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2020 SESSION

20108912D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 160
Offered March 3, 2020
Commending Richard Bland College.
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Patrons-- Brewer and Aird
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WHEREAS, in 1960, Richard Bland College, a junior college and branch of The College of William & Mary serving Southside Virginia, was established south of Petersburg on the site of the former Petersburg Training School and Hospital, which was previously the Seward farm; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bland College has benefited from the outstanding leadership of its presidents, Colonel James Carson (1961–1973), Dr. Cornelis Laban (acting president 1973–1975), Dr. Clarence Maze (1975–1996), Dr. James McNeer (1996–2012), and Dr. Debbie Sydow, the first woman to be appointed president, from 2012 to the present; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bland College offers rigorous academic programs and university parallel courses for two-year degrees with seamless transfer to public and private four-year institutions of higher education; and

WHEREAS, throughout its history, Richard Bland College has grown and expanded, with residence halls opening in 2008, allowing students from around the Commonwealth and across the globe to live and learn on campus and thrive together in a lively, diverse community; and

WHEREAS, intercollegiate athletics has enhanced life on campus since its reinstatement in 2013; as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association, Richard Bland College has won national and regional championships in basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball; and

WHEREAS, Richard Bland College values and supports the surrounding region and hosts numerous corporate and community events on campus, including a signature Pecan Festival on the grounds of the oldest and largest pecan grove in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Richard Bland College hereby be commended on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. Debbie Sydow, president of Richard Bland College, as an expression of the House of Delegates’ admiration for the institution’s commitment to supporting its students, higher education, workforce readiness, economic development, good citizenship, and service to the Commonwealth.