Virginia Natural Gas has provided $25,000 total in grants supporting Virginia Peninsula’s “Bridge the Gap” program, the Queens Creek initiative, the Impact Fund, and STEM research.
The Virginia Peninsula “Bridge the Gap” program supports those students who are dropped from enrollment due to a “gap” in funds. The average financial gap for a student is around $1,100, and this can mean the difference between dropping out and graduating. Virginia Natural Gas supports this program through grants that provide the fee for class courses, textbooks, and even up to a year of tuition.
Additionally, Virginia Peninsula received a $47,000 grant from Virginia Natural Gas to support a three-year collaborative environmental impact research project with Queens Creek in partnership with the College of William & Mary.
Queens Creek is located in York County on the Virginia Peninsula. Sediment build up of the creek has severely impacted its functionality; factors being impacted include, navigation for the watermen, the wellbeing of the ecosystem, and the productivity of the Queens Lake Marina (which has offered a boat slip for Virginia Peninsula’s newly acquired research vessel, RV Investigator, in support of this project).
The grant from Virginia Natural Gas also supports a partnership between the College of William & Mary and Virginia Peninsula. This partnership allows for collaborative research of Queens Creek, access to William & Mary’s geology lab equipment and knowledgeable faculty, and the funding of up to three Virginia Peninsula student researchers over three years. In addition, William & Mary gains access to our new 24’ Carolina Skiff research vessel and equipment.
Virginia Natural Gas has greatly impacted Virginia Peninsula not only financially, but by providing inter-institutional opportunities. We are so appreciative of their continued support of our College!