Dr. Jarrett Steps into Role of College Board Chair

Despite a long and distinguished career in higher education, Dr. Joyce Jarrett had no experience with two-year institutions before joining the Virginia Peninsula Community College Board in 2015. It didn't take her long to see the benefits.

"Students take different paths in realizing their career goals," she said. "Some are drawn to that traditional path of the four-year experience and the college degree. Others are drawn to work paths."

Jarrett, who spent nearly 40 years at Hampton University as an English professor and administrator, recently took over as chair of the VPCC board. She said the community college environment is perfect for those who aren't interested in four-year institutions or aren't sure of a career path. A community college offers students careers to consider, including workforce options in manufacturing, plumbing and more.

"I like the idea that the community college's focus is broader," she said. "I think in that way, it even meets the needs of the community more than a specific, traditional four-year college."

Jarrett has been a Williamsburg resident for 23 years. She lives there with her husband, John Alewynse, and their four children in a blended family. In July 2015, she was appointed to finish the final three years of Al Louer's term on the board. When that term expired, she was asked to serve a full term, and then was re-elected in 2022.

With her experiences and background in education - she has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in English from Tennessee State University (1972 and 1976, respectively), and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University (1982) - serving on Virginia Peninsula's Board seemed like a great fit. In her administrative roles at HU, she was a special assistant to the president and a provost. After retiring in 2020, she was named professor emeritus of English.

"When I wasn't being an administrator, I was involved with my first love, which is teaching," she said.

While on the VPCC board, she was chair of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Services committee for two years, and vice chair of the board. She agreed to be the chair because she has enjoyed working with the president, the cabinet, and the other leaders.

"The community college is the community's college," she said. "Since I am steeped in higher ed, it was just natural. I just enjoy doing what I can to advance the goals of the institution."

Her responsibilities, as well as those of the board, start with providing support to the College.

"We have a strategic plan," she said of the College. "My hope is to help the College meet the goals that it has set. We want to make sure what we do at VPCC, we do with the view of helping all the constituency groups. We are there simply to support the institution."

The board features area residents from a wide variety of professions and careers, and as Jarrett says, uses their knowledge, experience and talent to advise the president and other leaders.

"We are not the supervisor of the president," she said, adding the president answers to the VCCS state board and its chancellor. "We, at the local level, are advisers working with college leaders, helping them to meet the educational and workforce needs of the community."