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.

mportant 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 last two for 2025 are:

October 15, 2025

November 19, 2025

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.”

ESCC President is a guest on the Hampton Roads Show

Dr. Daryl Minus was a guest of Chris Reckling on the Hampton Roads Show on Monday, August 11th, as he discussed his arrival at Eastern Shore Community College and how plans were coming together for the fall semester on campus.

Eastern Shore Community College is excited to announce the launch of our New Nurse Aide (CNA) Extended Care program, designed to meet the growing demand for skilled healthcare professionals right here on the Shore.

Why choose Nurse Aide at ESCC?

• High demand, local opportunities: Healthcare providers across our region urgently need trained CNAs to support hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health agencies. Graduates will be well-positioned for immediate employment in a field with stable, essential jobs.
• Academic foundation for career growth: Our program not only prepares you for certification and immediate employment, but also builds a strong pathway toward advanced nursing and allied health degrees.
• Flexible, student-focused scheduling: Designed to fit your life, with supportive faculty, hands-on clinical experiences, and access to ESCC’s dedicated student services team.
• Serve your community: Make a difference close to home by providing compassionate care to neighbors, friends, and family members in need.

Your future in healthcare starts here.

With the region’s aging population and expanding healthcare needs, CNAs are more critical than ever. ESCC’s Nurse Aide program is a direct response to this demand, helping ensure that the Eastern Shore has the skilled professionals it needs—today and tomorrow.

Apply today and take the first step toward a rewarding healthcare career!

Visit https://catalog.es.vccs.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=13&poid=1533&returnto=1353 or call us at (757) 789-1720 to learn more.

Amy Shockley and Scott Hall guests on WAVY-TV 10

Eastern Shore Community College Director of Student Services Amy Shockley, and Scott Hall, Director of ESCC Workforce Services, appeared together as guests with Chris Reckling on WAVY-TV 10’s Hampton Roads Show on Wednesday, July 9th.

The interview segment covered fall classes, upcoming registration events on campus, insight on the YES! culture of ESCC, and discussion of the benefits of a small college and how it has translated into significant enrollment growth. Video courtesy of WAVY TV-10.

 As a self-described “stubble jumper from Iowa” there are many days I have to pinch myself and ask…how did I get here? How is it that I wake up every morning to the beauty of the Eastern Shore and its people? My path here was not linear. We have a sign in our kitchen that one of our kids gave us that says “Shaeffer Journey – from the Mountains to the Prairies to the Sea”. We’ve had stops at the University of Wyoming, University of North Dakota, James Madison University, Old Dominion University, and then suddenly we were faced with a decision…the University of Mizzou, retirement, or Eastern Shore Community College. One visit here and we were smitten. The peace, the beauty, people. Little did we know, that was just the surface. July 1, 2019, was just the beginning of an incredible professional and personal journey. So much more was waiting for us. 

Lessons learned 

It’s no secret that my first day as President of Eastern Shore Community College was anything but “normal.” Despite the heroic efforts of the faculty and staff and the undying support of the entire Eastern Shore, the college was facing challenges. We were given three years to meet the standards set for us by the VCCS or face options that none of us wanted. Not only did the college meet the challenges, in September 2022 the “reboot” was lifted, and all measures’ expectations were exceeded. 

The success was not completed in a vacuum. My tenure as President is not predicated on that success. My time here has been enriched by the spirit of the students, the faculty, the staff, and every person on the Shore who never gave up. To everyone who always believed and stood behind us, lifting us to the next level, a heartfelt thanks and gratitude for all you have done. 

Throughout this journey, I have learned important lessons that will continue to shape my life after leaving my position. They are simple. Obvious. And ever present.  

First of all, Resilience. The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties was never made more evident to me than those days I talked with faculty and staff. As one, everyone at the College faced the mandates we received and plowed through the reenvisioning, reinventing, and rethinking how we did business. They did it! And they should be proud of every long night and new idea they implemented to make things better for our community and our students. This resilience is never more clear than when you visit our classrooms and see the dedication of the students who are overcoming challenges from many directions to make it to class – and not only be there but to excel in their work. 

Secondly, Community has taken on a whole new meaning. Community is not just our villages and towns. Community is the connection that we have among each other as people and citizens of the Shore. It is clear that we are one when it comes to making this place a better place to live for ourselves and our future generations. Peggy and I learned firsthand the strength of community when we both faced our cancer challenges. The Shore and its people were here for us…every day…through our good days and bad, and for that we are eternally grateful. 

I’ve learned the Importance of YES! Not the word yes, but the meaning of the culture of YES – Your Eastern Shore. Generating from one of the early meetings the College held in spring 2020, Scott Hall presented us with the idea. And it has evolved into the philosophy and practice of Your Eastern Shore Community College. The four pillars of hospitality, transparency, accountability, and inclusion are lived every day and evident in the actions of the faculty, staff, and students. It quickly has been adopted up and down the Shore and reflects the integrity and dedication of our communities. 

Last, but certainly not least, Love!!! Sometime in the last two years the overt expressions of love at the College became a part of our day-to-day operations. Not just the flippant “I love you man”, but a sincere expression of caring in words and action. The College is a safe place for all who enter where clearly a caring environment has been created. Love knows no bounds and has brought peace and joy to my life and the lives of so many who are experiencing the College.  

As I complete my tenure as President of Your Eastern Shore Community College, simple words of thank you and gratitude are not enough. My life has been changed because of the resilience, community, YES culture and love that has been shared with my family and me over the past six years. We will hold this place close forever. 

Thank you for welcoming my family and me and letting us be a part of your life. I know that you will welcome ESCC’s new president, Dr. Daryl Minus, and his family to the Eastern Shore. 

Eastern Shore Community College and its Foundation have accepted the donation of $1.8 million worth of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) equipment, including two fixed-wing aircraft, a ground control van and supporting electronics. The equipment, gifted from a Delaware estate, will be used to help the College expand its UAS learning programs and support business, research and government requirements on the Eastern Shore.

“Uncrewed vehicle technologies, especially aircraft systems, are critically important in America, especially to rural communities,” said ESCC President Dr. Daryl Minus.  “NASA anticipates the number of low altitude missions to approach 6 million per day by 2032, with the greatest impact being in package delivery, disaster response and infrastructure support. Already, the Eastern Shore is pioneering the use of UAS vehicles in agricultural uses, rural medical package delivery and aerospace support.  This donation will allow the College to significantly expand these capabilities.”

Over the past four years, ESCC’s FAA Part 107 (UAS) commercial licensing class, operated in collaboration with Sentinel Robotics Systems (SRS Group), has trained 106 students and supported an additional 38 Department of Adult Rehabilitation Services (DARS) clients in earning FAA recreational UAS certifications. ESCC is also a participant in the FAA’s UAS-Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS-CTI). These accomplishments reflect the College’s longstanding commitment to preparing a skilled UAS workforce.

“Sentinel Robotic Solutions (SRS) has worked closely with the College, Summit Aviation, EDDJ Aviation and Luminary Air Group to secure and deliver this massive UAS capability to the Eastern Shore, which dovetails nicely with the existing UAS initiatives at the college,” stated Peter Bale, SRS Chief Operating Officer/Founder.  “We are pleased to have the equipment now housed at Accomack County Airport, with the support of the Accomack EDA (Economic Development Authority), and look forward to seeing these Aircraft in the air soon.”

The donation includes two complete mobile aircraft, a mobile ground control station and other support equipment. The platforms can stay aloft for between five to seven hours depending on configuration and can be used for payload testing, range surveillance and a multitude of other real-world applications. ESCC plans to create several new workforce and academic programs to support the UAS sector, as well as a business plan to make the program self-sustaining. 

For more information, please contact Scott Hall, Director of Workforce Services at 757-789-7979.

RICHMOND, VA – Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS), announced today he has appointed Dr. Daryl Minus to become the sixth permanent president at Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC). Dr. Minus’ selection concludes a search that attracted 59 candidates nationwide. His service as president at Eastern Shore will begin July 1.

“I’m pleased that a candidate of Dr. Minus’ experience and distinction will succeed Dr. Jim Shaeffer, who has led Eastern Shore Community College through six transformative years,” said Dr. Doré. “I’m confident Dr. Minus will build on the vital service that ESCC provides for its students and community.”

“Our months-long search attracted exceptional candidates, and we are grateful to all of the talented educators who expressed interest in the Eastern Shore presidency,” he added.

Dr. Minus currently serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) in Alberta, Virginia, a post he has held since August 2020. Dr. Minus has twenty years experience as an administrator and executive in Virginia, North Carolina, and California’s community college systems. His experience includes Education Assistance Branch Manager/Education Services Officer (ESO), U.S. Marine Corps Community Services in Jacksonville, NC; Vice President, Student Services and Enrollment Management, Cape Fear Community College; Vice President and Executive Vice President for Learning and Student Success/Chief Academic Officer, Craven Community College; Dean of Student Services, Tidewater Community College; Dean of Counseling, Chabot College; and Dean, Learning Support Services, Bakersfield College. Dr. Minus also was an adjunct faculty member at Craven Community College and the University of Maryland.

Dr. Minus earned a B.A. at Hampton University, a master’s degree at New York University, and a Doctor of Education degree at University of Phoenix.

“Dr. Minus brings a wealth of experience and a visionary approach to Eastern Shore Community College,” said Odell “Ray” Wood, chair of the Eastern Shore Community College Advisory Board. “His dedication to fostering educational excellence will help ESCC expand program opportunities for our students and further strengthen our ties in the community. I’m truly excited to see the positive impact his leadership will have on our students and the community.”

Board vice chair Nick Chuquín shared the same enthusiasm for Minus’ appointment.

“Dr. Shaeffer has done an outstanding job in growing enrollment at Eastern Shore Community College, and as we welcome Dr. Minus, I am excited to see how he will build upon this success. With Dr. Minus’ commitment to higher education, I look forward to him continuing to nurture the YES! culture of Your Eastern Shore where every student has the opportunity to thrive.”

“I am elated to serve as the sixth president of Eastern Shore Community College and build on the outstanding legacy established by Dr. Jim Shaeffer,” said Dr. Minus. “ESCC is an exceptional institution, with a dynamic history of creating expanded learning and earning pathways for the citizens of Accomack and Northampton counties. I am honored to join this vibrant community and prioritize strategic efforts that position students for success and enhanced economic mobility.”

About Eastern Shore Community College

Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and serves the residents of Accomack and Northampton Counties as a two-year institution of higher education. Students at ESCC can enhance job and career prospects through a wide range of associate degrees and through robust workforce development programs that offer credentials in high-demand career fields, including skilled trades.  Originally a branch of the University of Virginia, the institution joined the Virginia Community College System in 1971. The college was accredited and granted membership in the Southern Association of College Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in 1973 and moved to its current location in Melfa, Virginia in 1974. ESCC occupies a 115-acre site on U.S. Route 13 on the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula.