TCC grad finds meaningful work in area shipyard

Tidewater Community College alum Phillip Le’s morning commute to Newport News Shipbuilding includes stunning sunrises over the HRBT.

“Seeing the sun come up over the water never fails to make me shed a tear of happiness,” he said. “I wake up every day knowing I worked hard to be doing something greater than I ever imagined.”

Phillip earned an Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology in December 2022 and is now completing a paid cooperative education program at the shipyard. He is also working on a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering technology at Old Dominion University.

Phillip learned about the shipbuilder’s cooperative education program from TCC Professor Kenny Grimes.

“Because TCC has small classes, you get to know your professors and they get to know you,” he added. “They know your strengths and weaknesses and can recommend positions suited for you.”

At just 21, Phillip is working as a nuclear engineer servicing America’s nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. “This is bigger than any job I thought I’d be doing. I’m honored to contribute to keeping our nation secure,” he said. “It’s also really enjoyable seeing what I learned at TCC getting applied to real projects, in this case America’s finest vessels.”

Phillip started at TCC just before the pandemic and he notes that virtual learning took a toll on his mental health. “I really missed the interactions with classmates and working in the labs,” he said. “But I’m so glad I stuck it out.”

Phillip Le (top right) with the Rock On team.

While at TCC, Phillip was involved with the Engineering Club and the STEM Club. He also volunteered for two engineering projects, one for NASA called “Rock On” and the other for an American Society for Engineering Education Model Design Competition.

“I’m prepared for my higher-level classes at ODU and that’s because of the extra hands-on projects and fully supplied labs available at TCC,” he said.

Phillip also learned about trial and error at the college. “Engineering is all about trying and trying again,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to fail, just get up and start again.”

Phillip wants to thank all his engineering and math professors who helped guide the way. “I want to thank all of my teachers and especially Mr. Grimes who taught me how to think and communicate like an engineer and connected me with my first job,” Phillip said.

“Working and going to school is tough some days,” Phillip added. “But I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunities that have come my way.”

“I came to TCC because of the motto that said I could ‘go anywhere’ from here. And I think it’s true.” – Tim Slootmaker

Timothy Slootmaker has a motto for life, “I’ve got this!”

And after seven years, Tim’s determination and can-do attitude are paying off as he earns an Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technolgy from Tidewater Community College.

Tim will cross the stage at TCC’s 73^rd Commencement Exercises on Dec. 20 with his mom, Lenore, at his side just as she’s been for every class.

“Mom has been with me every step, so it makes sense to have her at graduation,” Tim said.

Tim, 25, was born with cerebral palsy with epilepsy. And even though he has endured ailments and setbacks, he has persevered in school, graduating with honors from Western Branch high school and now with a 3.9 GPA from TCC.

“I came to TCC because of the motto that said I could ‘go anywhere’ from here. And I think it’s true,” Tim said. “Whatever I needed, the staff was there and always encouraging me.”

Tim started at TCC in 2014 and took most of his classes in-person before the pandemic. He successfully transitioned to remote learning with the support of faculty and staff, not missing a single assignment during the pandemic.

Tim in his favorite spot on campus with staffer Chuck Thomas.

Tim is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society for two-year schools. He is also active in Breakaway Bible study on Chesapeake Campus. His favorite spot on Portsmouth Campus is the Student Center where he connects with staffers including Chuck Thomas and Dean Jenefer Snyder who are his personal cheerleaders.

Tim received accommodations from Disability Services that aided his success including more time for writing and testing. Lenore credits the testing center with helping Tim overcome any barrier and sends a special shout out to the staff for their part in Tim’s success.

“It will be a sweet moment walking the stage at graduation, and I’m extremely proud,” Lenore said. “I guided Tim along the way, but this success is all his. Without his determination, we would not be here now.”

Tim will return to TCC in the spring to start another degree. This one in Computer-Aided Drafting and Design. His goal is to become a CAD professional for a government agency or a local shipyard.

Apply now for TCC’s STEM Promise Program

High school seniors, adult learners and military-related students who want to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can apply to Tidewater Community College for a scholarship that pays four semesters of tuition and fees in full.

The TCC Women’s Center STEM Promise Program will award 20 scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. Recipients will graduate ready to enter a career or to transfer to a four-year college to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

“Demand for workers with skills in higher-paying STEM fields is expected to continue to outpace demand for non-STEM workers over the next decade,” said program coordinator Jaedda Hall. “This program is designed to create a larger and more diverse STEM workforce pipeline for our local area and beyond.”

STEM Promise Program scholars benefit from TCC’s smaller class sizes, specialized support from advisors and STEM career exploration and mentoring from the college’s Women’s Center.

You may qualify if you:

have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher (or GED equivalent);
are eligible for in-state tuition;
place into College Composition (English 111) and PreCalculus (Math 161) or higher;
have earned no more than 24 TCC credits at the time of application submission.

Scholarship recipients must enroll as full-time students in one of the following TCC programs:

These associate degrees transfer to bachelor’s programs at four-year institutions. Graduates may be eligible for a Two-Year Transfer Grant from Virginia’s Community Colleges, which provides up to $3,000 annually for STEM students who complete their final two years at select universities in the Commonwealth.

Although the scholarship is aimed at women and minorities, anyone can apply. The deadline is April 1, 2021.

Interested students must first apply for admission to TCC. From there, they can apply for the scholarship by visiting www.tcc.edu/stempromise.

For more information, contact the Virtual Student Support Team at 757-822-1111 or email info@tcc.edu.

Apply now for TCC’s STEM Promise Program

The TCC Women’s Center STEM Promise Program will award 20 scholarships for the 2020-21 academic year. Recipients will graduate ready to enter a career or to transfer to a four-year college to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

STEM Promise Program scholars benefit from TCC’s smaller class sizes, specialized support from advisors and STEM career exploration and mentoring from the college’s Women’s Center.

To be eligible a student must:

qualify for in-state tuition;
have a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher;
place into College Composition (English 111) and Precalculus (Math 161) or higher;
have no more than 24 TCC credits;

Scholarship recipients must enroll as full-time students in one of the following TCC programs:

Although the scholarship is aimed at women and minorities, anyone can apply. The deadline is March 1, 2020.

Interested students must first apply for admission to TCC. From there, they can apply for the scholarship by visiting www.tcc.edu/stempromise.

For more information, contact the TCC Enrollment Team at 757-822-1111 or enroll@tcc.edu.

STEM Scholar Program grads on their way to four-year schools with associate degrees in hand

Robert Sutton found friends and resources at Tidewater Community College, but perhaps the best part of all is the passport his associate degree provided.

After graduating with his Associate of Science in Engineering, Sutton leaves TCC debt-free and bound for Virginia Tech this fall. Sutton and four others who were recipients of the Women’s Center STEM Promise Program Scholarship, graduated on May 13 at TCC’s 68^th Commencement Exercises.

“The engineering community at TCC was a wonderful community to be connected with,” Sutton said. “The resources in the H Building (the Advanced Technology Center) were amazing, and the professors were absolutely phenomenal.”

robert sutton — Robert Sutton with chief academic officer Corey McCray

Kasen Martel earned his Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology.

When Sutton graduated from Ocean Lakes High in 2017, he didn’t get accepted into Virginia Tech’s prestigious engineering program. He planned to attend TCC given the college’s transfer agreement with Tech, but learning of the STEM Promise Program scholarship – which pays for two years of tuition and includes specialized support from dedicated advisors.

Sutton, accepted into the initial cohort of 10, appreciates the foundation Professor Kenny Grimes laid early on. “He helped me get off to a really strong start,” said Sutton, planning to pursue his bachelor’s in civil engineering.

The four other May 2019 STEM Scholar grads, Katherine Synowiec, Deloren Perry, Deven Singleton and Kasen Martel, will transfer to Old Dominion University.

Synowiec remembers the day she learned she was selected for the program. “I was left utterly speechless,” said the Salem High grad. “The scholarship really helped my family and me. We were thrilled to hear that my time at TCC would be financially covered, which allowed us to exhale. It allowed me to focus on my studies and not stress about the challenges of paying for college.”

Synowiec, interning at VDOT this summer, plans to complete her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering.

Perry, who earned her Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology with a Specialization in Cyber Security, appreciated the extra guidance. “My favorite part of the program was the check-ins,” said the graduate of the STEM Academy at Landstown High. “They were really encouraging to help us push through during the middle of a semester.”

Singleton leaves TCC with his Associate of Science in Engineering with plans for a bachelor’s in electrical engineering.

Deven Singleton is planning a future in electrical engineering.

“I really enjoyed how personal the professors can be,” he said. “You also get to know your classmates really well, and it was a great experience to begin my education. You save loads of money and get a quality education.”

Deloren Perry earned her associate in information technology with a cyber security specialization.

Martel, who came to TCC from the STEM Academy at Grassfield High, graduated with his Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He will pursue a bachelor’s in the same field.

TCC Women’s Center STEM Promise Program scholar snapshot

When Erin Fitzpatrick got accepted into Old Dominion University, she thought her college plan was set. Then she found out about Tidewater Community College’s Women’s Center Stem Promise Program.

Student in lab. — Fitzpatrick in physics lab.

Two years of tuition and fees would be paid for. She’d complete two years of college without accruing any debt. She’d receive specialized support from academic advisors and mentoring from TCC’s Women’s Center.

The high-achieving Kempsville High School student was one of 19 accepted into the program last fall.

“Starting at TCC was definitely the right step for me,” said Fitzpatrick, earning her Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology. “I’ve been really impressed with the teachers and enjoy the smaller classes that enable me to get extra help and also connect with classmates.”

The TCC STEM Promise Program awards up to 20 scholarships each year to qualifying students. The program, which pays tuition and fees for two full academic years, is designed to boost the number of degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics awarded to females and minority students. Anyone is eligible to apply for the scholarship.

Fitzpatrick lives at home and works a part-time job. “This has been a win-win for me,” she said. “I’ll be transferring to Old Dominion in a year, and I’ll be debt free. That’s a big deal.”

Students in physics lab — Ethan Hoskins-Propst, Fitzpatrick and Isaac Vanderley, who is also a STEM Promise Program scholar.

Fitzpatrick is no stranger to the Virginia Beach Campus and the Advanced Technology Center (ATC). While attending Kempsville, she was part of the engineering technology program offered in the ATC through Virginia Beach Public Schools.

“A lot of people don’t know how much TCC has to offer,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a great place to figure out your path and then prepare for next steps.”

Applications are due for the STEM Promise Program by March 1. For more information, contact Jaedda Hall, program coordinator, at jhall@tcc.edu.

TCC announces class of 19 for its second STEM Promise Program scholarship

Sumner Darling mapped out the entire Earth in elementary school. Jena Essary taught herself coding shortly after her 10th birthday. Breiten Liebell constructed a fully functional replica of a Ferris Wheel by memory as a 5-year-old.

The high school students are among Tidewater Community College’s second class of STEM Promise Program scholars. Nineteen students will pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related disciplines at TCC and complete two-year associate degrees at no cost for tuition and fees under the Women’s Center STEM Promise Program.

“Through the generosity of our donors, the Women’s Center STEM Promise Program is contributing to the diversity of the Hampton Roads workforce by creating a pipeline of women and minority students into the STEM disciplines,” said Jeanne Natali, director of TCC’s Intercultural Learning Center. “Our STEM Promise scholars will get a solid academic foundation at TCC, graduate with no student debt and be set to transfer to any number of public or private universities.”

Last fall TCC welcomed the inaugural class of STEM Promise scholars who will graduate in spring 2019. Elizabeth River Crossings fully funded all 10 of those scholarships with a donation of $120,000.

In addition to TCC’s smaller class sizes and interaction with professors invested in student success, STEM scholars receive specialized support from dedicated advisors and mentoring and career exploration from the Women’s Center.

TCC’s 2018 Women’s Center STEM Promise Scholars and their programs are:

Associate of Science in Engineering

Taylor Bowers, Chesapeake
Emma DeLosReyes, Virginia Beach
Erin Fitzpatrick, Virginia Beach
Zachary Fuge, Virginia Beach
Christian McClenney, Virginia Beach
Matthew Rathbun, Zuni
Deven Singleton, Chesapeake
Isaac Vanderley, Virginia Beach

Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology

Kalen Anderson, Portsmouth
Breiten Liebell, Virginia Beach

Associate of Science in Science with a Specialization in Computer Science

Courtney Carr, Virginia Beach
Rhys Dailey, Virginia Beach
Jena Essary, Chesapeake
Caroline Jacobs, Chesapeake
Maurice Price, Chesapeake

Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology

Kiana Brown, Chesapeake
Sumner Darling, Virginia Beach
Seth Greiling, Chesapeake
Shannon O’Hara Wiora, Virginia Beach

Anyone with an interest in applying to TCC’s STEM Promise Program should contact theEnrollment Team at 757-822-1111. Interested donors can contact the TCC Educational Foundation at foundation@tcc.edu.