Welcome to the Virginia Western Community College Archive
The Virginia Western Community College Archive housed in Brown Library serves the institutional research needs of the college and general public by preserving and administering records related to the college and its history. It contains documents, photographs and other materials that provide a limited historical record of the college from its founding in 1966.
VWCC is a state agency; Its true archival functions are administered under the authority of the Virginia Public Records Act by the Records Management program at the Library of Virginia and the college designee Lisa Ridpath, Vice President of Financial and Administrative Services.
The College Archive serves to preserve the college's history, historical items and ephemera. The acquisition of materials is dependent on the goodwill of the college's staff, students, alumni and the public.
Materials in the archive are non-circulating and can be accessed by appointment only. Many items are digitized and accessible on this site. Please contact Dale Dulaney (ddulaney@virginiawestern.edu or 540-857-7438) for additional information.
Need information from the archive? Contact Dale Dulaney at ddulaney@virginiawestern.edu or call 540-857-7438.
This nurse's cap was worn by Cynthia Carter Willis as part of a pinning ceremony at VWCC in 1976. Willis was one of the first graduates of the college's nursing program. See Impact magazine winter 2023 for Cynthia's story.
Architectural rendering of North Campus circa mid to late 1960s. This hand-painted gem was saved from a dumpster by VWCC's former graphic designer Joe Collins.
This poster celebrates the 50th anniversary of VWCC in 2016. The image focuses on the bridge over Colonial Avenue symbolizing the connection between the North Campus built expressly for the new college and the South Campus which was originally the Roanoke Technical Institute.
Public radio in the Roanoke Valley got its start at Virginia Western. In 1973 WVWR-FM (Virginia Western Radio), whose transmitters were atop Fishburn Hall, first signed on and eventually became what is now WVTF. Click here to learn more. Digitized from photographic slide.
Brown Library
3095 Colonial Ave. SW
Phone: 540.857.7303
