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2008 SESSION

084849644
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 418
Offered February 18, 2008
Commending Tidewater Community College on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.
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Patrons-- Miller, P.J., Alexander, Bouchard, Cosgrove, Howell, A.T., Iaquinto, Joannou, Jones, S.C., Lewis, Mathieson, Melvin, Purkey, Spruill, Suit and Tata
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WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College (TCC), the largest provider of higher education and workforce development programs in Hampton Roads, celebrates its 40th anniversary of outstanding service to the Cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach; and

WHEREAS, since its humble beginnings on the site of the former World War I Pig Point Ordnance Depot, Tidewater Community College has responded to the needs of its students as a dynamic institution offering accessible, affordable, and quality education, and in its 40th academic year will serve more than 40,000 students, offering over 150 quality academic programs; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College was founded in 1968; the Beazley Foundation, on behalf of Fred W. Beazley, generously gifted to the Commonwealth more than 700 acres of land and improvements and $1 million for the purpose of establishing a community college in the Tidewater region; and

WHEREAS, in the fall of 1968, Tidewater Community College opened its doors at the Frederick Campus as Region 22 Community College with an enrollment of 619 students; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College has grown and expanded to include four fully comprehensive campuses across South Hampton Roads—regional centers for the Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Advanced Technology, and a Regional Automotive Center opening in 2008; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College has an exemplary faculty and staff that are committed to offering students the personal attention and learning experience that community colleges can provide; increasing numbers of high school graduates are choosing to begin their path to a bachelor’s degree at Tidewater Community College, and nearly half of all South Hampton Roads residents attending college in 2007 chose TCC; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College offers guaranteed admissions programs at every Virginia public four-year college or university, including unique programs with The College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia (UVA), the latter affording the opportunity to earn a UVA bachelor’s degree without ever leaving the TCC campus; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College served more than 800 employers in academic year 2006 - 2007, enrolling 14,000 employees in customized training and open enrollment courses, providing workforce development services that are essential to maintaining a globally competitive workforce; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College offers numerous career and technical programs in employment sectors such as nursing and other health professions, truck driving, maritime logistics and ship repair, and modeling and simulation; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College has established strong relationships with the United States Armed Forces, including the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, contributing directly to the readiness of the nation’s defense forces and offering both Navy and Army ROTC programs; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College employs nearly 2,500 full-time and part-time faculty and staff and has an annual economic impact on South Hampton Roads of more than $300 million, returning $3.54 for every public dollar invested; more than 100,000 alumni live and work in Virginia, contributing to the state’s economic vitality; and

WHEREAS, Tidewater Community College has a rich history and has changed considerably since 1968, and it continues to grow and expand, enriching the lives of its students and benefiting the South Hampton Roads region and the Commonwealth through its excellent teaching and innovative programs of study; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate Tidewater Community College on the occasion of its 40th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Deborah M. DiCroce, the president of Tidewater Community College, as an expression of the General Assembly’s gratitude for the college’s commitment to higher education and longtime service to the citizens of the Commonwealth.