Laurel Ridge opens esports arena
Laurel Ridge Community College opened their new esports arena earlier this fall.
The arena is located in the Middletown Campus’s Student Union Building and contains 12 PCs, three Nintendo Switches, and a broadcasting/streaming station.
The new arena is also part of a partnership with Shenandoah University who helped Laurel Ridge purchase $50,000 in equipment using a grant SU received for its Hub for Innovation, Virtual Reality and Entrepreneurship, or HIVE.
Laurel Ridge business administration students can transfer to SU’s esports management degree program which offers certificates, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Shenandoah also provided two interns to Laurel Ridge to help establish the esports program.
Roughly 50 students have signed up for the new Lions Esports Organization, or LEO, which is open to all students whether they are playing competitively or recreationally.
To learn more information about the esports program at Laurel Ridge, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Laurel Ridge partners with JMU to address teacher shortage
Laurel Ridge Community College is entering a partnership with James Madison University and Germanna Community College to give aspiring teachers a jump start on their degrees while still in high school and address the ongoing teacher shortage.
The Future Educators Academy will help students earn associate degrees while completing their high school advanced studies diploma.
Students will then receive guaranteed admission into JMU’s highly acclaimed College of Education program and can earn their bachelor’s degree within two years.
This opportunity will be available through both Middletown and Fauquier campuses at Laurel Ridge in the fall of 2025.
Laurel Ridge President Kim Blosser said, “All of the public school divisions in our service region are experiencing teacher shortages, and our rural school divisions are often hit the hardest. We are very excited to help meet that need by educating high school students who live and work in our region.”
For more information on the new program, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Game on! at LRCC
Laurel Ridge Community College (LRCC) is inviting all esports fanatics and those curious about the extremely popular industry to an open house at the college’s new esports arena 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 16th.
The arena is in the Student Union Building at the Middletown Campus.
Free pizza and salad are being offered.
The open house will include the Lions Esports Organization (L.E.O.), which is made up of competitive players, casual gamers, and supporters.
In addition to getting a chance to meet some of these players, as well as Student Life staff, visitors will be able to play PC, console, and tabletop games.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Laurel Ridge students rocket experiment into space
An experiment of two Laurel Ridge Community College students rocketed into space this summer after attending a NASA workshop.
Brian Gern and Ben Stange were accompanied by Computer Science Professor Dr. Melissa Stange to the six day RockOn! workshop this summer at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
The students built a computer from scratch that included a Geiger counter to measure radiation in space.
Their experiment was scheduled to launch in June but was delayed due to poor weather conditions.
The group returned in August to see their hard work sent off into space on a NASA rocket.
Professor Stange said, “Not only did our students have an opportunity to learn about cross-discipline activities – they were able to apply what they had learned in multiple classes, such as computer science, drones and electrical – this experience gave them the opportunity to network with professionals at NASA. They were also able to learn about internships that could result from this experience. And, they developed friendships with students from around the U.S.”
To learn more about their experience, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Laurel Ridge hosts visitors from NASA next week
Laurel Ridge Community College will welcome visitors from NASA on Wednesday, September 20th.
NASA human resource specialist Karen Miller is the apprentice program manager and pathways internship program coordinator and she will be joining the group in Middletown next week.
She wants participants to know about the variety of options to start a career at NASA, regardless of their field of study.
She also mentioned that among 11 apprentices at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, 10 of them graduated from a Virginia community college as well as 3 of 4 interns.
Separate presentations with a Q & A will be held for Mountain Vista Governor’s School students, high school students, then for Laurel Ridge and the greater community.
Attendees will learn about opportunities available for current students, alumni, and those with 4 year or postgraduate education.
A link for more information and to RSVP is available here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Laurel Ridge prepares for annual 5K
Laurel Ridge Community College is getting ready for their annual 5k run or walk to benefit student scholarships.
The 5k will begin at 9 am at the Student Union Building on Saturday, September, 16.
Registration is now open with a link available here
Early registration ends September 1st but you can register up to 8:40 am on race day.
Awards will be given to the top three males and females in each of the 8 age groups ranging from 10 and under to 70 and over.
Due to the multi-surface course, no pets or strollers are allowed.
After the race, participants are invited back to the Student Union Building for refreshments.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
WinTran’s Laurel Ridge Route begins service
The City of Winchester’s new public transit route to Laurel Ridge Community College began service today.
The bus will stop at five locations between the downtown Winchester Boscawen Street transfer station and the Community College every 70 minutes.
The stops include Bank of Clarke, Braddock Street at Amherst Street, John Handley High School, Shihadeh Innovation Center, and Jubal Early Drive at Apple Blossom Drive.
The Laurel Ridge Route will run throughout the year except for holidays with the first bus leaving at 7:10 am and the final bus returning at 9:10 pm.
All buses are wheelchair accessible and equipped with a bike rack.
Winchester Transit would also like to remind all residents that it is free to travel on any WinTran bus to any destination through June 30, 2023.
To view the schedule and stop information, click here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
LFCC officially becomes Laurel Ridge
Lord Fairfax Community College officially became Laurel Ridge Community College.
Small ceremonies at its campuses in Middletown, Fauquier and Page County marked the name change.
In July of 2021, the State Board for Community Colleges approved the name Laurel Ridge.
This followed the boards decision to review the suitability of their name at all colleges in Virginia Community College System.
College Board Chair Michael Wenger said at the Page County naming ceremony, “The past year, they have been building the foundation, not for an ending, but a beginning, and it starts right away.”
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
LFCC – LRCC Welcomes Broadband
The more than $95 million in broadband expansion in the Northern Shenandoah Valley is a welcome boon for Lord Fairfax Community
College as it brings fiber broadband to more than 40,000 locations. The college considers this critical to succeed in higher education for the modern
college student. The Vice President for Student Service and Academic Support Dr. Caroline Wood praised the broadband expansion
as a needed and welcomed commodity.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
LFCC offers a free trade session open house
Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) will hold a Trades Information session open house on Saturday Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Middletown Campus.
The session will offer information on a verity of trades such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, heavy equipment operation and more.
You can register for the open house at Lord Fairfax Community College’s Workforce Solutions or right here.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.