Cardinal News
Serving Southwest and Southside Virginia
Here’s a roundup of education briefs. Want more education news? There’s no full-time reporter west of Richmond covering education K-college. You can help fix that. Help us fund this position.
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The Blackwood Program in Real Estate within the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business became the Blackwood Department of Real Estate on Nov. 1, following approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.
The program was established as an academic program in 2013 with four first-year students and named in recognition of the Blackwood family in 2021 through a $10 million philanthropic gift. Today, about 400 students are enrolled in three majors that focus on the commercial, residential, and financial areas of real estate, Virginia Tech said.
The department ranked first for best bachelor’s in real estate by the Bachelor’s Degree Center; third among the nation’s top 25 real estate programs by Great Business Schools; and the fourth most popular real estate school by College Factual.
The size of the global real estate market is expected to climb to nearly $5.85 trillion by 2030, according to Virginia Tech.
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Wytheville Community College recently celebrated two groups of power line workers in graduation ceremonies. More than 150 people, including family and friends of the graduates, attended each ceremony in Snyder Auditorium in WCC’s Grayson Hall.
The spring 2022 Power Line Worker class graduated on June 16, marking the ninth graduating class since the program’s inception in 2017. The tenth Power Line Worker Program class walked across the stage in Snyder Auditorium on October 31, 2022.
WCC’s next Power Line Worker Training class is anticipated to begin in late February. Students need to apply 30 – 60 days in advance. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply soon in order to secure available funding. WCC offers short-term training in Welding, Truck Driving, Power Line Worker, Automotive Technician, and Underground Power Worker. Short-Term training provides non-credit training classes that can be completed in 14 weeks or less for in-demand careers within the Wytheville Community College service region. These FastForward programs help students pay for short-term programs that can lead to high-paying jobs with industry-recognized certifications or licenses.
For students who are interested in short-term workforce training programs, please contact Vicki Marrs at (276) 223-4717 or by email: vmarrs@wcc.vccs.edu to obtain an enrollment application.
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The Campus Kitchen at Washington and Lee University presents its annual Turkeypalooza: A Family Table Gathering Event Nov. 11–18. The Campus Kitchen hosts several events during this series, including holiday meals at partner organizations, a Backpack Pack-a-Thon, a Pumpkin Pieve-K 5k run/walk fundraiser and the annual Indigenous Community Meal.
On Friday, Nov. 11, the community is invited to “Bring Your Turkey to Work” from 8 to 11 a.m. at the W&L parking deck. Folks can drop off their birds at the top of the deck or make a monetary donation to support Turkeypalooza and other CKWL programs. Turkey donations will help local families have a full meal this Thanksgiving.
The group will host its annual Backpack Pack-a-thon event on Saturday, Nov. 12, on Cannan Green from noon to 5 p.m. This year, volunteers will pack around 5,000 backpacks to be distributed to Rockbridge County, Buena Vista and Lexington school students over the holidays.
New this year is the Pumpkin Pieve-K 5k run/walk fundraiser on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. The race will begin at the Outing Club Pavilion (159 W. Denny Cir.), and participants can register for the event online. Every participant will receive a t-shirt and a slice of pumpkin pie. CKWL encourages all virtual runners to send them a photo of their run!
There is no race entrance fee, but participants are requested to consider a donation at go.wlu.edu/giveCKWL to benefit the Campus Kitchen.
Turkeypalooza festivities will wrap up with the 2nd annual Indigenous Community Meal on Monday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. in Evans Dining Hall. The event is co-sponsored by W&L’s Native American Student Organization and CKWL. The evening will feature a menu highlighting indigenous ingredients and techniques and includes guided discussions around the history of colonization in America, indigenous sovereignty and the complexities of the Thanksgiving holiday. The public can register for the event here.
In addition to serving Thanksgiving meals at community partner sites, Campus Kitchen will distribute frozen turkeys and sides through its Mobile Food Pantry program.
Volunteers are needed for multiple events this year and can sign-up for shifts at go.wlu.edu/volunteerCKWL.
Campus Kitchen combats hunger and promotes nutrition by recovering and reusing food that would otherwise go to waste into balanced meals for low-income community members in Rockbridge County.
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Students from T. C. Miller Elementary School for Innovation in Lynchburg will have their artwork on display at the Lynchburg airport for National Aviation Month throughout November.
This exhibit is made possible by the Lynchburg Regional Airport and Lynchburg City Schools, with a special thanks to Architectural Partners, according to a release from Lynchburg schools.
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