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

March 27, 2024

Richmond – The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) awarded a total of $1.15 million to 12 public universities to improve student internship data collection.

James Madison University, Longwood University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Radford University, University of Mary Washington, University of Virginia, University of Virginia at Wise, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech and William and Mary each received $100,000 to develop standardized internship data collection and reporting efforts. The Virginia Military Institute received $55,000.

The grants will help institutions collect and analyze data, which will allow them to identify work-based learning trends.

“Internship efforts at institutions grew ad hoc over the years without a standardized method of collecting information on the types and quality of internships,” said Alisha Bazemore, assistant director of innovative work-based learning initiatives at the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. “Now that we are creating a statewide coordinated effort, better data is needed so we can develop strategies to increase the number of work-based learning opportunities in Virginia.”

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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