Tidewater Community College, founded in 1968, is one of 23 two-year colleges that make up the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). Serving the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and portions of Suffolk, the college offers a comprehensive range of programs designed to meet the educational and training needs of the people it serves. Programs of study lead to associate degrees or certificates; they include the first two years of university-parallel instruction and over 140 career and technical programs. The college also offers both credit and non-credit continuing education and special workforce training programs. TCC is the largest provider of higher education and workforce development services in Hampton Roads, enrolling about 30,000 students annually.
TCC has grown from a single location to four campuses, as well as district administrative offices, a regional visual arts center, a regional automotive center, a historical theater, a regional health professions center, an advanced technology center, and a regional workforce development center. Classes are also offered at other off-campus locations such as military installations.
TCC’s central offices are located in the Joseph N. Green, Jr. District Administration Building at 121 College Place, Norfolk. The facility houses the Office of the President, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Institutional Effectiveness, Information Systems, Facilities, Human Resources, Finance, Public Safety, Institutional Advancement and the TCC Educational Foundation. Within those offices are the college’s central administrative staff in the functional areas of accounting & payroll, educational technology, grants and sponsored programs, instructional resources, and purchasing.
TCC’s Center for Workforce Solutions, located in northern Suffolk, provides training, education, assessments, and services for area businesses to enhance their success. Workforce Solutions delivers relevant industry training through customized and open enrollment formats with emphasis on industry standards leading to credential and certification attainment. Additionally, the Workforce Solutions courses are delivered online, face-to-face, on-site and in combination of the aforementioned. Workforce Solutions has developed and maintains partnerships with all major industries in the Hampton Roads area in an effort to assure quality workforce programs that prepare and sustain a pipeline of well qualified workers to meet the needs of regional employers.
TCC campuses feature student centers, which provide offices and meeting space for student clubs and organizations, cafes, fitness equipment and recreation.
TCC History
The college’s original location, formerly the site of Frederick College, was donated to the Commonwealth of Virginia by Fred W. Beazley and the Beazley Foundation. It opened in the fall of 1968 and became the site of the Portsmouth Campus. Overlooking Hampton Roads harbor, the campus was located in what eventually became northern Suffolk. The Fred W. Beazley Portsmouth Campus moved to the Victory Village section of the city in 2010.
Portsmouth Campus: A statewide bond referendum in 2002 provided initial funding to relocate the Portsmouth Campus from northern Suffolk into the city of Portsmouth to better serve the educational needs of the city and the region while maintaining the comprehensive programmatic offerings of the campus. The Fred W. Beazley Portsmouth Campus consists of three academic and administrative buildings with state-of-the art technology, instructional labs, and equipment designed to provide a learning-centered environment. It is also the home of the Beazley School of Nursing. Its student center opened in 2013.
Virginia Beach Campus: In 1971, TCC established the Virginia Beach Campus in temporary quarters on Camp Pendleton, a state military installation. After the City of Virginia Beach donated land to TCC, a permanent campus opened in 1974 at the city’s geographical center. Seven academic buildings, each named for a borough of Virginia Beach, house academic programs, administrative offices, and student services. Recent additions to the campus include the Advanced Technology Center, the Science Building, the Regional Health Professions Center, and the Center for Military and Veterans Education. The Joint-Use Library, a partnership with the City of Virginia Beach, and a student center opened in 2013.
Chesapeake Campus: The Chesapeake Campus was established in 1973, when the City of Chesapeake purchased and donated the former Chesapeake College site to TCC. The campus is located between the communities of Great Bridge and Deep Creek. The George B. Pass Building houses academic programs, administrative offices, laboratories, student services, and a library. The Marian P. Whitehurst Technology Center houses academic programs, administrative offices, laboratories, and a conference center. A new Academic Building opened in 2013, and the student center opened in 2014.
A state-of-the-art Regional Automotive Center, located in the Oakbrooke Business and Technology Center, is part of the Chesapeake Campus. It opened for classes in 2008. As the only high tech educational facility for the automotive industry in Hampton Roads, the center includes classrooms, instructional laboratory bays, and an automotive “showroom” area.
Norfolk Campus: The Norfolk Campus opened in January 1997 as a part of the city’s downtown revitalization. The Martin Building, donated by the heirs of Alvah H. Martin, houses a library, classrooms, and faculty and administrative offices. The Mason C. Andrews Science Building houses the Ada R. Michaels Student Services Area, laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices. The Stanley C. Walker Technologies Building houses computer laboratories, classrooms, and faculty offices. The TCC Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center houses classrooms, computer laboratories and a restored 1926 theater that seats over 800. The award-winning student center opened in 2011.
The TCC Visual Arts Center, part of TCC’s Norfolk Campus, is located in downtown Norfolk. It is Virginia’s first community college center dedicated solely to arts and art education. The state-of-the-art facility offers degrees in Graphic Design and Studio Arts, and includes a roof top glassblowing studio, classroom studios, MAC laboratories, a Books and Images Library, the Belle B. Goodman and Michael F. LaBouvé Galleries, and the Anne S. Iott Permanent Art Collection.
Tidewater Community College Mission Statement
Tidewater Community College provides collegiate education and workforce training to individuals of all ages, helping them achieve their goals and contribute to the vitality of the regional and global community.
Core values that inform the mission:
- Teaching & Learning Excellence: Provide students a path to academic achievement through active engagement, high academic expectations, and opportunities for exploration and curiosity.
- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Create an environment in which policies, practices, and beliefs are grounded in the principle of fairness and that acknowledges structural racism, gender disparities, and systemic poverty while honoring the diversity of humanity.
- Community: Actively engage our stakeholders to design and deliver programs and services to support our students and the region.
- Innovation: Imagine and proactively apply new methods and creative solutions.
- Empathy: Engage in actions that promote personal well-being, social good, and trust by continually recognizing the interdependence of our students, employees, and community in a shared human experience.
- Integrity: Demonstrate truthfulness, transparency, and stewardship through responsible actions and decisions.
- Accountability: Hold ourselves and each other responsible for fulfilling our obligations.
Accreditation and Governing Board
Tidewater Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the associate degree. Tidewater Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Tidewater Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
The State Board for Community Colleges governs TCC, a member institution of the Virginia Community College System. The State Board approves the college’s associate degrees and certificates. The TCC College Board approves the college’s career studies certificates.
Certain curricula of the college are accredited or certified by specialized accrediting or certifying organizations. They include the following:
The Automotive Technology program: accredited by the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation under the Automotive Technician Training Accreditation Program at the Master Automobile Service Technician (MAST) level (general automotive, Mopar CAP, Ford ASSET, Honda PACT, Toyota T-TEN).
The Diesel Technology program: accredited by the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation under the Medium/Heavy Truck Technician Training Accreditation Program.
The Culinary Arts program: accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission.
The Funeral Service program: accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for the American Board of Funeral Service Education.
The Health Science programs: accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, the Virginia Board of Nursing, the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions, and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
The Veterinary Assistant program: approved by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.
The Early Childhood Education program: accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The Paralegal program: approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
College Governance
The collegial governance of Tidewater Community College is founded on the belief that the internal constituencies of the institution-administration, faculty, classified employees, and students-are to be genuinely represented and have a meaningful voice in the decisions affecting the operation, policy development, and strategic planning of the college. The purpose of the TCC governance structure is to define the roles that board members, administrators, faculty, classified staff, and students should play in shared responsibility and cooperative action. The design of the governance system adheres to two basic operating principles–that people’s time is a precious commodity that should not be wasted, and that people do their best work when there is a high expectation that their work will matter.
Mutual trust, good faith, support, and commitment to the institution and its students are essential to the success of shared governance. Because shared governance is intended to serve the entire college, it is incumbent upon all constituent groups, committees, and task forces to ensure that representation from all areas of the college is fair, timely, and inclusive.
For further information on college governance, visit the college website at tcc.edu, (search keyword “governance”).
Commitment To Diversity and Inclusion
Tidewater Community College is dedicated to cultivating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment that embraces all identities, perspectives, expression of ideas, and backgrounds. The entire college community benefits from experiences that foster mutual respect, celebrate differences, and value commonalities.
Tidewater Community College Educational Foundation, Inc.
Established in 1981, the Tidewater Community College Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps eliminate financial barriers to attending TCC. Donations to the Educational Foundation provide and enhance educational opportunities for thousands of students at TCC. To learn more about the TCC Educational Foundation please visit advancement.tcc.edu.
Tidewater Community College Alumni Council
The TCC Alumni Council provides a lifelong connection to the College for graduates and former students who advanced their education and careers at TCC. TCC Alumni Council members enhance the student experience by contributing their time, talent and treasure to TCC. To learn more about the TCC Alumni Council please visit alumni.tcc.edu.
Virginia Tidewater Consortium
Tidewater Community College is a member of the Virginia Tidewater Consortium for Higher Education. For further information, contact Enrollment Services or visit vtc.odu.edu.
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