During his first college year, Douglas Ford successfully found a middle ground between his engineering classes at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and his job as a mechanic.

Thousands of residents across the commonwealth turn to community colleges for training and education. Approximately 249,295 students took at least one credited course during the 2007-08 academic year – the equivalent of 101,899 students enrolled full time.

Students can transfer associate degrees or land high-paying jobs right out of school. “What sets us apart from four-year institutions of higher learning is that we place an emphasis on industry-relevant high-tech skills that can be learned in a short period of time,” said Dr. J. Mark Estepp, president of Southwest Virginia Community College.

If another four years of sitting at a desk listening to teachers lecture about pronouns and calculus formulas isn’t appealing, there are alternatives to the traditional college experience.

Students, schools finding more funding, cutting costs to cope with financial woes.

PVCC has pushed to offer more classes online - with zero in 2000 there are more than 70 this year - but Allen’s is the only one that is engaging students in real-time video.

ABINGDON, Va. – The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center broke ground Monday on a $3.2 million, 6,200-square-foot addition – a feat thought impossible just a few years ago.

ABINGDON, Va. – Though the war in Iraq seems far removed from the hustle and bustle on the Virginia Highlands Community College campus, it still impacts many student veterans on a daily basis.

Central Virginia Community College next year will introduce systems engineering as the fourth track in its collaborative program with the University of Virginia, the school’s Stan Shoun said Tuesday.

ABINGDON, Va. – Virginia Highlands Community College junior Justin Pennington is among thousands of students trying to save money by attending a community college.

PVCC was enrolling students this summer at a pace that made number-crunchers believe the college could have upward of 500 additional students to serve. But the enrolling tapered off and the college likely will serve about 250 additional students over fall 2007, when there were 4,675 students.

WEYERS CAVE - Technology and fitness are on the immedate agenda for Blue Ridge Community College.

WEYERS CAVE - Members of Blue Ridge Community College’s Students in Free Enterprise team have not only gained practical business skills, they have made the team into a school dynasty in the process.

Going green is for the birds on the Chesapeake campus of Tidewater Community College. Or at least it started with the birds. Thanks to biology professor Lisa Behm, the college’s winged residents have upgraded their digs into homemade nest boxes located throughout campus in hopes that secure housing will encourage more to flock there.

WEYERS CAVE - Blue Ridge Community College opened in a low-key fashion 40 years ago here on an old farm site just off U.S. 11. Now, the campus has more than 200,00-square feet of buildings, including a center to train area workers and a new fine arts center where plays and community events can be held.