Student Services

Reynolds and VCCS Partner with TimelyMD to Offer Students 24/7 Mental Health Care 

RICHMOND, Va. (January 21, 2022) – As part of ongoing efforts to prioritize the health and well-being of Virginia Community College System (VCCS) students, Reynolds students now have free and immediate access to mental health support through TimelyMD, the leading telehealth company specializing in higher education.  

TimelyMD developed its proprietary TimelyCare technology to offer students a 24/7 extension of campus health and counseling center resources that is as easy and convenient as making a video or phone call. Through the TimelyCare app on their phone or other device, VCCS students can now select from a wide-ranging menu of virtual care options from licensed physicians and counselors in all 50 states – at no cost to them and without the hassle of traditional insurance – including: 

   ● On-demand mental health support (TalkNow) 

   ● Appointment-based mental health counseling (Scheduled Counseling)  

Additionally, faculty and staff have access to support that empowers them to help students achieve a sense of well-being, live healthier lifestyles, and improve their mental health.  

TimelyCare allows students to see the profiles, faces, and specialty care details of a diverse range of licensed physicians and counselors available to them. They can choose to meet with a specific provider or select the first available. Typical consultations begin within 5-10 minutes – less than the amount of time it takes to walk across campus.  

TimelyCare’s ease of use, convenience, and immediacy make it easier than ever for Reynolds students to get the help they need, when they need it. In fact, 60 percent of all students who have sought mental health support from TimelyMD said they would have done nothing if the service were not available to them.  

“Launching TimelyCare at Reynolds is an important next step in our efforts to strengthen wraparound support services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our students. We know that our students face a wide variety of mental health challenges, and we want to help remove those challenges so that they can complete their academic goals,” said Dr. Jeffrey Allen, Dean of Students at Reynolds. 

Demand for teletherapy visits skyrocketed during the pandemic, and mental health remains the top concern of college and university presidents. A recent survey found the majority of college students feel even more stress and anxiety than they did a year ago as Covid-19 continues to disrupt their plans to resume everyday activities and enjoy a more “normal” academic year. “College students said the number one thing their campuses can do to support them right now is provide more virtual services focused on their health and well-being, such as telehealth and teletherapy,” said Luke Hejl, TimelyMD CEO and co-founder. “Through TimelyCare, we are proud to deliver best-in-class virtual care to help VCCS students thrive.” 

Black History Month

Student Life Black History Month Events
from Justin Ellis and Jackie Manley

February is Black History Month. “Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month” (Click here to learn more about the history of Black History Month).

The Office of Student Life in collaboration with Career Services, the Black Student Union, the Student Veterans Association, and others have created events throughout the month to celebrate Black History both in-person and virtually. We invite you to join us for as many events as possible. 

Black History Month Events

A Chat with Fredrick Douglas Feb. 2nd 11:00 am (Lipman Auditorium or Virtual)

Nathan Richardson is a Fredrick Douglas historian who presents on the life story of Frederick Douglas. “Frederick Douglass was a formerly enslaved man who became a prominent activist, author and public speaker. He became a leader in the abolitionist movement, which sought to end the practice of slavery, before and during the Civil War’ (history.com). Students Attending will have the opportunity to enter a raffle for a choice of a ticket to one of the Student Life sponsored trips and a t-shirt.

Lipman Auditorium is located on the Parham Road Campus in the Massey Library and Technology Center.

Black History Kahoot Feb. 9th 12:00 Noon (Virtual)

Students will compete in Black History trivia with a chance to win prizes. Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes. Prizes include: T-shirt, Water bottle, and grand prize - choice of ticket to a Student Life Trip). 

Trip to RVA Black History Museum – Feb. 15th from 12-1:10 p.m. (Click here for tickets)

The Office of Student Life is hosting a trip to RVA Black History Museum on Tuesday, February 15th from 12:00 -1:10 p.m. Space is limited so don’t hesitate to sign up. Transportation will be provided. This trip is for students only. For more information, please contact the Office of Student Life at studentlife@reynolds.edu, jmanley@reynolds.edu and jellis@reynolds.edu

Trip to Maggie L. Walker – Feb. 16th 

The Office of Student Life is hosting a trip to visit the home of Maggie L Walker, the first African American women to charter a bank and the first African American women to serve as a bank president right in Richmond. We are offering 3 tours - 11:00 a.m. (Click here for tickets), 1:00 p.m. (Click here for tickets) and 3:00 p.m. (Click here for tickets).  This trip is for students only. Space is limited so sign up soon. Transportation will be provided. If you have questions, please contact the Office of Student Life at studentlife@reynolds.edu, jmanley@reynolds.edu or jellis@reynolds.edu. 

National Blacks In Wax Museum and Baltimore National Aquarium – Feb. 18th (Leaving from Parham Road Campus at 7:00 am)

The Office of Student Life and Black Student Union are hosting a bus trip the National Blacks In Wax Museum and Baltimore National Aquarium on Friday, February 18th. Tickets on sale now for students (Feb. 7th for faculty and staff) in all three business offices (Downtown, Parham Road, and Goochland campuses). Only current students enrolled in classes, faculty, and staff at Reynolds can purchase tickets. Tickets cost $20 for students and $30 for faculty, staff and guest. Students, faculty and staff can only purchase two tickets, one for themselves and one for a guest. Everyone must ride the bus no exceptions. Tickets will go fast, so don’t hesitate. If you have questions please contact the Office of Student Life at studentlife@reynolds.edu, jmanley@reynolds.edu or jellis@reynolds.edu. 

Entrepreneurship and Black Owned Businesses  - Feb. 22nd, 12:00 Noon (Virtual)

Join the Career Services team and hear from a panel of four successful African American entrepreneurs in the Richmond community.  They will share their career pathways to success and provide advice on creating successful employment opportunities.  

"This Land is My Land: The Tale of Lesser Known African-American Communities" with Professor Sabrina Watson  - Feb. 24th 2:00 pm (Virtual)

Professor Watson will discuss lesser known African American communities that were developed post-Civil War and during the Great Migration, explain their historical significance, if they are still thriving communities today or if they are disappearing as many of them are.

“Glory” Movie Screening and Discussion – Feb. 24th, 4:00 pm (Virtual)

The Veterans Student Association is hosting a virtual movie screening and discussion of the movie “Glory” with instructor Scott Maddrea. Glory tells the story of Robert Gould Shaw who leads the U.S. Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices from both his own Union Army, and the Confederates.

Student Profile

Cierra Spence: Being your Biggest Supporter!
Spotlight on G3 Scholars
by Ambria Ingram

Reynolds Community College prides itself on being the college “Where Outstanding Careers get started!” According to Cierra Spence, Reynolds is also where, students can continue their education despite hardships.

“You have to be your biggest supporter and it’s not going to be easy going back to school, but everything will work out in the end,” says Reynolds student Cierra Spence. 

Born at Virginia Medical College, Cierra was raised in low-income housing in Fairfield Court in Richmond and graduated from Reynolds with her Practical Nursing Certificate. Her degree helped her obtain jobs as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), where she has served for six years with a healthcare agency. 

Cierra loves working as a CNA and is proud of herself for earning a Practical Nursing Certificate and providing CNA delivery service care, however, she decided she wanted to further her education to advance in her career. 

Cierra recently decided to go back to school again at Reynolds to pursue her Nursing Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree to follow her dreams of becoming a registered nurse. Cierra plans to graduate with her Nursing associate degree in December 2022, and she would love to work as a registered nurse one day in either the NICU, Emergency Room, Psych Nurse Department, or the Kidney and Dialysis Specialist unit. 

“I’m very grateful for my flexible work schedule as I’m able to attend my classes while working as a CNA under her healthcare agency,” says Cierra. “I’m also grateful Reynolds is a convenient drive from my house and the Reynolds tuition rates are affordable. Reynolds feels like home and is the right place for me because Reynolds embraces different cultures and backgrounds from all people.” 

Recently, Cierra received grant money from the G3 program, a tuition assistance program that supports students financially to pursue a high in-demand career. 

“The G3 program was such a big relief for me,” says Cierra. “My family and I do not make a lot money and we get some social services. But, last year, I didn’t work because I had a baby. I really appreciate the funding for me to pay for college because I didn’t know how I was going to pay for college.”

Despite Cierra’s time management challenges of working part-time as a CNA and being a full-time student at Reynolds, she is optimistic that she can improve on those challenges over time by planning out the days and times to study her Nursing materials.

Moreover, Cierra believes that all adult learners can go back to school as well and she shares this advice with others when choosing a school: “Go for it and it’s not going to be easy. But, I do take one day at a time. I do my research before jumping into a school and I find all the resources at the college and ask questions to faculty and professors before I jump into going to a school. If you feel like it’s not the right school for you, it’s probably not. Research your college options first.”

Additionally, Cierra shares her gratitude for Reynolds Community College’s Nursing Program: 

“I’m grateful that I get to experience college. I’m grateful that I got into the Reynolds Nursing program. College is not easy, but I have been grateful that I get this opportunity because there are people who apply for the Nursing program and they do not get in. I’m grateful that I get to continue my education.”

Fun Facts about Cierra: She has two sisters and one brother on her mother’s side, and they are all very close with each other. Cierra is the oldest sibling. Both of Cierra’s parents are living. She is her mother and father’s first child. Cierra likes to go out for lunch, play some games, and loves spending time with her kids. She likes reading books, walking outside on sunny days, spending time with her family, and watching Tik Toks videos while on school breaks. 

Employee Profile

Dvora Courtland
Senior Research Analyst
Office of Institutional Effectiveness

Where did you grow up, and what was it like?

My family moved to Goochland when I was very young. My parents were hired to caretake/manage a working cattle farm, as my dad's family had been in farming for generations and my mom was a veterinarian. I grew up there in the old farmhouse, helped with farm chores, and attended the county schools. 

What brought you to Reynolds?

I took my first college class at Reynolds when I was still in high school, before attending VCU. I also completed the ASL program at Reynolds and transferred those credits back to VCU to fulfill my 'foreign' language requirement.  (Note: That was a looong time ago, and I'm very out of practice!)

What were you doing before coming to Reynolds?

I ended up worked for VCU for about 15 years in various roles, including managing a sizeable international student partnership program for the School of Business. After I earned my degree in data analytics, I spent some time doing population forecasting and analyzing member enrollment data for a couple of different state agencies. 

Tell us about your work as a Senior Research Analyst at the college.

It's been a great experience; I enjoy being back with an educational institution and working with the team and leadership to help make our data more accessible for the college.  

Were you always drawn to data and analytics?

Sort of - my first goal had been to be a psychologist/counselor, and I thought that field was going teach me the mysteries of human behavior. What I learned instead is that it is very difficult to reliably predict/understand individual behavior, but that we CAN somewhat reliably predict behaviors when you look at larger groups or population level trends. That is what led me into data and analytics. 

Also it turns out that I'm a rather shy introvert, and maybe spending all day talking to people wasn't the best career choice. I don't know why I didn't notice that earlier, maybe because I grew up talking mostly to the cows on that farm.  I'm delighted to report that I can be much more effectively helpful from behind a computer screen!

What is your favorite activity outside of work?

I enjoy creative pursuits including dance, making ceramics/pottery, and hand sewing/embroidered mending.     

What is your favorite book, movie, or TV show?

My family loves The Great Pottery Throwdown, The Great British Sewing Bee, and The Great British Bake Off. They're such good comfort shows - all very upbeat and full of friendly (!) competition. 

If you won $100 million in the lottery, what would you do with the money?

Good grief, who knows.  Maybe I'd move the family to a small farm with a workshop, some chickens, and a goat or two. Or maybe I'd break down and finally get the youngest kid a gaming computer - I hear they cost about that much.  

Recruitment

 Do you know Jessica and Steve?

Every November the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia hosts Virginia College Application Week with the goal of providing a “. . . structured opportunity and support for underresourced Virginia high schools to assist seniors in applying to at least on postsecondary institution.” 

Jessica and Steve – that is Student Outreach and Recruitment Specialists Jessica Anderson and Steve Vehorn - have come up with their own twist on this special recruitment event called the Reynolds Application Drive. This drive is perhaps the most successful tool they have in their robust bag of recruitment hardware.

From November until March 1 when the Reynolds Scholarship Application closes, Jessica and Steve’s goal is to bring the Reynolds Application Drive to every high school in the college’s service area, as well as prospective adult learners. The “Drive”, Jessica says, “includes a workshop – in person and virtually, essentially a brief presentation – one hour max, then we walk the students through the college’s application and scholarship process. They are “accepted” on the spot, which they get a kick out of, and then we all celebrate together.” 15 to 20 students generally attend each drive event.

Getting the word out about these events, as with all outreach to students, is the key to success. To reach students, Jessica and Steve rely on every means of communication short of carrier pigeon. They host virtual information sessions, open houses, and tours, in person tours when possible, text and email campaigns, social media, and flyers distributed to schools, libraries, local businesses and organizations.

Faculty and staff can help Jessica and Steve in their outreach. “If you meet a prospective student,” Jessica says, “please let them know we are here for them. We will walk students through the entire process, answer their questions, and get them the help they need to get started. We have an online form that comes directly to us, so any person interested gets our attention right away.”

Here is the link to the Recruitment online form. Please share this link with any prospective student. Who knows? The next Reynolds grad may be the person you referred to Jessica and Steve! 

Advising

Model or Mindset? 

A coordinated care approach to advising 

Recent studies have established that students are more likely to succeed when they meet with advisors.*

Revision? It's more than that.

Change? Yes, but it's more than that, too.

A 360-degree turn? Yes, that's about it. 

While Reynolds "new" advising model was officially launched last October during Advising Month, its vision had been percolating in the minds of Bernadette Battle and her Advising team for almost two years. That's when "Bern" arrived on campus as Associate Dean of Advising Services.

But, to call the model "new" and a "model" doesn't adequately tell the story. "New" is true; the transition is still in "proposal" stage - yet its changes are already evident. It's a "Model" in that it's a formulation of thought, yet it's greater than just a collection of ideas. What is happening in Advising is more of a 360-degree perspective pivot, than simply another model.

It's not enough to simply offer advising. To be effective, advisors need to reach out to students, to be proactive, or as the new Advising Proposal states be "intrusive" in connecting with students. President Pando calls it, being a student's "person". This is advising in its "relational" form, as opposed to its "transactional" form. As Bern says, this is advising that starts with building a relationship. And it is a model that relies on two essential "T" elements: Teamwork and Technology.

"We're like Verizon," Bern says, "we are a  full service network of coordinated care for our students. We work as a team to reach out continuously, and creatively to keep students moving forward and on track. We keep watch so we know when they are struggling. We reach out and together we are there to help our students get to the finish line. 24/7."

"Connections and collaboration are key," says Master Advisor Coordinator, and Professor of Health and Physical Education, Dr. Robin Shepherd, "the silos are coming down. We are working together as a network. This is one of the major differences in what we are doing now. It's a culture shift."

Like every network these days, the success of advising relies heavily on technology. In addition to social media, email (less effective with students), text messages, and phone calls, advisors reach out via Navigate. Navigate has been available to the college for about four years, but its use has been akin to driving a Ferrari like a minivan. In the hands of the current advising team these programs are being driven in the ways they were intended, to connect with, and help students daily, and hourly if needed, and to reach students where they are.

Another extremely critical element of this model is moving students from their initial advisor to their faculty advisor. Since the relationship aspect is so personal, that handoff to a new "person" must be handled smoothly. Because the silos are coming down, and all areas are working together for the common goal of each student's success, this should be a seamless transition. Again, the flexibility of the model is key. If that transition isn't working, faculty and staff come together to figure out what steps to take next.

While phased implementation is in progress, this shift in mindset is already evident in the spirit of the Advisors and those who work with them. How could they resist the energy and enthusiasm of their staunchest advocate and leader, Bern Battle? Student surveys are positive, and the numbers of students seeking advising is on the rise. All good, and strong indicators of success. Stay tuned. There will be more to come about this exciting change at the college from Advising Services and our Master Advisors!

Read the Advising Proposal here. 

*EAB Blog Post, Who could benefit the most from more advising? by Kiersten Chuc and Ed Venit, April 21, 2021

Employee Profile

Stacie Davis - Academic Dean, School of Business & Industrial Trades

Where did you grow up and what was it like? 

Henrico County – exactly how it is now! Welcome to the consistency of Virginia!

What were you doing before coming to Reynolds? 

Sports marketing career before becoming a career switcher in education. I spent the last 12 years in Henrico County Public School as a CTE and business teacher, assistant principal, and coordinator for special projects like community support initiatives, wellness programs, and affinity groups for black stakeholders.

Tell us about your work here at the college. 
What is a typical day like for you? 

I’ve been here approximately four months and learned that there’s no such thing as a typical day but I enjoy supporting my faculty and staff.

What are your greatest challenges in your work? Greatest rewards? 

Challenges - Learning “the norm” in a constantly changing, and abnormal environment. Rewards – when I finally understand a process completely and creating new opportunities for programs and students.

Your energy level is incredible. What fuels you? 

Why, thank you! Life is a gift, joy is choice, and they’re both precious. There are only 24 hours in a day and everyone doesn’t get them or get the opportunity to do what I do with them. I’m honored by that and am careful to use time and people, the most scarce and valuable resources, to the best of my ability. Whatever’s wrong will be over soon and there’s nothing outside of family that’s that serious.

What do you like to do when you aren’t working? 

Relax at home and have fun with my kids!

What is your favorite book, movie, or TV series, and why? 

The Color Purple

If you won $100 million in the lottery what would you do with the money? 

Pay all of my family’s debt, invest more, continue to build generational wealth, and offer scholarships and opportunities for single parents and high school students interested in CTE careers.