Dorshorsts recognized for leadership in philanthropy
Stephen and Rebecca Dorshorst
Wytheville Community College supporters Stephen and Rebecca Higgins Dorshorst were recently recognized during the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education 20th Annual Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy Luncheon in Richmond.
The event honored more than two dozen individuals, families, and businesses from all 23 of Virginia's Community Colleges, as well as the VFCCE itself. Award recipients were nominated in recognition of their exceptional commitment to the growth and development of Virginia's community colleges and their respective foundations.
Stephen and Rebecca Dorshorst have been strong supporters of WCC for several years. Rebecca is a native of Galax, and her father, C.W. “Buck” Higgins, helped establish the original Galax Education Center. This off-campus instructional site enabled WCC to offer classes to students in Twin County area. Over time, the center outgrew its downtown location, and the college relocated to a leased space at the Crossroads Institute.
In 2024, WCC established the WCC Real Estate Foundation that was able to purchase the Crossroads Institute facility. The Dorshorsts have made significant contributions to WCC to support program development and capital improvements of the newly named “WCC at Crossroads.”
Dr. Dean Sprinkle, President of Wytheville Community College, stated, “The Dorshorsts are dedicated friends of Wytheville Community College and the entire Twin County community. With their significant contributions that continue to honor Rebecca’s father’s legacy, the WCC Real Estate Foundation now provides a more permanent physical location in Galax to better serve our Twin County students. WCC is very grateful for Stephen and Rebecca Dorshorst’s extraordinary generosity.”
In his welcoming remarks at the awards ceremony, Chancellor David Doré saluted and thanked the donors for their unwavering commitment to students whose potential might otherwise go unrealized. “The individuals and organizations we honor in this room represent an extraordinary $27 million in lifetime giving to Virginia’s community colleges,” he said.
The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of Education, Jeffery Smith, who underscored the importance of philanthropy and its ability to remove barriers that could impede or even block the way forward for students short on resources. “Every Virginian deserves a pathway to economic opportunity,” he said.
The Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) is a supporting arm of Virginia’s 23 community colleges. It works to broaden educational access, promote student success, and provide innovative solutions to workforce needs. To ensure access to high quality, affordable education, the VFCCE provides statewide leadership in raising funds for community college education, supplementing the activities of the 23 individual colleges, and advocating for major system-wide initiatives that could not be undertaken by any single college. For more information, please visit https://vfcce.org/.
