Shawn Nowlin shawn.nowlin@ourvalley.org
Kenneth Belton recently joined the Board of Directors of the Virginia Western Community College Educational Foundation. Belton, the owner of Your Church Partner, LLC., is a Roanoke College alumnus and notable figure in the school’s illustrious basketball program. He and his teammates led RC to the NCAA Division Tournament in the early 1980s.
The Educational Foundation Board of Directors regularly looks to invite new members who have demonstrated an interest in supporting higher education with a strong record of community engagement. Heywood Fralin, the Nominating Committee Chair, became acquainted with Belton and thought he would be a wonderful addition to the Board, based on his longtime service in the community.
“All of my fellow Board members essentially become ambassadors for Virginia Western and can speak about the impact we make in the lives of our students,” Fralin said. “We offer ideas, based on their significant life experience, about how to connect with students and ensure that we are meeting the needs of employers.”
Virginia Western is often cited throughout the Roanoke Valley as an asset by economic development leaders who are trying to recruit new companies.
“That’s because we see our role as training the workforce and quickly adapting to what employers need. We can shift and refocus an academic degree program or start up a new short-term certification program, with a relatively quick turnaround,” Belton said.
Part of the Virginia Community College System, Va. Western was established in 1966. In addition to offering 23 associate degree programs, the school also has approximately 70 different specified programs that fall under the categories of Associate of Science, Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science and Career Studies. Many of the degrees are used as stepping-stones to numerous four-year universities across the Commonwealth.
“From its founding, Virginia Western was about equity and providing a college-level education for all. We hold that mission close today. Equity remains a pillar of our strategic plan. We are proud to point to our graduates, who help propel the Roanoke Region’s growth. This is especially important in health care and manufacturing, which are the top employers of our students,” Coordinator of Development Carole Tarrant said. “Our current students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but Virginia Western’s strength is serving them all and helping them achieve their dreams of meaningful employment.”
Belton says he’s looking forward to spreading Virginia Western’s message throughout the Roanoke Valley community and beyond.