Our History

Establishment of the College

During the 1964 session, the General Assembly of Virginia passed legislation providing for the establishment of two-year technical colleges in the Commonwealth. The plan called for a partnership between the state and the local cities and counties sponsoring a technical college in their region.

On January 27, 1965, under the regional leadership of the Appomattox Basin Industrial Development Corporation, three cities (Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg) and five counties (Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George and Sussex) submitted jointly an application to the State Department of Technical Education requesting assistance in the establishment of a technical college in the region. Later, the counties of Amelia and Surry joined in sponsoring the proposed college.

The State Department of Technical Education approved the application and on September 3, 1965, the College Board of Trustees met for the first time. One of its first decisions was to use the name of the tenth president of the United States in designating the college; John Tyler was a native of the region to be served by the college. Harold T. Goyne, Sr., generously gave the new college its campus in Chester, VA.

Construction and Expansion of Mission

On July 1, 1966, two weeks after construction began, the purposes of the college were expanded by action of the General Assembly to include not only technical education but also adult education and freshman and sophomore courses for transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

After construction, Tyler had three main buildings: Goyne Hall, the administrative building; Bird Hall, the main instruction building; and Godwin Hall, the engineering technology building.

Goyne Hall

Goyne Hall on the Chester Campus was named for Harold T. Goyne, who was chairman of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors at the time of the founding of the College. He was extremely supportive of the college and generously donated the land for the current location of the Chester Campus.

Bird Hall

Bird Hall at the Chester Campus was named for state Sen. Lloyd C. Bird, who represented Chesterfield County. Sen. Bird was instrumental in securing funding from the Virginia General Assembly for the construction of Tyler.

Godwin Hall

Godwin Hall at the Chester Campus was named for Gov. Mills E. Godwin Jr., who was governor of Virginia from 1966-1970. Gov. Godwin was the initiator of legislation purposing the development of a system of community colleges across the state. He was also acquainted with a number of the members on the initial College Board, and his influence and interest in the institution allowed the college to begin operation sooner than expected.

First Classes

John Tyler Community College began classes on October 2, 1967, with 1,231 students and 85 faculty members. Most students at the time were enrolled in programs that prepared students for careers upon graduation.

By the close of the second year of operations, Tyler had served 2,733 persons in credit courses and approximately 1,000 others in non-credit programs. At the first formal graduation exercises on June 14, 1969, degrees and certificates were awarded to 61 students.

Campus Expansion to Meet Growing Community Needs

Tyler’s Chester Campus continued to expand to meet the growing needs of the community. In the spring of 1973, construction was begun on a two-year project that doubled its facilities. Construction included an extension to Godwin Hall to offer more engineering technology laboratories and classrooms and the building of Moyar Hall, a two-story "Learning Resources" building that housed the library, audio-visual facilities, classrooms, laboratories and student services administrative offices.

Moyar Hall

Moyar Hall at Chester was named for George Moyar, a member of the original College Board who passed away while serving on the Board. Because of Moyar's dedication and contributions to the initial growth of the institution, his fellow College Board members decided to acknowledge his impact on Tyler by naming a building in his honor.

Continued Expansion of Services

To meet continued demand, the college began to seek other facilities throughout the region to hold classes. The college opened an annex at Fort Lee, now named Fort Gregg-Adams, in 1980 and a Midlothian Outreach Office in August of 1981. Twelve to 20 classes were offered annually over the next three years at Midlothian High School (the current middle school), Swift Creek Middle School, Winfree Baptist Church, St. Edward's Catholic Church, the Midlothian Branch of the Chesterfield Library System and the Brandermill Community Center.

Then, in 1984, an arrangement with Chesterfield County Schools permitted the college to offer classes at the Watkins Annex.

Twenty years after Tyler began educating the community, during the 1987-88 academic year, the college served 9,617 credit and 1,555 non-credit students for a total of 11,172 individuals.

Opening of Featherstone Professional Center Campus

In 1988, the Midlothian location of the college moved to the Featherstone Professional Center, an office complex situated on Huguenot Road. This would be its home for 12 years, before a permanent campus would be constructed.

Chester Campus Fire

A fire at the Chester Campus took place on December 12, 1988. Bird Hall was severely damaged, and a total of 14 classrooms, nine or 10 faculty offices, the student lounge, bookstore and reprographics department were destroyed. The college picked up the pieces and continued serving the community by moving classes and offices to mobile units that were set up in the parking lot.

Featherstone Becomes Official Campus

Enrollment increases at the Featherstone location caused the college to use all of the available space at the complex, and on September 17, 1991, the Featherstone site gained campus designation within the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). At this point and time, the Featherstone site was larger than 10 other VCCS campuses. Because of these factors, it became clear that a permanent campus in Midlothian was justified.

Creation of Midlothian Campus

Existing policy dictated that land for community college campuses had to be donated and not acquired through purchase. So, in 1991, the college and the Louis Reynolds Marital Trust began discussing the possibility of the Trust providing land. An agreement was signed on February 23, 1994, that provided 126 acres for a permanent site. Over the next few years, Tyler would be heavily involved in securing funds from the General Assembly, choosing an architect firm and working with a construction company to build the new Midlothian Campus.

Chester Campus Expansion

As the Midlothian Campus became more of a reality, the Chester Campus continued to expand. In 1993, the Nicholas Student Center was opened. This new building housed the student lounge, bookstore, cafeteria, classrooms and a large multi-purpose room.

Nicholas Student Center

The Nicholas Center was named for Dr. Freddie Warren Nicholas, Sr., who was president of Tyler from 1979-1990. During his tenure, he was responsible for the expansion of the college due to his leadership, dedication and vision for the institution. Dr. Nicholas was also instrumental in revitalizing the the college's Foundation.

Midlothian Campus Opening

The Midlothian Campus opened for summer classes in 2000 and was dedicated on October 3, 2000. The campus then consisted of three buildings: an administration building, an academic building and a warehouse/physical plant facility. The academic building housed the library, 12 classrooms, two-tiered lecture halls, four science laboratories, four computer laboratories, a compressed video classroom and 32 faculty offices.

Creation of the Community College Workforce Alliance

In 2003, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and John Tyler Community College joined forces to create a new workforce development entity, the Community College Workforce Alliance, in an effort to provide business, industry and government in the greater Richmond area with a single source for workforce development.

Midlothian Campus Expansion

In October 2007, the college broke ground on a second academic building at Midlothian. The building, referred to at the time as the Science Building, houses the library, more classroom space and faculty offices, all of which helped alleviate crowded conditions. In July 2010, the project received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, becoming the first in the Virginia Community College System to receive such recognition.

Midlothian Campus Buildings Named

In 2012, Tyler’s president Dr. Marshall Smith announced the academic buildings on the Midlothian Campus would be named. 

Eliades Hall

Eliades Hall, formerly known as the Academic Building, was named in honor of Homer Eliades. Eliades, an attorney in Hopewell, was appointed to the John Tyler Community College Board in 1966. At that time, he and a group of peers in Hopewell, recognizing the need for workforce development in that region, already had formed Hopewell College. After being appointed to the John Tyler Community Board, Eliades turned his attention to the formation of the new community college system and John Tyler Community College in particular. Mr. Eliades served on the college's Board for 14 years, and when the college's Foundation was formed, he became a founding Foundation Board member. Over the years, he helped the Foundation expand and provided it countless hours of pro bono legal services. In 2012, the time the new building name was announced, Eliades had given more than 45 years of uninterrupted service to the college.

Hamel Hall

Hamel Hall, formerly known as the Science Building, was named in honor of Dr. Dana Hamel, the first chancellor of the Virginia Community College System. Hamel, who was chancellor until 1979, was appointed by Gov. Mills E. Godwin, Jr. in 1966, to develop a network of two-year institutions that would provide educational opportunities to a variety of students by being conveniently located, affordable, and focused on technical training. That system evolved into the Commonwealth’s 23 community colleges, which now serve students through a variety of programs ranging from transfer degrees that allow students to seamlessly continue their college educations at four-year institutions to degrees and certificates that prepare students for immediate employment. Hamel also was instrumental in securing the land where John Tyler Community College’s original campus, the Chester Campus, now resides, giving the college the ability to open its doors in 1967.

Inauguration of President Ted Raspiller

In May 2013, Dr. Edward “Ted” Raspiller was announced as Tyler’s seventh president. His inauguration took place in October 2014.

Announcement of Mascot

In the summer of 2014, the college announced it would choose the college’s first mascot. After submissions were received from students, faculty, staff, and alumni, the Trailblazer was voted the winner by the campus community. Trailblazers create new paths and boldly move forward. Horses are powerful, intelligent and kind creatures that have played a vital role in the history of our local service area.

Midlothian Campus Construction

In 2014, Phase III of construction at Midlothian began. Plans included a 351-space parking garage and a new 70,000-square-foot building, which became known as the T Building. The T Building includes specialized instructional spaces, including a fitness classroom, a dance/performance classroom, an engineering classroom, and a music classroom complete with practice rooms. The auditorium/theatre complex features a green room, dressing rooms, an area for set creation, and a box office. Finally, the T Building features a new area devoted to student services, such as counseling, career resources and testing, as well as faculty offices, an instructional technology area and a small cafe. The T Building opened in January 2016.

The Lynn Theatre

Mike and Lynn White’s $250,000 gift to the John Tyler Community College Foundation in 2015 was a demonstration of their commitment to education and to the community. In honor of this gift, the college’s black box theatre on the Midlothian Campus was named The Lynn Theatre. The Lynn Theatre provides students with a laboratory in which to learn the craft of acting along with the technical and business sides of theatre. For more than a decade, Mike and Lynn have been enthusiastic members of the college family. In addition to their financial gifts of support, Mike generously donated his time to Tyler, serving as a board member and president of the Foundation. Education is a top priority for Lynn too, a former elementary school teacher, who continues to work with youth through a community tutoring program.

50^th Anniversary Celebration

In 2017, Tyler celebrated its 50^th anniversary. The college hosted celebratory events and activities; reconnected with alumni; launched its Deeds Not Words initiative, connecting students and employees with community service and service-learning projects; and built a time capsule. The John Tyler Community College Foundation also raised money for the creation of the JTCC 50th Anniversary Completion Scholarship.

Chester Campus Renovations and Construction

In 2018, the college began renovations of Bird Hall and the Nicholas Center and built a new 25,503-square-foot workforce center. Bird Hall reopened for classes in August 2019 and became home to the college's nursing and EMS/paramedic programs. The Nicholas Center reopened and new William H. Talley, III Center for Workforce Development opened in December 2019.

William H. Talley, III Center for Workforce Development

The William H. Talley, III Center for Workforce Development, at the Chester Campus, was named for a long-time advocate of John Tyler Community College and Virginia’s community colleges. William H. Talley, III, of Petersburg, began his service to the college in 1986, when he joined the John Tyler Community College Foundation Board. He actively served on that board until December 2014. He also spent two terms, from 1993 – 2001, on the John Tyler Community College Board, during which he served as vice chairman and chairman. In 2009, Talley was appointed to a term on the State Board for Community Colleges. In addition to his work with these boards, Talley actively supported Tyler’s students through the establishment of the William H. Talley, III Endowed Scholarship; the Betty White Talley Endowed Scholarship; and the JTCC Endowment for Workforce Opportunity. His generosity and commitment to the college and its students earned him the college's Homer C. Eliades Legacy Award in 2004, the Virginia Community College System’s Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy in 2006, and an honorary degree from Tyler in 2015.

Naming Review

In the summer of 2020, Tyler's President Ted Raspiller issued a statement addressing the college's commitment to equity and outlined steps the college would take to become a more equitable institution for all students, faculty and staff. Part of Tyler's commitment to equity was to research and examine the appropriateness of the names of campus buildings and landmarks, as well as the name of the college itself. When the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) requested that all 23 community colleges examine the names of their institution and its buildings, Tyler embraced the process immediately and proactively formed a Naming Task Force that began meeting in early fall 2020.

On November 11, 2020, the Naming Task Force reached a unanimous decision to recommend renaming the college to ensure a future-facing name that aligns with the college’s mission, vision and commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity.  The Task Force also recommended Bird Hall, Godwin Hall and six roadways on campus be renamed.

The Task Force created a set of naming criteria, which it used to evaluate lists of potential college names, including names submitted by the community, and it invited college community feedback. The name Brightpoint Community College was submitted to the State Board for Community Colleges, after thoughtful consideration of the recommendations from the task force, feedback from the community and trademarking research. Recommendations for building and campus street names were submitted to the College Board for consideration.

Approvals of New College, Building and Street Names

On July 22, 2021, the State Board for Community Colleges, which has the sole authority to change the name of any community college in Virginia, unanimously approved Brightpoint Community College as the college’s new name. Read the announcement from Dr. Raspiller.

On November 4, 2021, the College Board unanimously approved three new building names, including one for a previously unnamed building on the Midlothian Campus and six campus street names. The street names were submitted to the Richmond Regional Planning District Commission for review, and one name was not approved, as it was already in use or reserved. On February 17, 2022, the College Board unanimously approved the street name Embark Lane for the Midlothian Campus and that name was approved by the Commission. The building and street names approved:

Chester Campus

• Beacon Hall as the new name for Bird Hall
• Discovery Hall as the new name for Godwin Hall
• Brightpoint Drive as the new name for John Tyler Drive

Midlothian Campus

• Trailblazer Hall as the new name for T Building
• Brightpoint Way as the new name for Tippecanoe Trail
• N. Brightpoint Way as the new name for Tippecanoe Lane
• Trailblazer Way as the new name for Gardiner Court
• Embark Lane as the new name for Greenway Crossing
• Radiant Road as the new name for Peacemaker Court

Additional information about the college's naming review and name change may be found on our Becoming Brightpoint page.

The College Officiall Becomes Brightpoint

On July 1, 2022, the college's name officially changed to Brightpoint Community College

Dr. Thomas M. Hatfield

Dr. W. Marshall Denison

Dr. James R. Walpole

Dr. John W. Lavery

Dr. Freddie W. Nicholas, Sr.

Dr. Marshall W. Smith

Dr. Edward "Ted" Raspiller