Eastern Shore Community College announced that it will launch an Associate of Science degree in Engineering in Fall 2026. The new program is made possible by a lead gift of $1.25 million from Jane Batten to establish the Batten Engineering Fund at Eastern Shore Community College Foundation.  

As ESCC enrollment has grown steadily in recent years, the college now serves over 500 Full-Time Equivalent students with over 800 in headcount in transfer programs, and over 900 students in Workforce Development programs that include ESL, Adult Education, certificates, continuing education, and more.

Eastern Shore Community College is an important partner with NASA Wallops, which currently employs over 270 civil servants and approximately 850 contractors. In 2021 ESCC signed MOUs with Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority and Space Act Agreements with NASA Goddard and NASA Wallops to formalize their history in providing internships in the aerospace industry, as well as providing a direct pipeline of highly skilled technicians. With a large percentage of the workforce at Wallops starting their education and job training at ESCC, the college is positioned to become the Aerospace college within the Virginia Community College System.

In 2023, ESCC’s curriculum leading to the Associate of Science in Engineering was approved by both SCHEV (State Council for Higher Education for Virginia) and SACSCOC (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges).  Students will complete a general education curriculum with an emphasis on engineering courses. This degree will prepare them for transfer to four-year institutions where they can specialize in engineering disciplines for jobs at Wallops. The degree would also be applicable to careers that find solutions to climate change in the region.

Research from Virginia Community College System, using state data from Virginia Employment Commission, shows that for Accomack and Northampton counties, there is a significant increase in job openings for engineers. Specifically, openings for Civil Engineers increased 33% from 2019 to 2025 with average hourly earnings currently of $47.09 per hour. For Aerospace Engineers data show a 19% increase in job openings from 2019 to 2025 and average hourly earnings of $53.46. 

“I want to thank Jane Batten for her belief in our work and continued support for Your Eastern Shore Community College and the entire Eastern Shore,” explained ESCC President Jim Shaeffer. “With her generous gift, ESCC will be strongly positioned to create a well-educated workforce for not only aerospace, but for any  industries in the market for engineers.”