President Avery's Year-end Message

Dear Community,

As 2020 draws to a close I want to take a moment to thank you for your incredible support of Linn-Benton Community College.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted every aspect of life, my thoughts are on the incredible endurance of a community who cares deeply about lifting one another up and helping folks persevere ... even through wildfires, health crises, job losses and more. Here at LBCC, we are especially grateful for the business partners, school district partners, civic leaders, community members, parents, alums and donors who recognize just how critical it is for our community to have consistent access to high-quality education.

I'm sure many of you are curious as to how the college's transition to a largely remote environment went this past year. Despite what seemed like incredible odds, I'm pleased to say it went very well. Our faculty and staff have been so committed to providing our students with the best experience possible, without losing the personal touch that is a hallmark of LBCC and means so much to our students. We are also able to offer some in-person training labs for our Career-Tech programs by adhering to strict safety precautions. We feel fortunate we can still serve students in this way.

And speaking of our students ... WOW, what an inspiration! As you can imagine, the fact is that many are struggling with job losses due to COVID, or parenting kids at home, or caring for other family members—and yet they are persisting. It is also true that we have lost some enrollment due to these same hardships, but given all that our students have had to endure, it is incredible to see so many not give up. 

At its heart, LBCC is about connecting people to success – and that's what I'm most thankful for this year. Please know that your Roadrunner family is ready to support you in any way that we can. I encourage you to reach out to us, participate in the many virtual engagement opportunities we are providing for our community, and continue to stay connected. I invite you to write to me at averyl@linnbenton.edu and share what you are looking forward to this year.

Wishing you and your family a warm holiday season and a very happy New Year!

Thanks,

Lisa
Dr. Lisa Avery
President, Linn-Benton Community College