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Former name | Lord Fairfax Community College |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college |
| Established | January 24, 1970 |
Parent institution | Virginia Community College System |
| President | Kimberly Blosser |
| Location | , , United States 39°02′10″N 78°16′05″W / 39.0362234°N 78.267952°W |
| Campus Locations | Luray, Middletown, Warrenton |
| Primary Jurisdictions Served | Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren, Winchester |
| Website | laurelridge |
  Location in Shenandoah Valley  Laurel Ridge Community College (Northern Virginia)  Laurel Ridge Community College (Virginia)  Laurel Ridge Community College (the United States) | |
Laurel Ridge Community College, formerly Lord Fairfax Community College, is a public community college with multiple campuses in the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont regions of Virginia. It is part of the Virginia Community College System and operates four locations — the Fauquier and Middletown Campuses, the Luray-Page County Center, and a site at Vint Hill in eastern Fauquier County — that serve seven counties and one city in the area, enrolling 5,862 students in academic year 2021–2022.[1] Students attending Laurel Ridge can obtain an associate degree or certificate.
In July 2021, the Virginia State Board of Community Colleges changed names for local institutions named after people who owned slaves or advocated racist policies such as school segregation.[2] The board allowed the college to change its name to from Lord Fairfax Community College to Laurel Ridge Community College. Instead of venerating Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, plantation owner, the new name honors laurel flower that has been associated with academic achievement.[3][4]
- ^ "IPEDS Data Center". Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. National Center for Education Statistics. March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
- ^ Weissman, Sara (July 26, 2021). "Name Changes for Several Virginia Community Colleges". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Voth, Sally (22 July 2021). "State Board Approves Name Change for Lord Fairfax Community College". Lord Fairfax Community College (Press release). Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- ^ Merod, Anna (July 22, 2021). "State board officially approves Laurel Ridge Community College as LFCC's new name". The Winchester Star. Retrieved 5 August 2021.