Remote Access to Services

Our advisors are virtually here to meet with you. Schedule an appointment to talk with an advisor.

Visit the library’s website for more information about virtual and in-person services: https://www.virginiawestern.edu/library/

The Hall Associates Career Center offers a full range of online services that are available to students 24/7! Take advantage of valuable career resources for planning, preparation, and career connections. Need one-on-one career advising, resume writing, or job search assistance? Career specialists are available for remote appointments Monday through Friday from 8am until 5pm. Students may schedule Zoom/Phone/Email appointments through your online Career Connections/CCN portal account. (If you have not already activated your account, create a new one, or activate your account through the email invitation in your school inbox from College Central Network.

All Online Career Center Resources Are Mobile Ready!

Career Connections/CCN
Students and alumni can use the Career Connections/CCN to search for jobs, internships, resume help, interview tips, career podcasts, and much more! You can also upload your resume for review.

CareerSpots
Tune into your CareerSpots video dashboard to discover the keys to being Career Ready, gaining experience with Internships, managing your social media image, launching your Job Search. 

Career Coach
Do you have questions about your career direction? Take our online Career Coach assessment and explore programs and careers that fit your interests! (Hint: Take the detailed assessment.) Make sure you follow up with us for career advising.

Big Interview
Ace your next interview! Access interviewing video lessons and practice your interviewing skills with a virtual mock interview using our Big Interview platform. Register and create your account using your VWCC email address.

For more information, email careercenter@virginiawestern.edu. Call and leave a message by phone Monday -Friday from 8am-5pm. We will return your call.

540-857-7298 – Main Number
540-857-6124 – Shonny Cooke, Career Services Manager
540-857-6825 – Cathy Ferguson, Career Development Specialist

*Please leave a detailed message including your name, number, and inquiry.

We continue to employ multiple avenues for our students and families to speak with a financial aid advisor, submit documents and receive timely information. Your requested documents should be submitted via our 24/7 Support Center. These documents are electronically sent to the Virginia Western financial aid office for processing. The Student Support Center is also ideal for getting quick answers and guidance for your next steps wherever you are in the financial aid process. You may also schedule a telephone appointment with a Virginia Western financial aid advisor through http://www.virginiawestern.edu/advising/schedule-an-appointment/

Social distancing does not mean you need to give up on fitness.  Chad Heddleston, our Recreation Coordinator, will be delivering these services to you online.

One-on-one online consultation

Contact Chad at CHeddleston@virginiawestern.edu to set up an online Zoom meeting. Chad can assist you with individual questions about fitness, nutrition, tips for getting outside, and more.

Join the Virginia Western Facebook Fitness Facebook Group

Chad will be posting daily videos for fitness, nutrition, mental health, and more. Follow along for weekly contests!

Get outside

Getting outside can be a way to both de-stress and get in fitness. Chad’s online info guide is a great way to get started. More regional resources are available online at https://www.roanokeoutside.com.

Free Trials for Fitness Apps

• Peloton App has a free 30 day trial: www.onepeloton.com/app (You do not need to own Peloton equipment to use the app).
• Daily Burn offers at 30 day free trial: www.dailyburn.com

Healthy Nutrition Information

• The American Heart Association has a COV-19 website that includes tips for exercise, shelf-stable food recommendations and recipes to use your pantry food.
• Budget Bytes provides pantry recipes and other ways to stretch your food budget.
• Checkout Downshiftology for healthy food with simple , whole ingredients. The host’s videos provide step by step cooking instruction.

YouTube

Chad suggests the following YouTube channels for additional fitness options:

• Dance along with Virginia Western’s J/K Pop Dance club: Arcane Impulse. Their YouTube channel has many dance routine videos for you to follow along!
• Athlean-X takes a deep-dive into many workout areas with a science-based approach that has earned him 9.5 million subscribers.  His Perfect Home Workout (published 3/15/20) takes on the challenge of building and keeping muscle while at home. With sets and reps included, this may be your perfect quarantine workout!
• Popsugar Fitness offers a huge catalog of great full-length fitness videos of different types.
• You cannot help but smile and have fun when dancing along with The Fitness Marshall.  Hit pop songs and good times make this channel a go-to for those that like to dance!
• Yoga With Adriene has relatable yoga.  This link will take you to a 30 days series of at-home yoga from her channel.
• Roberta’s Gym  does not have the personality of any of the others on this list but she always gets the count right.  The animated bot offers counters, reps, and targeted workouts.

Beware of Health Fraud Scams! The FDA is currently issuing warning letters to companies claiming to sell products to prevent or cure coronavirus. Read more about tips for spotting Health Fraud Scams here: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/bioterrorism-and-drug-preparedness/how-spot-health-fraud

This service is available by appointment and by phone. Please click here for information. If you have food insecurity that can’t be met through our services, please contact Sheri Meixner at SMeixner@virginiawestern.edu or by phone at 540-857-6711 to talk about community resources.

Things are stressful right now so it’s important to know that you have support available to help you through this! If you need to talk about what’s happening with you, please get in touch with me. You can email me at smeixner@virginiawestern.edu or call me at 540-857-6711. We’ll schedule a time to talk.

Remember that it’s important to work on relieving stress every day! Get in touch with me to discuss ways you can accomplish this.

We will continue to support our students with accommodations as outlined in their Accommodation Access Plan. To ensure accessibility, accommodations may be delivered differently, and Access Plans may need to be revised- Please connect with Disability Counselor, Hillary Holland with any of your questions or concerns- hholland@virginiawestern.edu

Students should continue to check CANVAS for any important updates from ODS.

CONNECT WITH US – We are here for YOU!
disabilityservices@virginiawestern.edu
540-857-7286

We will continue to support your requests as we move to online/remote learning. Please reach out to us at records@virginiawestern.edu with any questions or concerns.

If you …

As most of our classes are taught in a virtual format, reading your Student Bulletin every week is more important than ever.  The Student Bulletin is a weekly newsletter that is sent to all currently enrolled students.  It is an important source of campus information for students, including things like upcoming events, registration and payment deadlines, and special activities.

Please check your student Google email through your MyVWCC portal to get your Student Bulletin email.

Please visit the Student ID information page for detailed information regarding student ID card requirements and procedures for the current semester.

Our Student Activities department is offering a variety of virtual and socially-distant student activities. Check our current events calendar for a full list.

Many community organizations and museums are offering socially-distant activities, and we also encourage you to participate! Some of our suggested organizations include:

• Play Roanoke (Roanoke City Parks and Rec): https://www.playroanoke.com/
• Roanoke County Parks and Rec: https://www.roanokecountyparks.com/
• Roanoke Outside: https://www.roanokeoutside.com/
• Five Points Music Sanctuary (socially distant, outdoor live music!): https://www.5pointsmusic.com/

If you are interested in expanding your social awareness or learning new things, we suggest checking out these websites:

• The Washington Post – Your Life at Home series: Features content about cooking, gardening, technology, exercise, and entertainment.
• Talking About Race  (A virtual exhibit from the National Museum of African American History and Culture)
• The New York Times – Smarter Living series: “Stories to help you understand the world – and make the most of it”
• Smithsonian Museum’s Virtual Events: https://www.si.edu/events/online

As we continue in a world with limited opportunities for social interaction and activities, we encourage you to emphasize your self-care.  Many people are still feeling tired and stressed due to the ongoing pandemic, and this is a normal feeling.  Our virtual and socially-distant activities and fitness programs are available to help you feel connected to our community and fellow students – and help you lift your spirits.

Healthy coping skills are really important during times like this. If you find you are having difficulty finding healthy coping skills, or are engaging in harmful behaviors, please contact Sheri Meixner, our Intervention Counselor, so she can talk with you.  Contact Sheri at SMeixner@virginiawestern.edu or 857-6711.

Student Organizations/Clubs

Many Virginia Western clubs are meeting through Zoom this semester. Please see the Student Events calendar for meeting information.

News

Make sure you are getting your news from reputable news outlets – not social media rumors. Some examples (but certainly not a complete list) of reputable news outlets include:

• Local : WSLS10 (NBC), WDBJ7 (CBS), ABC 13 (ABC), WFXR (Fox), The Roanoke Times (Roanoke.com)
• State: The Richmond Times Dispatch (Richmond.com)
• National: The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR Radio, The Wall Street Journal, National NBC/CBS/ABC news

For 24/7 help with Admissions, Registration, Records, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts, you can go to 24/7 Student Support or call 855-874-6690.

The Help Desk is available to assist students with technology-related questions. Please call 540-857-7354 or email helpdesk@virginiawestern.edu if you need assistance.