Graduation, Retention, Placement Rates

To expand its capacity and provide greater economic opportunity so that, by 2009, the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) will rank in the top ten percent in the nation with respect to graduation rates, retention and job placement.

Some happy LFCC graduates

The College awarded $2,529,983.25 in total financial aid to 1,295 unduplicated students. These numbers represent a 3.26-percent increase in the dollar amount of awards over the previous year and a 7-percent increase in the number of students served over the 2005-06 year. These financial aid figures include scholarship awards.
The College made it easier for students to understand the power of their potential as it enhanced its student learning resources and services by creating a Student Learning Center at the Middletown Campus. The center offers learning lab assistance in math, writing, English as a Second Language (ESL) and foreign languages, as well as individual and group tutoring. Between August 2006 and May 2007, the learning lab was used for 468 hours, and 523.5 hours of tutoring occurred through the Tutor Connection program.
Nursing students received a boost when Donna Abel filled a nursing retention specialist position at the Fauquier Campus in April 2007. The specialist position was created to provide support to students at risk of not finishing the program’s work. Abel’s services include remediation for testing, counseling on study skills, time management, life-school balance and identification of assistance for students with academic and financial needs.
The LFCC Middletown Campus chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa international honor society for two-year colleges was named as one of the society’s top 100 chapters in the nation. The Middletown Campus chapter was also awarded the Leadership Hallmark at the International Convention and named Most Outstanding Chapter in the Virginia-West Virginia region.
The LFCC Educational Foundation Inc. awarded five mini-grants in support of student engagement. These included:
1. A grant for the development of a Web-based course called SDV 101: Orientation to Education. The course allows LFCC students pursuing a degree in education to learn about the personal characteristics required for their degree program. The course also aids in advising students about requirements for degree completion, transfer options and licensure regulations.
2. A grant funding a meeting entitled “Students at Risk: A Summit Meeting on Keeping Immigrant Students in School.” This event provided school administrators throughout the LFCC service region with an opportunity to explore innovative programs and partnerships benefiting immigrant students aged 14-18 who speak limited English, lack literacy development and have inconsistent formal education in their first language. Participants developed initiatives to increase secondary graduation and retention rates of immigrant students, encourage postsecondary study among immigrant students and ensure immigrant students follow their career pathways for workforce success.
3. A grant funding the development of expertise in the new 3-D architectural drawing program to be used in the Engineering Technology Program. This software helps keep students’ knowledge and skills current in the computer-aided drafting industry (CAD), which has a pressing need for skilled workers. This program will help decrease this gap by ensuring that businesses in the field have access to a source of productive, competent and qualified employees.