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History of Virginia Highlands Community College

Virginia Highlands Community College was established on November 30, 1967, by action of the State Board for Community Colleges, and assigned a service region of Washington County, the western portion of Smyth County, and the City of Bristol, Virginia. Today it is one of 23 community colleges within the Virginia Community College System.

The College moved to its permanent 100-acre campus during the summer of 1970 and, in response to the community’s needs, expanded its offerings to include both occupational-technical programs and baccalaureate-transfer programs.

During more than five decades of operation, Virginia Highlands Community College has become a dynamic leader in Southwest Virginia with a primary goal of providing a comprehensive and quality education for residents throughout its service region. The College served about 3,000 full- and part-time students this year. The rolling hills of the campus have been developed to include nine modern buildings, athletic and recreational facilities, and substantial parking. Programs and services also have changed to meet the needs of the local community. For example, the Division of Workforce Training and Continuing Education was created in 1996 to better prepare the local workforce. The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center – a separate organization located on the VHCC campus – opened in 1998 to bring baccalaureate and graduate programs to the area, and the Arts Array program was expanded into a community-wide cultural program. In 2004 we welcomed our campus neighbor, the Stone Mill Business and Technology Park, and during 2006 we completed construction of a greenhouse to support the Horticulture program. In 2011, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace (formerly known as “Heartwood”), opened as a gateway to the area’s cultural and creative economy, featuring a dining, event, and studio hub showcasing regional artisans and musicians. In addition, the dual enrollment program offered by the College is allowing students to earn college credit while still in high school, and the experiential learning initiative, LearningPLUS+, is teaching VHCC students the value of contextual learning, soft skills, and service to others, and the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission is providing tuition assistance for a variety of students and their families. State-of-the-art technology has made it possible to deliver distance education courses and has provided the entire College community with modern, up-to-date computer facilities. Through Federal TRIO programs – Student Support Services (EXCEL) and Upward Bound – high school and college students are receiving the academic help and encouragement they need to complete high school and succeed in college.

Today, we proudly honor the VHCC Class of 2024 by celebrating this major milestone with graduating students, their family members, and friends.

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