Contact:
Bob Spieldenner
(804) 225-2628
bobspieldenner@schev.edu

September 23, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

RICHMOND -- The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) awarded $25,000 each to Mary Baldwin University and Southern Virginia University to promote and expand paid, credit-bearing internships and work-based learning activities.

The one-year Vision Grants will allow each university to build a campus-wide systematic approach to managing and expanding work-based learning opportunities for their students. SCHEV awarded the grants as part of the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) Impact Grants initiative.

“Our goal is to ensure every Virginia college student, whether attending a public or private non-profit institution, has opportunities to participate in a continuum of high-quality work-based learning opportunities, including full-time paid internships, before they graduate,” said Scott Fleming, SCHEV’s executive director.

"This grant helps institutions create a campus-wide focus for their work-based learning efforts with the goal of increasing the number of opportunities for their students,” said Alisha Bazemore, SCHEV's assistant director of innovative work-based learning initiatives.

Mary Baldwin University and Southern Virginia University are joining James Madison University, Marymount University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Patrick and Henry Community College, Radford University, Shenandoah University, Tidewater Community College, the University of Virginia, the University of Virginia at Wise, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia State University as recipients of the Vision Grants. 

V-TOP is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. It is funded by the General Assembly's Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program.

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