Dr. John A. Downey became the fifth President of Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia, in 2009. Prior to being named president, he served as the Vice President for Instruction and Student Services and in various other roles at the College since 1992. Before arriving at Blue Ridge, Dr. Downey worked in student services offices at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachusetts. Downey received his Bachelor of Arts degree from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. He completed his doctoral program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Virginia, where he was awarded the Annette Gibbs Research Publication Award. Downey served on three of the most recent Virginia Community College System (VCCS) strategic planning development committees and chaired the 2021 Strategic Initiatives Task Force. He has served as the chairperson, or as a member, of numerous community boards, including the Shenandoah Valley Partnership for Economic Development, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Development Board, the Harrisonburg City Rotary Club, On The Road Collaborative, and the GenEdge Alliance Board of Trustees (formerly the A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership). Under his leadership, BRCC has garnered recognition from around the state for its progressive workforce initiatives and partnerships. In 2010, he was recognized as the most supportive president of the year at the Enactus (formerly SIFE) National Exposition. Blue Ridge Community College has consistently been recognized throughout the past decade by the Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For” program. John lives with his wife, Sandy in Harrisonburg, VA. Together they raised three daughters who all currently work in public service professions.
On today’s Enrollment Edge, Jay has a conversation with Dr. John Downey, President of Blue Ridge Community College in Virginia. As the President of a community college, Dr. Downey has a deep interest in the evolution of higher education to meet the growing needs of today’s workforce.
