{"id":18033,"date":"2026-04-01T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/news\/?p=18033"},"modified":"2026-03-31T19:40:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T23:40:27","slug":"virginia-westerns-student-affairs-team-puts-laser-focus-on-student-needs-to-help-them-continue-moving-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiawestern.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/01\/virginia-westerns-student-affairs-team-puts-laser-focus-on-student-needs-to-help-them-continue-moving-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"Virginia Western’s Student Affairs team puts laser focus on student needs ‘to help them continue moving forward’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Virginia Western Community College continually seeks to put students at the center of the College’s mission and resources. A new role is charged with coordinating a wide array of resources into cohesively tailored ways to meet individual student needs.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The College has welcomed Danielle Johnson as Director of Student Support Services. Johnson brought the skill set of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community-based advocate when she began in the fall.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Danielle
Danielle Johnson, Virginia Western’s new Director of Student Support Services, brings 15 years of advocacy experience to this vital role.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Throughout her 15-year career, Johnson has led mental health programming, crisis response protocols and collaborative initiatives to address student needs. Working in K-12 and higher education as well as community-based systems, Johnson has designed and led equity-centered, trauma-informed support models that strengthen student well-being and nurture academic success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson’s role at Virginia Western was created as part of a plan to strengthen the College’s ability to meet the growing and complex needs of students, said Bernadette “Bern” Battle, Vice President of Student Affairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As we continue advancing our Student Affairs Reimagine Plan, we are seeing more students reaching out for support related to wellness, financial hardship and staying on track academically,” said Battle. “When students need help, it is important that we meet them with care, connection and support. Strengthening our student support structure helps ensure every student feels seen, supported and connected to the resources our community provides to help them continue moving forward toward their goals.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Battle noted that Johnson complements the expertise of her team, which already shows leadership in the community college realm through staff positions such as a Behavioral Health and Wellness Advocate. Outreach extends through programs such as Great Expectations, which is critical in Roanoke with the high incidence of foster care involvement locally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johnson has extensive experience guiding teams through complex cases; ensuring regulatory compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, Section 504 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and implementing scalable, student-centered services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As Director of Student Support Services, I am proud of the coordinated work taking place across the Student Affairs unit in partnership with our academic and workforce teams,” Johnson said. “This collaborative approach ensures that Virginia Western students receive the comprehensive support necessary to succeed academically, personally and professionally.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She highlighted initiatives that show the breadth of these efforts: <\/p>\n\n\n\n