276-613-7869 | info@mountrogersregion.com

Author: Morgan Herbert

  • Twin County Healthcare Excellence Program Graduation

    Twin County Healthcare Excellence Program Graduation

    27 Students Complete Healthcare Training Program

    Successful Third Year of Twin County Healthcare Excellence

    April 22nd, 2026

    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership congratulates the 27 high school sophomores who completed the 2026 Twin County Healthcare Excellence (TCHE) program. TCHE is one of MRRP’s Talent Solutions programs, connecting students from Carroll County, Grayson County, and City of Galax high schools with meaningful experiences in the healthcare field. The program, now in its third year, helps participants make informed decisions about their career paths early in the process.

    “We are so excited to celebrate a third year of student success. Our first-year cohort are now graduating seniors, and we plan to follow up with them and find out how this program has impacted their career path and choices so far,” shares Rebecca Fisher, Deputy Director of Mount Rogers Regional Partnership and coordinator of the TCHE program.

    The graduation, which included a white coat and pinning ceremony, took place at the Crossroads Institute in Galax on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026. Welcoming remarks were given by Rebecca Fisher; Dean Sprinkle, President of Wytheville Community College; and Sheena Marshall, Assistant Principal and CTE Coordinator at Carroll County High School. This was followed by a panel discussion on careers in rural healthcare, moderated by Rebecca Fisher, with panelists including Ewell Vernon and William Alley, CEO of Twin County Regional Healthcare.

    Students were presented with their white coats, pins, and certificates of completion. A student representative from each of the three high schools then offered remarks on what the program had meant to them over the past eight weeks. Student speakers included Lindsay Gonzalez, Carroll County High School; Ramzey Cocke, Galax High School; and Abagail Kirby, Grayson County High School.

    Healthcare facilities that students visited or learned from throughout the eight-week program included Atrium Health-Wake Forest Baptist, Carroll County Fire and Rescue, Commonwealth Senior Living at Hillsville, Comprehensive Treatment Centers, Galax-Grayson Emergency Medical Services, Healthcare Academy of SWVA, Heritage Hall-Laurel Meadows, Mount Rogers Community Services, PT Solutions, Saber Healthcare Group, Senior Home Share, Twin County Regional Hospital, and Tri-Area Community Health. They also toured facilities and experienced learning stations through Wytheville Community College at the Wytheville campus and the Crossroads Institute.

    To learn more about the program, including how your healthcare business can participate in future cohorts, visit the Mount Rogers Regional Partnership website at www.mountrogersregion.com/programs or contact Rebecca Fisher at rfisher@wcc.vccs.edu.

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Morgan Herbert
    Director of Marketing and Communications
    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership
    mherbert@wcc.vccs.edu
    276-223-4858
    mountrogersregion.com

  • Twin County Manufacturing Excellence Program Graduation

    Twin County Manufacturing Excellence Program Graduation

    24 Students Graduate 2025 Twin County Manufacturing Excellence Program

    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership’s Talent Pipeline Program Completes Third Year

    November 10th, 2025

    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership is excited to announce that 24 high school seniors from Carroll County High School, Grayson County High School, and Galax High School completed the 2025 Twin County Manufacturing Excellence Program on Friday, November 7th. These students worked hard over the past ten weeks, earning as many as five industry certifications by the end of the program. They also toured manufacturing facilities, learned about classes and tracks offered through Wytheville Community College, spoke to industry experts, and received training on resume writing and career skills.

    Students who passed all evaluations walked away with credentials from NC3 (National Coalition of Certification Centers) in Electric and Electrical Tool Safety; Fundamentals of Industry; Hand Tool Safety; Head, Eye, and Face Protection; and Caliper Measurement. They toured MOOG, Mohawk, Real Performance Machinery (RPM), and Turman Hardwood Flooring. Other supporting businesses include Albany and Thomas Automation Management (TAM). New this year, the student experience culminated with an immersive job shadowing experience in which participants were assigned to a facility for several hours of on-the-job learning.

    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership’s Twin County Manufacturing Excellence program, led by Deputy Director Rebecca Fisher, is designed to give high school seniors a direct route into a manufacturing job upon graduating. Last year’s cohort led to one immediate job placement, with a student accepting a position at Mohawk. “This has been an incredible group of students, and I am confident that we will hear success stories again this year,” shares Ms. Fisher. “Everyone involved with the program has remarked on how engaged and inquisitive this group has been.”

    Students had a positive reception to the program as well. “I have learned a lot more about my surrounding area than I thought I ever would have. I learned a lot more about how things are made, and it changed my views on manufacturing a lot,” says Ethan Sechrist, a Carroll County student who completed the program.

    Twin County Manufacturing Excellence would not be possible without the support of MRRP’s partners, including Wytheville Community College and the Twin County Chamber of Commerce, as well as the participating manufacturers. Carroll County, Grayson County, and Galax City public schools are instrumental to the success of the program as well.

    Please join us in congratulating these hardworking students and wishing them the very best in their future careers!

    Employers in the region who are interested in learning more about the Manufacturing Excellence program should contact Rebecca Fisher, Deputy Director, at rfisher@wcc.vccs.edu or by calling (276) 223-4709.

    MEDIA CONTACT

    Morgan Herbert
    Director of Marketing and Communications
    Mount Rogers Regional Partnership
    mherbert@wcc.vccs.edu
    276-223-4858
    mountrogersregion.com