Community

Coordinated by the Office of the Dean of Students · ext. 2140

The College’s district is Tolliver County, and it was established to serve that county and the surrounding region. Community service is written into its mission through instruction, public services, facility access, and the volunteer work of its students and employees. The Tolliver Township trustees have held their February and August meetings in Room A-120 since 1998.

In the 2024–25 academic year, students, faculty, and staff recorded 4,212 hours of documented service, and College public service programs recorded 3,890 individual service encounters. Hours are recorded through DroverNet and verified by the sponsoring organization. Unverified hours are not counted. Full figures appear in the annual Bellweather Serves report at /community/report.

Services open to the public

Cosmetology Clinic — Wing C. Haircuts, styling, comb-out, and chemical services at posted student-clinic rates, performed by students under licensed supervision. Appointments: ext. 2514. See the clinic page for the price list.

Home Assessment Program — Wing F. Students conduct no-cost residential assessments for county homeowners reporting persistent unexplained conditions in the home, following the Division’s standard protocol and concluding in a written findings letter. Residents with urgent life-safety concerns — fuel odor, carbon monoxide alarm, electrical burning smell — should contact their utility or 911 and not this program. The waiting list is currently approximately four months. Requests: /community/public-services.

Monument Cleaning Days — the Cemetery Grounds and Monument Services program conducts cleaning and resetting workdays at neglected and historic cemeteries in the county, in cooperation with township trustees and the county historical society. Nine workdays were completed in 2024–25, including the final workday of a three-year project at the Old Salem Burying Ground, established 1817. Townships may request a workday through the Division office.

Indigent Interment Support — under agreement with the Tolliver County Department of Job and Family Services, the Funerary Services program provides preparation and graveside service support for county indigent burials, under the supervision of licensed faculty. The College does not charge for this work.

Hospital and Facility Visitation — students in the Applied Clowning program’s clinical rotation visit two regional children’s hospitals and four long-term care facilities under faculty supervision, following the standards of the Association of Hospital Clown Programs.

Community Performances — the Early Music Consort and the Reenactment Company perform at no charge for schools, libraries, and historical society events, as scheduling permits; the Reenactment Company is generally unavailable during the county fair and the October competition season. Requests: Division of Performance and Guest Services, ext. 2810.

Community use of facilities

Drover Court is a designated Tolliver County emergency shelter under agreement with the county Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross; the College maintains shelter supplies for 140 persons and participates in the county’s annual shelter exercise. The Black Box and chapel are available to community groups at posted rates, with nonprofit rates available; see facility rentals. The Perimeter Course is open to public walkers dawn to dusk except during scheduled competition. Meeting rooms are available to governmental and civic organizations at no charge on a space-available basis. The rifle range is made available to county 4-H shooting sports and to two scout troops under supervision agreements and is not otherwise open to the public.

Broadcasting

WDRO-LP 101.3 FM is a noncommercial educational low-power FM station licensed to the College, operating at 100 watts from the Corliss Pike building. The signal covers the Bellweather village limits and most of Tolliver Township. The station is a recognized student organization, not an academic program; the College does not offer a program of study in broadcasting. Channel 21 is the educational access channel on the Tolliver County cable franchise, designated to the College under the franchise agreement, carrying College announcements, recorded lectures, commencement, and the township trustees’ February and August meetings. It is carried on the cable system only. Slide submissions for the Channel 21 bulletin board are accepted from College departments, recognized student organizations, and county governmental and nonprofit organizations at /about/channel-21/submit. Station information: /student-life/wdro and /about/channel-21.

Non-credit and workforce offerings

Short courses, license renewal continuing education, and customized training for employers are offered through Workforce Training & Continuing Education.

More in this section

• Bellweather Serves annual report
• Economic impact
• Public services
• Facility access
• Youth and school programs
• Food programs
• Partner organizations
• Day of service

Organizations wishing to propose a partnership may contact the Dean of Students, ext. 2140. The College evaluates proposals against instructional fit, supervision capacity, and insurance requirements, in that order.