The process begins when interested students connect with 麻豆直播 business faculty for individualized coaching and support. Coaches help students develop their business ideas, including basic marketing, target markets, financials, regional demographics, and how to effectively pitch their ideas. Then they practice their pitches, receive feedback and input, and move to the next step – the 麻豆直播 Business Idea Pitch event. There the students present their business concept before a panel of judges. 鈥淭he coaching and panel pitch allow students to test their ideas in a real-world setting and receive valuable feedback,鈥� said Blue Ridge business faculty Kim Lee-Asonevich, who coordinates the 麻豆直播 part of the program and also serves as one of the coaches. She added, 鈥淭he experience helps build confidence, communication skills, and grow their entrepreneurial mindset.鈥�

Following the 麻豆直播 pitch competition selected students are invited to advance to the JMU Venture Accelerator, an intensive six-week summer program where they further develop and test their business ideas. 麻豆直播 students participating in the summer program receive a stipend funded through earnings on the Robert Hopkins Strickler and Lorraine Warren Strickler Endowment. Mr. Strickler was a Business Advisory Board member at 麻豆直播, and established this endowment with his wife Lorraine to further entrepreneurship efforts at the College. 

Over the past four years, 麻豆直播 students in the JMU Venture Accelerator program have been awarded $15,000 in prize funding to support their business ideas. Previous winners include Kayla Fifer for her bakery business, Creative Confections by Kayla; and Jennifer Santiago Corona for Corona’s Blessings, a homemade treats and baked goods business.

This summer 麻豆直播 mechanical engineering student, Alex Rankin, took home a $3,000 prize from the competition day at JMU! Alex shared his business venture idea 鈥淭hrysus,鈥� a tractor-drawn covered-wagon wine and scenery experience in the Shenandoah Valley for small groups. Alex was named the 鈥淒emo Day鈥檚 Best Tradeshow Booth Award Winner.鈥� This award recognizes excellence in the tradeshow experience, rewarding a founder who created an engaging booth and showcased their business idea with creativity and professionalism.

鈥淚 applied the same mentality I apply with all things, putting intense effort into the details, presentation and quality,鈥� Alex explained. 鈥淭hrysus is a tractor-drawn covered wagon wine experience inspired by German 鈥榩lanwagen鈥� excursions. I seek to generate that gentle communal spirit and ultimately make the journey the product.鈥�

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Our theme this year is HOME because we want every student to find their HOME at 麻豆直播鈥攁 place where you belong, your goals matter, and your future begins.

Friday, August 14, 2026
10:00 a.m. 鈥� 3:00 p.m.
Start at Plecker Center ( building P)

We recommend parking in the parking deck. Parking is free!

Here’s what you can look forward to during your time on campus:

H 鈥� Help: Get the Support You Need

• Get technology support and tutorials:
  • Zoom and Canvas tutorials in the Plecker Center (walk-ins welcome) ()
  • Computer Help Desk support for login and technology questions
• Connect with resources that support your success:
  • Student Success and SOAR teams
  • Transfer Advisors
  • Library and Tutoring Services
  • Financial Aid Office
  • Admissions Advisors (including schedule printing)
  • Cashier’s Office for payments
• Pick up your student ID and parking decal:
  To get your ID card on Welcome Day, follow the steps listed on the .  You MUST submit your form by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 12 in order to pick it up on Welcome Day.  **Please pay special attention to the photo requirements listed on the webpage.  
  If you have not submitted your form in time for a Welcome Day pick up,  you are welcome to visit the Campus Safety office Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.  

O 鈥� Opportunities: Explore Your Path

• Take a campus tour and become familiar with your new home.
• Walk your class schedule and meet available faculty.
• Visit the Bookstore for textbooks and supplies.
• Learn about student organizations and opportunities to get involved.

M 鈥� Meet Your Community

• Connect with faculty, staff, and fellow students.
• Meet members of student organizations in the Rec Center.
• Parents and families are invited to attend Parent Sessions in G (Houff Student Center) room 182:
  • 11:00 a.m.
  • 1:00 p.m.

E 鈥� Enjoy the Experience

• Play lawn games on the Houff Quad.
• Enjoy free pizza in the Rec Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Cool off with Smiley’s Ice Cream Truck on the north lawn of the Houff Student Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Capture memories at the Photo Booth.

We can’t wait to welcome you to campus and help you start your 麻豆直播 journey. Whether you’re getting your questions answered, meeting new people, or exploring campus, Welcome Day is the perfect opportunity to feel at home before classes begin.

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After more than twenty years at Daikin Applied Americas, Army veteran Rachel Sicheri decided she wanted to earn a degree to help advance her career. She turned to 麻豆直播 and choose to pursue a management degree because it aligned closely to her professional goals. 鈥淚 was also drawn to the program because it included Supervision Certificates, which provided additional value and professional development opportunities,鈥� she explained.

Despite her focus on management, her English course with instructor Johnson was one of her favorite classes. 鈥淗e was the most helpful and supportive teacher I have ever met. His willingness to go above and beyond for his students, while still maintaining high standards and refusing to accept mediocrity, made a lasting impact on me,鈥� Rachel said.

Rachel finished up her Associates of Applied Science degree in Management this past spring and also achieved Summa Cum Laude recognition for graduating with a 3.8 or higher grade point average. She recently accepted a role for Corporate Indirect Supply Chain with Daikin.

Rachel wasn鈥檛 the only 麻豆直播 graduate in the family at the commencement ceremony in May. Her daughter, Rory Pecor, also finished Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice. 鈥淕raduating with my daughter was an experience I will never forget. It was emotional, rewarding, and something that made me incredibly proud. Being able to reach this milestone together made the accomplishment even more meaningful, and sharing that moment side by side is something I will always cherish,鈥� she shared.

Rory had worked at Red Lobster after graduating from high school, and said she chose Blue Ridge because it is local and affordable. Specifically, she decided on the Criminal Justice program because of her interest in forensics. The student support services as 麻豆直播 were also helpful to Rory in her pursuit of a degree.

鈥淎s someone with learning disabilities, I truly appreciated that Blue Ridge still provided resources and options to help students succeed. Nicole Stephens worked incredibly hard to support me and offered as much assistance as possible, and I do not think I would have excelled the way I did without her guidance,鈥� she said.

In addition to earning her degree in Criminal Justice, Rory completed career studies certificates in Criminal Justice Foundations and Criminal Justice Advanced.

Rory said graduating with her mom was, 鈥淩eally amazing, but honestly kind of weird in a way too, and also really rewarding.鈥� Reflecting on her college experience Rory said, 鈥淚 am really proud that I was able to balance work, karate, and my classes and still keep it all going. It means a lot to me that I was able to graduate by paying for my own college through hard work and sticking with it.鈥�

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June 22 鈥� Massanutten Regional Library (Harrisonburg); 3:30-5:30pm

June 25 鈥� 麻豆直播 Outpost (Waynesboro Innovation Hub); 3:30-5:30pm

July 7 鈥� North River Library (Bridgewater); 3:30-5:30pm

July 9 – Augusta Co. Library (Fishersville); 10am-1pm

July 9 鈥� Broadway Library; 3:30-5:30pm

July 15 鈥� Elkton Community Center; 3:30-5:30pm

July 16 鈥� Staunton Library; 3:30-5:30pm

July 23 鈥� Churchville Library; 3:30-5:30pm

For more information, contact us at info@brcc.edu or (540) 453-0264.

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麻豆直播 Leader Named Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow, Participating in Fellowship Preparing Next Generation of Presidents to Improve Student Outcomes

Last week, the Aspen Institute (Aspen) announced that Dr. Dave Urso, Vice President of Academic Affairs at 麻豆直播 is one of 40 outstanding leaders from across the country for the 2026-27 . Chosen from a competitive pool of more than 125 applicants, these 40 executive and senior community college leaders were chosen for their potential to enact major reforms that deliver much stronger results for students.

鈥淚 expect that the Fellowship will help Dr. Urso further develop his transformational instincts while simultaneously helping him learn the most effective approaches to community college leadership,鈥� said 麻豆直播 President Dr. John Downey. 鈥淗e is an innovative leader that is passionate, persuasive, and full of ideas.鈥�

Over 15 years, Aspen鈥檚 research on high-performing community colleges has consistently shown that high and improving levels of student success are much more likely when an exceptional president is leading the community college. For that reason, Aspen has been working for a decade to help prepare a new generation of transformational community college leaders through this program.

Over the coming year, these fellows will:

• Deeply examine data on available jobs in their community and student outcomes at their colleges
• Learn about transformational models from 15 years of Aspen Prize research into colleges with high and improving levels of student success through the Aspen Prize process
• Receive coaching and feedback from accomplished college leaders, including sitting and retired presidents who have led transformational reforms
• Devise a concept for major reform strategy at their institution, receiving critical feedback from peers and experts along the way

鈥淥ur research shows that excellent colleges share a common trait: they are led by presidents who focus on a few transformative initiatives that extend beyond enrollment and even completion numbers, centering instead on whether graduates are prepared for transfer and bachelor鈥檚 attainment and success in the workforce or further education,鈥� said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 鈥淚 cannot wait to begin working with this impressive set of leaders.鈥�  

Rising Presidents Fellows are chosen based on their commitment to improving student success and advancing economic mobility, their readiness to lead major student-success reforms, and the likelihood that they will assume a college presidency within five years of completing the program. The selected fellows come from 20 states and a wide range of institutions鈥攆rom small rural colleges to large urban campuses鈥攂ringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the fellowship. They join a vibrant network of over 500 peers鈥攊ncluding over 215 sitting presidents鈥攚ho are leading colleges that help more students finish college, transfer to four-year institutions, and secure good jobs.

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible through the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University.

For bios and photos of all 40 leaders, visit the .听

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Though he was born in Mozambique, and has lived in a handful of places, David and his family consider Harrisonburg their home. Learning English by watching YouTube and listening to music, David also developed an interest in taking apart electronics and trying to put them back together at an early age. That hobby eventually turned into a job in the 麻豆直播 Computer Repair Shop, and now, an Associate of Science degree in Computer Science from Blue Ridge. David will transfer to Radford University this fall to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Cybersecurity.

鈥淪ome of us are parents. Some of us are still the children in our families. Some are transferring to new schools, and for others this may be the final step in our academic journey,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut no matter what our paths, we all carry different stories, struggles, and experiences that brought us to this moment.鈥�

David recognized not only his own challenges along the way, but also those of his classmates. 鈥淭he challenges we faced whether in our personal lives, our families, or even late nights with homework, those are the bricks that build who we become. So do not stop building,鈥� he encouraged. 鈥淢aybe graduating today feels like finishing a house. But don鈥檛 stop there. Go build another one.鈥�

Shenandoah Valley native Katie Frazier, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for the Commonwealth of Virginia, was the keynote speaker. After pointing out how the industry affects so many aspects of daily life she asked, 鈥淏ut what if we went just a little deeper and thought about the other lessons you can learn from a farmer, and how they might help you in your quest to impact this region and Virginia as you take your next steps out into the world?鈥� She went on the share five life lessons she鈥檚 learned from a career working with farmers – Patience, Collaboration, Resilience, Be Careful, and to Find Your Vocation.

鈥淭his world needs farmers and it needs public servants. But it also needs prepared minds, hearts for service, and ready hands to do good, valuable work,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd that is the bright future each of you have ahead of you, thanks to your time and experiences here.鈥�

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Bringing experts from the automotive repair industry into the classroom has been a focus for instructors in the Automotive Repair program at 麻豆直播. 鈥淲e are grateful to have people in the community come in and talk with students so that they are prepared when they enter the work force,鈥� Jeff Wiseman, Automotive Analysis & Repair Department Chair, explained. 鈥淢ike and I are doing our best to make sure the students who leave our program are prepared for the 鈥榬eal world鈥� so they have a better chance at success.鈥�

Local shop foreman, Marcus Yeago, recently visited to demonstrate how to isolate the hybrid system from a 2024 Toyota Sienna hybrid van. Yeago works for McDonough Toyota in Staunton. Starting with an emphasis on safety, he brought common safety tools and equipment used to service hybrid and electric vehicles (EV). Marcus discussed common problems he has personally seen in the automotive industry and how important it is to be a professional in this field. 

鈥淚 learned a lot about how to safely disable the high-voltage system on a hybrid vehicle.  Having Marcus come in with a newer Toyota hybrid was very helpful in my understanding of how a hybrid works and how to stay safe while working on them,鈥� said student Noah Mumbert.

Another guest lecturer this spring was Matt Donato from Standard Motor Products. Matt is an automotive educator who travels the country training professional automotive technicians and automotive instructors. Matt specifically wanted to demonstrate to 麻豆直播 students an in-depth look into how to use a Pico oscilloscope. This highly-advanced tool is used to create real time graphs of electrical signals to help automotive technicians diagnosis today’s complex electrical systems.

For auto student Liam Chester, Matt鈥檚 lecture was a hit! 鈥淭his was probably one of my favorite class periods for the semester. We had used the scopes a lot up to this point, but it was really neat to see someone who is super fluent in the way they operate,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou could tell throughout the presentation that he not only knew what he was talking about, but was very passionate about teaching the information.鈥�

Classmate Edward Kirby agreed and added, 鈥淭he demonstrations added a depth of knowledge and value to the class. Many things get lost in translation or become boring when reading but actually seeing it being done makes it much more interesting.鈥�

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One of the many students who now regularly join Rasheed in the Rec Center is engineering student Izaak Mazur. Calling Rasheed, 鈥渁 very down-to-earth professor with wicked dad jokes,鈥� Izaak said they usually end up talking about food and what鈥檚 going on in their lives.

 鈥淚 think the fitness center is a wonderful space on campus and I try to go as often as I can.  I thought if more students experienced it even one time, that they would keep coming back,鈥� Rasheed explained. And it turns out he was right; often the students who take him up on his offer end up becoming regulars at the Rec Center.

Many dedicated professors like Rasheed are finding creative ways to meet students where they are, offering extra support and adding value to the 麻豆直播 experience.

English professor Pamyla Yates has begun holding early morning Student Engagement hours in a computer lab 鈥� and via Zoom – for students to practice keyboarding. 鈥淥ver the years, a continual survey of my English language learning students showed that only 10-15% of the students had proficient keyboarding skills. In addition, many of our native English speakers have very spotty keyboarding skills as some schools make tech foundations optional,鈥� Yates explained.

She said that efficient keyboarding skills can help students complete assignments in half or a third of the time, and also reduces errors. Being an English professor, she added 鈥淪tudents can also ask me any questions regarding English鈥� during the help session.

An earlier riser who took full advantage of the keyboarding assistance is Sumaya Lak. Sumaya joined Yates most mornings by Zoom so she could get her children ready for school before she started her own day at 麻豆直播. 鈥淚 appreciate her,鈥� Sumaya said about Yates. She said that the practice has helped improve her typing speed and accuracy, but also has helped with pronunciation. Seeing a word on the screen, then hearing and saying it, and also typing it, reinforced learning on multiple levels.

Dan O鈥橞rien, 麻豆直播 Computer Science professor and program, said that the extra keyboarding instruction has been a 鈥渉uge boost for my students.鈥� He added, 鈥淲hile they are familiar with using smartphones and tablets, many have never needed to use a computer keyboard. Pam has helped them with improved efficiency and accuracy when writing papers and especially with computer coding.鈥�

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鈥淔inding the right campus fit is vital to student success. There is nothing more reassuring to a student than feeling at home where they study,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭he opportunity to meet current 4-year students, see classrooms, and learn about campus activities and support systems is key to boosting student confidence as they prepare to transfer.鈥�

Last month 32 麻豆直播 students visited the University of Virginia, as part of the university鈥檚 inaugural Transfer Visit. In addition to hosting 麻豆直播 students, UVA invited students form PVCC and Virginia Western Community College. The first stop of the day was meeting with the Transfer Dean and hearing from a student panel about the admissions process and student life. Next up was a scavenger hunt exploring the Grounds to learn more about UVA traditions, resources, and to meet current students. The group had lunch together then broke into groups based on their academic interests to learn about school-specific admission information. The day wrapped up with a session about applying for financial aid.

Sisters Emilie and Katrina Pinkevich are first year transfer students at 麻豆直播 who were part of the UVA visit. They are both considering transfer to the McIntire College of Business.

鈥淭he financial aid info session was very helpful for understanding UVA’s unique systems. I had a thoroughly positive experience and UVA is now my favorite transfer option,鈥� said Emilie.

Katrina agreed that the visit was a success and, 鈥淚 came away with a better understanding of what UVA is and their vibe. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that students get free access to all UVA sporting events!鈥�

As the most popular transfer destination for 麻豆直播 students, JMU is a frequent host for transfer tours. In February a group of 53 麻豆直播 students took the short trip to Harrisonburg to spend the day on campus. Rajan says that at JMU, 鈥渢he Transfer Student Panel and lunch on campus are always highlights of the visit!

Starting at 麻豆直播 is a great way to stay close to home, save money, and take advantage of seamless transfer options to nearly any public or private 4-year college in Virginia! Offering transfer support including customized advising, visits, and more, 麻豆直播 students are sure to get the help they need to transfer successfully. 

For more information about transfer options, email info@brcc.edu or advising@brcc.edu.

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