Virginia Peninsula CC eyes continued growth pattern

Enrollment on rise; new nursing program to start

As post-high school pathways continue to expand, Virginia Peninsula Community College has seen growth in the past few years, and it’s hoping to continue that trend with new programs and facilities.

“We are now in a growth phase, and we’re really excited about that,” Todd Estes, vice president of workforce development and innovation for the school, told the James City County Board of Supervisors.

Enrollment for the spring semester is up more than 7% over last spring, according to a release from the college. In addition to a new licensed practical nursing program that will begin this year, VPCC also has multiple building projects underway to facilitate various new programs to bolster the workforce.

The college is rebuilding its performing arts center after structural issues were discovered during the pandemic, and it’s working on buildings that will house the LPN program and help childhood development programs.

The LPN program will be housed at the Williamsburg-area campus, according to Joseph Fairchild, associate vice president for academic affairs.

“Everything we do at the community college is workforce-related,” Estes said. “All of our students at some point will be employed, and we are preparing our students for employment.”

Estes said the college had roughly 10,000 students enrolled — more than 8,600 academic students and 1,500-plus in programs geared toward training for the workforce.

Dual enrollment — when high school students take college courses while they are still in high school — increased by 27% since the 2019-20 school year, Estes said. Additionally, workforce oriented programs have seen a 24% increase in headcount and a 32% increase in course enrollment since 2023.

Board of Supervisors Chair Ruth Larson said one of her children did dual enrollment in high school.

“I think where I saw the biggest win for that was when she went off to college,” Larson said, explaining that a high school student may not have to take a final exam, but at the college level, students have to take a final exam.

“It just really helped a lot. I’m a big believer in dual enrollment.”

The more attainable goals and pricing that go along with the community-college-to-university pathway open opportunities to people who may not be able to attend a fouryear university right out of high school, whether due to cost or academic performance.

Through system agreements, students who graduate from one of the state’s 23 community colleges are eligible for admission to more than 30 of the state’s four-year colleges and universities, according to the Virginia Community College System website.

In addition to academic and workforce programs, VPCC offers a variety of extracurricular activities, including athletics. There are two campuses — in James City County and in Hampton — as well as education centers. The college’s newest athletic program, track and field, is in its first season.

The college also has an online computer science program ranked amont the nation’s top 25.

“We are growing, and we’re very excited about that,” Estes told the county board.

Enrollment at community colleges across the state appears to be rising, the release said, with a 3.4% increase overall from fall 2022 to fall ’23.