John Tyler Community Collage Celebration
 
Classes Begin August 21, 2017

Fifty years ago ( Fall 1967)  the first students took their seats at JTCC
as classes begin.  The Virginia General Assembly established
the Virginia Community Colleges System (VCCS) in the 1966 session,
financed by the state's first year ever sales tax.  Two collages then
opened in the fall of 1967,  serving 7,500 students.

The students who attended those early years has since
completed their career goals, lived and served in the community
and for the most part are now retired.   The grades they earned
and the degree or certificate they received have long been a record
of achievement for each student.

But what grade would they give the VCCS if it were possible?

One student shares his testimony.

Alumni Testimony
"I would give the VCCS a grade of excellence" says Alumni 
student of JTCC Curtis Anderson.   Shortly after completing his
AAS degree,  Curtis entered the workforce. Several years later
he returned to the campus and competed several evening courses
before transferring to Virginia State University for his BS degree.
Curtis later was hired at both schools and introduced the first
computer classes at both schools as part of the adjacent faculty
continuing  ed and engineering program.

 Years later he served on the JTCC advisory board working with
administrators and local industries to keep the curricular meaningful,
all the while locally employed full-time in his trained field of study.

"I can not say enough about the value of education I received and
highly recommend anyone to consider the many programs offered."

Teaching Classes in Mainland China 1984 while Teaching at JTCC and VSU

I toured the campus of JTCC on August 21, 2017
to reflect on the fond memories and experiences gained
through the VCCS.  Yes, I had with me my slide rule.
Things have changed so much in the last fifty years,
including myself.
 

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