ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

P&HCC Distinguished Alumni for 2025

Thursday, December 11, 2025

The Patrick & Henry Community College Foundation honored eleven P&HCC graduates as distinguished alumni at an awards dinner on Friday, June 13, 2025 at Chatmoss Country Club. Each year, P&HCC recognizes alumni who have brought distinction to themselves through academic achievement, career success and community involvement. Alumni who have graduated with a degree or...

P&HCC Names Distinguished Alumni

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

The Patrick & Henry Community College Foundation honored eleven P&HCC graduates as distinguished alumni at the awards dinner on Friday, June 9, 2023 at Chatmoss Country Club. Each year, P&HCC recognizes alumni who have brought distinction to themselves through academic achievement, career success and community involvement. Alumni who have graduated with a degree or...

Alumni Spotlight

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Let's get to know PHCC Alumni, Chris Powell! What year did you graduate from Patrick Henry Community College? 1999 What was your program of study, degree or certification earned at PHCC? Graduated with honors with an associate of arts and science in science. Why did you choose Patrick Henry Community College? After I graduated from Martinsville High School, I wanted to stay ...

Where are they now?

Monday, May 11, 2015

Although Jennifer Ashworth may not have always known what she wanted to do, she said she always knew she would need an education to get there.  “I didn’t have a definite goal growing up, which is something I’ve helped my children to develop,” she said, “but I’m very happy with where I’m at in my career at this time. It’s b...

Teaching the next generation

Thursday, November 20, 2014

SgtMaj Mike Payne, USMC (Ret.), a Patrick Henry Community College alumnus, was named this past summer as Hargrave Military Academy’s Commandant of Cadets.  SgtMaj Payne brings years of professional leadership and educational experience to the Hargrave Commandant position. Hargrave’s Commandant is the senior leader focused on the advancement and development o...

Making his dreams come true: Eddie Dillard

Friday, July 11, 2014

Since he was a teenager, Eddie Dillard had only one dream: to serve the public by being a firefighter or a law enforcement officer. He did both, but settled on one for a career. Dillard is now a trooper with the Virginia State Police, which is a journey he started at Patrick Henry Community College through the administration of justice (ADJ) program.   “I just ...

A Tailor-Made Recipe for Success

Friday, April 18, 2014

     Growing up, school wasn’t exactly Nicole Harris’ forte. "I wasn’t your average student," she admitted. "There were 1,000 better things to do, and college wasn’t at the top of my priority list."      But as the Executive Director of the local SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to...

2014 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Friday, April 18, 2014

Each year, the Patrick Henry Community College Foundation names its Distinguished Alumni based on academic achievement, career success and community involvement. Nine alumni were chosen to be recognized as Distinguished Alumni this year, and will be honored at a dinner in May. This year's recipients are: G. Edward Cassady ('94) G. Edward Cassady   ...

Getting a Head Start

Friday, January 17, 2014

     Setting yourself apart from the rest of the pack is essential nowadays in finding a job. Alison Parker learned this lesson when she was able to land her dream job, thanks to the jump start provided by Patrick Henry Community College’s Dual Enrollment program.      Parker, a television news reporter for WCTI News Channel 12 i...

The Road to a "Better Way of Life"

Sunday, September 1, 2013

     Dr. Melissa Lannom admits freely that at 18 she was not mature enough to enter the real world. Her parents, both high school dropouts, knew the importance of education and so they made a deal – “if you’re going to live in this house, you’re going to go to school.”      So after graduating from Bassett...

Making Dreams Into Realities

Thursday, August 1, 2013

     For Brian Luckett, attending the University of Virginia was out of the question, until he learned about the opportunities at Patrick Henry Community College. With some nudging from family friend Kay Pagans, PHCC Franklin County Site Director, Luckett became a Patrick Henry Scholar and is now in his final year at UVA.      “I...

A Bright Future for Martinsville

Monday, July 1, 2013

     Chloe Mayhew knew she wanted to continue her education after graduating from Magna Vista in 2010, but she wanted something close to home. She had been accepted at Liberty University, but “something just didn’t feel right,” she explained.      She found the solution at Patrick Henry Community College, graduating wit...

2013 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Saturday, June 1, 2013

     Each year, the Patrick Henry Community College Foundation names its Distinguished Alumni based on academic achievement, career success and community involvement. Twelve alumni were chosen to be recognized as Distinguished Alumni this year, and were honored at a banquet in May. This year's recipients are:   P. Kenneth Copeland ('87) ...

First-Generation Grad Turned Educator of the Year

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

     As a working mother of one, Retha McGuire wasn’t sure how she was going to make it after her employer shut down. But with a little encouragement from professors at Patrick Henry Community College, she became a first-generation college graduate and a Pittsylvania County Educator of the Year.      After graduating from high sc...