Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) is pleased to announce that the commencement address for P&HCC’s 2026 graduation ceremony will be delivered by its newest professor emeritus, Joyce Staples, a retired P&HCC professor and P&HCC alum.
Staples has an enduring history of volunteer service in Martinsville-Henry County. She serves on several boards, including Grace Network, Virginia Museum of Natural History, the Trinity Presbyterian Historical Foundation as secretary, Safety Net, Inc. as board president, and is the treasurer of the Martinsville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a community member of the Equity Collaborative, a member of the Martinsville Pan-Hellenic Council, and a member of Women in Philanthropy. She served as a past secretary of the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society, Piedmont Arts president, and board member of the Virginia Skyline Girl Scout Council.
Staples is the recipient of numerous awards. She received the Thanks Badge, the highest award a volunteer can receive in Girl Scouts. At Patrick & Henry Community College, she received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2006, the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008, the Faculty Award for Professional Excellence and the Faculty Award for Community Service in the 2016-2017 academic year. She was also named the first Poet Laureate of Patrick & Henry Community College. Piedmont Arts awarded her the Clyde Hooker Award in 2021 for her support of the arts and cultural organizations in Martinsville and Henry County. In 2022, the Harvest Foundation awarded her a grant to start the Hope Book Club for Middle School Girls. In March 2025, she was awarded Zeta Community Service of the Year by the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Upsilon Delta Zeta Chapter. Most recently, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Martinsville-Henry County Chapter of the NAACP.
“I am truly honored and humbled to return to P&HCC where I began my higher education journey 55 years ago. P&HCC has been an integral part of my life,”said Staples.
P&HCC President Dr. Greg Hodges said, “It is such a pleasure to both recognize Mrs. Staples and have her share her wisdom with our graduates. She is a passionate advocate for our community and the students who learn at Patrick & Henry and we are so grateful for her continued support of their success.”
P&HCC graduates will be recognized in a ceremony in the Stone Hall gymnasium on Friday, May 15, 2026 at 6:00pm.