"President of Virginia Western Community College since 2001, Robert Sandel steered the two-year, public higher education institution into the 21st century, more than doubling enrollment and overseeing more than $138 million in construction and renovations. 

On Monday, the Roanoke-based college announced Sandel’s plans to retire at the end of June.

Before becoming VWCC’s fourth president, Sandel worked for more than two decades in the South Carolina technical college system and spent more than nine years as president at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap. 
VWCC boasts an enrollment of more than 8,500 students taking credit courses and more than 1,200 enrollments in workforce and continuing education courses. The school has nearly 80 full-time faculty members and more than 150 full-time staff members. VWCC offers more than 100 programs, including nine health profession programs — the third largest among the state’s 23 community colleges, according to Monday’s news release,” reports Virginia Business.

Photo: Robert H. Sandel will retire as president of Virginia Western Community College in June 2025. Photo courtesy VWCC.