Charlottesville, Va. – June 6, 2023 – Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) is pleased to announce that it is joining a group of more than 300 community colleges that compose the network of Achieving the Dream (ATD), the most comprehensive non-governmental reform movement for student success in the nation. ATD Network colleges work to holistically advance student success and grow as catalysts for economically vibrant communities. By joining the ATD Network, PVCC is committing to a tailored engagement in whole-college transformation and is gaining access to a nationwide network of peer support and expertise.

PVCC is part of a 2023 cohort of 13 colleges joining the ATD Network. The college is making a bold statement that it is dedicated to doing better by its students and its community, says ATD president and CEO Dr. Karen A. Stout.

“The colleges in our 2023 cohort, like all ATD colleges, understand the role that community colleges play not just in in the social and economic mobility of their students as individuals but in lifting up entire communities,” Stout stated. “ATD’s focus on equity underpins the broad, transformational changes that our Network colleges experience and which, in turn, benefit the entire populations that they serve. These colleges are deeply invested in the process of changemaking and have already identified goals toward greater student success. I’m excited to see how much further we can all go along this journey as they join our network.”

“PVCC is committed to empowering more students to earn meaningful post-secondary credentials that lead to high-demand, highly skilled jobs. By joining the ATD Network, we will accelerate transformative results for our students and the communities we serve,” shared PVCC President Jean Runyon.

PVCC joins the ATD Network alongside two other institutions, Arapahoe Community College (Colorado) and McDowell Technical Community College (North Carolina),  in addition to 10 other 2023 cohort colleges that joined in February as part of the Accelerating Equitable Outcomes initiative funded in part by a gift from MacKenzie Scott.

Teams from each of the three newest member colleges will convene in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from June 12 to 15 for a Kickoff Institute that will set the stage for their partnerships with ATD. The Kickoff experience will include an introduction to ATD’s Institutional Capacity Framework, a comprehensive assessment built on seven essential capacities that help colleges develop a student-centered culture leading to greater student success.

Collectively, the 2023 ATD Network cohort has a demonstrated commitment to tackling equity challenges, building a culture of data-informed decision-making, and maximizing the student experience through high-quality teaching and learning. Learn more about the Achieving the Dream Network at https://achievingthedream.org/.

About Piedmont Virginia Community College

Established in 1972, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a nonresidential two-year institution of higher education that serves Central Virginia – principally, residents of the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. PVCC is one of 23 community colleges in Virginia that comprise the Virginia Community College System. PVCC is committed to providing access to a college education for all who can benefit, an opportunity for each student to reach her/his potential and excellence in all programs and services. Visit www.pvcc.edu.