Wytheville Community College is pleased to present an Honorary Associate's Degree in Humane Letters to Dr. Richard Copenhaver. This is an honor bestowed upon an individual who has contributed significantly to the progress and development of WCC. 

     Dr. Copenhaver graduated from WCC in 1975 with a certificate in Dental Assisting. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from Old Dominion University in 1977, and then earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University-Medical College of Virginia in 1984. Following completion of his D.D.S. degree, Dr. Copenhaver returned to Wytheville to practice dentistry and joined the practice of Drs. Campbell, Throckmorton, and Copenhaver. 

     Because of his belief in the power of education to transform lives, Dr. Copenhaver has actively supported WCC. He served on the Dental Assisting and the Dental Hygiene Advisory Committees. He also served on the WCC Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors from 1998-2018 as a representative for Wythe County. During his tenure on the Board, he was elected by his peers to serve as both Treasurer and President of the Board. Dr. Copenhaver regularly attended meetings, and he continues to participate in college and alumni events. 

     Dr. Copenhaver and his wife Sandy have also been generous supporters of WCC and the WCC Scholarship Foundation. In recognition of his service to WCC, Dr. Copenhaver was named to the WCC Distinguished Alumni Hall of Honor in 2014. He, along with Dr. O.J. Campbell and Dr. Dennis Throckmorton, was recognized as WCC's 2015 recipient of the VCCS Chancellor's Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. 

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