Feature Story
Southern Virginia University Receives SCHEV Grant to Expand Student Work-Based Learning Opportunities
Southern Virginia University has been awarded a $25,000 Vision Grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) through the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) Impact Grants initiative. The funding will strengthen the university’s ability to expand hands-on, work-based learning opportunities for students—including internships, shadowing, and real-world projects.
“Internships and real-world experience are key for our students’ continued success and this grant directly supports our commitment to helping students gain that experience before graduation,” said President Bonnie H. Cordon. “Studies show that having prior experience in their chosen careers before graduation decreases the time it takes for a student to enter that field after graduation. I’m grateful for the commitment and engagement of our leadership in setting our students up for success.”
The one-year grant will support several student-focused initiatives through Southern Virginia’s Launch Center–the university’s career services department. These initiatives include stipends for students pursuing unpaid or low-paying internships, funding campus visits from employers and graduate programs, covering the cost of Handshake–Southern Virginia’s career management platform–and improving the Launch Center space.
To guide the work, the university created a dedicated task force charged with defining a cohesive, campus-wide approach to work-based learning and strengthening partnerships with employers, community leaders, and alumni. Chaired by President Cordon, the task force consists of university vice presidents, representatives of the provost and registrar offices, the directors of athletics and Student Success, a current student, and a representative from the City of Buena Vista’s Economic Development office.
“This grant is a catalyst for us to scale our services and better support our students,” said Tyler Orr, director of the Launch Center and vice chair of the task force. “Our goal is to help students gain experience in the careers they are interested in before they graduate, which means consistently offering the resources they need to be competitive for internships and other work-based learning opportunities.”
“Ultimately, we are creating a clear four-year vision for experiential learning, defining the milestones we want students to achieve as they explore, prepare for, and enter their chosen career paths,” he added. “Strengthening our relationships with employers and companies will ultimately create more internship and job opportunities for students, and give them support along the way.”
Successful use of the grant will position Southern Virginia University to apply for SCHEV’s subsequent Capacity–Building Grant, which could provide up to $150,000 for additional staffing, paid platforms, and funding to expand student experiential learning opportunities even further.
Individuals or organizations interested in partnering with Southern Virginia University on internships, projects, or mentorship for students can reach out to career.services@svu.edu.