PVCC’s Education and Resource Fair a Showcase of Opportunity

On Thursday, Nov. 10, the Bolick Student Center was packed with information tables for the Education and Resource Fair. Tables were covered in the free swag typical of professional fairs, as well as with eye-catching, department-specific attractions. The Engineering table stood out with an elaborate model bridge, and the Diagnostic Medical Sonography table with a plastic stomach for mock ultrasounds. The Culinary Arts department maintained a steady crowd throughout the night thanks to its free cookies.   

Held once a semester, the Education and Resource Fair is catered towards both current and prospective PVCC students. It showcases PVCC resources like the Student Financial Resource Center and Workforce Services, along with its various departments of study. Accounting, Nursing, Business, and Health Information Management were just some of the departments present. A complete list can be found on the PVCC web page for the fair.

Fair-goers had the opportunity to have their specific and potentially obscure questions answered by faculty. Four-year colleges also had a presence at the fair, with representatives from  Old Dominion University, James Madison University, Mary Baldwin University, and the University of Virginia set up to talk about the transferring process.

The crowd in attendance was diverse. PVCC students stood alongside high schoolers and the families of working adults interested in going back to school.

Denise McClanahan, outreach manager and the fair’s primary organizer, was pleasantly surprised with the turn-out. “I wanted to give people the opportunity to talk with those who teach, professionals,” she said.

The next Education and Resource Fair will be held in the spring. Those who missed out on this semester’s fair that are interested in any of the organizations that were present can reach out to McClanahan for help with getting in-touch. Her email is dmcclanahan@pvcc.edu, and her phone number is 434-961-5275.

PVCC president Dr. Jean Runyon paid a visit to the Fair and was elated by its energy and bustle. “What I love about this is just the buzz in the room,” she said. “Everyone’s so excited. About careers, the future, industry cookies…”