The VCCS Student Success Center is excited to host a series of webinars featuring some of the most talked-about sessions from the 2025 New Horizons conference. With topics ranging from the use of AI in administrative work and instruction, student support and engagement, and best practices in andragogy,  we’ll explore how to translate these ambitions into impactful actions within our classrooms and offices. The 2025 New Horizon’s theme, Better Together, reflects the power of our collective One System vision and its alignment with our strategic plan, Accelerate Opportunity. And now, we are bringing content crafted by VCCS colleagues right to you!

Dates for Better Together Webinar Series

All courses are virtual, dates and times vary | Click here to check out the Better Together page for more info and to register!

• Tuesday, October 7, 3:00 - 4:00 pm | Using Mindful Language - Tally Botzer, System Office

• Friday, October 10, 10:00 - 11:00 am | Using Marketing and Public Speaking Techniques to Improve Teaching and Retention - Alexander Scott, Virginia Western Community College

• Wednesday, October 15, 10:00 - 11:00 am | Moving Past the Desk—Active Minds & Bodies: Transforming Teaching Environments for Engagement - Alissa Cruz, Blue Ridge Community College

• Friday, October 17, 10:00 - 11:00 am | More info coming soon

• Tuesday, October 21, 1:00 - 2:00 pm | Embracing Neurodiversity: Strategies for Supporting Students with Disabilities - Beth Callahan, Tidewater Community College

• Thursday, October 23, 3:00 - 4:00 pm | More info coming soon

• Tuesday, October 28, 10:00 - 11:00 am | Creative Strategies for Integrating Generative AI into Academic Support Programs - Ann Lyons, Sarah Kaufman, Wendy Lyman, Germanna Community College

• Thursday, October 30, 1:00 - 2:00 pm | Reaching More Virginia’s Employees and Students Through Apprenticeships: The VCCS’ Work-Based Learning Tracking System (WTS) - Jason Williams, System Office

• Tuesday, November 4, 1:00 - 2:00 pm | Would you like an AI Teaching Assistant? - Ian Taylor, Virginia Peninsula Community College

• Wednesday, November 5, 3:00 - 4:00 pm | Advising Better Together: A Tiered Caseload Model - Meredith Noseworthy, Tiffany Wright, Elizabeth Underwood, Andrea Walker, Samantha Sharkey, Germanna Community College

• Tuesday, November 18, 10:00 - 11:00 am | Dealing With Difficult People Doesn't Have To Be Intimidating! - Tracy McAfee, Wytheville Community College

Life can be overwhelming. We all encounter challenges that leave lasting marks on our well-being—moments that disrupt our sense of safety, connection, and control. Often, we don’t realize how deeply these experiences shape the way we show up in the world. In education, these hidden struggles surface as disconnection, misunderstanding, and behaviors that seem out of place. But when we understand the brain’s response to adversity and the ways lived experiences shape our behavior, we unlock new possibilities for compassion and support. This work is about more than understanding, it’s about creating spaces where people are supported and empowered. Together, we can shift our campuses and communities toward healing, connection, and growth.

Course 1: Foundations of Connection – What Shapes Us and Why It Matters

Ready to shift how you see and respond to the challenges in your classroom, workplace, or community? This powerful 6-hour Community Resilience Initiative (CRI) certification course introduces the science behind behavior and offers actionable tools to foster resilience and meaningful connection.

Course 2: Foundations of Support – Tools for Cultivating Resilient Communities

Looking to go deeper and bring what you’ve learned to life? This advanced 6-hour course builds on Course 1 and gives you hands-on experience applying resilience-based strategies in any setting—whether you're working with students, teams, families, or entire departments.

Upcoming Dates for Building Resilience Together Courses

All courses are virtual - 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Course 1: Register here for ONE of the following

• Friday, September 5, 2025

• Friday, November 21, 2025

Course 2: This course is open to participants who have successfully completed Course 1. 

• Friday, July 18, 2025

• Friday, October 10, 2025

• Invitations have been sent to eligible participants via email. Contact Logistics@vccs.edu if you have completed Course 1 but have not received the invitation to register for Course 2.

*UPDATE: Previously titled "Trauma-Informed Courses"* Course titles and descriptions have been updated to better reflect the impact of this work. If you have taken the Trauma-Informed course(s) previously, your existing certifications remain fully valid, and CRI continues to issue the Trauma-Informed Individual and Trauma-Supportive Individual credentials.

The Coaching & Advising Team offers THREE certifications in career coaching:

Virginia Career Coach Certification (VCCC) 

Provides coaches at Virginia’s community colleges with the frameworks and tools needed for effective career coaching based on the 12 competency areas outlined in the National Career Development Association (NCDA) Facilitating Career Development curriculum. The 40 training hours earned count toward the requirements of the Facilitating Career Development (FCD) course and the Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) certification. Learning modules are provided which offer rich content and resources. Participants move through the modules at their own pace. There are 10 face-to-face hours offered through five 2-hour Zoom meetings.

Upcoming Dates for VCCC Course

Courses are delivered with 9 online asynchronous modules and 10 hours of live, synchronous training - days and times vary by cohort

Register here for the for one of the following cohorts

• Fall 2025 Cohort 36: Tuesdays 1:00 - 3:00 pm, September 9, 16, 23, 30, & October 7

• Fall 2025 Cohort 37: Thursdays 10:00 am - 12:00 noon, October 30, November 6, 13, 20 & December 4

• Spring 2026 Cohort 38: Tuesdays 1:00 - 3:00 pm, February 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 2026 

• Spring 2026 Cohort 39: Tuesdays 10:00 - 12:00 pm, April 7, 14, 21,28, May 5, 2026

Facilitating Career Development (FCD) 

Provides coaches at Virginia’s Community Colleges with the framework and tools needed for effective career coaching. All coaches and staff who have completed the Virginia Career Coach Certification (VCCC) are eligible to enroll. A certificate of course completion allows participants to apply for the National Career Development Association’s (NCDA) Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) credential and the Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) credential through the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). Course costs ($275) are covered by the Student Success Center. Enrollment is limited to 25 participants. 

Upcoming Dates for FCD Course

Course consists of 80 hours of training comprised of 14 hours of face-to-face instruction and discussion provided through interactive Zoom sessions, reading, assignments, research, and project-based learning

Register here for the for the Fall 2025 FCD Cohort

• Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00 am: September 17

• Wednesdays 10:00 am - 12:00 noon: September 24, October 8 and 22, November 5 and 12, December 3, January 7 and 14 

**NEW** The School Career Development Advisor (SCDA) training 

focuses on competencies related to the career development needs of K-12 students. Training topics focus on facilitation skills, formal and informal assessment approaches and case management to meet the needs of all students.  The collaborative creation of meaningful, individualized education and career pathways plans is a key focus. School Career Development Advisors act as key points of contact for community members and employers who can provide experiential learning and employment opportunities which are key aspects of career guidance for K-12 students. 

The SCDA course focuses on best practices for infusing career guidance programming into the K-12 school and curriculum and supporting parents and students as they plan for the postsecondary transition. 

SCDA cohorts launching soon for Spring 2026 dates!

Contact StudentSuccessCoaching@vccs.edu with any questions regarding career coaching courses

These annual academies are designed for VCCS employees to build on professional and leadership experiences. All academies incorporate discussion, presentations, and networking, though theme and scope vary by year. Participation is by presidential and senior leadership nomination only and may include faculty, staff, and administration depending on the academy focus.

The Coaching & Advising Team offers monthly collaboration meetings with Coaches, Advisors, and Navigators for added support, sharing best practices, technical assistance needs, and timely professional development.

The VCCS Student Success Center team now has a Coordinator of Access and Advising who will offer support with a specific focus on faculty advisors, professional advisors and G3 advisors. Stay tuned for upcoming programming, training, and networking opportunities to collaborate, strategize and develop advising initiatives that will improve student access, success and retention.

Check the calendar to see upcoming opportunities. For more information about monthly meetings and faculty advising, contact StudentSuccessCoaching@vccs.edu

Funded by Virginia 529, the FastForward program provides career coaches at fourteen Virginia community colleges with crucial support for students enrolled in short-term credential programs. 

The Coaching & Advising Team strengthens this initiative by hosting monthly meetings where these coaches can collaborate, share best practices, and access resources to better assist students throughout their academic journey and into their chosen careers.

For FastForward coaches, a dedicated website with resources is available. Please make sure you are logged into your VCCS Google Account to access the site.

For further information or questions, email StudentSuccessCoaching@vccs.edu

This Functional Technology, aka, "Funky Tech" webinar series is designed to bridge the gap between technology and various departments, providing a platform for student facing front-line staff to enhance your technological skills navigating the platforms you use in support of students. Through interactive workshops and expert-led sessions, you’ll discover innovative ways to streamline processes, improve communication, and foster a cohesive environment. Join us to unlock the full potential of technology in your role and drive success for both students and staff. Let’s learn, connect, and transform together!

For more information and to view available Funky Tech webinars, visit the Funky Tech website

Research shows that nearly half of all college students experience clinically significant symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. To help our faculty and staff learn how to help their students with these challenges, the Student Success Center team hosts regular Mental Health First Aid trainings. Mental Health First Aid is an evidence-based, early-intervention course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use challenges.

Check the calendar to see upcoming opportunities. For more information, email StudentSuccessCoaching@vccs.edu

Language is always changing, and it sometimes feels impossible to keep up with the newest buzzwords (and the newest taboos). In order to have positive, successful interactions with students and colleagues of diverse backgrounds, it is vital to be aware of these shifts in terminology. This interactive session will share practical approaches to learning, updating, and using language in a way that fosters inclusion and belonging in VCCS spaces. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and practice applying simple strategies to situations that often occur in workplaces and places of learning.

Check our calendar and recent email blasts for the most up-to-date course information