Bob Spieldenner
bobspieldenner@schev.edu
(804) 718-9443 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2026
RICHMOND, VA – The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) today awarded $1.6 million in grants to seven institutions of higher education to enhance their capacity to track, analyze and report on internships and other work-based learning experiences campus-wide.
Longwood University, Norfolk State University, Southern Virginia University, the University of Mary Washington, Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Tech each received up to $100,000 annually for two years. The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) received up to $200,000 annually over the same period.
The funding will establish or strengthen data collection systems at the institutions and allow them to track student participation in work-based learning. The collected data will give better visibility on student engagement, access and success.
“High quality data helps us make more informed decisions as we work to increase the number of internships and other work-based learning opportunities in Virginia,” said Scott Fleming, SCHEV executive director.
The grants are administered by SCHEV through the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), which is funded by the General Assembly’s Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program.
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