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Fall 2005Volume 1, Issue 1:�LFCC Newsbriefs: Updates on Teaching and

Learning, Student Success and more!�President’s Message: John J. “Ski” Sygielski

President’s Message John J. “Ski” Sygielski

Thirty-five years ago, a small group of pio-neers began educating and training individu-als and communities within our service

region, awarding 92 degrees, diplomas and certifi-cates at the first graduation ceremony in 1972.Today, Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) isone of the fastest growing community colleges of itssize in the country, addressing the ever-changingeducation and training needs within our diverseservice region and awarding over 650 degrees, diplo-mas and certificates this past spring.

Successfully educating, training and servingour students and communities over the past 35years were and are made possible because of thestrength of its past and current employees, dedica-tion of its board members, determination of its stu-dents, backing of its alumni and support of donors.

In fact, some of our early teaching and studentsupport pioneers—including Frank Borleske,Denise Broy, Linda Bursey, Mike Garrand, WaltMalinowski, Roger Milburn and Nancy Penney—continue to facilitate and support teaching andlearning at the College, inspiring students to realize

their personal and professional goals. Students like:

• Jennifer Davis, a recent natural resources gradu-ate who already held two bachelor’s degrees, is nowstudying wildlife biology and zoology at JamesCook University in Australia.

• Justin Lee McIlwee, the first in his family tograduate from college, is now continuing his studiesat a four-year institution to become a high schoolteacher.

• Lynda Miller, a wife and mother of threewhose husband is currently serving in the militaryin Afghanistan, has fulfilled a dream of becominga nurse.

• Deborah Luth Bedell, a former lawyer with along-time interest in design, who decided to changecareers and completed a kitchen and bath designcareer studies certificate at LFCC.

In an effort to keep you connected to themany exciting initiatives and successes of theCollege, including its successful students, graduates

and employees,we will publish aquarterly newsletterbeginning with thisinaugural issue. Eachsubsequent issue willfeature an employee,student, alumni ordonor profile andnews notes thatbriefly highlight theCollege’s recentaccomplishments.

As always, if you want to learn more abouthow LFCC’s moniker, Your Future. Our Focus.applies to you today, please contact me. Thank youfor your continued support.

John J. “Ski” SygielskiPresidentLord Fairfax Community College

An official publication of Lord Fairfax Community College, Middletown and Fauquier, Virginia � www.lfcc.edu

LFCC NewsbriefsFall 2005Teaching and LearningLFCC is committed to providingprofessional development for allemployees and meeting the needs ofstudents by increasing academicofferings, convenient class locationsand partnerships with business,industry and senior educationalinstitutions.

� This fall, LFCC will expand itsacademic offerings to the resi-dents of Page County with theopening of the Page CountyCenter, an LFCC outreach sitelocated at 320 North HawksbillStreet in Luray. The Luray TownCouncil and the Page CountyBoard of Supervisors each appro-priated $120,000 to construct,equip and offset the costs of theCenter.

� LFCC recently signed aguaranteed admissions agreementwith Longwood University,stating that LFCC graduateswho earn an associate in arts andsciences degree with a cumulativegrade point average of 2.5 orhigher will be guaranteed admis-sion to Longwood, beginningwith the spring 2006 semester.

Student SuccessLFCC is committed to providingstudents with a variety of academic,cultural and wellness activities andservices to enhance their education-al experience at the College.

� LFCC’s Middletown ForensicsTeam placed first at a competi-tion this spring, serving as theonly community college presentat the drama and public speakingcompetition. In addition to theteam award, LFCC studentsbrought home 18 individualawards, including seven for firstplace.

� LFCC’s Alpha Psi Iota Chapterand Alpha Beta Omega Chapterof Phi Theta Kappa both receivedFive-Star Awards, the highestcommendation for the two-yearhonor society, at the Virginiaregion’s annual convention thisspring. Some of the projects thathelped LFCC’s PTK chaptersreceive the Five-Star Awardincluded raising money for cancerresearch and the American

Cancer Society, sending carepackages to U.S. troops stationedin Afghanistan, organizing clean-up days for Adopt-A-Highwayand donating time and money toHabitat for Humanity.

� Three LFCC students werenamed to the Phi Theta Kappa“First Virginia Team,” which wasmade up of 10 top achievers fromVirginia’s 23 community colleges.LFCC students selected for theaward included ChristopherBurrows, a 21-year-oldWarrenton resident; YvonneComeau, a 49-year-old MountJackson resident; and HannahHethcox, a 19-year-oldWarrenton resident.

� LFCC has been awarded acontinuation grant for the TRIOStudent Support ServicesProgram, funded through theU.S. Department of Education.The grant award totals $942,756over the next four years, fromSept. 1, 2005 to Aug. 31, 2009.The goal of the TRIO program isto assist participants in persistingto graduation and/or transfer tosenior institutions. Eligible partic-ipants must demonstrate an aca-demic need and be a first-genera-tion student, low-income studentand/or student with a disability.

� In fall 2005, the Lord FairfaxCannons inaugural men’s andwomen’s soccer season will begin.Coaches include Shaun Broy,coordinator of student activitiesat LFCC and head coach for themen’s team; John Sharples, aphysical education and healthteacher with Loudoun CountyPublic Schools and head coachfor the women’s team; and DavidUrso, a counselor at LFCC andassistant coach for the men’steam.

Partnershipsand OutreachLFCC is committed to meeting thetraining and educational needs ofbusinesses and individuals in thearea.

� The Office of WorkforceServices and ContinuingEducation has been holding

“Staying a Step Ahead” meetingswith companies and organizationsin Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick,Page, Shenandoah and Warrencounties and the City ofWinchester. The goal of themeetings is for LFCC educationalleaders to meet with economicdevelopers, training and humanresource managers, companyowners and educators to discusseach organization’s future needsand how LFCC can be ofassistance.

� In June, the Office ofWorkforce Services andContinuing Education, in con-junction with area sponsors, helda professional development event,“Perseverance in Leadership,” fea-turing baseball legend Cal RipkenJr. and author Willie Jolley. TheSummer Slammer event wasattended by approximately 350participants representing over 150companies and organizations. Inaddition, area schools sent theirbaseball team captains, coaches,and principals to participate inthe event.

� This summer, 12 students willcomplete the Veterinary AssistingProgram offered at LFCC’sFauquier Campus, marking thecompletion of the first year theprogram was offered. Studentsattended six classes to becomeveterinary assistants, a high-needprofession for local animalhospitals.

Resource Developmentand Public RelationsLFCC is committed to keeping thepublic informed about the programsand services available at the Collegeand coordinating fund raising forscholarships, facilities upgrades,additional faculty and programdevelopment.

� Seventy individuals supportedLFCC’s first 5K Scholarship Runheld this spring at the MiddletownCampus, raising a total of $1,275for the President’s Scholarship

Fund. Amongst the runners wasLFCC President John J. “Ski”Sygielski, who came in third.

� LFCC’s EducationalFoundation recently establishedseven new scholarships. Thescholarships will be awarded inthe fall and spring semesters tofull- or part-time students toassist with the cost of tuition andfees. The scholarships are asfollows:

• Horticulture Club Scholarship • Learning Assistance Center

Tutor Scholarship • LFCC Pace Setter Endowed

Scholarship • William H. McCoy Scholarship • John E. Owens Sr.

Memorial Scholarship• Shenandoah County

Scholarship• Woodstock Rotary Club Marlin

P. Krouse Scholarship

� The College is taking severalsteps to reconnect with alumni,including updating contact infor-mation for almost 8,000 alumni,planning a reunion event to beheld this or next academic yearand developing an alumni sectionon the new LFCC Web site (todebut in 2006). In addition,LFCC is establishing an alumniadvisory council made up of adiverse group of alumni. Thegroup will meet no more thanfour times a year and develop thestrategies the College will employto reconnect with alumni.

� LFCC alumni, current LFCCemployees and LFCC retirees areinvited to attend the LFCCAlumni Reception on Saturday,Oct. 15, 2005, from 7 to 9 p.m.in the William H. McCoy SpecialEvents Center located inside theAlson H. Smith, Jr. TechnologyCenter on the MiddletownCampus. For more information,contact the Office of CollegeAdvancement at (540) 868-4076.

Photo by Karl Pittelkau

LFCC held its 34th annual Commencement ceremony on May 13 at theMiddletown Campus. Approximately 275 graduates participated in theceremony, with over 600 students receiving degrees. Dr. Susan Sclafani,assistant secretary in the Office of Vocational and Adult Education in theU.S. Department of Education, addressed the graduates.

Photo by Chris Allerton

Luray Mayor Ralph H. Dean (left), Page County Board of Supervisor chairMason C. Lockridge Jr. (right), and town and county officials celebrate theunveiling of the LFCC Page County Center’s new sign.

Learn more about Lord Fairfax Community College at www.lfcc.edu!To contribute to the LFCC Educational Foundation or assist with alumni activities, please contact Linnie Carter, vice president of collegeadvancement at LFCC, at lcarter@lfcc.edu or (540) 868-4077. If you would like to receive periodic updates about LFCC via e-mail or if youhave a change in your contact information, please send an e-mail message to connectwithlfcc@lfcc.edu.