Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Business Law
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • Coronavirus 2020
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Vote Now for Women in Leadership
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read the issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Nominate execs for 2021

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Home News Regions Southern Virginia NCI leader has a long history with organization

NCI leader has a long history with organization

Published February 2, 2017 by Joan Tupponce

Leanna Blevins was part of New College Institute before it became a state entity in 2006.  Now she leads NCI as its executive director.

Blevins, formerly NCI’s chief academic officer, had been acting executive director since 2015. She received her permanent appointment in December.

“I wanted to be part of building something new and different that would help transform the Martinsville community by providing opportunities for the people that live there,” she says in explaining how in 2004 she became involved in the educational initiative that led to the creation of NCI. “It’s not very often that you get a chance to build an organization from the ground up.”

NCI is a multi-university, higher-education center. It provides access to degree programs, certifications and other educational projects such as experiential learning opportunities. “We do that through partner universities. We don’t offer degrees ourselves,” Blevins says.

NCI has faculty in residence from universities such as Longwood, Averett, U.Va., James Madison, Radford and Virginia State. “Students come here to complete years three and four of their bachelor’s degrees and also their master’s degrees,” Blevins says. “We partner with the Virginia Community College System for the first two years of education.”

Nearly 400 students have completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees at NCI in the past decade.

Nationally, enrollment in post-secondary education is down. In fall 2016, overall enrollment declined 1.4 percent from the previous year, according to National Student Clearinghouse research data.

“Enrollment is down in our degree program, but it’s up in programs where you don’t have to commit to a degree,” Blevins says. “We expect programs such as certificate programs and endorsements will rise, and we will see a leveling off in degree programs.”

The main opportunity for NCI, she says, “lies in combining the best of traditional higher education with the best practices of inventive post-secondary offerings. We have a real opportunity to do some creative programs that will be relevant to what the commonwealth needs as far as employment.”

In addition to classroom courses, NCI offers online classes as well as hybrid programs with a mix of online work and video conferencing.  “We offer a variety of options,” Blevins says. “We are working with our university partners to give people ways to get access to education in smaller, bite-size pieces. That is our challenge and our opportunity.”

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

Sawmill operation to expand in Pittsylvania County

Virginia Business logo

Applied Felts plans to expand in Henry County

Karen Jackson. Photo courtesy New College Institute

Unmanned Systems Association of Va. names board chair

Former state Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson will help promote unmanned systems industry

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Finance/Insurance: STEPHAN Q. CASSADAY

Finance/Insurance: PAUL B. MANNING

Federal Contractors/Technology: JASON PROVIDAKES

Education: ANNE M. KRESS

Artemis I to launch with help from Va. contractors

Sponsored Stories

Why is my Less Than Truckload (LTL) freight pricing going up and my service level going down?  

Beyond Juneteenth – How Capital One is Commemorating and Implementing Change

How We Help Your Business Operate Better

Before the Breach: Get Serious About Cyber Resilience

Professionals are Discovering What it Means to Live Uniquely in the Alleghany Highlands of Virginia

Riverside Logistics Celebrates 25th Anniversary!

Girls for a Change Empowers Black Youth for the Future Workforce

The Jackson Ward Collective is equipping Black-owned small businesses with the tools for success

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk