WHEREAS, in 1966 the General Assembly of Virginia established a statewide system of community colleges; and

WHEREAS, the Lieutenant Governor, J. Sargeant Reynolds, heralded the creation of the community college system by the General Assembly as "one of its finest acts and finest hours in this century"; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, the last of these colleges, is named in honor of the late Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth, who championed legislation creating the state-supported community colleges; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College officially opened for the 1972 - 1973 academic year and is now a three-campus institution and the third largest in the Virginia Community College System; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College serves a geographic district comprising the Virginia Counties of Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, and Powhatan, and the City of Richmond; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College has served more than 308,000 students in credit coursework since opening; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College graduates remain committed to the service and well-being of their local communities and excel in the jobs within those communities; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College supports economic development and provides world-class workforce training and services to both the public and private sectors; and

WHEREAS, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College continues to strive to meet the aspirations of its namesake to provide "a practical and economic answer to the future educational needs of thousands of . . .Virginians"; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College on the occasion of its 40th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Gary L. Rhodes, president of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations on this historical milestone.