Dr. Alfred A. Roberts, of Emporia, has been named the new president of Southside Virginia Community College, taking over for retiring president Dr. John Cavan.

Longwood University and Southside Virginia Community College are now offering courses through the Lake Country Distance Education Center in Clarksville. Starting Aug. 29, students enrolled at either SVCC or Longwood University can pursue a degree without leaving Clarksville.

Southside Virginia Community College’s agribusiness program filled what had been a void in college-level agricultural education for residents of Southside Virginia.

The college offers a plan where students can take classes on a fulltime basis and only travel to campus one day a week — Friday.

The commencement speaker for Southside Virginia Community College’s Class of 2012 event to be held May 12 in Alberta at 9:30 a.m. is, himself, an SVCC graduate.

Richard T. Crowder, a native of Mecklenburg County and currently a professor of international trade in Virginia Tech’s Agricultural and Applied Economics Department, will speak on Agriculture and Globalization on Monday, April 2 at the Christanna Campus in Alberta.

Southside Virginia Community College will offer a new fast track training program at various locations this spring to prepare individuals for careers in business and industry. Completers will earn a career studies certificate in Business and Industry Career Readiness which includes 16 college credits on these topics: First Aid/CPR, basic computer skills, OSHA 10 hour in general industry, teambuilding, resume writing, interview skills, workplace ethics, industrial measurements, computer integrated manufacturing, and forklift training (or technical elective). Participants will attend this fast track training program full time for a short eight weeks beginning Feb. 6.