Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...
community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior se ...
in
Chester, Virginia
Chester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 23,414.
History
Chester's original "downtown" was a stop which was an intersection of the Richmond and Peters ...
.
History
The college, which opened in 1967, was named after Virginia native
John Tyler
John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845, after briefly holding office as the tenth vice president in 1841. He was elected vice president on the 1840 Whig tick ...
, the tenth president of the United States. In July 2021, the Virginia State Board of Community Colleges changed names for local institutions named after people who owned slaves or advocated racist policies such as
school segregation School segregation is the division of people into different groups in the education system by characteristics such as race, religion, or ethnicity. See also
*'' D.H. and Others v. the Czech Republic''
*School segregation in the United States
*Single ...
. The board allowed the college to change its name to Brightpoint Community College. Instead of venerating John Tyler, who was a slaveholder and
Confederacy supporter, the new name ''"celebrates the heart and energy of
heinstitution"''. Additionally, new names will be designated for campus buildings and streets, including
Bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
Hall and
Godwin Hall, both of which are named after Virginia politicians who supported segregation.
Academics
The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and offers 17 associate degree programs, eight certificate programs, and 36 career studies certificate programs. In addition, the college has transfer degree programs that transfer into bachelor's degree programs that are mostly freshman and sophomore level classes.
During the 2010–2011 academic year, the college served more than 14,500 students. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. John Tyler is the first college in the
Virginia Community College System
The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) oversees a network of 23 community colleges in Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, betwe ...
to be recognized for its sustainability efforts. In July 2010, it received a
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for its Midlothian Campus Science Building.
Locations
The Community College has two campuses - one in
Chester, Virginia
Chester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 23,414.
History
Chester's original "downtown" was a stop which was an intersection of the Richmond and Peters ...
, and one in
Midlothian, Virginia
Midlothian ( ) is an unincorporated area in Chesterfield County, Virginia, U.S. Settled as a coal town, Midlothian village experienced suburbanization effects and is now part of the western suburbs of Richmond, Virginia south of the James Rive ...
. The college's Nursing Education Center is located on the Johnston-Willis Campus of CJW Medical Center.
It serves the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex.
References
External links
*
Virginia Community College System
Education in Richmond, Virginia
Educational institutions established in 1967
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Education in Chesterfield County, Virginia
1967 establishments in Virginia
John Tyler
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