Angela Harris, C'09

Danville Community College, nestled in the heart of Southside Virginia, may not say “University of Richmond” to you.

But don’t share that opinion with Angela Harris, C’09, or others studying in the University of Richmond’s Weekend College program—they’ll let you know that the School of Professional and Continuing Studies does, indeed, have a presence at DCC!

Weekend College is a cohort-based bachelor’s degree completion program in liberal arts. The School offers Weekend College in three locations—on the University of Richmond campus, on the Germanna Community College Fredericksburg campus, and on the Danville Community College downtown campus.

Harris chose Weekend College because it represented “the right fit at the right time.” Seeking a program that would work with her already tight schedule, Weekend College’s Friday night and Saturday classes fit perfectly. And University of Richmond classes held at the local community college meant she didn’t have to travel very far.

Earning a degree in liberal arts was also the right move at the right time. When she started the program, she was working full time as a patient account representative in the health care industry. Since starting and completing the program, Harris has earned a promotion to a position focusing on admissions and marketing coordination. She has written and published two children’s books and a chapbook of original poetry, and she’s working on her third book. She and her work have been featured on television, radio, newspaper and magazines, and she speaks at schools, workshops and organizations. She’s turned her first book into a mini-interactive play that she’s performed in schools and other venues. And she’s even tried her hand at stand-up comedy!

Harris’ experience at Weekend College can’t be directly attributed to each of these changes. But the writing, research, analysis and communication skills that are part of the Weekend College curriculum contributed to her professional focus on writing and communications. Completing her bachelor’s degree fanned the spark of skills and abilities she already possessed from her professional experience and the associate’s degree in business management she earned at DCC.

Harris is not alone in seeking a program that fits her hectic life and too-full schedule. She found in Weekend College classes other adult students like her who, with her professors, were “able to empathize” with each individual’s circumstances. She also found a program that enabled her to enroll full-time—thus qualifying for VTAG and other financial assistance—while focusing all her attention on a single concentrated class at a time.

“I loved the small classes and that we took one class at a time…allowing me to focus on one class and them move to the next." reflects Harris. "We worked in groups, did presentations and had many class discussions..., which helped me improve by public speaking ability.”

As she considers her professors, Harris recalls that they understood the unique needs of adult learners. “UR’s program is designed so the adult student will be successful. UR does an excellent job of selecting instructors who understand the needs of the adult student.," says Harris. "Many of our instructors had worked full time jobs while raising a family and earning an advanced degree.”

Her family found her passion for education contagious. When she was enrolled in the program, she and her grade-school son entered a friendly competition to see who could earn the highest grades. Although Harris doesn’t claim victory, she proudly exclaims, “We both excelled; I graduated magna cum laude!”

And then she reflects: “Richmond—the right fit at the right time!”