Southwest Virginia Community College to be commonwealth’s first with student housing

CEDAR BLUFF, Va. (WVVA) - Southwest Virginia Community College is set to become the commonwealth’s first community college to offer student housing, after breaking ground on the project Tuesday.

The first phase is expected to complete by August of 2022. School leaders spoke on a range of upsides during Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony, including ways students might save money.

“When you’re traveling, you know, forty miles or thirty miles each way to get to class, it just might economically make a lot of sense to just come here like on a Monday, said Virginia Community College Chancellor Glenn DuBois. “Stay here and then drive home on Thursday afternoon.”

Students at Tuesday’s ceremony showed their own hopes for the project, which school leaders say could eventually house 300 residents.

“For students who need it, who might not have a place to go, I think it’s important for them to have community resources,” said Andrea Laney

“It would be great to live here,” said Brody Caton. “With the price benefits and with it being so close to college.”

Students can learn more about the housing plan on Southwest Virginia Community College’s website.

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