Bonavita New Director of Institutional Research

Jeffrey (J.J.) Bonavita is the new director of Institutional Research at Virginia Peninsula Community College. Bonavita, who had been the interim director since September 2023, assumed his new role Oct. 1.

In his interim role, Bonavita led several major initiatives related to the College’s effectiveness initiatives and reaffirmation of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). 

Steven Felker, VPCC’s vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Transformation, said Bonavita’s leadership in the interim role proved he was ready for the new position.

“In addition to his year as interim director of Institutional Research, Mr. Bonavita is also an experienced faculty member, program chair, and higher education leader,” Felker said in an email to the faculty and staff at the College.

Bonavita earned a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise from Virginia Tech in 2010, and a master’s in Public Administration from Old Dominion University in 2022.

“I've always wanted to help people and to solve problems,” Bonavita said. “I spent much of my early career honing my craft as a paramedic. What I didn't know at the time was I was also developing my ability to analyze a situation, problem solve, and lead.”

He was a volunteer EMT while at Virginia Tech. After college, he joined Norfolk Fire-Rescue as a firefighter-paramedic in January 2013. He joined VPCC in 2015 as an EMS lab instructor and soon became an adjunct faculty member. He started teaching full-time at VPCC in August 2019, and was a member of the VPCC's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Fire Science team for eight years, including two as program chair.

“I'm excited for the opportunity to support effectiveness and help us keep getting better,” Bonavita said. 

Among his accomplishments as program chair was leading the Fire and EMS department through initial accreditation efforts. He also led the program through a post-COVID recovery, growing program enrollment and student pass rates from 2021-23.

He served as Faculty Senate president at VPCC from 2022-23 and was second VP from 2021-22.

“Mr. Bonavita brings a unique combination of expertise in data analysis, learning outcomes assessment, accreditation, program evaluation, continuous improvement, and policy development to the College and to the Institutional Research office,” Felker said. 

Felker emphasized it’s a particularly important time for the Institutional Research department as the College undergoes its 10-year accreditation renewal process.

For more information on VPCC, visit www.vpcc.edu.