May 6, 2026
National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) has received the 20th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. The organization was nominated for the award by Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) and honored at Virginia Foundation for Community College Education’s (VFCCE) 20th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy Luncheon.
The event honored more than two dozen individuals, families, and businesses from all 23 of Virginia’s Community Colleges, as well as the VFCCE itself. Award recipients were nominated in recognition of their exceptional commitment to the growth and development of Virginia’s community colleges and their respective foundations.
In his welcoming remarks, Chancellor David Doré saluted and thanked the donors for their unwavering commitment to students whose potential might otherwise go unrealized. “The individuals and organizations we honor in this room represent an extraordinary $27 million in lifetime giving to Virginia’s community colleges,” he said.
The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of Education, Jeffery Smith, who underscored the importance of philanthropy and its ability to remove barriers that could impede or even block the way forward for students short on resources. “Every Virginian deserves a pathway to economic opportunity,” he said.
In addition to Secretary Smith, distinguished guests in attendance included State Board members as well as members of the VFCCE Board of Directors. Author, philanthropist, and educator Brent L. Kendrick, Ph.D., whose career reflects a lifelong commitment to teaching and community college education, delivered the keynote address.
2026 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy Recipients
| College | Recipient |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Dr. James R. Perkins |
| Brightpoint Community College | Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond |
| Central Virginia Community College | Framatome, Inc. |
| Danville Community College | John A. and Iris P. Bostian Revocable Trust |
| Eastern Shore Community College | Peter Bale and Sentinel Robotic Solutions |
| Germanna Community College | The Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region |
| Laurel Ridge Community College | Margaret and Foss Smith |
| Mountain Empire Community College | Dr. Terrance Suarez |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | Mildred Miller McCabe |
| New River Community College | Dr. H. Randall Edwards and Dr. Florine Graham |
| Northern Virginia Community College | Dr. Bonnie Lefbom and Mr. William Lefbom |
| Patrick & Henry Community College | National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship |
| Paul D. Camp Community College | Obici Healthcare Foundation |
| Piedmont Virginia Community College | UVA Community Credit Union |
| Rappahannock Community College | Carolyn and David Scarbrough |
| Reynolds Community College | Executive Women International – Richmond Chapter |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Jessie Ruff & The Ruff Family |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | Charlotte and Lynn Keene |
| Tidewater Community College | Beazley Foundation, Inc. |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | Dr. John Lentz, DDS |
| Virginia Peninsula Community College | City of Newport News and Newport News Development Authority |
| Virginia Western Community College | Diane and William Elliot and Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc. |
| Wytheville Community College | Rebecca and Stephen Dorshorst |
| VFCCE | Dr. Linda Daniel and Mr. Joe Daniel |
The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) is a supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. It works to broaden educational access, promote student success, and provide innovative solutions to workforce needs. To ensure access to high quality, affordable education, the VFCCE provides statewide leadership in raising funds for community college education, supplementing the activities of the 23 individual colleges, and advocating for major system-wide initiatives that could not be undertaken by any single college. For more information, please visit https://vfcce.org/.
About Virginia’s Community Colleges
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills, so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. In academic year 2024, Virginia’s Community Colleges served more than 232,000 students across 23 colleges throughout the Commonwealth. Learn more at www.vccs.edu.
In the photo: David Ford (Strada Educational Foundation), Tonya Hall (InsideTrack), Kevin Logan (NACCE), Rebecca Corbin (NACCE), Chancellor David Dore, Dr. Greg Hodges, Mrs. Renee Hodges, and Tiffani Underwood celebrate NACCE’s award.