years after high school. After a year of working and going to school part-time, Bolt decided she was ready to go to school full-time, transferring to Radford University where she earned a Bachelors in Psychology and then a Masters in Counseling Psychology. When asked how she knew higher education was the right career fit, Bolt said, “The thing that hooked me was when I was completing my Masters at Radford. I had an intense 30 hours-per-week internship in their university counseling center and that is what hooked me. I wanted to use that skill set and stay in higher education.”

Armed with a Master’s degree, Bolt went on to work at colleges and universities all across the county from DePauw University in Indiana, to Berea College in Kentucky. She eventually ended up back in a community college setting, noting “I was thrilled to come back into the VCCS because it’s a great system and I was also thrilled to come back home to Virginia.”

Bolt said “I think for me, I am really drawn to the community college for numerous reasons and personally, I don’t think I would have attempted to go to a four-year institution right off the bat. I was a first generation college student so it was very scary for me. I think community college gives a lot of opportunities to people that are hesitant to take advantage of certain educational possibilities.”

As Dean of Students, Bolt works behind the scenes but also serves as an open resource for student success. “I get to work closely with several different departments that report through me such as the student success centers, first year initiative programs, student life, as well as the career and employment transfer center.” There also may be students that can use the Dean of Students as a resource to point them in the right direction to answer a problem and figure out a solution.

The take-away for students should be to know that the Dean of Students provides an umbrella of resources to provide help and opportunities to ensure the success of Reynolds’ students. Bolt went on to say that “one of the things I strongly think about for students, no matter where they are in their education -- beginner student, almost graduated, and anywhere in between -- understand that there are a lot of supports available to help you be successful.” She went on to explain that, “If you don’t know something, don’t hesitate to ask us because 9 times out of 10 if not more than that, there is something available to assist you.”

Wendy Bolt has personal as well as working knowledge of how community college students achieve at their educational pursuits. Her experience has led her back to a Virginia community college where she knows that the missions and opportunities Reynolds’ provides students are ample in producing successful students.