Five top nominees have emerged as Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) continues the search for a new name.

The names were submitted by more than 100 participants that included students, staff, alumni and community members.

A naming task force from LFCC has been assembled to search for an appropriate name for the school.

Their top 5 new name selections include:

• Valley & Vista Community College

• The task force thought the name was unifying and inclusive of the entire service region.
• It brings to mind an upward progression, much like the academic journey and broader horizons our students explore.
• Vista has inspirational connotations.

• Red Oak Community College

• More than half of the forest in Shenandoah National Park consists of red oaks, and the strength and towering stature of the trees represent the growth and opportunity provided by the college.
• Oak trees have historical and cultural significance. Kings wore crowns of oak leaves, and the tree signifies strength in the Bible.

• Laurel Ridge Community College

• Laurels grow abundantly within the college’s service area, which also features distinctive mountain ridges.
• Laurel is also a verb meaning “to bestow an award or praise in recognition of an achievement, often academic.”
• The ancient Greeks presented laurel wreaths to athletes, poets and war heroes.
• As the upper edge of a mountain range, ridge can serve as a metaphor for the level of success and range of opportunities offered by the college.

• Valley & Ridge Community College

• One of the regions of Virginia, west of the Blue Ridge and east of the Appalachian Plateau Region, is the Valley & Ridge Region.
• The name unites the service regions while paying tribute to the natural landscape.

• Newbridge Community College

• A recurring theme among comments and stories from students and alumni was that the college gave them a new outlook and a new start. The word “new” speaks to new beginnings.
• “Bridge” can refer to where students are now and where they’d like to be in the future.

More information on the name change can be found here.

A final decision on a new name is expected by the college’s board this summer.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.