Mrs. Donna Fender was selected as the Professor Emeritus of Wytheville Community College (WCC) for the year 2025.
First introduced in 1984 to honor retired faculty for meritorious and significant contributions to the college, WCC proudly recognizes Mrs. Fender for her dedication, leadership, and invaluable contributions to the college community. Mrs. Fender earned an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Wytheville Community College in 1980, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Radford University in 1982, and a Master’s Degree in Education from Radford University in 1987. Mrs. Fender devoted 15 years of exemplary service to Wytheville Community College, which included 12 years as a faculty member and 3 ½ years as an administrator. She taught Administrative Support Technology from 1999 to 2011. As an Associate Professor and Program Head of Administrative Support Technology, Mrs. Fender supported and mentored students both inside and outside of the classroom, providing career-focused instruction to prepare students for success in the field. Mrs. Fender also served as Club Co-Sponsor for WCC’s Phi Beta Lambda chapter, where many WCC students earned state and national recognition for their business-related skills. In 2011-2012, Donna Fender served as the Interim Dean of General Education and Business. She became the Dean of Transfer, Business, and Social Sciences in 2012, a position she held until her retirement in 2015. Donna demonstrated strong leadership and attention to detail in program development, accreditation management, and building academic partnerships.
In recognition of this award, Wytheville Community College’s President, Dr. Dean Sprinkle, stated: “Throughout her tenure, Donna Fender championed WCC’s culture of excellence, promoted teamwork, respectful communications, and professional development. WCC is honored to recognize Mrs. Fender’s years of commitment to the college and to our students. Donna Fender’s leadership and commitment were instrumental in fostering a positive and collaborative work environment, advancing college initiatives, and delivering exceptional support to administration, faculty, staff, and students.”
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