Ричард Блэнд Колледжі: Тарихы мен даму жолы

Under the guidance of retired Colonel James M. Carson, the former hospital and training facility were transformed into Richard Bland College, with classes commencing in 1961. The campus expanded with the addition of Ernst Hall, a Student Center/Library building, and a gymnasium in the late 1960s. Colonel Carson served as the founding President until 1973 when Dr. Cornelis Laban took on the role of Acting President until 1975. Dr. Clarence Maze succeeded Carson as President, overseeing the expansion of academic programs and the promotion of international awareness and travel opportunities. In 1996, Dr. James B. McNeer became the third President and played a pivotal role in restructuring the college to fulfill its responsibilities to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Richard Bland College occupies a rural campus spanning 750 acres, which was once a dairy farm owned by the Gurley family. The campus boasts a grove of century old pecan trees, two restored turn of the 20th century farmhouses (one serving as the President's residence and the other as a guesthouse which is occupied by one of the junior college's administrators), a converted dairy barn used as a theater, and a unique koi pond. Recognizing the need for residential facilities, the college added campus housing in 2008, becoming the only two year college in Virginia to offer this accommodation. Richard Bland College has a diverse alumni network comprising more than 18,000 individuals worldwide. Moreover, the college plays a vital role in bolstering the economy of Petersburg, Virginia, and the surrounding regions. In 2012, Dr. Debbie L. Sydow became the fourth (and first female) President of the junior college after a decade of experience as President of Onondaga Community College, a part of the State University of New York system. Starting in 2014, there have been discussions regarding the establishment of an independent board of visitors for Richard Bland College, separate from The College of William and Mary. These efforts gained support from the Board of Visitors of The College of William and Mary in a resolution conveyed in November 2022. However, the House Appropriations Committee of Virginia blocked the college's independence in February 2023.

Richard Bland College of William and Mary has a campus spanning over 700 acres, situated in both Prince George and Dinwiddie Counties, adjacent to the city limits of Petersburg. The rural, park like campus is split into east and west and offers landscaped grounds with a mix of modern and colonialistic vintage architecture, pecan orchards, and historical structures, including Maze Hall, the administration building, and the remnants of when the land was under the supervision of Central State Hospital. It also features notable facilities such as the President's Home, the Guesthouse Residence, a water garden, and various maintenance facilities. Academic buildings on campus include the McNeer Building, which serves as the main science and technology hub, and Pecan Hall, the SSHE (Social Studies, Humanities, and English) Building, housing liberal arts and humanities classes. Ernst Hall, another academic building, is home to classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices, the Academic Computer Lab, and the Division Chair's office. The campus also encompasses the Barn Theatre, a converted dairy barn serving as the venue for Richard Bland College Players' annual theater productions involving students, faculty, staff, and community members. The Campus Center is a significant hub, housing the library, a snack bar, dining area, student lounge, and bookstore. The Center for Student Affairs hosts offices and services related to admissions, financial aid, student activities, and other student support services. Maze Hall, the administration building, is home to various administrative offices, including those of the President, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Dean of Administration and Finance, and Director of Institutional Advancement. Statesman Hall houses the gymnasium, locker facilities, a weight training center, a racquetball court, aerobics classrooms, and faculty offices for physical education and health courses. It also accommodates Instructional Technology Services on the second floor. The campus library offers essential services. The campus provides housing options in buildings such as Commerce, Freedom, and Patriot Halls. Commerce Hall (formerly the Humanities and Social Sciences Building) is characterized by its arcade walkway and grassy courtyard, which formerly accommodated classrooms and faculty offices for the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences. After 2008, it was repurposed as a student dorm. Freedom and Patriot Halls, on the other hand, offer apartment style living accommodations. These halls collectively house approximately 500 students, and residents are required to maintain a 2.5 GPA to promote an academic atmosphere. The campus layout also features a Crim Dell inspired bridge connecting the athletic fields to the Residential Village, offering convenient access for students residing in that area.

Richard Bland College of William and Mary is a small sized, residential, public two year college, with it being the only one of its kind within the state of Virginia. It primarily serves as a pathway to a bachelor's degree at the College of William and Mary, although the junior college also contains additional programming to help students transfer to other public universities within the state. Richard Bland College offers a variety of academic programs designed to provide students with a strong foundation in their chosen fields. The college grants Associate of Arts (A. A.) and Associate of Science (A. S.) degrees in disciplines such as business, humanities, mathematics, sciences, social sciences, and visual and performing arts.

+ Demographics of student body Undergrad(Fall 2018) Virginia U. S. Census African American 22% 19.4% 12.2% Asian American 16% 5.5% 4.7% White American 50% 68.6% 63.7% Hispanic American 6% 6.2% 16.4% Native American 0% 0.4% 0.7% International student 2% N/A N/A Two or more races 2% 2.9% 1.9% Other/unknown 3% 3.3% 0.4%

Richard Bland College enrolled 2,528 students in Fall 2021. Women made up 62% of the student body and men 38%. 32% of students at the college are first generation students and 57% are students of color. The junior college was the only two year college within the state of Virginia to grow in enrollment after the COVID 19 pandemic, with its enrollment increasing by 21% compared to the 14% drop that the two year colleges of the Virginia Community College System suffered.

College Factual in 2023 ranked RBC No. 236 out of 1,330 nationally for associate degree granting colleges. The publication also listed the college at No. 13 out of 64 for overall value in Virginia and ranked it as the 22nd best college in the state. Overall, College Factual ranks the school No. 778 out of 2,241 schools in the United States, with it ranking above various four year institutions.

The official mascot of Richard Bland College is the Statesman Eagle. The college's athletic teams are known as the Statesmen, a nickname that reflects the institution's connection to its parent university, The College of William and Mary. The junior college's athletic fields are located on the east side of campus and the Statesmen participate in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), at the Division I level and within Region 10. They compete in a variety of sports, with men's sports including basketball, soccer, and golf, and women's sports including volleyball, softball, and soccer.