Longwood University

12/09/2024 | Press release | Archived content

Longwood receives $150,000 SCHEV grant to support internships and career readiness

Longwood University's Office of Alumni and Career Success recently received a $150,000 grant from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) to enhance internships and work-based learning outcomes for students.

The grant, which was awarded on behalf of the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), will support the expansion of paid internships and work-based learning opportunities for students, enhancing their career readiness and academic growth.

A portion of the grant will directly fund stipends for students who participate in professional opportunities such as micro-internships, mentorships and job shadowing. Longwood will also use the one-year grant to assess current gaps in participation in these programs.

The support provided by this V-TOP grant will allow us to enhance work-based learning at Longwood and broaden access to critical workforce preparation opportunities.

Dr. Elizabeth Narehood, senior director of career and professional engagement Tweet This

"The support provided by this V-TOP grant will allow us to enhance work-based learning at Longwood and broaden access to critical workforce preparation opportunities," said Dr. Elizabeth Narehood, senior director of career and professional engagement. "This funding will help us assess the current landscape of work-based learning across the university, offer financial support to student participants through stipends, refine and expand our programs, and develop a data-driven action plan to guide future growth and success."

The most recent grant comes on the heels of two previous grants, totaling $200,000, that Longwood received this year to bolster internships and career success initiatives. Longwood was awarded another SCHEV/V-TOP grant in 2023 to fund an initiative that allows students enrolled in federal work-study to link skills learned in the classroom with experiences in the workplace that use and develop those skills.

The Office of Alumni and Career Success got a refresh earlier this year and now houses the Center for Career Success, which is utilizing new resources, partnerships and tools to connect students with career learning opportunities as well as support and empower them on their professional journeys.

Longwood is putting an increased emphasis on post-graduate success as part of its accreditation reaffirmation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Over the next five years, the Post-Graduate Success Initiative-the university's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)-will empower students to choose and complete curricular and co-curricular experiences that are linked to success once they earn their undergraduate degrees.

Longwood's Office of Research, Grants and Sponsored Projects (ORGSP) played a key role in assisting with the grant proposal. The ORGSP provides support to university faculty and staff interested in obtaining external funding for their research and scholarly and creative activities.

Internships and work-based learning provide students with the confidence and practical skills to thrive in a competitive workforce.

Scott Fleming, SCHEV director Tweet This

The SCHEV Impact Grants are designed to strengthen collaborations between higher education institutions and Virginia employers, encouraging innovative approaches to workforce development. Longwood was one of 14 four-year public universities in Virginia awarded a one-year capacity-building grant of up to $150,000.

"Internships and work-based learning provide students with the confidence and practical skills to thrive in a competitive workforce," said Scott Fleming, SCHEV director. "The Impact Grants reinforce our commitment to supporting Virginia's higher education institutions by integrating internships into their strategic priorities and fostering meaningful partnerships with employers across the commonwealth."

V-TOP is administered by SCHEV in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. The grants are made possible through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund.