List of Potential New Names Narrowed to Five

The Virginia State Board for Community Colleges requested an examination of its schools bearing the names of individuals about one year ago. As a result of an intensive process officials at the College revealed a list of potential new names on July 12 during a virtual town hall meeting. The College's Local Board meets Aug.18 and expects to vote to recommend name(s) for the State Board to consider at its September meeting.

"Through our discussions with college stakeholders, we learned that the current name was inconsistent with our mission, vision, and values, and we embraced the opportunity to refresh our brand with a name that is more anchored in the local community," Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon, the College president, said at the virtual town hall.

The five potential new names for the College are Coastal Virginia Community College, Harbor Bridge Community College, Riverway Community College, Virginia Peninsula Community College, and Waterway Community College.

Last summer, the state board asked local college advisory boards to review the appropriateness of the names of its college, campuses, and facilities. In February, the Thomas Nelson Board voted unanimously to recommend changing the name.

Thomas Nelson Jr., the College's namesake, was a Revolutionary War hero, signer of the Declaration of Independence, the fourth governor of Virginia, and also a slaveholder.

"The (Thomas Nelson) Board determined that the name 'Thomas Nelson' is not reflective of our students, our school's values, or the values of the community we serve," Board chair Dr. Vince Warren said at the town hall.

The College developed a Naming Task Force, which consisted of faculty, staff, alumni, students, board members, and community members, to learn more about the institution's namesake. Surveys were conducted, town halls were held, and PowerPoint presentations were created.

The task force also came up with criteria for a new name, and one of them was not drawing inspiration from an individual's name. It also wanted a name that would reflect the geography of the institution's service area, be timeless, and offer a sense of belonging for all students, no matter their background.

Two buildings on the College's Hampton campus - Griffin and Wythe halls - are named for associates of Thomas Nelson, and also will be renamed. Three other buildings (Moore, Diggs and Harrison) are named for Nelson's contemporaries, too, but they are scheduled to be replaced by a new building in the coming years.

The state board is in charge of the names of its 23 institutions and campuses, while the names of buildings and classrooms rest with each institution.