Here’s a roundup of education briefs from around Southwest and Southside:
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Emory & Henry launches Master of Science of Nursing
Emory & Henry College has finalized its new Master of Science of Nursing through the School of Nursing, the school announced Wednesday.
The new program is a hybrid program that will be delivered online, with some required in-person instruction at the school’s health sciences campus in Marion, Laurie Anne Ferguson, founding dean of the School of Nursing, said in a news release.
Students will be able to choose between two tracks with specific courses and clinical requirements: clinical nurse specialist and nurse educator or family nurse practitioner. Both tracks lead to eligibility for advanced practice licensure.
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New River Community College to host Appalachian photo exhibit
New River Community College will host a photographic exhibition, “Appalachian Days and Nights,” by artist Jeremy Riffe.

The show will run Feb. 14 through April 28 at the Fletcher Gallery in Godbey Hall on the school’s campus in Dublin.
An artist talk and reception with Riffe is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Fletcher Gallery.
Riffe grew up in Bluefield and was influenced early on by his parents, he said in a news release from the school. His mother loved photography, he said, and his father was an avid outdoorsman.
“I’ve always held a deep appreciation for the tremendous natural beauty of the region, and I’m drawn to the culturally and historically significant buildings in Appalachia as well,” Riffe said. “Coupled with my love for both color and monochrome images, as well as both night and day photography, I decided to create a multifaceted view of our region. I used a variety of lighting techniques for these images, both natural and artificial, to try and make them as dynamic as possible.”
The gallery is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays on request and Fridays from 10 a.m.- noon. For more information, contact Tammy Parks at 540-674-3600, ext. 4468, or tparks@nr.edu.
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$10,000 grant provides scholarships for Virginia Western machining students
The Gene Haas Foundation selected the School of Career and Corporate Training at Virginia
Western Community College to receive a $10,000 grant that provides scholarships for
students to take courses in machining.
Machine operators and machinists make parts for an array of technology, such as pacemakers and cellphones, as well as planes and bridges.
The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999 by the founder and owner of Haas Automation Inc. Its goal is to build skills in the machining industry by providing scholarships for CNC (Computerized Numerical Control) machine technology students and certifications.
This is the second grant that the Gene Haas Foundation has awarded Virginia Western.
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VCOM hosts Black History Month speaker series
The first African American woman to serve as dean of a U.S. medical school will speak next week at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg.
Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee will be the keynote speaker for the college’s William G. Anderson, DO, Speakers Series, the premier event of VCOM’s Black History Month celebration.
Ross-Lee will speak at 1 p.m. Feb. 13 on VCOM’s campus, 2265 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg. The event is free and open to the public.
Ross-Lee was the president of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine from 1993 to 2001 and currently serves as chair of AACOM’s Racism and Injustice in Healthcare Education Adaptive Working Group, and as president-elect of the American Osteopathic Foundation.
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