As Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) prepares to welcome our students back to campus for the fall semester, we are pleased to share a year-end report highlighting the achievements of the 2025–2026 academic year—one of the most distinguished and impactful years in our institution’s history.
This year, P&HCC continued to strengthen its position as a national leader in student success, workforce development, and community impact. We were honored to be named a Top 200 College, a Top 25 Semi-Finalist College, and a Top 10 Finalist by the Aspen Institute Community College Excellence Program. Notably, P&HCC is the first community college in Virginia to receive this recognition. Additionally, P&HCC became the first community college in the nation to be certified as a Gold-Level Caring Campus, a testament to our unwavering commitment to belonging, connection, and student-centered excellence.
The college secured significant external funding to expand programs, strengthen student support, and enhance campus infrastructure. This included $1.95 million from the U.S. Department of Education for a five-year Student Support Services grant, $1.34 million from the GO Virginia State Board to advance industrial skilled trades across Region 3, and $242,187 for the Construction Pre-Hire Immersion Training Program to equip our Industrial Skilled Trades Academy. We also received $225,000 for the College Success Coach Initiative, $115,000 in RSVP funds, and multiple grants from SCHEV totaling nearly $30,000 to support middle school campus visits and the Patriot Pantry.
Our commitment to regional economic mobility and workforce development continued to deepen. P&HCC expanded its leadership in justice-impacted education by signing an MOU with the Martinsville Sheriff’s Department and receiving $50,000 from an anonymous donor to strengthen this work. We also received $47,149 and $10,000 in state funding to enhance campus safety through upgraded surveillance systems.
This year also marked the launch of the Patrick Promise, a transformative partnership with the Patrick County Education Foundation that will expand educational opportunity for generations of students. The college also celebrated major philanthropic investments, including a $224,169 gift from the D. Victor Williams Trust for healthcare scholarships and expansions.
Our academic and workforce programs continued to excel. P&HCC expanded its FESTO industrial certifications and is now one of only seven colleges in the nation to offer Level 3 certification—and the only institution to issue a Level 3 certification to date. Our healthcare programs also achieved extraordinary outcomes: both the PN and RN May 2025 cohorts earned 100% first-time NCLEX pass rates, the December 2025 RN class achieved a 100% pass rate, and the 2026 Paramedic cohort earned a 100% pass rate on the National Registry exam.
We were also proud to earn the Bee Campus USA designation, reflecting our commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.
As always, the highlight of our year was celebrating our graduates. For academic year 2025–2026, 475 unduplicated graduates earned 732 academic credentials, with 241 students participating in our May 15 commencement ceremony. Each credential represents a life changed, a family strengthened, and a community made more vibrant through education.
For 63 years, Patrick & Henry Community College has served as this region’s college. Today, our mission of economic mobility is more urgent—and more impactful—than ever. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing high-quality education and training that prepares our students to thrive as employees, entrepreneurs, and leaders. The economic resurgence of our region is real, and P&HCC is proud to be a driving force behind this momentum.
It continues to be the honor of my life to serve as the president of Patrick & Henry Community College.
