Student Profiles ‣ Laurel Ridge Community College

John Frazier stands outdoors on a paved stone patio, smiling at the camera with his hands clasped in front of him. He is wearing a gray polo shirt and jeans. Behind him, a landscaped lawn flanked by rows of young trees leads to a mountain ridge under a cloudy sky.

Surgical Technology

Luray-Page County Center the perfect fit for 2026 grad John Frazier

John Frazier didn’t think college was for him, but then he met the manager of the Laurel Ridge Community College Luray-Page County Center.

June 11, 2026

Mountain Vista Governor's School

Mountain Vista Governor's School student's project earns patent and write-up in Smithsonian Magazine

Mia Heller graduated from Kettle Run High School recently, and also earned a credential from Laurel Ridge Community College and has invented a novel water filtration system.

May 28, 2026

Judah Dotson smiles while receiving his diploma folder from a Laurel Ridge Community College administrator during commencement ceremonies held under a large tent. Dotson wears a blue cap and gown with gold and green honor cords and a red tie, while the administrator is dressed in black doctoral regalia with blue and gold accents. Faculty and fellow graduates are visible in the background.

General Studies

2026 grad Judah Dotson says "top-tier" faculty prepared him to study pre-law

2026 Laurel Ridge Community College graduate Judah Dotson says the college is just what he needed after being homeschooled and as he prepares to study pre-law.

May 22, 2026

Peter Warner holding his appointment document to the air force academy.

Dual Enrollment

Dual-enrolled grad accepted to U.S. Air Force, U.S. Naval and U.S. Military academies

Peter Warner, who is graduating from Laurel Ridge Community College with his associate degree and two certificates a couple weeks before graduating high school will be attending the U.S. Air…

May 12, 2026

A young woman with long dark hair and clear-framed glasses smiles while standing outdoors on a sunny day, wearing a pink long-sleeve shirt layered under a pink knit sweater vest, with a blooming dogwood tree and a brick campus building visible in the background.

Nursing

Health Professions commencement speaker Dayana Portillo proud to graduate from challenging RN program

Laurel Ridge Community College Health Professions commencement speaker Dayana Portillo is proud of her success in the college’s Registered Nursing Program.

April 22, 2026

Mary smiling and sitting on a swing overlooking the pond on the Laurel Ridge campus

Education

Mary Herter Nelson is Laurel Ridge Community College's 2026 Outstanding Graduate for the Middletown Campus

Mary Herter Nelson blossomed after arriving at Laurel Ridge Community College, so much so that she is the 2026 Outstanding Graduate for the Middletown Campus.

April 20, 2026

Nursing

2026 graduate Monica Thompson conquers fear of public speaking to give commencement address

Monica Thompson in the 2026 commencement speaker for Laurel Ridge Community College despite having a fear of public speaking until recently.

April 15, 2026

A woman crouches beside a wicker basket filled with freshly picked tulips at an outdoor tulip farm. She is smiling at the camera, wearing a red plaid shirt, black pants, and sunglasses pushed up on her head. Rows of red and yellow tulips extend into the background under a cloudy spring sky, with trees and other visitors visible in the distance.

Criminal Justice

Fauquier Campus Outstanding Graduate will make the world a better place

Maria Eugenia Valle is the 2026 Laurel Ridge Community College Fauquier Campus Outstanding Graduate.

April 14, 2026

Jamal Plummer stands outdoors on a green lawn, wearing a black cable-knit v-neck sweater with white stripe trim layered over a pink collared shirt and under a long black coat, with white pants. He faces the camera with a composed expression, hands in his pockets. Green shrubs and trees are visible in the background, along with a blurred street scene and overcast sky.

Liberal Arts

National Anthem singer Jamal Plummer sings Laurel Ridge's praises

2026 Laurel Ridge graduate Jamal Plummer will be singing the National Anthem at commencement for the second straight year.

April 14, 2026

A woman in light blue medical scrubs stands smiling with arms outstretched along a stairway railing, wearing a stethoscope around her neck in a bright, modern indoor setting.

Nursing

Stacking credentials to build a career in nursing

Luray nurse Jaleesa Frye hopes to become a registered nurse, and has already earned her medical assistant and practical nursing certifications from Laurel Ridge Community College.

November 25, 2025

A woman in a U.S. Army uniform stands beside a man wearing a cap and a T-shirt with a wolf graphic, both posing indoors and looking toward the camera.

Health Information Management

Disabled U.S. Army veteran Misti Hare came back to school to provide for her family

U.S. Army veteran Misti Hare is determined to provide for her family despite being declared 100-percent disabled by the VA, so she is studying Health Information Management at Laurel Ridge…

October 29, 2025

Woman in a U.S. Navy dress white uniform with service ribbons, standing in front of American and Navy flags, smiling slightly at the camera.

General Studies

Audrey Schwab: Navy veteran begins her path to law school at Laurel Ridge

Audrey Schwab came to Laurel Ridge Community College after being discharged from the U.S. Navy, and hopes to become a prosecutor or public defender.

October 29, 2025