John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. John Tyler is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and offers 17 associate degree programs, eight certificate programs, and 36 career studies certificate programs. During the 2010-2011 academic year, the college served more than 14,500 students. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. John Tyler is the first college in the Virginia Community College System to be recognized for its sustainability efforts. In July 2010, it received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for its Midlothian Campus Science Building. The college, which opened in 1967, is named after John Tyler, the tenth president of the United States. It serves the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex.