To launch Black History Month 2026, your Eastern Shore Community College Student Government Association (SGA) provided students with a special event on Tuesday, February 3rd, featuring a delicious plated hot lunch from Sage Diner and a special guest speaker, Stan Pearson II, along with a number of big giveaways at the conclusion of the event. Over 100 students were in attendance and enjoyed engaging with the popular celebrity speaker. 

Pearson, who has been well received with audiences throughout the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), is based out of Atlanta, and is an award-winning motivational comedian, speaker and event emcee who has a gift of being able to connect with a range of ages and backgrounds in his audiences. “Your Time is Now” was the theme of his ESCC appearance and students enjoyed hearing practical messages of building confidence, great friendships, and strong habits that will help them better themselves from the inside out. 

Also a successful author, Stan Pearson II has published a series of self-help books, citing family as inspiration for much of his writing. His books, like his personal appearances, promote personal growth and have helped him continue to better his own communication skills as he traveled the world with various engagements. 

With a background that has included everything from working for a car rental company to having a position at Texas A&M as Associate Director of Student Activities, Pearson has worked for a Governor and a United States Senator on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. He earned his Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. While working for a consulting firm, he formed his own speaking company, Breathing Diversity. 

When explaining the name of his company, Pearson explains, “There are two things that you cannot live without – you cannot live without breathing and you certainly cannot live without diversity.” His thought provoking and inclusive message helps ignite change in the lives of his audience, and promoting emotional intelligence, leadership and diversity results in success. 

ESCC students were slow to let their guest speaker leave the podium as insightful and well thought-out questions were posed by many. Pearson even stayed longer as event clean-up began, to engage individuals with remaining questions and conversation. 

Several copies of Pearson’s latest book were given away to winning students in addition to a full collection of popular BEATS headphones and portable speakers provided by the SGA Club. ESCC’s SGA organizes multiple popular events for students on campus each year including Back to Campus and End of Year celebrations. Club members are very involved in decision-making on events and provide an important connection to what students may respond to and enjoy. 

Artist Registration is now open!

ESCC Winter Arts Festival Returns in 2026 with a Special Addition!

Saturday, February 28^th will see the latest edition of the Eastern Shore Community College Winter Arts Festival, from 10am-2pm, in the college’s Academic Building on campus in Melfa.  In exciting news, this year’s event will host the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Mobile Exhibit from Richmond, which will debut its latest theme on the Shore, entitled “Virginia as America: Navigating Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

In 1953, VMFA became one of the first museums in the world to have an Artmobile. For four decades, as many as four Artmobiles toured 59 exhibitions and served more than 2.5 million Virginians. Due to conservation concerns and the fragility of traveling works of art, VMFA replaced the program in the early 1990s with a Statewide Partners program to deepen partnerships with schools, community centers, and museums around the state.

Renamed VMFA on the Road, the traveling museum relaunched in October 2018 as a state-of-the-art, climate-controlled trailer equipped with Wi-Fi and interactive components that meet 21st-century expectations. In the fall of 2023, the museum acquired a new trailer with even more space for art and visitors. 

This year’s new exhibit that will debut at ESCC on February 28^th, explores the American ideal that was first expressed in the Declaration of Independence. The evocative phrase “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” founded a nation on a promise of “inalienable” rights, a promise that has endured for 250 years. 

From the collection at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 14 works of art- paintings, prints, and decorative objects- provide an alternative lens by which to understand our past, encouraging us to consider the hopes and challenges of those founding principles and their persistent relevance for realizing a “more perfect union.” 

Organized by VMFA, this exhibition is in recognition of VA250, the Commonwealth of Virginia’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the Independence of the United States. The exhibition is curated by Dr. Susan J. Rawles, VMFA’s Elizabeth Locke Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts.

The unit will be located at the entrance of the ESCC Academic Building on campus in Melfa, where both floors will be featuring local artists and crafters displaying their work with a special spotlight planned to conclude Black History Month.

Live music will be featured in the ESCC Student Lounge featuring FAISON, along with food, baked goods and refreshments by the ESCC Phi Theta Kappa Chapter, and local favorite Kookie Momster.

Local artists can register for a space at the February 28^th Arts Fest, email event coordinator Bill LeCato, or call for more information at 757-789-1797.  Deadline for registration is January 30^th. 

Enjoy the online edition of the new Fall 25/ Winter 26 ESCC Foundation Newsletter

ESCC is proud to announce that its new soccer club, ESCC Football Club, is making significant strides toward becoming a full-fledged collegiate soccer program after a successful fall run in an adult league in Westover, MD.

Launched in Spring 2024 when ESCC FC began recruiting students, the club team has evolved into a competitive outlet for students to continue their soccer careers. The team competed in the Somerset County Parks and Rec Adult League, facing off against other community college clubs and similarly skilled teams. The team made it all the way to the playoffs in November but were eliminated in the first round.

The team’s home field is located at Randy Custis Memorial Park, in partnership with Shore Soccer League, where new lighting installation is underway to support evening matches and future tournaments. As ESCC approaches the 2026 Spring semester, opportunities will continue for more students to participate with practices and competitions being planned.

Leading the program is Coach Chase Baxa, a Northampton High School teacher and championship-winning coach. Baxa played at Geneva College and led Northampton High School Boys to state titles in 2023 and 2025. He was named Virginia Coach of the Year for Class 1 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and currently serves as Academy Director at Rush Academy Peninsula, formerly Shore FC.

“I believe in a few short years ESCC FC will be able to compete with other community college programs in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA),” said Coach Baxa. “The talent and passion for soccer on the Eastern Shore is incredible, and I’m honored to help showcase it as well as provide pathways for our athletes to pursue higher education and job training in our Shore community.”

ESCC FC represents a growing commitment to student recruitment and engagement at Eastern Shore Community College, and the future looks bright for this dynamic new program. For more information please contact Coach Baxa at cbaxa@es.vccs.edu.

Now in its 7^th year, Eastern Shore Community College Foundation is hosting its annual Oyster Roast fundraiser on Friday, January 30th from 5:30pm-8:30pm.  All proceeds fund scholarships and services for students. The event is held on ESCC’s campus, both outdoors under a tent with heaters, and inside the Workforce Development Building and Great Hall.

ESCC Foundation’s Oyster Roast has become a staple event in late January, tapping into the Shore’s rich oyster roast tradition with a cause that has lasting impact on local students.  This is ESCC’s top fundraiser for scholarships and services to help local students enroll and complete their education and job training at ESCC.

Attendees will enjoy locally sourced oysters and clams roasted and steamed on site along with homemade clam chowder all provided by ESCC alumni Sylvester Martinez, veteran of Eastern Shore Events and Rentals. Wendell Distributing will provide local craft beer, plus wine and sodas. To round out the menu, Exmore Diner will feature BBQ and side dishes, served by ESCC’s own student ambassadors.

ESCC’s Oyster Roast will once again feature a Silent Auction with items donated by generous local and regional businesses and artisans. Highlights for 2026 include carvings by Billy Crockett, Peter Egan and others, golf packages, bourbon gift baskets, jewelry, wine baskets, specially handcrafted bird houses made by ESCC’s Core Construction Trades classes, unique gifts and services, and more.

In addition to a great menu, live music has become a staple at the event. In honor of ESCC  President Dr. Daryl Minus and his affinity for jazz, our featured artist for 2026 will be the Russell Scarborough Jazz Quartet.  Frequently performing in Hampton Roads and beyond as the Russell Scarborough Jazz Trio, the acclaimed drummer has added an extra member for this event, creating an all-star lineup of talent.

In addition to the world-class drumming of bandleader Scarborough, fans of jazz guitar will be delighted by performances by Eldon Sully and Jake Stith, anchored by sought-after regional bassist Dave Evans.  This outfit represents some of the most impressive musicianship in the 757.

A great evening of food and music is planned. Executive Director of ESCC Foundation Patty Kellam explains:

“We are so appreciative of our sponsors, friends and business partners who support our Oyster Roast fundraiser. We also thank our businesses and artisans for donating to our silent auction this year. There are lots of great items to bid on.”

We hope the Eastern Shore community will join us for a great evening of local seafood, live music, and camaraderie to support Your Eastern Shore Community College so we can keep our classes accessible and available to all.”

Tickets are $75 each including beer, wine and soft drinks and can be purchased online.  A limited number of tickets are sold, so those interested should move fast for availability. For more information or to sponsor, please contact Patty Kellam at 757-789-1749 or pkellam@es.vccs.edu.

CLICK ON TICKET BUTTONS TO ORDER !

Thursday, October 30th, ESCC President Dr. Daryl Minus appeared on WESR-FM 103.3 as the special guest on “Shore Talk”. Shore Talk is a long-form interview segment that features community topics and items of interest on the Eastern Shore.
Host Ted Efaw spoke with President Minus about his first 100 days at ESCC and also events and happenings on campus. The segment can be streamed at Audio on Demand at Shore Daily News Dot Com.

From Chess Club Advocate Ralph Lopez:

The Melfa Monarchs ESCC Chess Club held the 2025 Fall Tournament on Saturday, October 11, at the ESCC Workforce Development Center from 8:30am-6:00pm.

The tournament had 18 players, ranging from Virginia Beach to Pocomoke.  That broke down into 3 quads and a small Swiss of 6 players.

Quad One:   Tom Moskios won the quad with a score of 2.5 out of 3, with Ben Contreras finished second  with a score of 2.0 and was the only one able to deny Tom a win.

Quad Two:   Mark Nuckols swept the field with a score of 3.0.  Luke Newman finished second, as Mark got the better of him in their title game.

Quad Three:   This was the most competitive quad, as Luke Webb returned to tournament chess after a long absence to win the quad with a score of 2.0.  Second was a tie between Sean Thierfeldt and Stephen Gardner, who each had a score of 1.5.  Mention should be made of the last member of the quad, Eric Baumgardner, since while he finished out of the money he missed by a half point as his final score was 1.0.

Swiss:    The prizes were expanded in this section to include a third place prize of $ 10, but ended being part of the prize money being shared by the two tied for second, Nicholas Blue and Cullen Long.  First place went to Zach Webb, brother of Quad Three winner Luke Webb.  Special mention should be made of Abby Fluhart, who went from starting chess weeks ago to starting chess to completing her first tournament.

From ESCC Chess Club Sponsor Christina Duffman:

When Sean Thierfeldt, an eager college student, stayed after class one day, I assumed he wanted to ask a question or comment on the day’s lesson—rather (and little did I know at the time that he would be the one teaching me a lifelong lesson), he asked this question:

“Is there a chess club at this college?”

To which I responded in the negative. Not to be discouraged, he asked, “Well, could there be one?”

And the rest is history, as the famous saying goes.

According to Sean, he wanted to create a club where others like him (a homeschooled student who felt out-of-place in a college setting) could find a connection with one another—and what better way to form a place to socialize than over the board, so to speak? 

Our ESCC Chess Club unofficially started in the autumnal days during 2013, and it eventually became official before the end of that year. Eventually, the club members all agreed upon a new name for our club—the Melfa Monarchs, alluding to the king and queen, the game’s most valuable pieces.

Over time, our club grew –we welcomed players of all skill levels—and during our games, we would boisterously discuss Marvel versus DC Comics, the Walking Dead series, and other pop culture drama. At times, we would forget that we were engaged in strategic movements across the board (thanks to Dr. Orest Pelech’s astute inculcations) whilst having these conversations—but that is the very essence of playing chess—learning sportsmanship (shaking hands at the beginning and ending of every match) and learning how to anticipate the opponents’ moves by thinking three or four steps ahead. Overall, playing chess with people from all walks of life teaches the art of patience and of listening.

Currently, we now meet in the Neville Student Lounge every Wednesday, from 12pm-1pm and from 4pm-5pm;  Dr. Mark Nuckols, our Chess Club Coach, is always on hand to teach notation and strategic movements. Ralph Lopez, our Chess Advocate, comes to our meetings often to ensure we are on track to compete in local tournaments.

In order to participate in these chess tournaments, one must become a USCF (United Stated Chess Foundation) member, and for more information regarding how to become one, please visit this website: https://new.uschess.org/

Of course, all Melfa Monarchs members can become USCF-certified at no extra cost to them.

After holding a successful year of hosting our own USCF-rated tournaments at the college, we will continue this tradition of holding such tournaments in the spring and fall every year hereafter.

Important information is being shared from Dr. Long for nursing students interested in the ESCC/TCC RN Program in 2026.

The TEAS test will be administered at ESCC on Tuesday, January 20, and February 3 at 4pm in the WDC 159 computer lab.

TCC will not accept TEAS Tests taken at home. The test must be taken in a proctored environment.

Students only need to create an ATI account. There is no need to register for any exam; instead, students will purchase the test right before they take the test that day.

Students need to bring a picture ID and a credit card to pay for the exam.

If applicants are not available to take the test those days, they can also take the test from any TCC testing center but must take the test in person. Online and tests taken at home are not acceptable.

Please contact Dr. Teri Long to RSVP for the TEAS by emailing her at tgl210@email.vccs.edu.

Applicants must attend a TCC RN Program information session.

The next two sessions are:

January 28, 2026

February 11, 2026

Register for these sessions and get more information.

Your Eastern Shore Community College invites everyone to attend the Annual Homecoming Block Party on Friday, October 10^th from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on the ESCC campus on Lankford Highway in Melfa.  While celebrating former students and employees, this event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend and enjoy food trucks, music, programs and numerous giveaways.

DJ Sleepy will be providing music from through the decades since ESCC began in the early 1970s to build a “block party” atmosphere, while food trucks will offer a variety of food options for sale.  ESCC’s Phi Theta Kappa honor society will be on hand grilling hot dogs and conducting a bake sale to help support their travel plans for the upcoming year.

A special program will be presented with ESCC alum Kennis Austin (Class of 1986), who will honor former ESCC President, the late Dr. Richard Jenkins, along with comments from current and past administration, employees and students. Dr. Jenkins was president from 1996-2006, after 25 years of overseeing student services at the college.  Friends and family of Dr. Jenkins are encouraged to attend and share memories as well. Kennis Austin is retired from Worcester County Public Schools and still substitute teaches.

There will be a number of special giveaways throughout the event.  All kinds of ESCC swag and gear will be given away, including some vintage and items exclusive to the occasion.  The Alumni Sound Booth will return this year with the opportunity for students and employees to share their stories and update us on their journeys!  One lucky person will be drawn at random from the sound booth participants to win a pair of 2026 Oyster Roast tickets valued at over $150.00.

In the spirit of the Friday night block party theme, ESCC is also inviting car enthusiasts to cruise-in with their favorite custom cars and trucks and have a chance to win special prizes and giveaways. This is not a formal car show with trophies, but guests will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites and prizes will be awarded to crowd favorites.

Cruise-in participants will be directed to the lot immediately in front of the ESCC Academic Building.  General parking will be available behind the Workforce Development Building and in the lots behind the Academic Building.  Food trucks, music, and our programs will be conducted in the area immediately in front of the Academic Building.  This is a rain or shine event and should weather become an issue, an adjusted format will be available indoors.

Reconnect with fellow students, co-workers, and the community, or just come to learn more about all the positive things happening at the college.  Friday night, October 10^th from 5pm-8pm, you can experience the welcome “YES!” culture on the ESCC campus with the Annual Homecoming Block Party.  Questions can be directed to Bill LeCato at 757-789-1797 or email wlecato@es.vccs.edu.

ESCC alum Kennis Austin (1986) will honor the late Dr. Richard Jenkins and former students and employees will have the opportunity to reconnect on October 10^th.

Your Eastern Shore Community College is saddened to learn of the passing of former ESCC President, Dr. Richard Jenkins.

Dr. Jenkins became the second president of Eastern Shore Community College in February of 1996, succeeding Dr. John Fiege. During Dr. Jenkins’ tenure, the college experienced enrollment growth, and he elevated ESCC’s visibility as an appreciated community resource. 

Dr. Jenkins was a catalyst for the creation of the ESCC Foundation, as well as the development and construction of the college’s Workforce Development Building. Even after his presidency, he continued to be a generous and loyal supporter of the Foundation and was often in attendance at milestone moments in the college’s recent history, including the groundbreaking of the new Academic Building in 2017 and the 50^th Anniversary Celebration in 2021.

Dr. Jenkins served as ESCC President for ten years, retiring in 2006 after 38 of service with the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Jenkins was regarded by many as a visionary, thoughtful leader with a passion for helping students and building meaningful relationships. 

Looking back on Dr. Jenkin’s career, he earned his B.A. degree from East Carolina University and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Virginia,  then began as Assistant Professor of History at the Eastern Shore Branch of the University of Virginia, ESCC’s predecessor, in 1968. 

In 1970, the Eastern Shore Branch was transferred from the University of Virginia to the Virginia Community College System and renamed Eastern Shore Community College.   During the 1971-72 academic year, Dr. Jenkins served as Acting Dean of Student Services at Eastern Shore Community College.  The following year he was elevated to Dean of Student Services, a position that he held for approximately 25 years. In February 1996, Jenkins succeeded Dr. John Fiege, becoming the college’s second president.  

During his retirement years, Dr. Jenkins stayed very engaged in civic organizations and was especially active in his support of Camp Occohannock on the Bay. 

Current ESCC President Dr. Daryl Minus commented, “We offer our sincere condolences to Dr. Jenkins’ family, friends, and colleagues.”