Patrick & Henry Community College

For the private college of a similar name, see Patrick Henry College.

Patrick & Henry Community College

Francis T. West Hall, the first building constructed on the college campus
Former name	Patrick Henry Community College
Type	Public community college
Established	1962; 62 years ago (1962)
Parent institution	Virginia Community College System
Academic affiliation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
President	James “Greg” Hodges
Students	2900 (average)[1]
Location	Martinsville , Virginia , U.S.
Campus	Rural
Colors	Royal blue and gold
Nickname	Patriots
Sporting affiliations	NJCAA Region X
Mascot	Patriot
Website	www.patrickhenry.edu

Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC or Patrick & Henry) is a public community college in Henry County, Virginia.^[2] It was founded in 1962 as part of the University of Virginia's School of General Studies. The college became an independent two-year college in 1964 and part of the Virginia Community College System in 1971. Accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, PHCC offers a variety of associate degree programs as well as certification and career studies programs.^[1]

In July 2021, the Virginia State Board of Community Colleges changed names for local institutions named after people who owned slaves or advocated racist policies such as school segregation.^[3] The board allowed the college to change its name to Patrick & Henry Community College. Instead of venerating Patrick Henry, the first and sixth Governor of Virginia, the new name honors Patrick County and Henry County, two areas the institution serves that are named after Patrick Henry.^[4][5]

Campus

The Walker Fine Arts Building and Student Center

Classes were originally held in the old Northside Elementary School in Martinsville, Virginia before they were moved to the present campus. The first building, Francis T. West Hall, was completed in 1969 and served as an administration building. The Learning Resource Center, which houses the tutoring centers and the Lester Library, was completed in 1971. Five additional buildings have since been added, the last finished in 1999, and the entire campus underwent significant renovations in 2010. The campus is situated on 137 acres (0.55 km²) approximately three miles north of the City of Martinsville.

In addition to the main campus, PHCC has additional satellite locations, including workforce development centers in Martinsville and nearby Stuart and the Virginia Motorsports Training Center,^[1] a reflection of the community's connection to NASCAR through Martinsville Speedway.

Academics

Degree programs at Patrick & Henry Community College include associate degrees and certificate and career studies programs, as well as nontraditional programs (such as industrial certifications and "personal enrichment" courses) and transfer agreements with other colleges and universities throughout the region.^[1]

Athletics

The Patrick & Henry Community College Patriots compete in the Carolinas Junior College Conference of the NJCAA's Division II. men's sports include baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and track & field; women's sports include basketball, softball, soccer, golf, volleyball, and track & field. PHCC also hosts club sports such as gold & blue dance team and Esports.^[6] On May 28, 2024, the softball team won its first JUCO World Series championship.^[7]

Notable alumni

• Alison Parker, journalist for WDBJ who was killed alongside cameraman Adam Ward during a live on-air interview.^[8]
• Keven Wood, American professional stock car racing driver^[9]

References

1. Patrick Henry Community College. "About PHCC". Patrick Henry Community College: About Us. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
2. "Contact Us." Patrick Henry Community College. Retrieved on January 14, 2009.
3. Weissman, Sara (July 26, 2021). "Name Changes for Several Virginia Community Colleges". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
4. Kozelsky, Holly (July 28, 2021). "Patrick Henry Community College renamed Patrick & Henry Community College". Martinsville Bulletin - The Franklin News Post. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
5. Otey, Jazmine (22 July 2021). "State Board approves new name for Patrick Henry Community College". WSLS-TV. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
6. "Patrick Henry Community College Patriots". www.phccsports.com. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
7. "National Champions: Patrick & Henry Softball Wins NJCAA DIII World Series". phccsports.com. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
8. "Two WDBJ7 employees killed in attack at Bridgewater Plaza | Local News - WDBJ7.com Central and Southwest VA". Archived from the original on 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2015-08-26.
9. "Wood_Brothers". www.legendsofnascar.com.

External links

• Official website

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