Uncategorized Archives - Page 3 of 12 - Grants Development & Special Projects at Virginia Western

Jun

Q&A with Wendy Holmes, award-winning financial aid specialist who ‘always greets everyone with a smile and a heart to serve’

June 30, 2021Uncategorized

Wendy Holmes In May, Virginia Western announced its 2021 special awards for faculty and staff. Perhaps you noticed Wendy Holmes, a Financial Aid and Records Specialist, won two awards: (1) Classified Outstanding Achievement Award and (2) the STAR Award (Service, Teamwork, Achievement, and Results). This seemed like a huge accomplishment — and I was struck… Continue Reading Q&A with Wendy Holmes, award-winning financial aid specialist who ‘always greets everyone with a smile and a heart to serve’

Jun

Would cultivating ‘career communities’ change how we see ourselves?

June 23, 2021Uncategorized

I’ve long joked that we could connect current, past, and prospective students through bowling nights organized by college focus area. The idea was sparked as I was analogizing Guided Pathways with bumper bowling, which blocks the gutters and provides an almost effortless path to higher scores. I was reminded of my bowling night idea as… Continue Reading Would cultivating ‘career communities’ change how we see ourselves?

Jun

Happy New Fiscal Year! And thanks to these grant champions

June 16, 2021Uncategorized

We’re approaching July 1, that time of year when our Finance office is humming and new VCCS initiatives officially begin, such as the G3 program and the Opportunity 2027 Strategic Plan. Virginia Western is working hard to finish our own strategic “bridge” plan, aligning our energy and assorted initiatives like Indiana Jones: This is also… Continue Reading Happy New Fiscal Year! And thanks to these grant champions

Jun

5 big takeaways from the new VCCS strategic plan (and why reading it is important)

June 8, 2021Uncategorized

I doubt the new strategic plan from the VCCS is on your summer reading list, but here’s why it should be: We all need to see the big picture. I read reports and plans like this as part of my job in the grants office. When we are considering grant opportunities, we make sure our… Continue Reading 5 big takeaways from the new VCCS strategic plan (and why reading it is important)

Jun

Now hiring: Fralin Futures Success Coach (and cohort wizard)

June 1, 2021Uncategorized

One of the best pieces of creative advice I’ve ever read was this: “The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.”— David Ogilvy, the “father of advertising” And so, not only do I lean into my humor on the regular, but I make sure to follow that advice in formal… Continue Reading Now hiring: Fralin Futures Success Coach (and cohort wizard)

May

Community college excellence comes down to this 4-letter word

May 26, 2021Uncategorized

Every two years, the Aspen Institute awards a $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence — what President Barack Obama described as “basically the Oscars for great community colleges.” The 2021 winners were announced earlier this month. And lo and behold, Amarillo College — which I have spotlighted before — was recognized with a… Continue Reading Community college excellence comes down to this 4-letter word

May

5 email rules I learned as a Zoom astronaut

May 19, 2021Uncategorized

Image from Pixabay Many times during the pandemic, I have felt like an astronaut, flying solo in my home office “spaceship,” connected only through email and Zoom portals. We’ve relied on email to share information long before COVID, but our disrupted year gave me the space to really reflect on the communication that happens in… Continue Reading 5 email rules I learned as a Zoom astronaut

May

Why this matters

May 4, 2021Uncategorized

Graduation is on the horizon, so if you haven’t heard it enough: THANK YOU to all of our faculty and staff and leadership who made this possible, during such a harrowing, historic year. What we do matters, and our community will not forget it. I know we all have moving stories to tell about our… Continue Reading Why this matters

Apr

What ‘The Great British Baking Show’ can teach us about teaching and learning

April 27, 2021Uncategorized

“The Great British Baking Show,” class of 2020 I never thought I would get this emotionally involved with a cooking show. Or, to be more precise, a *baking* show. It’s not that I haven’t watched them before. My 7-year-old is a HUGE fan of the Kids Baking Championship on the Food Network. In fact, Taylor… Continue Reading What ‘The Great British Baking Show’ can teach us about teaching and learning

Apr

Don’t be the piñata: 5 lessons learned as a workgroup facilitator

April 21, 2021Uncategorized

I recently attended a child’s birthday party in a beautiful city park, and it involved a piñata. After joking with another parent about why we love this tradition — where kids beat their cartoon heroes with a stick until candy falls out — I focused my attention on Birthday Dad, who was managing the festivities.… Continue Reading Don’t be the piñata: 5 lessons learned as a workgroup facilitator

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Shelley Lyons is glad to be back on campus as she is a Virginia Western alum, and has served as the Administrative Officer for Grants Administration at Virginia Western since early 2022. Prior to VWCC, her career focus was within the Human Services and Arts fields. She wrote her first grant in 1996 on a whim and has continued to plan and learn since that time. She most enjoys seeing a well-planned project come to fruition, where funder, project manager and beneficiaries can all feel success and see impact.