FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC ALLIANCE FOR EXCELLENCE HOSTS 21st ANNUAL AWARDS PROGRAM

DANVILLE, VA, May 2, 2007 – The Danville Community College Alliance for Excellence will honor DCC and area high school students as part of its 21^st Annual Alliance for Excellence Academic Excellence Awards Program on Thursday, May 10 at the Cherrystone Missionary Baptist Association Center in Ringgold. A reception honoring the recipients will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the program to follow at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Carolyn Browning, Dean of the Bluefield Campus of New River Community and Technical College, will be the keynote speaker. Browning also is senior pastor of Midway Church of Christ in North Tazewell.

A Brooklyn, NY native, but raised in Tazewell, Browning has traveled extensively across the United States as a professional trainer for 24 years. She has worked with business and industry, not-for-profit, civic, and religious, health care and community-based organizations. She previously was an Associate Professor of Business at Southwest Virginia Community College for 10 years, and was twice selected Faculty Member of the Year. She also worked at Bluefield College as a Business and Industry Training Specialist, and in 2001, was named Director of the Emerging Leaders Institute of Bluefield State College. In 2003, she was appointed the Campus Director of the Bluefield Campus of New River Community and Technical College, and a year later, in 2004, she was named to her current position as Dean.

Browning earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Bluefield College, and a Master’s of Business Administration and Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, both from East Tennessee State University. She also holds a PhD in School Administration from Southwest University (LA).

Browning has received two awards from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development and was chosen as one of America’s Most Outstanding Young Women in America, among other honors.

The Alliance for Excellence awards program recognizes the academic achievements of high school seniors from Danville, Halifax County and Pittsylvania County Public Schools, in addition to the academic achievers at DCC. The program includes the presentation of plaques to six DCC students for the highest academic averages. The plaques are presented in memory of well-known community leaders: Dr. Bishop Merritt, Mr. James Griffin Hughes, Mrs. Addie Luck Williams, Mrs. Rebecca Mullins, Bishop William Y. Bell and Dr. Leon V. Ragland. In addition, the Rev. Doyle J. Thomas Award, named in memory of the former Danville City Councilman and community leader, will be presented to a student with outstanding academic achievement.

 The awards to high school students will be presented by the respective school superintendents – Dr. Sue Davis, Danville Public Schools; Paul Stapleton, Halifax County Public Schools; and James McDaniel, Pittsylvania County Public Schools. DCC President Dr. B. Carlyle Ramsey and other college administrators will present awards to the DCC honorees.

The public is invited to this program. There is no cost to attend. Alliance for Excellence is a partnership between Danville Community College and area churches to foster higher education awareness. For more information about the awards program, contact Dr. Bethann West James, Coordinator of Alliance for Excellence and Neighborhood Initiatives, at 434.797.8441; toll free: 800.560.4291, ext. 8441; or click here.