LYNCHBURG, Va. – It’s only been a few days since Miller-Motte Technical College announced it won’t be taking in any more students. The school lost its accreditation. Now, two other schools are stepping up to help the students who are affected.
Within a few days of Miller-Motte’s announcement, Central Virginia Community College in Lynchburg said at least five to 10 students from Miller-Motte have called the college with questions about transferring.
Students from Miller-Motte Technical College who plan to come to Central Virginia Community College will be welcomed with a form that reads, “Welcome Miller-Motte Students! Continue your education at CVCC.”
“We just want to reach out to them and let them know because one door closed, another door can open. And we can be that door,” Dr. Muriel Mickles, vice president of academic affairs at CVCC, said.
On Friday, Miller-Motte announced the college will no longer be accepting or enrolling new students at its Virginia locations. Since then, CVCC and Miller-Motte have been in conversation about how to help students transfer.
“What we’ve done so far is reach out to them and say that we would love to partner with them. They have been in communication with us and I think we will be working together as the days and weeks advance to try to get these students the help that they deserve,” Michael Farris, dean of enrollment management at CVCC, said.
Miller-Motte’s website lists the programs it offers, which include criminal justice, health care technology and business administration.
“Indeed, at CVCC we have those same programs,” Farris said.
CVCC says the goal is to prevent Miller-Motte students from starting all over, but it won’t be easy.
“For the student that is interested in transitioning, we want to see an official transcript. And then we’re gonna have to look on a case-by-case basis. Look at it in a really, very concrete way what classes have been taken, and how that can marry to what we do here and, really, at that point, figure out how far along one of our programs they may be.”
Administrators with CVCC and Miller-Motte have plans to meet and discuss transitional plans later this week.
CVCC also said other students wanting to enroll in CVCC’s 12 week-semester courses beginning on Sept. 18 can check the various program offerings on the college’s website.
Students and parents can also stop by or call the CVCC Student Counseling Center at 3506 Wards Road in Lynchburg from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and until 5 p.m. on Fridays.The phone number is 434-832-7800.
Another option for Miller-Motte students is American National University in Salem.
Students who were planning to start at Miller-Motte September 11 can instead start at ANU, where the fall term also begins September 11.
Students will be able to take advantage of a special grant that covers their tuition and fees for their first term. For this first term, students would only have to buy textbooks. Financial aid, grants and scholarships are available for subsequent terms.
Prospective Miller-Motte students who will be unable to begin their first term on September 11 should contact the nearby ANU Campus (1813 E. Main St, Salem VA 24153) at 540.986.1800 or email admissions01@an.edu.
Also, Virginia Western Community College will host open houses and provide advising to current Miller-Motte Technical College students who are not eligible to complete their studies under the closing Roanoke campus’ “teach-out” plan. The College’s Workforce Solutions division provides several programs that directly relate to programs offered at Miller-Motte and have the potential for funding assistance through the Workforce Credentials Grant (WCG). WCG covers up to two-thirds the cost of course tuition for eligible Virginia residents.
The open houses will be Thursday, Sept. 14 and Tuesday, Sept. 19 from 4-6 p.m. at the Fishburn Hall Training Room.
ECPI University in Roanoke is offering a trial period for displaced Miller-Motte students. Students who meet admissions and assessment requirements will be given the opportunity to take classes at ECPI for two 5-week terms before being considered for acceptance. ECPI will cover the cost of the first term for all accepted students.
Interested students may contact ECPI's Director of Communications, David Brandt, at 757-213-3613 or dbrandt@ecpi.edu.