Reynolds Community College student Angela Graves has been
selected as part of the sixth class of the Valley Proteins Fellows Program,
administered by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education.
A resident of Highland Springs, Virginia, Graves was the 2015-2016
Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society Chapter President and also ran for
Phi Theta Kappa’s International Office of Vice President for Division I. Out of
a record-breaking 50 International Officer Candidates, Graves finished 2nd
in her category.
During the 2015-2016 academic year, she also earned an Educational
Book Scholarship and Commonwealth Grant and recently was awarded the Executive
Women’s International/ASIST Scholarship.
“I feel especially honored for being selected for the Valley
Proteins Fellowship award because of its extreme competitiveness,” noted Graves
who is currently serving as a Reynolds Student Ambassador. “I am very grateful
to the Smith brothers, their Valley Protein Fellowship Program, EWI/ASIST,
Reynolds and the VCCS.”
Out of the more than 400,000 people Virginia’s Community
Colleges serve across the commonwealth, only nine were selected for the Valley
Proteins Fellows Program. The approximate value of the scholarship, accompanied
with professional development, travel, and cultural opportunities, is $10,000.
The core mission of the Valley Proteins Fellows Program
is to help promising, second-year students at Virginia’s Community Colleges
pursue their academic goals and strengthen their leadership skills. In addition
to receiving full tuition, book expenses and fees, the Fellows participate in a
unique curriculum of intellectual and cultural activities. The Fellows also
volunteer 80 hours of community service during the academic year to hone their
leadership abilities and develop a strong foundation for future success.
Graves is already a veteran volunteer in her community, working
with the Richmond Folk Festival, Habitat for Humanity, BARK (Bandits for Rescued
K9s), City of Richmond I AM TOURISM Ambassador, and at Dominion RiverRock. Her
goal is to major in Information Technology with a focus in networking and cyber
security as she continues on to her Bachelor’s degree after she graduates from
Reynolds next May.
The fellows program is made possible through the generous
support of Valley Proteins, Inc. The Winchester-based company has been in the
rendering business for more than 60 years and currently operates plants in
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Texas. The management of Valley Proteins is committed to outstanding
corporate citizenship, excellent customer service, technological innovation and
support for the community college mission.
“My brother and I are pleased to support the Valley Proteins
Fellows program because it provides us with the opportunity to develop a more
educated and competitive Virginia,” said Gerald F. Smith, Jr., president of
Valley Proteins, Inc.
“The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education is
dedicated to expanding opportunities by leveraging partnerships,” said Glenn
DuBois, chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges. “This program is a great
example of the synergy that comes from joining together employers that are
vested in the quality of tomorrow’s Virginia workforce and the community
colleges that elevate it every day.”
