“Community support and excitement has never been better,” said RCC president Elizabeth “Sissy” Crowther. “It took development of the local community to make this happen.”

After thanking a long list of contributors, including the Lancaster Community Investors LLC, the Virginia Community College System, the Jesse Ball duPont Fund and the Town of Kilmarnock, Crowther showed her appreciation to a very important group.

“To me the most important dignitaries are members of the college staff,” said Crowther. “Our information technology and building and grounds crews have been running like rabbits. I’m sure my picture’s on a dart board somewhere.”

Virginia Community College System Chancellor Dr. Glenn DuBois spoke of the future of the center saying, “12th grade is no longer the finish line. I can’t wait to read the stories of success that I know will be written here.”

Rep. Rob Wittman also provided words of praise for the center in noting, “We have to make sure our citizens are potential employees who can compete in the workplace. You have now put yourself steps ahead of regions around us.”

Kilmarnock Mayor Raymond Booth and Lancaster Public Schools Superintendent Daniel Lukich also gave speeches that could be seen and heard by the overflow crowd in one of the center’s computer labs.

“I enjoyed working with those from the college and the contractors who enjoyed having the work,” said Michael Christopher of Lancaster Community Investors, addressing the nonacademic benefits the center has brought to the community.

The 8,100-square-foot center in the former Sears store in the Chesapeake Commons Shopping Center boasts computer classrooms, a testing center, community room, nursing lab, small board room, offices, a student lounge area and two rooms with distance learning capabilities.

Academic course offerings for the Spring 2012 semester include accounting, art, nursing and psychology. Workforce development courses offered at this time include business, human services, and architecture and construction.

Before the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, RCC board chairman and RCC graduate Joan Faulkner proclaimed, “Let the learning begin.”