To mark Germanna’s 55th anniversary, the College hosted its first-ever Homecoming celebration on October 4, 2025, at the Fredericksburg Area Campus. The event welcomed 200 students, alumni, and community members for a day of fun, reflection, and giving back.
Coinciding with Germanna’s annual Give Day fundraising effort, Homecoming raised more than $118,000 in support of the College’s Germanna Cares and Germanna Guarantee programs—initiatives that help students stay enrolled and on the path to success.
Homecoming was filled with family-friendly activities, including free food, games, face painting, and live entertainment. Highlights included a scholarship awards ceremony, where Vice President for Community Engagement Melissa Leecy recognized some of this year’s recipients, and a Lip Sync Contest, featuring five spirited groups of staff, faculty, and students.
Two faculty and staff teams and three student groups competed in the Lip Sync Contest. Judges Rhonda Fried, Educational Foundation Board President, Dr. Patti Lisk and Teri McNally, Germanna Educational Foundation Board members, and Jack Rowley, President of the Germanna Real Estate Foundation Board and local college board member, ultimately named all five groups winners, each receiving $1,000 for their club or department.
The celebration also gave alumni a chance to share how Germanna shaped their lives. David Rose, a member of Germanna’s first graduating class, reflected on his journey:
“I was part of the first graduating class in 1972,” he said. “After graduating, I came back as a faculty member and later became an associate professor. Germanna has been a constant in my life for more than 50 years.”
Debra Marinari, a 1991 Nursing graduate, shared how a chance moment on campus set the course for her career:
“I still remember that fall day in 1988, driving up to the Locust Grove Campus to register for classes,” she said. “I opened the catalog to the Nursing program and realized—it just made sense. Germanna gave me not just a degree, but a foundation that’s carried me through every stage of my career.”
Today, Marinari holds a Master of Science in Nursing from George Mason University and a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Nurse Leadership from Baylor University—a journey kickstarted by her time at Germanna.
Germanna thanks everyone who attended, participated, and donated during this milestone celebration. Together, the community made Homecoming 2025 a day to remember.
