Dr. Al Roberts, Author at Farmville

YOUR TURN

Education can be transformative

Earlier generations considered high school completion the key to success. Many viewed postsecondary education an extravagance because folks with high school diplomas could secure good-paying ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Friday, April 19, 2019 7:25 am

Columns

College community connection

Audrey Williams June, writing in the October 2018 issue of Chronicle of Higher Education, reported, “Having a mentor can make a big difference in student’s ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, March 21, 2019 9:41 am

Columns

Reading is important

The One World Literacy Foundation explains, “Reading is how we discover new things and how we develop a positive self-image. The ability to read is ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, February 21, 2019 11:27 am

Columns

Dual enrollment opens diverse doors

At the end of the last school year, in addition to their high school diplomas, 741 graduating seniors received credentials from Southside Virginia Community College. ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, January 17, 2019 2:03 pm

Columns

A gift in winter

The 20th century British poet Edith Sitwell wrote, “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Monday, December 24, 2018 11:08 am

YOUR TURN

Building for a promising future

Established in 1970, Southside Virginia Community College is one of 23 colleges in the Virginia Community College System. From its humble beginnings, the college has ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Friday, October 19, 2018 3:36 am

Guest Columns

Back to school

Fall is in the air, and students are back to work. The hallways at Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) teem with a mix of new ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Friday, September 21, 2018 8:44 am

Columns

Teachers needed for tomorrow

Nationwide, schools are experiencing a scarcity of qualified job candidates for teaching positions. Declining enrollment in programs that prepare students for licensure as teachers is ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Wednesday, August 15, 2018 7:06 am

Columns

Keeping your cool

As temperatures outside rise, indoor thermostats often respond by calling for cooler air. This ability to control the indoor environment helps people be more comfortable. ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, July 17, 2018 12:19 pm

Columns

An alternative to the traditional four-year plan

The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the number of bachelor degrees conferred in the U.S. has increased by 125 percent since the early ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, June 19, 2018 10:49 am

YOUR TURN

Customized, job-driven training

Businesses across the Commonwealth of Virginia, including right here in the Southside region, continue to report a skills mismatch between job seekers and open positions. ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, April 17, 2018 12:02 pm

Columns

New beginnings

Many people usher in the new year with a fist full of resolutions and renewed determination to start afresh toward achieving personal goals. Surveys done ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, February 13, 2018 11:41 am

Columns

Thanks to a truck driver

Santa may rely on a sleigh and reindeer, but other folks who want holiday packages delivered to distant destinations typically rely on trucks. In fact, ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, December 19, 2017 12:29 pm

Columns

How to start college with an advantage

Dual enrollment programs operate as collaborative partnerships between high schools and colleges. They offer students who meet prerequisite requirements an opportunity to jump-start collegiate and ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, November 14, 2017 12:46 pm

Columns

Assessing the value of education

Every year as the summer turns its focus toward the coming of autumn, back-to-school stories tend to proliferate in national and local media. One recurring ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, July 20, 2017 2:34 pm

Columns

‘Exact opposite of a conclusion’

On May 13 in front of more than 2,500 people, Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates to 1,303 students. For the ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, June 15, 2017 11:41 am

Columns

‘A critical shortage of nurses’

Florence Nightingale, the British nurse who founded the modern nursing profession, was born on May 12, 1820. While tending to the needs of wounded soldiers ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, May 18, 2017 3:24 pm

Columns

His thoughts on career planning

How many children have been asked the question, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Some want to fight fires, some want ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, May 9, 2017 10:26 am

Columns

Celebrating reading all year long

When people think of March festivities, they may envision green-themed parties for St. Patrick’s Day or looking forward to basketball madness. I like to remember ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, March 23, 2017 12:33 pm

Columns

Changing students’ lives

The end of the year and the holiday season have become inexorably linked with gift giving. Some gifts are purchased; some are homemade. Some get ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, December 15, 2016 11:04 am

Columns

Teamwork boosts SVCC hoops

Southside Virginia is home to some great athletes; sports participation is one important way young people can prepare for education opportunities and future employment. By ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, November 15, 2016 2:00 pm

Columns

Community is their middle name

We are Southside Virginia Community College. “Southside Virginia” describes the geographic area we serve; “College” explains our function as an institution of postsecondary education; but ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, October 18, 2016 2:24 pm

Columns

Answering the call

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, 19 people carried out suicide attacks against targets within the United States. Two airplanes smashed into the twin ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, September 13, 2016 1:01 pm

Columns

Customized solutions aid in choices

The Model T was America’s first automobile priced for the middle class. In writing about it, industrialist Henry Ford quipped, “Any customer can have a ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Tuesday, August 16, 2016 4:52 pm

Columns

Launch into life at community college

The reasons people choose to begin their postsecondary education careers at community colleges are as diverse as the things they go on to achieve. Regarding ... Read more

by Dr. Al Roberts, Thursday, July 21, 2016 1:04 pm

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