News

Tondalaya VanLear, Associate Professor of English at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College, was recognized as one of four “Educators of the Year” for 2016 at the 38^th annual meeting of the Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, held March 11 at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. VanLear joined the faculty at DSLCC as an adjunct instructor in 1999, and began teaching fulltime in 2004. She also serves as Department Chair for the Humanities, heads the Education program and serves as advisor for students preparing for a teaching career. She not only teaches English but also Art History, both on campus and online.  She is a member of the Chancellor’s Faculty Advisory Committee and has served as part of the Virginia Community College System redesign team for the English curriculum. She is currently president of the Alpha Beta chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Women Educators and is an active member of Clifton Forge Baptist Church. She and her husband Richard, who is an Information Technology adjunct instructor at DSLCC, have three grown daughters and three grandchildren. VanLear also received a congratulatory letter from Senator Mark Warner.  VanLear stated, “I am honored to receive this award and am thankful for the many individuals who support and encourage me every day, as well as the amazing students I work with each day.  We have so many wonderful educators throughout our community, and I am blessed to be part of them.”