Southside Virginia Community College will hold a commencement ceremony for its graduates on Saturday, May 10th at the Joan Perry Brock Center, located on the campus of Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia.
The commencement ceremony will be held indoors beginning at 9:30 AM. Graduates and their families are invited to attend, and tickets are required.
"We are excited to host our commencement ceremony inside the beautiful state-of-the-art Joan Perry Brock Center on Longwood University's campus," said Dr. Quentin R. Johnson, SVCC President. "Commencement is always a special occasion as we celebrate the perseverance and accomplishments of our students. It is both an honor and a privilege to shake the hands of our deserving graduates as they walk across the stage to begin the next chapter of their lives."
SVCC will welcome Mr. James H. Colon, former executive for Toyota and current owner of Marysville Toyota in Marysville, Washington, as this year’s commencement speaker.
James “Jim” Colon received his bachelor’s degree in economics and business from Manchester University in North Manchester, Indiana. He also holds honorary doctorates from Martin University and Grambling University.
Colon has more than forty-five years in the automotive industry as both an executive of Toyota Motor North America and an award-winning Toyota dealer.
Colon has created a legacy built on excellence, compassion, and purpose. Under his transformative leadership, Marysville Toyota has grown from 50 to 91 team members, including a high percentage of women, integrating a culture of transparency and inclusion.
Colon prioritizes giving back to his community not only to numerous nonprofit organizations, but by also serving on the boards of Clark Atlanta University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Southside Virginia Community College. He continues to support diversity and drive excellence in the automotive industry as president of the Toyota/Lexus Minority Owners Dealer Association (TL-MODA), board member of the Washington State Auto Dealers Association, and through his active involvement with the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers (NAMAD).
Throughout his thirty-eight-year career with Toyota, Colon was Vice President of African American Business Strategy for Toyota Motor North America, Vice President of Product Communication for Toyota Motor Sales, and Vice President for the Toyota Division.
For more information about SVCC's commencement ceremony, please visit: southside.edu/graduation.
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