Dore’ Announced as ESCC Commencement Speaker on May 14th

The 54th Annual Commencement at your Eastern Shore Community College in Melfa, will be held on Wednesday, May 14th at 5:00pm (rain date is Thursday, May 15th). The college is excited to announce our commencement speaker for this momentous occasion is Dr. David Dore’, Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. Dr. Dore’ is the tenth chancellor to lead the system which was founded in 1966.

As chancellor of Virginia’s Community College System, Dr. Doré provides day-to-day leadership for a system comprised of twenty-three colleges that serves more than 200,000 degree-seeking and workforce-career training students annually.

Like so many community college students, Dr. Doré was a first-generation college student. His decades-long career has been guided by a fundamental belief that every learner can be successful. His commitment to serving diverse and underrepresented populations to foster inclusive learning communities, supporting open access, student success, and economic mobility is both palpable and unwavering.

A self-described student advocate, Dr. Doré is laser-focused on recruiting the “New Majority of learners” — those twenty-five and older who face limited job prospects because they lack post-high school credentials. Before taking the reins at the Virginia Community College System, Dr. Doré served as President of Campuses and Executive Vice Chancellor at Pima Community College. There, he led the college’s five campuses and workforce development initiatives.

Dr. Doré has also served in higher education leadership positions in Tempe, Arizona and San Francisco, California. Doré earned his Doctor of Education degree at Pepperdine University; master’s degrees at Georgetown University, Boston College, and Santa
Clara University; an advanced degree in Philosophy from Gonzaga University; and his bachelor’s degree from Gannon University.

Named a Presidential Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program in 2017, Dr. Doré is active in community leadership and is a staunch proponent of community college education at the state and national levels.

The ESCC Commencement is a ticketed event with a limited number available for students to share with family and friends. The event will be broadcast live and streamed on WESR-FM 103.3 (elasticplayer.xyz/wesr/) and can be seen on Facebook Live on the Eastern Shore Community College Facebook page.

Receiving the 19th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership

John Custis of Onancock, Virginia, has received the 19^th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. He was nominated for the award by Eastern Shore Community College. 

Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), more than two dozen individuals, families, and organizations were honored with the Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The awards were presented at a luncheon ceremony in Richmond on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. VCCS Chancellor Dr. David Doré served as the emcee, and Mr. Mark Hourigan, founder and CEO of Hourigan, delivered the keynote address.

“Every time our donors support a scholarship, fund a new program, or an emergency grant, they are not just giving back, they are lifting up,” said Hourigan. “They are invaluable partners whose generosity can and does make the difference between a student dropping out or staying the course and realizing their true potential.”

Doré echoed those sentiments, adding that a culture of care can have a profound impact on student performance. “When our students realize that someone cares enough to help remove the formidable obstacles standing in their way, it’s life-changing,” he said. “The things they thought impossible suddenly become doable, and their confidence soars as a result.”

This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has collectively contributed $24 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.

John Custis has been a generous and loyal supporter of ESCC Foundation. Under John’s leadership on the Board and as Chair, ESCC Foundation completed a successful capital campaign and more than doubled the assets of our Foundation. As a successful attorney, John works with a number of our donors on planned gifts and continues to help ESCC Foundation build its Legacy Society and attract community leaders and businesses to support our mission.

“We are so pleased to honor John Custis for his work to build business partnerships, planned giving, and to widen our circle of friends and supporters,” explained ESCC President Jim Shaeffer. “John understands the obstacles that some of our students face like food insecurity, transportation, housing and childcare, and his support helps us meet these challenges. He and his wife Abbi give generously to the Foundation, and we are grateful for their leadership in philanthropy.”

About Virginia’s Community Colleges
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. Together, Virginia’s Community Colleges serve approximately 230,000 students each year. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.

About the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education
As the supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) broadens access to educational opportunities for all Virginians, while ensuring the long-term success of the Commonwealth and the needs of its workforce. To ensure access to high quality, affordable degrees and certifications, the Foundation’s statewide leadership raises funds and resources in order to supplement and support the activities of both individual students and community colleges. For more information on VFCCE and its mission, and to provide your support, visit www.vfcce.org.

Career Services is Bring Over 30 Employers to Campus

Eastern Shore Community College welcomes job seekers to attend our Spring 2025 Career Fair on Thursday, April 24th from 10:00AM-1:00PM at the Workforce Development Center on campus in Melfa. Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of their resumes and dress for success as they will have access to over 30 local and regional employers. Prizes and drawings will be held and the event is open to the general public in addition to students.

Employers Attending:

Accomack County Public Schools

Accomack County

U.S. Air Force

ANEC

Atlantic General Hospital

Atlantic Union Bank

A Friend In Need Healthcare

Bay Consortium

Chatham Flower Farm

E.S. Community Services Board

Chincoteague Police Department

Didlake

DARS

Delaware Elevator

Eastern Shore Rural Health

East Coast Migrant Headstart Project

ESS

McDean

Manokin Nursing and Rehab Center

Maui Jack’s Waterpark

Maryland Department of Safety and Corrections

Northampton County

Northampton County Sheriff’s Office

Northampton County Public Schools

NASA

Pocomoke City Police Department

Perdue

Sentinel Robotics Solutions

Riverside Health

Telamon

The Nature Conservancy

Virginia National Guard

Virginia Career Works

VIMS

VIP Salon

Virginia Spaceport Authority

Virginia State Police

More may be added prior to April 24th

In accordance with Section 23.1-307 (D) of the Code of Virginia, the State Board for Community Colleges provides notice that at its regular business meeting on May 22, 2025, it will consider tuition and mandatory fee increases for Virginia’s Community Colleges, effective fall semester 2025.  The May 22 meeting will occur at 9 a.m. at the Virginia Community College System, System Office, 300 Arboretum Place, Richmond, VA 23236.

For in-state students, the State Board will consider tuition and mandatory fee increases of between $4.75/credit hour and $8.00/credit hour. For out-of-state students, the Board will consider tuition and fee increases ranging between $7.25/credit hour and $10.50/credit hour.

The tuition and fee increases are necessary to pay for additional costs of operating Virginia’s community colleges, including costs associated with state-mandated compensation and benefit increases, technology costs, insurance premiums and inflationary cost pressures.

Current tuition and mandatory fees at Virginia’s Community Colleges are: $163.40/credit hour for in-state students, and $378.00 for out-of-state students.  You can see details about tuition and fees on the VCCS website

Virginia Community college tuition remains less than one-third the cost of attending public four-year baccalaureate institutions.

Written comments from the public will be accepted through May 21 and will be made available to the Board before action on tuition is taken. Written comments may be sent to Andrew Kachur, Executive Coordinator for the Chancellor, at akachur@vccs.edu, or they may be mailed to the attention of Andrew Kachur at:

Office of the Chancellor

Virginia Community College System

300 Arboretum Parkway

Richmond, Virginia 23236

“Excellence in Education” Award Presented at New Horizons Conference

Eastern Shore Community College is proud to announce that Hayleigh Bradbury, Career Services Mentor, was awarded the 2025 Excellence in Education: Developing Virginia’s Talent Award, at the recent New Horizons Conference held at the Hotel Roanoke, April 1-3, 2025.

The conference is held each spring by the Virginia Community College System and celebrates excellence and innovation in community colleges around the state.  Eastern Shore Community College is particularly proud to have been acknowledged four of the past five years.

Hayleigh was recognized for her work in guiding ESCC’s Career Services Center, which opened in 2024 as part of a $1.85 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant.  Within six months, goals were met including serving over 300 unique students and assisting 20 students in acquiring internships or work-based learning experiences. It should be noted that the second number does not include the number of students helped in finding jobs outside of their academic path.

The launch of the mentor program in August 2024 has allowed ESCC to create pathways for students to connect with local professionals, both retired and active, who can answer questions and help students create and work towards their goals.  The program currently has 14 mentors and 21 mentees.

(Pictured above: ESCC Director of Student Services, Amy Shockley, Career Services Mentor Hayleigh Bradbury, VCCS Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Workforce Services, Dr. Felicia Ganther, and VCCS Chancellor, Dr. David Dore’.)

ESCC Will Be Sharing Student Stories and Celebrating Success

Eastern Shore Community College is the “best decision ever,” according to many who have attended and acquired high-quality higher education with little or no student debt. ESCC is encouraging current and former students, supporters, business partners, and our community to join the 2025 Community College Month campaign to bring attention to the value and importance of the college to our community. 

This annual acknowledgment is a grassroots education and outreach campaign across the United States every April with the primary goal of improving awareness of the economic, academic, and employment advantages of attending community colleges. The campaign counters the common misconceptions of public two-year colleges. 

Along with substantial savings, ESCC positions students for successful careers plus guaranteed transfers to four-year colleges and universities. ESCC Workforce Development Services also provides many unique opportunities through partnerships with local businesses designed to equip students to fulfill in-demand jobs that pay a gainful income. 

ESCC is taking the opportunity this month to celebrate the importance and value of our college to our community and to demonstrate how we are cultivating skills for the future by sharing various student success stories in our local media and online.

“Consistently I am told by current and former students that selecting Eastern Shore Community College was one of the best decisions they ever made,” said ESCC President Jim Shaeffer. “Students share with us about the opportunities ESCC gave them, and how the individual attention and connection to faculty made a difference in their lives and careers.” 

ESCC provides a college experience you won’t find anywhere else. A high-quality, low-cost educational offering, guided by our excellent faculty, student services experts, and talented career coaches. 

Our YES! focus (YOUR Eastern Shore) is a culture of learning, caring and hospitality, that is unique to our institution.  Please take the opportunity this month (and beyond) to share, listen to, and celebrate the many successes of ESCC students!

Candidate Forums Announced (Dates and Times Below)

RICHMOND (March 20, 2025) – The State Board for Community Colleges has certified three finalists for the position of president at Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC), to succeed Dr. Jim Shaeffer, who is retiring at the end of June after six years leading the college.

The finalists, in alphabetical order, are Dr. Rushton Johnson, Jr. of Knoxville, Tennessee; Dr. Daryl Minus of South Hill, Virginia, and Dr. Ashli Hamilton Wilkins of Enterprise, Alabama.

They were among 59 applicants from across the nation who were considered for the ESCC post.
“Eastern Shore Community College plays a pivotal role in supporting the people and economy of its region, and I am confident that this group of finalists will yield a president who will lead the college successfully in its next era of service,” said Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of Virginia’s Community Colleges.

The finalists seek to become the sixth permanent president at Eastern Shore Community College. Arrangements have been made for each of the finalists to visit the college April 8th, 9th, and 10th to meet with faculty, staff, students and community members.

Candidate Community Forums will be held at 2:30PM in the Great Hall at the ESCC Workforce Building on campus at 29300 Lankford Highway in Melfa on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, April 8, 9, and 10.

Tuesday, April 8th at 2:30PM – Dr. Daryl Minus

Wednesday, April 9th at 2:30PM – Dr. Rushton Johnson

Thursday, April 10th at 2:30PM – Dr. Ashli Wilkins

*These forums are open to the public and all are welcome and encouraged to attend. Student forums will be announced via email and Canvas.

About the Finalists

Dr. Rushton Johnson, Jr. currently serves as Vice President of Student Affairs at Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, TN, a post he has held since June 2018. Prior to that, Dr. Johnson served as Vice President of Student Affairs at Atlanta Technical College. He gained faculty teaching experience at Pellissippi State, The University of Georgia College of Education, Stillman College, and Nicolls State University College of Education. Dr. Johnson also served as Executive Director of Student Life at Southern Oregon University, Dean of Students at Nicolls State University, Asst. Dean of Students at Millsaps College, Director of Residence Life at Southern College, and Director of Student Activities at Stillman College.

Dr. Johnson earned a B.A. at Birmingham-Southern College, Master’s Degrees from Harvard University and Jacksonville State, and a Doctor of Education Degree at the University of Alabama.

Dr. Daryl L. Minus currently serves as Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Success at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC), Alberta, VA, a post he has held since August 2020. Prior to that, he was 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, 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 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. Ashli Hamilton Wilkins currently serves as Vice President and Dean, Institutional Services and Community Development at Wallace Community College, Dothan, AL, a post she has held since July 2018. Dr. Wilkins has been affiliated with Wallace Community College for almost 25 years, serving as Dean of Institutional Services and Community Development, Director of Institutional Advancement, Director of Grants and External Funding, and Instructor of English. Dr. Wilkins also served as adjunct Instructor of English at Troy University and Chipola College.

Dr. Wilkins earned a Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degree at Troy University, and a Ph.D. from Auburn University.

Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) is part of 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. For more information, please visit https://es.vccs.edu.

About Virginia’s Community Colleges:
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills, so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. In academic year 2024, Virginia’s Community Colleges served more than 232,000 students across 23 schools throughout Virginia. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu. For more information on FastForward, please visit fastforwardva.org

Media Contact:
Bill LeCato– Marketing and Development Officer (757) 789-1797