DSLCC reduces new name to Three; Requests Public Input

Three names are being considered as Dabney S. Lancaster Community College’s Renaming Taskforce continues the work of choosing a new name for the college.  

The top three names selected by the task force are: Headwaters, Mountain Gateway, and Mountain River. “The proposed names follow a common naming pattern for community colleges in Virginia with many having links to their local geography,” said Dr. John Rainone, College President. 

“Overwhelmingly, the community input centered around the breathtaking beauty of the natural surroundings for which the DSLCC service region is known,” said Rainone.   “The final names are both anchored to geographic features of our service region and reflective of the values that unite the college, its students and its community.” 

The community college’s main campus is in Clifton Forge, with a satellite center in Buena Vista and serves seven communities including the cities of Covington, Buena Vista, and Lexington, and the counties of Alleghany, northern Botetourt, Bath, and Rockbridge.  The college serves about 1,500 students annually in accredited programs along with more than 500 people enrolled in industry and business development classes.

The college, like the other 22 in the Virginia Community College System, had been directed last summer by the Virginia State Board for Community Colleges to review its name, as well as those of all its named facilities. In June 2021, DSLCCs College Board voted unanimously to rename the college, which was founded in 1962.  

Following the College Board’s decision, students, staff, alumni and members of the community were encouraged to submit possible names for consideration; more than 430 did so and the Renaming Task Force worked to narrow the final choices to three. 

The community is encouraged to rank their preference of name at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7NXKNLZ. The deadline for input is September 27.

The final name will be presented to the DSLCC’s College Board at the October 18 meeting.  Assuming approval, the State Board for Community Colleges will consider the name at its meeting in November.

Judy Clark

Public Relations