Alumni Profiles

“Bring it on!” Taylor Moneypenny never imagined starting her career as a respiratory therapist during a pandemic caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. But after a circuitous route, the Chesapeake resident, who graduated from Tidewater Community College with an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy in May 2020, will start her […]

Alexander Williams has a hard hat that he’s quite proud of. He has a full-time construction job with benefits, and great hours thanks to training offered through Tidewater Community College’s Center for Workforce Solutions. TCC’s program provides introductory training as part of the National Center for Construction Education and Research. The class covers topics like […]

Elwin Hines has been on the road since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. He has logged an average of 3,000 miles a week, bringing food products, paper goods and water to the hardest hit areas. The Portsmouth resident who graduated from TCC’s trucking program more than a decade ago was selected […]

Tyler Bray found his passion while working on his Chevy Silverado. “I was trying to figure out career options when my dad encouraged me to work with him on my truck,” Bray said. Bray’s hobby took him in a new direction when he started taking classes at TCC. His first goal was to earn a […]

Former U.S. Marine Chris Gaillard found a new career as a truck driver after the training she received at Tidewater Community College that came without a price tag. “I love what I do,” said Gaillard, who benefitted from a federal grant awarded to TCC’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE) that supports trucking training and education […]

Romeo Sarmiento has a message for military-related students at Tidewater Community College. “You are not alone. Your service is remembered. There is a place for you at TCC.” Sarmiento spent seven years in the U.S. Marines as a demolition expert. He deployed three times across 13 countries. During his last tour of duty, he was […]

Meet James Read. He came to Tidewater Community College as an adult learner with a computer science degree from James Madison University. After working as a help desk technician, and also doing residential electrical work and home security installations, he wanted more. “I came to TCC looking for a career transition into cybersecurity. I see […]

Karen Etulle is finally living the American dream. She came to the United States in 2014 seeking a better life, but the dream was put on hold. The mother of four faced domestic violence and went into hiding for three years, living in shelters and moving from house to house with friends. “I had no […]

Mekhi Moore planned to attend Virginia Commonwealth University right after high school. When he didn’t get in, he had to come up with a new plan. Moore, 19, started searching options on Tidewater Community College’s website and found the Accelerated Degree Program (ADP). “Right away I saw this as a way to get to VCU […]

Tidewater Community College alumna Shannon O’Hara Wiora is getting an insider’s look at working for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a summer intern, O’Hara was selected for the 2021 Health Disparities in Tribal Communities summer internship program through the NIH branch that deals with neurological disorders and strokes. “I’ll be learning about the […]