30th Anniversary History Book

By the turn of the century, Beacon was ready to grow. The administration purchased 2.75 acres for construction of student housing and became a candidate for final accreditation approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Three minors were added: computer information systems, education and psychology. The year 2003 was momentous for Beacon College. Fourteen years after opening, it was granted regional accreditation by SACSCOC, cementing the school’s status as a respected four-year college. The Beacon Village apartments opened as well, at a cost of more than $2.9 million. The complex offered one, two, and three bedroom units that could house 124 students. That left plenty of room for growth because the Beacon student body at the time stood at 85. The apartments, a few blocks from Main Street and the campus classrooms, offered independent living, but also close proximity to BEACON WINS ACCREDITATION, Opens Dorms

Beacon College Village Apartments

fellow students, providing a more inclusive, communal atmosphere. Previously, the school leased apartments for student housing in Leesburg, running a shuttle service from various locations to the main school buildings. The apartments, a few blocks from Main Street and the campus classrooms, offered independent living, but also close proximity to fellow students. This provided a more inclusive, communal atmosphere. College-owned apartments were the key to Beacon’s ability to grow because students had plenty of housing options near their classes and the revenue helped stabilize the school finances, said Dr. Vincent Ziccolella, who spent more than 23 years on the school’s board.

Brodbeck agreed the dorms played an important role. “That laid the foundation for the future of the college,” said Brodbeck, who helped raise $200,000 to pay for the property and closing costs. Ziccolella came to Beacon during the late 1990s at the behest of Brodbeck. She once was a student of his at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Even then, she shared Ziccolella’s interest in teaching students with learning disabilities. Like Brodbeck and the Beacon staff, Ziccolella is a firm believer in personalized instruction and maintaining small class sizes. His teaching convictions are based on vast experience being the superintendent for nearly a quarter century

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