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The Faces of GermannaThe 70-year-old Turner, a licensedprofessional counselor who works withfamilies and children in Warrenton,lived in Culpeper when the collegeopened.“Stay open to the scary things—thethings that make you uncomfortable,”Turner told “Do that and you will learnhow taking risks and overcoming fearscan help you grow and change.”Growth Results in Fall &Spring CommencementsAt Germanna’s first-ever fallcommencement VCCS ChancellorGlenn DuBois praised the students forcarrying on “without missing a beat”after the earthquake in August closedthe largest FAC academic building. “Inmy book, that’s legendary,” DuBois toldthe crowd of about 1,000 spectators.The commencement speaker KevinJackson, 31, a former Germannastudent who is Director of RespiratoryCare and Pediatric Pulmonary Servicesat Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital inRichmond, told a story of resiliencereinforced by Germanna.He was 8, when he was adopted byfoster parents and the emotional impactcaused him to grow up feeling lost andlonely and without a sense of direction,“and as a result, I never applied myselfacademically to my fullest potential. Itwas at the age of 18 when I told myself,‘Don’t let a situation that I couldn’tcontrol in my past, be an excuse forcircumstances that I’m in today.’”He graduated from Caroline HighSchool in 1999 and he said thingsbegan turning around for him when heenrolled at Germanna.“I began to get motivated about life,and particularly academics,” he said.Jackson is currently working toward aPh.D in public health policy.“Understand success is not somethingyou start, but something you finish,”said Jackson. “So I challenge you alltoday to always get back up and finish.”In May, Germanna’s graduationceremony saw a record 1,030 peopleawarded degrees or certificates.Germanna President David A. Samdecided to have fall and springcommencements, “so that no familymembers and friends of graduateswould be turned away.”SGA President Carla Craft, whotransferred to Virginia Tech, served asthe student commencement speaker, shetold the graduates about the importanceof determination and resilience. Sheunderstood “they’d all made sacrifices,often working more than one job, thenstudying until the wee hours of themorning.”Craft said that kind of determinationwill serve them well in life. “Alwaysstrive to be the best that you can be anddo the best job that you can do,” Craftconcluded.Don’t be afraid to take chances in life,Spring 2012 commencement speakerBeth Turner, a member of Germanna’sfirst class in 1970, told the 548 studentsto receive 950 associate degrees orcertificates.Dr. Sam told them they’d alreadyproven their mettle by continuing theireducation despite August’s earthquake.Germanna Community College 2011-2012 Annual Report to the Community“I am the poster child for the differencecommunity colleges can make in aperson’s life,” Turner said.“I was a newly divorced mother of twochildren and I wanted a career. And Ineeded a way to work, live at home andgo to college”. “So Germanna came justin time for me, because its first campusat Locust Grove was close to Culpeperand the tuition was low”.She said she went from seeming tohave hit a dead end and having doubtsshe could give her children the life shewanted to taking scary step after scarystep, leading to a master’s degree anda career she loves. And she said theconfidence that propelled her along theroad to that fulfilling future began atGermanna.Student speaker Morgen Jones hadalready followed Turner’s advice. TheOrange County resident started collegeat Germanna at 13 because, “I wantedto be challenged.” She did it as aJoint Enrollment student being homeschooled and taking GCC classes. Shegraduated as the president of GCC’sSGA and a member of two honorsocieties at age 17. This spring she alsobecame the first community collegestudent ever selected for an intensiveVirginia Commonwealth Universitypolitical science program at the statelegislature. She plans to transfer to VCUand says her ultimate goal is to make adifference through politics.5

The Faces of GermannaHomeless to HopefulGCC’s students Brian and KimberlieMorris were living in their car, wondering how they were going to find theirway out of a seemingly bottomless pitof despair. “Seven or eight years ago, myhusband and I were actually homeless,”Kimberlie said.Her Own ‘Mystery Diagnosis’Starts Germanna Student onPath to Patient AdvocacyAfter beating a mysterious disease thathad been repeatedly misdiagnosed,2012 Germanna graduate ChanelleFelder transferred to James MadisonUniversity on a mission to help othersdo the same as a patient advocate.She was a Mountain View High studentwhen she gained 40 pounds. Chanellekept track of her “weird symptoms,”which varied from physical problems,such as numbness in her hands and feetand weight gain to emotional issues,including crying uncontrollably andfeeling panicked.Doctors were baffled for eight monthsbefore she took matters into her ownhands, did some research and toldher physicians she believed she hadCushing’s disease, a rare condition thataffects 10 to 15 of every million people.After, she “Googled” the disease. “I wasconvinced this had to be it. So I printedout a bunch of information and tookit to my doctors, ‘So, I probably havea brain tumor – want to give me anMRI?’ ” It was benign.She said being able to start college athome while she continued her recoverywas key. She was a top student at GCC.Now she feels she’s ready for anything.“I’m very proud of her,” said JudiJohnson-Bartlett, Germanna’s StaffordCenter coordinator. “Her determinationis inspiring.”6CHS Students Earn Degreesat GermannaShelbie Hill, 17-year-old salutatorianof the CHS class of 2012, and TrevorPenkwitz, 18-year-old senior class vicepresident earned associate degrees inapplied sciences by taking advantageof their high school’s dual enrollmentprogram. The dual enrollment programallows students the opportunity to earnan associate degree and high schooldiploma in tandem. At college, they canfocus more on their major instead ofcourses required for freshmen.Hill plans to attend Liberty Universityto pursue a nursing degree as a nursepractitioner and later get a master’s degree. Penkwitz wants to earn a master’sdegree in political science at VirginiaTech. after earning an undergraduatedegree.Both students participated in the Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School for threeyears. They earned dual credits fromRappahannock Community Collegebut later transferred to Germanna tocomplete their degrees.Dual Enrollment is offered in 17 highschools and 5 Commonwealth Governor School sites. Most schools offer amix of college courses. The ProfessionalStudies/Career and Technical Education offer students a variety of courses.These courses offer students a directpathway into a career, while encouraging them to continue education andtraining beyond high school.Kimberlie was on the President’s List in2012 and was inducted into the college’schapter of the Phi Theta Kappa international honorary society.“She actually inspired me to go back toschool,” her husband Brian said. “To gofrom living in our car to this.”The Morrises said things turned aroundwhen someone was willing to rent theman apartment and allowed them to paythe deposit over time. Brian found a joband they were on their way.Because someone gave them a chance,she said, “It’s been a complete, 360degree turnaround. We didn’t want ahandout, we wanted a hand up. If wecan do that for someone else, fantastic.”Kimberlie applied to Germanna, withsupport from the GCC EducationalFoundation. “I thought, life starts over,”she said. “Now my Dad is able to say”,“You went beyond what I thought youcould accomplish.”“Every time I go to class, I’m early,”Kimberlie said. “Every time I sit downin my chair in class, I appreciate myprofessor’s time. I think I respect itmore, having not gone directly fromhigh school to college.”“Now I’m a college student my fathercan brag about.”-Caroline ProgressGermanna Community College 2011-2012 Annual Report to the Community

Germanna Helps War HeroBeat PTSD and Fulfill Dream2011-12 Terry O’Banion Leaguefor Innovation ChampionDaniel Rodriguez’ fight was far fromover after tours of duty in Iraq andAfghanistan that saw him wounded anddecorated for valor.Germanna student John W. Tyler ofStafford County was one of two national 2011-2012 Terry O’Banion Leaguefor Innovation in the Community College Student Technology Champions.He was a football star at Brooke PointHigh School, but he was too small for afootball scholarship. His father suffered aheart attack and passed away after Danielgraduated. He felt he couldn’t affordcollege, so he enlisted in the Army.In Afghanistan, when his unit of 60men came under attack by 300 Taliban,Daniel was shot in the shoulder andtook shrapnel in both legs. He returnedhome with PTSD and night terrors.Using the G.I. Bill, he attendedGermanna, and he credits GCC withhelping him decompress.In July 2012, USA Today featuredDaniel in a story about the way theArmy has changed its approach todealing with mental illness due to thehigh suicide rate among active dutysoldiers and veterans.“It was tough for me to go tocounseling,” he told USA Today’s GailSheehy. “But as I opened up more andmore, it helped me to get my feelingsout and understand it’s OK to talkabout it to other people, my friends, mymom — don’t bottle it up.”Tyler was recognized for his pursuit ofexcellence in technological innovationand courage in the face of adversity inpart for creating the FredericksburgChamber of Commerce WorkforceNOW Web site that helps match up theunemployed with training and jobs.He excelled at Germanna in spite ofhardships that included battling cancer.“The struggle has been monumentalwhile going through treatments,”Tyler said. “If not for the faculty andinstructors, especially Gerald Millerand Anita Sutton, my accomplishmentsthrough Germanna may never havebeen possible. Germanna is aninstitution that cares about people, andemploys some of the brightest and mostcaring people I have ever met. There area lot of people who deserve recognition,including the faculty. There are manypeople going through hardships thatchoose to fight every day, such as singlemothers struggling to make a better life,students with disabilities, students withmedical issues and depression, and othercancer patients. At Germanna, anyoneis welcome and can have an opportunityto change their stars.”He earned a degree in InformationSystems Technology – Networking, andalso a certificate in E-commerce. He wasa member of Phi Theta Kappa, Psi Beta,and the SGA.“John’s spirit and ability to overcomeadversity are best demonstrated by theway he has handled difficulties he hasfaced his personal life,” GCC AssociateProf. Anita Sutton said. “He pushedhimself beyond what I asked.”In 2011, a YouTube video showingDaniel working out and runningpass routes caught the attention of anumber of major college coaches, he hastransferred to Clemson University.“My time at Germanna has beenincredible,” he said. “In a nutshell, Imade the transition from combat toclassroom. Germanna really made mefeel at home. There’s been nothing butsupport. It’s been awesome. I love it.”Germanna Community College 2011-2012 Annual Report to the Community7

The Faces of GermannaMiddle CollegeMiddle College is a college transitionalprogram that serves 18-24 year oldswho do not hold a high school diploma.The program offers its participants theopportunity to earn a GED, collegecredit and a Career Readiness Certificate simultaneously. At the end ofthe program, transitional services intopost-secondary education are initiated.The program is offered free to thosewho qualify.Middle College enjoyed a successfulyear in 2010-2011. eighty-one percentof our enrolled students earned a GEDand eighty-six percent earned a CareerReadiness Certificate. Middle Collegesaw an increase in postsecondaryenrollment from 2009-10 to 2010-11,the rate went from thirty-two percent toforty-one percent respectively.In 2011, Middle College also receiveda grant to enhance the program byadding an internship pilot program.Middle College graduates who meetthe criteria are matched with areaemployers for career exploration andjob skills development. The internshipprogram will help students develop anunderstanding of the local workforceneeds and help them develop thesoft skills necessary to thrive in theworkplace.Phi Theta Kappa 2011Nota Bene Authors/LiteraryScholarship WinnerNancy Thaler, of Germanna, wasselected as a winner of a 2011 Nota Benescholarship for her short story, JonasRun, which was selected for publication.Literary works from 16 Phi ThetaKappa members have been chosenfrom 950 entries for publication inthe 2011 edition of Nota Bene, theSociety’s honors anthology. (Nota Benewas founded in 1994 to showcaseexceptional writing among communitycollege students.)Early College at Caroline HSThe Early College Program at CarolineHS is a pilot initiative that began inSpring 2012 at Caroline HS. EarlyCollege students will complete anAssociates of Arts and Science degreewhile they are still in high school. Thecourses are carefully laid out so thatstudents are easing into this program,taking Student Development andPhysical Education/Yoga in spring oftheir first year. The second year includesfoundational courses such as Principlesof Public Speaking and a ComputerCompetency course, that will also helpstudents throughout the program.Early College students will complete theremaining coursework throughout theirjunior and senior year of high school.GCC is also working to developopportunities for students to completeCareer Studies Certificates while inhigh school. Our secondary schoolshave a wealth of CTE Dual Enrollmentofferings that set the groundwork forEarly College completion.8Germanna Community College 2011-2012 Annual Report to the Community

Medical Office AssistantProgramThe Center for Workforce andCommunity Education now offers aMedical Office Assistant course forstudents interested in a career in healthcare. Students will learn administrativesupport skills such as patientscheduling, medical billing and coding,and legal issues in health care. Lab andclinical skills instruction will includeexam room preparation, patient history,and vital signs. Development of thisprogram is in response to the local needsshared with us by the Workforce HealthCare Advisory committee. In addition,the Bureau of Labor Statistics predictsthat Medical Office Assistant jobs willgrow “faster than average” over the nextseveral years, and calls job prospects inthis field “excellent.”New Dental Assisting ProgramIn 2012, the Dental Assisting ICertificate Program was launched atGermanna. The program has 2 primaryfaculty members; Bettina Gigliello,RDH, CDA and Dr. Toni MarieCollado. Misty Mesimer serves as theProgram Director. The program is a3-semester commitment with 38 creditcertificate at completion. The DentalAssisting Program will be operating aDental Assisting Training Clinic at theLloyd F. Moss Free Clinic. The programalso consists of externships in privatedental offices. Students will graduatein December and will be eligible totake the Dental Assisting NationalBoard Examination and then use thecredentials of Certified Dental Assistant,CDA. With these credentials, graduatescan contribute to higher quality healthcare as well as go on to training inadditional delegable dental procedures.The program anticipates doublingenrollment in 2013.Career CampRising eighth-graders learned aboutpotential health care careers and otherjobs during four-day Career Campsat Germanna. Special thanks to MaryWashington Health Care and CulpeperRegional Hospital for graciouslyspending time opening young students’eyes to possibilities in life. Accordingto Canice Graziano, highlights of thecamps included: Students exploringwhat interests and motivates them byusing the Virginia Education Wizard.Labs exposed students to careers inhealth care, horticulture, engineeringtechnology, and criminal justice/forensics. Students entering 8th gradehad the opportunity to learn aboutthemselves and how their interests relateto careers. Activities and materials weredesigned to start students thinkingabout what they want to do in lifeand the high school courses that canhelp them get ready for college andthe future career of their choice. Fieldtrips to Mary Washington Health Care,Culpeper Regional Hospital, Powell’sgym and Gold’s Gym gave students achance to see various career options,close up and hands-on. Presentationswere held on the last day to givestudents an opportunity to tell theirfamilies what they learned during thecamps.Germanna Community College 2011-2012 Annual Report to the CommunityFederal Direct Student LoanProgram Now OfferedGermanna now offers Federal DirectStafford Loans. Federal DirectStafford Loans are offered through theDepartment of Education and are beingoffered as a responsible alternative toprivate borrowing.Direct loans are intended to help ourstudents and their families offset therising cost of college tuition. Currently,Germanna offers several types offinancial aid to our students including:grants, scholarships, work studyprograms, and private student loans.We are excited to offer Federal DirectStafford loans as well for those studentswho need additional financial aid tomeet their educational expenses.9

The Faces of GermannaGermanna Recognized as BeingOne of Top Colleges in use ofDigital TechnologyGermanna was recognized as one ofeRepublic’s Center for Digital Education and Converge Online winners inthe 7th annual Digital CommunityColleges Survey. The survey documentsadvances made by community collegesin utilizing information technology andrecognizes which colleges are providinga high level of service as a result.The survey looked at technologyintegration into college curriculumand campus life, documenting use ofonline admissions processes, distanceeducation, technology training, campussecurity alerts, use of Web 2.0 socialand collaborative capabilities and onlinetutoring and advisory service and use ofmobile devices.“We pride ourselves on staying on thecutting edge of educational technology,”GCC President David A. Sam said. “Wemust do so in order to better serve ourstudents’ communities. Further, as ourenrollment continues to grow and ourresources shrink, technology can helpus be more efficient in the use of thoseresources.”“Our stellar Distance Learning program, and our increasingly technologyadept faculty and staff were able to serveour students with minimal disruptioneven after the loss of one-third of ourclassrooms. We accommodated a moveof 4,400 students and 321 classes madenecessary by quake damage to one ofour buildings. It was a test of our abilityto use technology by increasing thenumber of online and hybrid classes ina matter of days, by allowing studentsto change classes online and by keepingstudents informed via text messages andsocial media. I’m proud to say Germanna passed that test.”10Chancellor’s Awards for Workforce Development and TrainingTop Overall AchievementAward for Officer AndersonEach year, the VCCS’s WorkforceDevelopment Services office recognizesoutstanding contributions made byworkforce development instructors,trainers, and staff.Germanna Police Officer ChristopherR. Anderson was awarded the TopOverall Achievement Award and TopSkills Achievement Award for his classat the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy during a graduation ceremony in May 2012.The Chancellor’s Award provides theVCCS an opportunity to thank thosethat are on the ground delivering theseservices. Recipients are nominated infour categories of service: EmployerServices, Occupation-SpecificInstruction and Services, Career Paths,and Community Services.This year’s awardees from Germannaare Letty Guzman, Jack Heric,Tim Walker, and Dean Rowe.Letty Guzman was recognized fordeveloping and instructing verysuccessful classes in governmentcontracting, applying for federal jobs,and business communication. JackHeric was recognized for excellencein coordinating the WorkforceMotorcycle program.

Practical Nursing - EVHS 15 Career Studies Certiicate 2102 2010-2011 Demographics Female 6513 . at Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital in Richmond, told a story of resilience reinforced by Germanna. . School in 1999 and he said things began turning around for him when he