Governor Ralph Northam visits the RCC Glenns Campus

On Friday, January 26, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam visited the Glenns Campus of Rappahannock Community College. Though his visit was brief, the governor toured the campus and was able to see some of the new initiatives underway at RCC.

Dr. Elizabeth Hinton Crowther, president of the College, met Northam as he exited the helicopter. He greeted the faculty, students, and staff who gathered outside the main entrance to catch a glimpse of Virginia’s 73rd governor.

Dr. Crowther, who has known Northam since he was a representative for Virginia’s 6th District, which included the Eastern Shore (Northam’s home) and Mathews County (part of the RCC service region), took the governor on a tour through the main campus building with stops at the new Culinary Arts lab, the new Industrial Manufacturing and Engineering Lab and into the welding lab.

As he visited the Culinary Arts Lab, which is scheduled for completion in the next week or so, the governor met Chef Hatley Bright and told her that he would return as soon as the lab was complete so one of her classes could “cook him something.” Bright blushed and said that she “absolutely” would invite him back.

Next, the governor toured the newly redesigned Industrial Manufacturing and Engineering Lab, which will be used both by for-credit academic programs, as well as the programs run by the RCC Workforce Development team.

“It’s important to get folks into these Workforce Development [programs] for training our youth — but not only youth — but training everybody for 21st Century jobs,” he said.

Finally, Gov. Northam visited the RCC Welding Lab, where he met students from Mathews and West Point High Schools, who are working on industry credentials which would prepare them for careers in after graduation. The governor paused to take a few photos with the students, including a few “selfies.”

As he left, Gov. Northam, he thanked all for coming out to greet him and remarked that his visit to RCC was his first visit to a community college since becoming governor.

Upon that remark, many in the audience wondered aloud “why was RCC his first pick?” Student Ariana Dragone said, “it’s because we’re awesome!”