Thomas Nelson Community College


Thomas Nelson Community College is a public community college with two campuses in Virginia, one in Hampton and the other in James City County. It also has two education centers The Southeast Higher Education Center in Newport News and the Williamsburg Discovery Center in Williamsburg. It is part of the Virginia Community College System. It mostly serves students living on the Peninsula region of Hampton Roads, but it also has students from other parts of southeastern Virginia.

History

The college was named after Thomas Nelson, Jr., who was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from Yorktown, Virginia. He is regarded as one of the U.S. Founding Fathers, since he signed the Declaration of Independence as a member of the Virginia delegation. He served as Governor of Virginia in 1781. Nelson County, Virginia, and Nelson County, Kentucky, are also named in his honor. The construction of TNCC began in August 1967. Four buildings were planned for construction, and the cornerstone was laid in December 1967. More than 1,200 Students began classes on September 20, 1968, and the first class of students graduated with associate degrees on June 13, 1970.

Academics

TNCC offers 50 associate degree programs, and has over 60 certificate programs.

Athletics

Thomas Nelson Community College competes in the Carolinas Junior College Conference of the NJCAA's Division III. Sports offered include baseball, men and women's basketball, beach volleyball, softball as well as intramural sports such as flag football and basketball.

Controversy

In 2014, the school faced a lawsuit from student, Christian Parks, for free speech violations and violation of the right to free conscious. The lawsuit cited 41 violations in the school's policy. The ACLU and the ACLJ supported the lawsuit.