College Honoring Three Higher Ed Giants and an Industry Leader May 16
Dr. Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginia's Community Colleges who retires this year, is among this year's honorees.
Three higher education icons and a former leader of one of the region's top industries will be honored on May 16 when Thomas Nelson (becoming Virginia Peninsula Community College) presents its 2022 Medallion. The award acknowledges those who exemplify the College's mission, vision and core values.
The Medallion will be presented during a reception ahead of the College's 53rd Commencement Exercises which will take place at 5 p.m. at Hampton's Liberty Live Church. The 3 p.m. reception is by invitation.
This year's recipients are Dr. Glenn DuBois, Dr. William Harvey, Mr. Mike Petters, and Mr. Paul Trible.
About the recipients
Dr. Glenn DuBois is the chancellor of Virginia's Community Colleges (VCCS), which comprises 23 institutions and 40 campuses. The longest-serving VCCS chancellor, he is retiring this year after just over two decades in the role.
Under his leadership, VCCS schools have maintained a tuition rate that is one-third of the comparable rate at Virginia's public universities; signed guaranteed transfer agreements with many public and private universities, and become the leading provider of workforce development training in the Commonwealth. The VCCS, during his tenure, has also created such innovative initiatives as FastForward and G3 to increase the accessibility and affordability of college and workforce development credentials that lead to good-paying jobs.
DuBois' brought a rich background in higher education leadership to Virginia. He served as commissioner and CEO of the New Hampshire Community Technical College System and was director of Community Colleges for the State University of New York, one of the nation's largest community colleges.
DuBois holds a doctoral degree in higher education administration, research, and policy from the University of Massachusetts, a master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University, a bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University, and an associate of science degree from the State University of New York in Farmingdale.
Dr. William Harvey, president of Hampton University, is retiring after 43 years. He has one of the longest tenures of any sitting college or university president in the country having assumed the presidency in 1978. The university's enrollment has grown from roughly 2,700 students when he took the helm to more than 6,300 today, and it has added 92 academic programs under his leadership. Additionally, the university's endowment increased from $29 million to more than $400 million.
Before joining Hampton University, the Brewton, Ala. native was an assistant to the dean of Harvard University's graduate school of education; an administrative assistant to the president at Fisk University; and an administrative vice president at Tuskegee University.
Dr. Harvey, a U.S. Army veteran, is also dedicated to civic engagement with membership on numerous corporate boards. A few of his past or current affiliations are the National Geographic Society, NCAA Division I Board of Directors, Fannie Mae, Virginia Association of Higher Education, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, and the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia.
A graduate of Talladega College and Virginia State University, Dr. Harvey has a doctoral degree in college administration from Harvard University.
Mr. Mike Petters retired from service as president and CEO of Huntington Ingalls Industry in March after 35 years. He was president of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding and Northrop Grumman's Newport News sector before taking the position.
He joined Newport News Shipbuilding in 1987, and his roles have included production supervisor for submarines, marketing manager for submarines and carriers, vice president of aircraft carrier programs, vice president of contracts and pricing, and vice president of human resources.
The College has a longstanding partnership with Northrup Grumman, Huntington Ingalls and Newport News Shipbuilding. The College acknowledged Newport News Shipbuilding with a 2019 Dana B. Hamel Award, which is named in honor of the first VCCS chancellor and recognizes individuals or entities for their commitment to public service, fostering access to higher education, and promoting an understanding of workforce development's role as an essential part of the College's mission.
Mr. Petters earned a bachelor's degree in physics from the U.S. Naval Academy before serving aboard the nuclear-powered submarine, USS George Bancroft. He later spent five years in the U.S. Navy reserve and in 1993 earned an MBA from the College of William & Mary.
Mr. Paul Trible was named the fifth president of Christopher Newport University in 1996. The university's enrollment has since grown from nearly 3,000 students to 4,700. During his tenure, the university's endowment has increased from $300,000 to $54 million.
Mr. Trible established Captains Connection, which allows Thomas Nelson technology and engineering students to develop pathways to the university. The initiative grants early access to enrollment, support services, and experiences while reducing the time it takes for students to earn a degree.
He came to higher education from public service and government. From 1974 to 1976 he was a Commonwealth attorney in Essex County and was elected to the U.S. House of representatives in 1977, serving three terms. in 1983, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1989. He was a member of the United States delegation to the United Nations in 1988, and a teaching fellow at the institute of politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1989. Mr. Trible earned a bachelor's degree from Hampden-Sydney College and a law degree from Washington and Lee University.
The Local College Board established the Medallion in 2010 to recognize outstanding individuals who have made extraordinary contributions toward advancing the College's mission.
Among past recipients are past Thomas Nelson President Robert Templin, former Virginia legislator the Honorable Melanie Rapp-Beale, past Newport News Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Ashby Kilgore, and the late Sen. John C. Miller, who was a longtime state lawmaker.