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The College
Thomas Nelson Community College is a two-year institution of
higher education established as a part of a statewide system of
community colleges. It primarily serves the residents of the
cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg, and
the counties of James City and York. The college operates under
policies established by the State Board for Community Colleges
and with the guidance of the Thomas Nelson Community College
Board. The administration of the college is directly responsible
to the chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. The
college is financed primarily by state funds, supplemented by
contributions from the participating localities and the federal
government.
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Accreditation and
Recognition
TNCC is accredited by the Commission
on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools. Questions concerning this accreditation should be
addressed to: Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033
(404) 679-4500. All other questions about TNCC should be
addressed to the college.
Thomas Nelson Community College is one of 23 colleges within the Virginia Community College System. The associate’s degree curricula of the college have been approved by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Questions concerning this accreditation should be addressed to: Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033 (404) 679-4500. All other questions about TNCC should be addressed to the college.
The college has been approved by Veterans Affairs for VA
educational assistance and by the U.S. Office of Education for
various federal funding programs. Thomas Nelson is affiliated
with the American Association of Community Colleges as an
institutional member. The college meets the standards
established by the military and by the American Association of
Community Colleges for acceptance as a Service Member's
Opportunity College. Thomas Nelson Community College is
affiliated with and is an institutional member of the Southern
Placement Association and the National College Placement
Council.
History
The 1966 session of Virginia's General Assembly in active
legislation established a statewide system of comprehensive
community colleges. A local committee investigated the need for
and feasibility of a community college for the region and
requested the State Board for Community Colleges to approve an
application to establish Thomas Nelson Community College. A site
almost in the population center of the Peninsula area was
selected and a local board of advisors was appointed. After the
site was purchased by the City of Hampton, construction was
begun on the initial phase of four buildings in August 1967, and
the cornerstone was laid December 5, 1967. Construction was
completed, and 1,232 students began classes on September 20,
1968. Thomas Nelson Community College graduated its first class
of students with associate's degrees on June 13, 1970.
Who Was Thomas Nelson
Thomas Nelson Community College is named in honor of Thomas Nelson, Jr., who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an early colonial governor of the Commonwealth. Thomas Nelson, Jr., was a merchant in early Yorktown and served in the Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War. He was very active in leading a segment of the Virginia militia during the siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis. During the siege, the story is that one of Nelson's men approached him with the information that Cornwallis had set up headquarters in the Nelson House. When the soldier asked what should be done, Nelson is said to have responded, "Blow the damn thing down." Today one of the cannon balls is still lodged in the wall. Thomas Nelson, Jr., spent his fortune to aid the revolutionary cause and died a
pauper.
College Presidents
- 1967 - 1971,
Dr. Thomas V. Jenkins
- 1971 - 1979,
Dr. Gerald O. Cannon
- 1979 - 1986,
Dr. Thomas S. Kubala
- 1986 - 1994,
Dr. Robert G. Templin Jr.
- 1995 - 2003,
Dr. Shirley Robinson Pippins
- 2003 - 2004, Dr. Peter A. Spina, Interim
- 2004 - 2008, Dr. Charles A. Taylor
- 2008 - Present, Dr. Alvin J. Schexnider
College Vision & Mission
Statement
TNCC Vision Statement
“Thomas Nelson Community College will anticipate and shape the
future by providing individualized, flexible, technologically
advanced education in a supportive environment that meets
diverse and evolving needs of its student body and the community
it serves.”
TNCC Mission Statement
“Thomas Nelson Community College prepares students for success
in the global community and workforce of the future through the
delivery of world-class comprehensive arts and sciences,
transfer and occupational/technical programs and workforce
development. TNCC enhances the quality of life for citizens in
its region by providing high quality, affordable, and accessible
post-secondary education.”
TNCC
2005-2010 Strategic Plan:
The college prepares and operates
under a five year Strategic Plan which has its goals and
objectives identified by each fiscal year of the plan. The
current TNCC 2005-2010 Strategic Plan was prepared during the
spring, summer and fall of 2004 and received input and approval
from all the college constituent groups and was presented to the
College Board in March 2005.
Educational Program Goals
Thomas Nelson Community College shall provide financially
accessible, high quality, comprehensive educational programs and
services. The purpose of these programs and services is to
support the economic development of the Commonwealth and to meet
the educational needs of citizens of all ages.
The educational program goals are the following:
- To offer associate's degree programs to prepare individuals for
careers as technical and paraprofessional workers.
- To offer associate's degree programs to prepare individuals for
transfer, as upper-division students, to baccalaureate degree
programs at four-year colleges.
- To offer diploma and certificate programs to prepare individuals
for careers as technicians and as skilled and semi-skilled
workers.
- To offer developmental courses to prepare individuals for other
instructional programs.
- To offer student development services which, through counseling
and guidance, will assist individuals with decisions regarding
occupational, educational, and personal goals.
- To offer industrial training programs where specific employment
opportunities are available in new or expanding businesses,
industries, and professions.
- To offer continuing education programs to provide educational
opportunities for individuals who wish to continue and expand
their learning experiences. Such programs may include credit and
non-credit courses, seminars, and workshops.
- To offer community services to provide cultural and educational
opportunities which are in addition to other programs of the
college.
General Education at Thomas Nelson
Definition:
General education is the integrated combination of knowledge,
skills, competencies, attitudes, and values characteristic of an
educated and well-informed citizen capable of functioning
effectively in a complex and rapidly changing world. General
education is that portion of the collegiate experience that
pertains to the holistic development of the person and not to
specific occupational and/or program skills.
Components:
- Communications Skills
The skills to read, write, listen, and speak effectively so as
to communicate clearly on a personal, occupational, or
professional level.
- Learning Skills
The ability to locate and use information resources, including
printed and computerized databases, in an effective method of
inquiry that supports and promotes lifelong learning.
- Critical Thinking Skills
The development of a reflective and analytic disposition
well-suited to recognize and evaluate arguments of one's own and
others as to their relative strength or weakness, thus creating
the foundation for effective decision making and problem
solving.
- Interpersonal Skills and Understanding Human Relations
The ability to know and understand one's self and others
especially those of other gender, race, and background so as not
only to live but also to develop a personal set of values,
ethics, and responsibilities.
- Computational and
Computer Skills
The ability to understand, use, and interpret numerical data so
as to function successfully in life and to have a sufficient
knowledge of basic computer elements, functions, and
applications so that one may utilize this modern tool and its
ever-changing applications to meet better the challenges of an
increasingly technical world.
- Global, Historical, and
Cultural Traditions
The awareness of not only the Western world's history and
culture but also that of the East and Africa.
- The Appreciation of Fine
Arts and Music
The development of a basic understanding of artistic principles,
genres, periods, and artists to enable the individual to
appreciate and enjoy art in its varied forms as a source of
public and private enrichment.
- Understanding Science,
Technology, and the Environment
The knowledge of fundamental principles of science and
technology, knowledge of the scientific method of inquiry,
skills for applying scientific knowledge to practical
situations, and attitudes that reflect an understanding of and
respect for the environment.
- Understanding Mental and
Physical Health
The fundamental knowledge of the basic principles governing
mental and physical health to promote as fully as is possible
lifelong well-being.
Students who complete 15 or more hours at the college and are
candidates for graduation will be required to take part in exit
interviews or to complete surveys or some other activity to
demonstrate the acquisition of the above general education
skills. |
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