Kristen Long

I was among the group of students, faculty and staff from Rappahannock Community College who traveled to Richmond on Tuesday to meet with our legislators.

Our day began with a welcoming speech at the Library of Virginia from Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. We then proceeded to the General Assembly Building where we met and spoke with some of the delegates and senators who represent and serve in our districts.

We introduced ourselves and informed the legislators of our future plans after our education at RCC. The legislators were pleased to meet with us and listen as we asked them to support Virginia’s Community Colleges. It was an encouragement for me to meet with Virginia’s representatives and know that they wanted to continue their support. We ended our visit by attending a session of the General Assembly.

My education at RCC is very important to me. The experiences and opportunities I have found there are valuable in becoming a high quality professional and person. When I graduated from home school in 2009, I did not know what my next step should be. I had investigated attending large, four-year institutions in Virginia, but because of financial reasons, community college was my only option for higher education.

I am thankful for my decision to attend RCC. The leadership and staff are helpful and considerate. I have enjoyed meeting a diverse array of people and have made life-long friends. Most important to me, however, is the quality of education taught by the professors. Relationships are important to me, and my professors are always glad to speak with me after class. They desire to see each student succeed and reach their full potential. The excellence, inspiration, and motivation in the RCC professors are invaluable in training the next generation of leaders.

Kristen Nia Long
RCC student