ESCC Fast Forward Coach Receives Chancellor’s Award

Barb Rang was announced Friday, November 5, 2021, as the VCCS Chancellor’s Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement at this year’s HireEd Conference. Rang was selected for the honor from all of the nominations received from each college in the Virginia Community College System.

The Hire Education Conference is the VCCS’ professional development gathering of workforce leaders and practitioners with a mission to explore the ways in which colleges respond to the needs of businesses and individuals in the Commonwealth. The conference has been held for over 20 years, and was conducted virtually this year November 3-5.

At 44, Barb returned to school, earning her BS in Elem. Ed. from Penn State in 2007 (with “Highest Distinction”) after starting out at Harrisburg (PA) Area Community College. In 2015, she came to ESCC in various part-time roles before being hired as FT FastForward Coach. Being a non-traditional learner helps her serve her students, and also helps explain her commitment to the diverse student base of Eastern Shore Community College.

Workforce and Business Solutions Officer, Scott Hall commented, “as ESCC’s sole FastForward Coach she directly serves literally hundreds of learners each year; she truly SERVES them, with compassion, grace, honesty and empathy. During the recent “ESCC refresh”, Barb WAS Workforce Services for 6 months, holding together a unit that had been decimated by RIFs. When I was hired at ESCC, she welcomed me, trained me, and taught me what it means to be a servant leader.”