Featured photos: Scenes from Blue Ridge Community College following Hurricane Helene in 2024, ranging from emergency response and campus damage, to support from a fellow community college, and hosting community-wide cleanup efforts.
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This is a special communication of the President’s Office on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. This content was also sent as part of Campus News, a bi-monthly e-news publication shared with the community by Blue Ridge Community College. Learn how to subscribe to Campus News.
A Message from Our President
Today, we mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, and our thoughts return to the strength, sacrifice, and unity that carried Western North Carolina through its most difficult days. The storm reminded us that none of us can face such challenges alone. It was through collaboration—neighbors helping neighbors and partners working side by side—that our community persevered. I remember vividly how search and rescue crews deployed from Blue Ridge Community College’s fire training center, and FEMA established a basecamp in our Patton Building parking lot.
Since then, Blue Ridge has proudly stood alongside our many partners in recovery, from local and state government, to businesses, nonprofits, fellow educators, and more. We have worked to leverage every resource, from Build Your Future tuition grants that keep students on track, to hosting the Governor’s bipartisan recovery committee, to offering small business counseling, workforce training, and providing space for Henderson County’s debris-processing operations. These efforts reflect our deep commitment to serving our community through thick and thin, for both immediate relief and long-term rebuilding.
The past year has also underscored how deeply our region depends on trained professionals for its well-being. From first responders and healthcare workers to those in construction, public safety, engineering, skilled trades, information technology, and so many other fields, Blue Ridge and other community college graduates have been on the front lines. Their work ensures that Western North Carolina is not only recovering but growing stronger and more resilient.
Today, we’re reflecting on where we’ve been in the past year, as well as recent successes towards recovery. As we consider all that has been accomplished, we also look ahead with renewed purpose. Together with our students, faculty, and community partners, we will continue to build the workforce that rescues, rebuilds, and revitalizes our region. That mission has never been more vital.
With gratitude,
Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, President
Featured Stories: One Year After
One Year After Helene: Lessons That Shape Our Future
“One year later, our role expands as those in Helene’s path attempt to overcome a severe blow to our regional economy approaching $60 billion by some estimates. As part of the solution, Blue Ridge Community College is not only helping people and businesses recover, but also helping to build a brighter, more resilient future for the next generation. Our focus has returned to what have always been our core strengths—education, workforce development, and innovation—now galvanized by the year we have just lived.” – Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood
Read the full story. This story is also available at EducationNC, Community College Daily, WNC Business, and Hendersonville Lightning.
Blue Ridge Community College Hosts Governor’s Advisory Committee for WNC Recovery
On Monday, Sept. 15, Blue Ridge Community College welcomed the North Carolina Governor’s Advisory Committee on WNC Recovery to campus. This bipartisan group of community leaders from across the western region advises Governor Josh Stein and the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western NC on strategies to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Read the full story.
Blue Ridge Receives $500k from Lowe’s Foundation for Skilled Trades Workforce Development
The Lowe’s Foundation awarded $500k to Blue Ridge Community College as a part of a select group of community and technical colleges receiving Gable Grants nationwide. Through expanded training, grants to this cohort will help build the next generation of skilled tradespeople at a time when the industry needs it the most. Read the full story.
Winds of Change: Film Students Release Helene Documentary
Blue Ridge film students and faculty created a powerful 30-minute documentary on Hurricane Helene’s devastation and the resilience of WNC. The film shares the stories of more than 20 voices to capture how the community came together during one of its most challenging times. Read the full story, and watch the documentary.
Hurricane Recovery Tuition Assistance Now Available at Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge Community College announced this fall the relaunch of the Build Your Future Grant for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters. The program will once again cover needed tuition for education and workforce training for Helene-affected students. Read the full story.
Selected Moments Since Helene
- Blue Ridge Community College to Reopen on October 14 After Hurricane Helene
- Board of Trustees Adopts ‘Resolution of Gratitude’ Acknowledging Community College Support Following Helene
- Blue Ridge’s Educational Foundation Calls for Support in Wake of Hurricane Relief Efforts
- Community Colleges Play Key Helene Recovery Role (By: MC Belk Pilon, Business NC)
- Small Business Center Offers Vital Assistance to Local Entrepreneurs and Business
- NCCER and Lowe’s Partner with Blue Ridge Community College for Post-Hurricane Construction Workforce Training
- Blue Ridge Community College Celebrates First Graduates of ‘Level Up: Core Construction’
- Replanting Hope: A Local Nursery Finds Recovery Support through Blue Ridge’s Small Business Center
- Blue Ridge Honors Class of 2024 Graduates with Historic Attendance
- Blue Ridge Student Speaks at Statewide NC Community Colleges Celebration Following Helene
- Building Resilient Communities: The Crucial Role of Community Colleges in Disaster Recovery (By: Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood)
Looking Ahead: Weather Safety Starts Now
As the academic year continues, we enter another season where inclement weather is possible through storms, heavy snowfall, or extreme temperatures. Whether dealing with heavy storms, extreme temperatures, wildfires, or other weather-related hazards, preparation remains one of the most effective ways to reduce risk and stay safe. Read the full Story.
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