Community college leaders often say that their institution is “the community’s college.”
For some, this means the institution is the next step following high school graduation or the place someone may go to enhance their job-related skills. For others, it may mean the college is a central hub for community activity and a key component of community vibrancy. Many fall somewhere in the middle, but all agree that the community plays a critical role in supporting student success.
At Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) in Virginia, the concept of “PHamily” not only includes students and staff, but the community as a whole: College leaders are integral in community development, and community members are valued contributors to college life.
The college continues to strengthen partnerships each year and add new partnerships regularly, each slightly more creative and strategic than the last.
This article is part of a monthly series provided by the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR), an affiliated council of the American Association of Community Colleges.
Long-standing partners
For the past 10 years, P&HCC has partnered with Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce to offer Start Up and Grow boot camps for local entrepreneurs.
“Small business is a vital component of our economy,” said Brenell Thomas, chamber executive director. “It’s rewarding to see the participants put in the work to bring their new business concepts to our community. Each round of applications brings brilliant ideas and creativity,”
The boot camps have successfully graduated more than 300 individuals from their training programs and awarded 74 businesses over $570,000 in cash and in-kind funding. Their businesses have created more than $5 million in new capital investment and created over 270 new jobs, Thomas added.
The Harvest Foundation has partnered with P&HCC through its SEED Fund program since 2017, ensuring that all Martinsville-Henry County (MHC) graduates can attend for up to 2½ years at no cost to them.
“This school serves as a backbone in workforce for our local economy,” Kate Keller, Harvest Foundation’s president, said during her 2024 commencement speech at P&HCC. “Every child in our community above the age of five knows that college is a viable path for them.”
Of P&HCC’s 462 spring graduates, 136 attended thanks to the SEED Fund.
P&HCC Productions and Charity League of Martinsville and Henry County established a collaboration in 2020 to promote opportunities for children in MHC to hone their acting skills, curate their on-stage talents and build friendships.
“It’s an absolute joy to see the smiles and excitement on the faces of our local children as they experience the magic of theater,” said Ashley Taylor, the Charity League social media manager. “Bringing these types of enriching experiences to our community is what we’re all about. Together, we are making a difference and creating lasting memories for our children.”
And the program is seeing children return for more: Twenty of the 35 children in the “Road to Oz” production returned to the stage for the college’s summer production of “Wizard of Oz.”
New to the PHamily
In the 2023-24 academic year, the PHamily expanded to include creative partnerships designed to further enhance both students and the community:
- Starbucks joined in the efforts of the Patriot Pantry, the college’s free food bank stocked with non-perishable and hygiene items, to support the fundamental needs of students, donating food for distribution to students who’ve demonstrated food insecurity.
- P&HCC and local business partners joined the SME Manufacturing Imperative – Workforce Pipeline Challenge to capture hidden growth opportunities that support securing living-wage jobs and careers, and fill open manufacturing positions in the community.
- Piedmont Community Services’ Drug-Free MHC team facilitated a house party in the college’s gymnasium to equip families with tools to create safe environments that protect youth from the dangers of gambling, drugs, alcohol, weapons and inappropriate online activity.
On the horizon
In September, P&HCC became the new host of Festival Latino Southern Virginia, a regional event. As the community college steps even closer to officially becoming a Hispanic-Serving Institution, welcoming festival attendees to campus for the fifth annual event is one way to further encourage prospective students and their families to consider themselves part of the PHamily.
P&HCC President Greg Hodges is the PHamily’s biggest encourager and believes deeply in the importance of creative collaboration to better the community.
