College Receives $99,000 From Sentara Health
Virginia Peninsula Community College is pleased to announce a generous contribution of $99,000 from Sentara Health to assist with providing affordable education in health-related fields.
The donation from Sentara will be utilized by VPCC to establish the Gators Finish and Forward initiative, the goal of which is to help low socioeconomic students overcome barriers to social mobility in order to achieve academic and career success.
“This generous gift from Sentara will directly support Gators Finish and Forward, a new initiative assisting students in reaching the finish line of their degree programs in health-related fields,” said Daniela Cigularova, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success at VPCC. “We aim to ensure that we not only prepare students for academic success but also connect them to the workforce and four-year degrees, with a forward focus on regional success and social mobility.”
The majority of the funding will be used for direct support to students in the form of funds to help cover tuition and fees as well as childcare, food, transportation or other basic needs that may be needed to help students stay enrolled, explore educational and career goals, and complete their studies. Test and licensure fees also will be covered under certain circumstances.
“This funding will enable VPCC to develop and implement wrap-around services, resources, and support mechanisms that address (student) needs and help them succeed,” the College wrote in its grant proposal.
This contribution from Sentara reinforces their shared commitment to creating healthier communities through partnerships with organizations and individuals.
About the College: Founded in 1967, Virginia Peninsula Community College (formerly Thomas Nelson) serves the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg and the counties of James City and York. The sixth largest of Virginia’s Community Colleges, the College offers associate degree and certificate programs designed for both university transfer and direct entry into careers. The College also serves students with non-credit, workforce training programs and services. Classes are offered online and at the Hampton and Historic Triangle campuses, the Southeast Higher Education Center in Newport News, three Workforce Development centers, at various instructional sites in the community.
About Sentara Health (www.sentara.com/news): Sentara, an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates 135 years in pursuit of its mission-"we improve health every day." Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 30,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1.2 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named to IBM Watson Health's "Top 15 Health Systems" (2021, 2018), and was recognized by Forbes as a "Best Employer for New Grads" (2022), "Best Employer for Veterans" (2022), and "Best Employer for Women" (2020).