Brandon Oaks residents are supporting scholarships for student-employees to attend Virginia Western Community College.
The seniors at Brandon Oaks Life Plan Community are helping the seniors from area high schools pursue their dreams to attend college.
“The Brandon Oaks staff and residents truly value our student employees and decided to establish a scholarship program to benefit our high school seniors who want to further their education and career opportunities,” said Julee Goodman, Director of Development at the Roanoke senior living community. “This year, through a fundraising event and resident donations, we were able to award scholarships to some of our student employees. The majority are planning to attend Virginia Western Community College in the fall and will be able to use this money to reduce their college costs.”
Dr. Robert H. Sandel, president of Virginia Western, said he admires the residents’ support of student employees. “It’s wonderful to see the relationships develop at Brandon Oaks, where residents can help launch a younger person’s educational career,” he said. “They have a special community.”
A committee consisting of residents, staff and human resources was formed to develop the Brandon Oaks scholarship program. They established criteria, determined the process and led fundraising efforts. Applications were distributed to all high school seniors working at Brandon Oaks who were in good standing.
Swinging for Seniors, a putt putt tournament, was the primary fundraiser. Another fundraiser included a newly introduced robot that helps with serving the meals at the senior community. Residents thought it would be fun to name the robot, so they paid a dollar or two to contribute their idea. The winning name? Trey.
In addition to the fundraising events, the residents made private donations. Some have backgrounds in education and felt strongly about encouraging the recent graduates to pursue higher education. Others were delighted to do something special to help the staff members and show their appreciation.
“The staff members make a major contribution to the quality of life for Brandon Oaks residents with their good work and friendly manner. Many of the part-time staff who provide excellent service for the residents are also students
pursuing additional education,” said Janet Johnson, an independent living resident who serves on the scholarship committee.
“As a retired professor and resident, I enjoy serving with the committee to review the applications and award the scholarships to the deserving employees as they move forward with higher education.”
Scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000 each were awarded on June 3, 2022. Three of the recipients will be attending Virginia Western Community College when classes start Monday, Aug. 22.
Chelsey Nicole Sheets, a graduate of Salem High School, has been a server at Brandon Oaks for seven months. She says the best part of her job is seeing the smiling faces of the residents. The scholarship is helping her purchase books and supplies for classes while she pursues her Associate Degree in mechatronics. Sheets chose Virginia Western because it is close to home and offers Mechatronics, a program that integrates mechanical, electronic and electrical engineering systems.
Another Salem High School graduate, Alyssa Winters, has worked as a server in the dining room for over a year and a half and enjoys talking with the residents. She is planning to attend Virginia Western and major in business. After two years, she will either transfer to another college or go right into a career, since Virginia Western makes it easy to choose either option after receiving her associate degree.
“Getting this scholarship helps me a lot with coming out of college with no debt,” Winters said. “It also gives me reassurance that I am doing the right thing.”
Fallon Davis graduated from Northside High School and enjoys being a server at Brandon Oaks because everyone is welcoming and friendly. “I was truly grateful when I found out I was a recipient because I am paying for my own college, and it helps me out a lot,” she said. “I’m planning on putting the scholarship toward either my college dues or my books.”
Davis heard a lot of great things about Virginia Western’s dental hygiene program. “It is what I’ve always wanted to do, so I looked into it some more and thought it would be a great fit for me since it is close to home and I will still be able to work during the school year.”
All three students look forward to starting class at Virginia Western this fall and pursing their individual interests close to home. And they are planning to continue to serve at Brandon Oaks where they have created special bonds with the residents.
ABOUT VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Virginia Western Community College is a forward-thinking community college inspiring individual, community and economic transformation. It provides quality educational opportunities that empower students for success and strengthen communities. The College provides credit academic programs and non-credit workforce training along with distance learning online and dual enrollment courses in area high schools. To learn more, visit www.virginiawestern.edu.
