Manassas Journal Messenger | COMMUNITY COLLEGES

 

Virginia’s community colleges play a major role in educating and training residents across the commonwealth.

With 23 colleges on 40 campuses throughout the state, the community college system is a gateway for students who plan to pursue a baccalaureate or advanced degree, as well as for those in the work force striving for additional training or new skills.

More than 233,565 students took at least one credit course during the 2005-06 academic year. Each year, more than 60 percent of undergraduate students across Virginia who attend public institutions in the state are enrolled in a community college.

The current tuition for in-state students is $72.50 per credit hour, plus a system-wide $3.15-per-credit-hour technology fee. For a student taking 15 credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters, that totals $ 2,269.50 for the academic year.

For out-of-state students, who comprise roughly 6 percent of the system’s enrollment, tuition is $235.35 per credit hour, plus the $3.15-per-credit-hour technology fee and a $2.20-per-credit-hour capital fee. Yearly, that comes to $7,221.

Many community colleges offer area high school students the opportunity to earn college credit through dual enrollment programs. Distance learning programs, including Web-based programs across the state, offer flexible learning options not bound by place or time.

Below are the college locations, the annual enrollment figures (includes any student enrolled in at least one course), telephone numbers and the communities served by each school.

Blue Ridge: Weyers Cave, (540) 234-9261, with 5,424 students. Serves Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro and the counties of Augusta, Highland and Rockingham.

Central Virginia: Lynchburg, (434) 832-7600, with 7,125 students. Serves Lynchburg, Bedford and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell.

Dabney S. Lancaster: Clifton Forge, (540) 863-2800, with 2,063 students. Serves Buena Vista, Clifton Forge, Covington, Lexington and the counties of Alleghany, Bath, Rockbridge and the northern portion of Botetourt.

Danville: Danville, (434) 797-2222, with 6,239 students. Serves Danville, part of South Boston, Pittsylvania County and part of Halifax County.

Eastern Shore: Melfa, (757) 789-1789, with 1,103 students. Serves the counties of Accomack and Northampton.

Germanna: Locust Grove, (540) 423-9030; and Fredericksburg, (540) 891-3000; with 7,000 students. Serves Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Culpeper, Madison, Orange, Spotsylvania, Stafford and part of King George.

J. Sargeant Reynolds: Three campuses in Richmond, Henrico and Goochland, 371-3000; with 17,384 students. Serves Richmond and the counties of Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan and part of Louisa.

John Tyler: Chester, (804) 796-4000, and Midlothian, (804) 594-1400; with 9,561 students. Serves Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex.

Lord Fairfax: Middletown, (800) 906-5322; Warrenton, (540) 351-1505; and Page (Luray), (540) 843-0722; with 7,683 students. Serves Winchester and the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren.

Mountain Empire: Big Stone Gap, (276) 523-2400, with 4,227 students. Serves Norton and the counties of Lee, Scott, Wise and the western portion of Dickenson.

New River: Dublin, (540) 674-3600, with 6,041 students. Serves Radford and the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski.

Northern Virginia: Alexandria, (703) 845-6200; Annandale, (703) 323-3000; Loudoun, (703) 450-2500; Manassas, (703) 257-6600; Springfield Medical Education Center, (703) 822-6699; and Woodbridge, (703) 878-5700; with 59,487 students. Serves Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William.

Patrick Henry: Martinsville, (276) 638-8777, with 4,614 students. Serves Martinsville and the counties of Henry, Patrick and the southern part of Franklin.

Paul D. Camp: Franklin, (757) 569-6700; Suffolk, (757) 925-6300; and the Smithfield Center, (757) 925-6340; with 2,267 students. Serves Franklin, Suffolk (south of state Routes 125 and 337) and the counties of Isle of Wight and Southampton.

Piedmont Virginia: Charlottesville, (434) 977-3900, with 6,239 students. Serves Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Nelson, the northern part of Buckingham and part of Louisa.

Rappahannock: Glenns, (804) 758-6700; and Warsaw, (804) 333-6700; with 3,937 students. Serves the counties of Essex, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Richmond, Westmoreland and parts of King George.

Southside Virginia: Alberta, (434) 949-1000; and Keysville, (434) 736-2000; with 7,825 students. Serves Emporia, part of South Boston and the counties of Brunswick, Charlotte, Cumberland, Greensville, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, Prince Edward and the southern part of Buckingham and the eastern part of Halifax.

Southwest Virginia: Richlands, (276) 964-2555, with 5,902 students. Serves the counties of Buchanan, Russell, Tazewell and part of Dickenson.

Thomas Nelson: Hampton, (757) 825-2700; and Williamsburg, (757) 253-4300; 13,120 students. Serves Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg and the counties of James City and York.

Tidewater: Chesapeake, (757) 822-5100; Norfolk, (757) 822-1111; Portsmouth, (757) 822-2121; and Virginia Beach, (757) 822-7100; with 36,590 students. Serves Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and part of Suffolk (north of state Routes 125 and 337).

Virginia Highlands: Abingdon, (276) 739-2400, with 3,364 students. Serves Bristol, Washington County and western part of Smyth.

Virginia Western: Roanoke, (540) 857-7231, with 12,530 students. Serves Roanoke, Salem and the counties of Craig, Roanoke, the southern part of Botetourt and northern part of Franklin.

Wytheville: Wytheville, (276) 223-4700, with 3,740 students. Serves Galax and the counties of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Wythe and part of Smyth (Marion and eastward).