Veteran Virginia educator to lead Brightpoint Community College

News Release from Virginia's Community Colleges

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jim Babb
Office of Strategic Communications, Virginia Community College System
(804) 819-1662
jbabb@vccs.edu

RICHMOND, Va.  (December 4, 2023)  - Dr. David Doré, Chancellor of the Virginia  Community College System (VCCS), announced today that he has appointed Dr. William “Bill” Fiege to become the eighth president of Brightpoint Community College. Fiege’s selection concludes a national search that attracted 74 candidates. His service as president at Brightpoint will begin January 2, 2024. 

“I’m excited about Bill’s appointment,” said Dr. Doré. “I am confident he will build on the college’s outstanding history of serving its communities and its diverse student populations and will lead Brightpoint into a new era as Virginia’s Community Colleges embark on a system-wide transformation to serve more learners in new ways. Our months-long  search yielded exceptional candidates and we are grateful to all of the talented educators who expressed interest in the  Brightpoint presidency.”

“I also want to thank Dr. Van Wilson, who led Brightpoint as Interim President since last February, capping a career of tremendous accomplishment in leadership at the VCCS System Office,” said Doré.

Fiege currently serves as vice president of learning and student success at Brightpoint Community College, a role he has held since 2012. From 2004 to 2012, he was dean of the Fredericksburg Area Campus and then dean of the Professional and Technical Studies Division at Germanna Community College. Prior to becoming a dean, he was a speech communications instructor at Germanna. Previously, he worked at Longwood University as assistant athletic director for development, assistant director of alumni relations, director of forensics, and speech instructor. Fiege earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Longwood University, a master’s degree in speech communication at Bloomsburg University, and a doctorate in community college leadership at Old Dominion University.

“The Brightpoint Community College Board is elated with the selection of Bill Fiege as the institution’s eighth president,” said Kenneth Pritchett, chair of Brightpoint Community College’s Local Advisory Board. “I would like to thank our College Board members for their time and energy throughout the rigorous selection process. We truly believe that Dr. Fiege will move our college forward. Under his leadership, Brightpoint will continue to be a place that changes lives, focuses on student success, and supports the needs of its communities.”

“After serving Brightpoint as the chief academic officer for the last 11 ½ years, I am honored and humbled to have been selected from an outstanding pool of candidates to lead the college as its next president,” said Fiege. “Already embedded in the community, I fully comprehend the positive impact of Brightpoint and our workforce arm, the Community College Workforce Alliance, within our region. I appreciate the confidence bestowed upon me by Chancellor Doré and look forward to working with him and Brightpoint’s Boards, faculty, staff, students, and partners to continue the college’s positive momentum. We are and will continue to be trailblazers for the great communities we serve.” 

Established in 1967, Brightpoint Community College, one of the largest institutions in the Virginia Community College System, envisions a success story for every student. Brightpoint offers students a high-quality, high-value education, with more than 80 majors that provide career pathways to in-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, primarily serves the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex. 

About Virginia’s Community Colleges:
Since 1966, Virginia’s Community Colleges have given everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills, so lives and communities are strengthened. By making higher education and workforce training available in every part of Virginia, we elevate all of Virginia. In 2022, Virginia’s Community Colleges served approximately 230,000 students across 23 schools. For more information, please visit www.vccs.edu.