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Juwuan Brown's big game against Central International College helped Thomas Nelson's basketball team improve to 9-1 overall. Juwaun Brown, a freshman from Williamsburg, was named the New South Athletic Conference player of the week after leading Thomas Nelson’s men’s basketball team to a 91-77 victory over Central International College. He had 20 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and one steal as the Gators improved to 9-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

Thomas Nelson has all the parts needed for a successful ballroom dance team. Pam Roberts, who works in the business office, is an enthusiastic adviser for the student organization. Students have expressed interest. A time and place for practices has been secured. The College has a great ballroom dance tradition. The only thing missing is a list of events. Unfortunately, there is nothing on the horizon, either. “With the covid guidelines, there have not been any college competitions,” Roberts said.

Thomas Nelson’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for students at two-year colleges, recently conducted a survey regarding online learning. The results taught its members a lot. The survey was conducted last semester, when students had the option of in-person learning, online learning, or a hybrid model. “We thought since campus is open, students would be satisfied with whatever they were taking because they had options to take classes in different manners,” said Lisa Barron, a co-chair of the organization.

Falling temperatures of late prompted Thomas Nelson safety officials to offer helpful recommendations for enduring the cold weather. Personal and family member safety

College officials have approved the 2022 holiday schedule. Unless otherwise announced, the College will be closed on the following dates:

Thomas Nelson (becoming Virginia Peninsula Community College) will be closed Monday, Jan. 17 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.  While spring classes will remain virtual through Jan. 21, offices on campuses in Hampton and Williamsburg will reopen Tuesday, Jan. 18. Also on Jan.18, some in-person classes in career and technical programs, including allied health, and skilled trades courses will resume meeting on campus as scheduled.

With the mental well-being of students becoming more and more important, Thomas Nelson is taking another step to show support. TimelyCare, a new telehealth program for students, is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “If you just look at the national statistics, anywhere from 25 to 30 percent of students have a formal diagnosis of a mental health disorder,” said Richard Hurst, the coordinator of Disability Support Services and a counselor at the College.

Megan Barnard credits Thomas Nelson Community College for helping her find the right career path. Megan Barnard always has been interested in science, always found it interesting. “It always been a knack for me,” she said. “Some people have a knack for math. Some people have a knack for history. Science has just always been my thing.”

The coronavirus pandemic has affected so many aspects of everyday life, probably none more so than education. Students, faculty, staff and administrations from pre-school through college are trying to cope with the changes. Making things more difficult is no one knows when the education system in the United States will return to its pre-pandemic ways. How long will online learning last? Will it become the new norm?

In a move to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 amid a surging new variant, Thomas Nelson (becoming Virginia Peninsula Community College) is switching most of its classes from in-person to virtual for the first two weeks of spring semester – Jan. 10 - 21.  Some in-person classes in career and technical programs, including allied health, and skilled trades courses will continue meeting on campus.

Thomas Nelson Community College is excited to offer TimelyCare  – a new telehealth program for students. The service provides 24/7 access to mental virtual health care from anywhere in the United States, with no cost to visit. The service comes as part of ongoing VCCS efforts to prioritize the health and well-being of its campus communities.

Super Saturday, a free financial aid workshop for college-bound and returning students, takes place Jan. 29 at Thomas Nelson (becoming Virginia Peninsula Community College). During the 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. event, the College's Financial Aid team will assist attendees in Hampton at Wythe Hall in the computer lab next to the library and at the Historic Triangle campus in Room 233. Representatives from Admissions, Academic Advising, and faculty from each division will also be on hand.

The College is renting space at 521 Butler Farm Rd. as temporary housing for those replaced by the Templin Hall renovations. The collapse of a portion of the Templin Hall roof did more than displace the theater department. The nearly 50,000-square foot building also was home to classrooms and offices. Most of the classes once held in Templin are being held across the campus, and many faculty and staff who were displaced also have been scattered among multiple buildings. However, steps have been taken recently to bring all under one roof again.

Thomas Nelson players hung with those of 10th-ranked Sandhills Community College for much of the first half in their 90-71 loss. (Photo courtesy of Sandhills Community College). The Thomas Nelson’s men’s basketball team has 10 games scheduled for the second half of the season. Coach Chris Moore’s goals are to win every one and place first in the New South Athletic Conference. Those goals might seem out of reach until the Gators' performance in first half of the season is taken into account.