Southwest Virginia Community College’s president, Dr. J. Mark Estepp, has announced that its new Learning Resources Center, currently under construction, will feature a brick sculpture depicting the American Indian pictographs located at nearby Paintlick Mountain.
Johnny Hagerman, internationally acclaimed brick sculptor and SVCC alumnus, in conjunction with General Shale Brick, will coordinate this very important effort.
A generous gift of $150,000 from the Ratcliffe Foundation, established by the late A. M. “Smiley” Ratliff, will provide funding for the sculpture.
Scott Cole, Chair of the Ratcliffe Foundation Board, indicated that “Smiley” was very pleased with this project, which was conceived shortly before his untimely death. As owner of the property on which the pictographs are located, Smiley took great pride in their historic significance.
Dr. Bob Sutherland, Dean of Learning Resources, says “The Ratliff Commons area of the LRC will provide the opportunity for many people, who are unable to visit the actual site of the pictographs, to enjoy this magnificent sculpture. The images will be readily accessible to all who appreciate American and Virginia history.”
“We wish to express our appreciation to both the Ratcliffe Foundation and to the statewide funding initiative which paved the way for this latest building on the SVCC campus,” said Estepp.
The Center is expected to be open in 2009 and will be named the Earl E. and Dorothy J. Dellinger Learning Resources Center.