Rappahannock Community College is all about meeting students where they are both in life and academically, and no one knows that better than the president of RCC, Dr. Shannon L. Kennedy.

“We serve everybody,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy has served as president of the community college since 2019. Before arriving at RCC, Kennedy served in many roles at Cleveland Community College in North Carolina, including executive vice president.

“We need to make sure they [the students] are prepared when they leave us,” said Kennedy.

Each student is assigned a college navigator who helps guide them through course selections, financial aid and anything else they may need. RCC practices a “culture of care” and is there to help students, whether they are degree seeking, interested in workforce training, gaining credits for a certificate program, or striving towards any other goal they wish to achieve.

RCC starts early by implementing high school navigators at each high school in the areas it...