FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DR. LINDA LARKIN TO HEAD GRETNA OFFICE

DANVILLE, VA, March 29, 2007 – There’s a new face at Danville Community College’s office at the Riddle Center in Gretna. That new face is Dr. Linda F. Larkin, formerly of Fredericksburg, was named coordinator of . Larkin says she is looking forward to serving the higher education needs of the citizens of Gretna and northern Pittsylvania County.

“This is a change for me,” Larkin says. “I am very excited about this new venture. This will be a challenge, but I am certainly looking forward to it.”

Larkin is charged with managing the office located in the Riddle Center, beside Gretna High School. In addition to offering classes on location, the site has a variety of DCC resources including class schedules, catalogs, brochures and other materials. One of Larkin’s first tasks will be to survey residents to determine their interests.

“I plan to visit area businesses, industries and organizations and talk to individuals to see what classes they would like for us offer,” Larkin says.

She notes a variety of computer classes in Microsoft WORD, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Photoshop is being offered during the days, weekends and evenings this spring and summer. Personal interest classes such as Oil Painting, French for Travelers, Webpage Design, Conversational Spanish, Fitness and Yoga are also popular.

“We want to continue these offerings and look at other needs,” Larkin adds.

Dr. Max Glass, Vice President of Workforce Services, says he is delighted to have Larkin join the DCC staff.

“We have had a presence in the northern Pittsylvania County area for many years,” Glass says. “We want to expand that presence and provide other services. Dr. Larkin comes to us with a lot of experience in higher education and public service.”

Larkin recently retired from full-time employment at Germanna Community College where she was Dean of the Learning Resources Center for six years and the site Coordinator for the University of Richmond’s Weekend College for one year. She also has served as an adjunct assistant professor for the University of Richmond, teaching several courses in the School of Continuing Studies. Larkin also has been employed as a librarian at Germanna and Blue Ridge Community Colleges; librarian for Staff Development with the State Department of Corrections in Waynesboro; and the Children’s Department Head for the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library in Charlottesville. She has held other librarian positions in New York State.

Larkin holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Richmond College of the City University of New York; Master of Science Degree in Library Science from Columbia University; and doctorate (Ph.D) in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In May 2001, she was honored with the Leigh A. Grosenick Award from VCU’s Center for Public Policy for best paper written in 2000 in the doctoral program in public policy and administration.

“Expanding student learning is the focus at Danville Community College,” says Glass. “At the Riddle Center location, we want to build programs as well as classes in the area. We want to look at business and industry programs, teacher re-certification and other courses. If there is sufficient interest in a class or program we want to offer it.”

Larkin says while she is just settling in to her new responsibilities, she welcomes ideas from the community about ways DCC can provide greater assistance.

 “We will have expanded hours,” Larkin says.” We are looking forward to doing great things.”

For more information about DCC's Gretna/Northern Pittsylvania County site, contact Dr. Larkin at 434.656.8000, or click here.