FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC BOARD APPROVES BUILDING, FACILITIES NAMING RECOMMENDATIONS

DANVILLE, VA, April 8, 2008 – The new Health Sciences Building, under construction on Danville Community College’s campus, is getting a name – Foundation Hall. The new name, approved recently by the DCC Board during a special session, is in recognition of the Danville Regional Foundation’s $9.7 million award.

“This is the largest single gift ever received by the college,” says Dr. Carlyle Ramsey, DCC President. “We want to recognize the generosity of the Danville Regional Foundation in providing DCC with the opportunity to expand educational access in allied health careers; strengthen the area’s workforce; assist with economic development; and partner in community development to improve health care services for all citizens.” 

The DCC Board also renamed the Estelle H. Womack Museum of Natural History to the Estelle H. Womack Hall. The building previously served as home to the museum collection which was re-located to the Danville Science Center in 2006. It was the result of a generous gift in 1986 by Charles Womack in memory of his wife, Estelle. In early 2007, the facility was renovated for use by DCC’s allied health programs through a grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission.

In other action, the Board named DCC’s library in memory of Ms. Mary Morton Barksdale, the college’s first Head of Library Services. Ms. Barksdale also bequeathed several endowed scholarships and a study abroad award in honor of former DCC history professor Kinney Rorrer. The library is located in the Clement Learning Resources Center. The Board also approved the naming of the Herbert R. Silverman M.D. Auditorium in the new Foundation Hall, which honors the late Dr. Silverman, a Danville native and longtime general surgeon; and honored two former DCC professors with the naming of the George D. Rogers Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Lab, located in the Wyatt Building, and the James R. Meissner Precision Machining Technology Lab, located in the Hawkins Engineering and Industrial Technology Building.  

DCC is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. Each year more than 6,000 students enroll annually in the 40-plus programs of study that lead to an associate degree, diploma or certificate. The DCC service region includes the City of Danville, Halifax County, and Pittsylvania County.

For more information, contact the college at 434.797.2222, or click here.