Ride Along with Reynolds -- January 2025
Ride Along with Reynolds, a series about where the college is heading, who’s joining us for the ride, and why it matters for our students and the community.
In this episode of Ride Along With Reynolds, we’re kicking off 2025 with exciting news about a groundbreaking new partnership, celebrating achieving enrollment, retention, and completion milestones, and recognizing some truly inspirational students.
Transcript
Hi, I’m President Paula Pando, inviting you to Ride Along with Reynolds — a regular update on where the college is heading, who’s joining us for the journey, and why it matters for our students and community.
Happy New Year, and welcome to what promises to be an extraordinary 2025 at your community college. This is a year of opportunity, collaboration and impact as we empower our students and contribute to the vibrancy of the greater Richmond region.
Let’s start with some exciting news. Last month, we unveiled a groundbreaking partnership with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden — one of the nation’s most renowned gardens — located just three miles from our Parham Road Campus. Beginning this year, our horticulture program will make its home on the grounds of Lewis Ginter.
Imagine the power of hands-on learning in an award-winning garden. Together with our faculty, Lewis Ginter and industry partners, we’re creating a cutting-edge curriculum designed to meet the needs of today’s workforce and tomorrow’s community. This partnership is where theory meets practice, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about the future it will cultivate.
Speaking of Lewis Ginter, we capped off our first-ever Reynolds Spirit Week with a magical Reynolds Night at the Garden. Spirit Week was a moment to celebrate as a community — and we had plenty to celebrate.
In 2024, full-time enrollment reached its highest level in seven years, and we saw the largest year-over-year growth in nearly two decades. Retention rates are climbing, reaching their highest points since 2017.
What’s the impact? A 34% increase in valuable credentials awarded. These achievements didn’t happen by chance — they are the result of the passion and dedication of Reynolds faculty and staff. Your hard work is transforming lives and shaping a stronger future for our students and community.
Our students continue to inspire us every day. Recently, we welcomed more than 30 new members to the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, recognizing their academic excellence. Not only are they excelling in the classroom, but they’re also giving back to the community — cleaning up Bryant Park as part of PTK’s monthly service projects.
Meanwhile, our Robotics Club hosted its first tournament, drawing a crowd of more than 50 students and showcasing the innovation and creativity that thrive at Reynolds. A special shoutout to Engineering Instructor and Lab Manager Salah Garada for making it happen.
These students remind us of the incredible potential we nurture here at Reynolds. As we embrace the promise of 2025, I’m energized by what lies ahead. This will be a year of growth, innovation and community impact.
I invite each of you to reflect on the role you play in this journey — because together, we’re building something truly remarkable.
Thank you for being part of this ride. Here’s to a transformative year ahead. Happy New Year!