Wrenn Recognized as Outstanding SVCC Alumnus at Annual Board Event
Robert C. ‘Bobby’ Wrenn of Emporia was recognized by Southside Virginia Community College recently with the 2012 Outstanding Alumnus Award. The recognition is given to honor someone who advances the  mission of the college, exercises leadership through volunteer service, demonstrates career accomplishments and serves as a motivational force for others in a positive manner.
The award was announced during the annual Local Board Event which hosts community leaders from throughout Southside Virginia. Many of those in attendance represent county governmental entities, school systems, the state legislature, service agencies and others who partner with the college to provide the best services and opportunities to the people of the region.
Dr. John J. Cavan, SVCC President, presented the award to Wrenn on behalf of the SVCC Foundation.
Wrenn is Clerk of the Greensville County Circuit Court and a graduate of SVCC. He has served on the college local board and the state board for community colleges and is known as “Mr. Community College.” He currently serves on the College Foundation Board and received the Chancellor’s Award for Philanthropy in 2007. He spearheads the Foundation’s Annual Scholarship Golf Classic.
An avid bicycle rider, he started the Great Peanut Ride in his native Emporia. He has served as the president of Ruritans National and is a member of many community organizations.
The best advice he ever received was from his father who told him “be helpful and do what’s right.” He and his wife, Ann, reside in downtown Emporia.
Besides recognizing Wrenn for his accomplishment, the college’s local board met on this date along with a meeting of the Campus Within Walls Advisory Committee. The CWW program at SVCC is a unique prison education program operated in cooperation with the Department of Corrections, the Department of Correctional Education and Goodwill Industries Network. The funding source for the program at Lunenburg Correctional Center is the Federal Second Grant-U.S. Department of Justice and for Greensville Correctional Center is the Sunshine Lady Foundation, DCE funding and private donors.
A panel of those involved in different aspects of the program talked about highlights of the award winning effort to the committee members in attendance.
Dr. Chad Patton, Interim Dean of Instruction for Christanna Campus, talked about cost savings generated by the program. He noted statistics show inmates who are released with an educational credential cuts the recidivism rate by half.
Gary Cifers, Coordinator of Off-Campus Instruction, talked about the educational program he works with at the GCC and said “it is a challenging program and we are appreciative of the support this program has received. We had 60 graduates this year with half of those receiving their Associate’s degree.”
Dr. Paula Gastenveld, Daniel Campus Provost, talked about the importance of Goodwill’s participation in the program stating that they offer services to the inmates pre-and post-release including support in changing attitudes, learning how to cope on the outside and helping those released to find jobs on the outside.
Warden Benjamin A. Wright, GCC, noted that everyone agrees CWW is a good program stating, “the real story is this program changes lives.”
Dr. Cavan asked those in attendance to support the program and work to help receive funding from the state of Virginia and other sources so the program can continue.
(c) 2012. Southside Virginia Community College. All rights reserved.
| 
