Toronto acquisition firm buys Richmond software company
Volaris Group, a Toronto-based buyer and operator of vertical market software companies, announced last week it has acquired Richmond-based educational software company SoftChalk LLC. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Using the SoftChalk platform, instructors can develop custom course materials and interactive content, including quizzes and annotated text. “The team at Volar[...]
Stride selects 47 recipients for new scholarship program
Herndon-based online education provider Stride Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.) announced last week it has selected 47 recipients for the first round of its $10 million investment to provide education options for underserved Black students. The funding was disbursed through Stride’s We Stand Together Scholarships program, which was first announced in September 2020. The first cohort […]
Texas education, training content developer will relocate HQ to Richmond
Education and training content developer Vytal Studios will invest $6.8 million to move its corporate headquarters from Austin, Texas, to Richmond, creating 155 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. The company will renovate the facility at 1802 Semmes Ave. to include studio space for filming content and office space for development and post-production functions. “With […]
U.Va.’s Virginia Law Review names new editor-in-chief
The University of Virginia School of Law announced Tuesday that second-year student Tiffany Mickel has been named as editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review. She is the first Black person to hold the position in the publication’s 108-year history. As editor-in-chief, she hopes to diversify authorship of law review content and expand the publication’s online […]
Stride, formerly K12, names new CEO
Herndon-based online education provider Stride Inc., formerly K12 Inc., announced Tuesday that Nathaniel A. “Nate” Davis is retiring from his role as CEO and will be succeeded by James J. Rhyu. Davis joined the K12 board of directors in 2009 and was named chairman in 2012 and CEO in February 2018. He will remain with […]
Dominion announces $10M scholarship program for minority students
Richmond-based Dominion Energy Inc. announced Wednesday a six-year, $10 million initiative to provide scholarships to minority students who reside in the company’s service area, which includes Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina and South Carolina. This year, Dominion will award $500,000 in scholarships among 60 recipients through its Educational Equity Scholarship Program. “As we witness[...]
Northam proposes $240M for pandemic response
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and frontline medical workers receive the first vaccine doses, Gov. Ralph Northam called on the General Assembly to allocate $240 million toward pandemic response in his proposed budget amendments released Wednesday. “The budget I present today preserves our focus on flexibility, targeted investments and help for Virginians. While we […]
Hampton University exec named chair-elect of Public Relations Society of America
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) announced Monday it has elected Hampton University’s vice president for development and campaign director, Felicia Blow, as chair of its board for 2022. She will serve as chair-elect during 2021. The PRSA is a professional organization with more than 21,000 members who work in the public relations and […]
Shenandoah University announces partnership with esports league
Shenandoah University announced Monday that it has entered into a partnership with the Washington Justice, a professional Overwatch League, for internships and learning opportunities for students. This marks the first partnership between a university and a professional Overwatch League team (esports). The Washington Justice represents Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The partnership will [...]
Herndon’s K12 Inc. reports ransomware attack
Herndon-based online education provider K12 Inc. announced Tuesday that the company was the victim of a ransomware attack that may have compromised its corporate back office systems. “We do believe that the attacker accessed certain parts of our corporate back office systems, including some student and employee information on those systems, but it will take […]
Smithfield Foods commits $300K to support STEM initiative
Smithfield Foods Inc. has announced it plans to commit $300,000 through 2021 to support Heritage STEM Camps Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that creates immersive experiences for aspiring leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. The Smithfield-based company’s contribution will support Heritage’s mid-Atlantic efforts to boost levels of self-confidenc[...]
Online education provider K12 Inc. rolls out new brand name
Herndon-based online education provider K12 Inc. announced Wednesday plans to change its brand name to Stride Inc., effective Dec. 16. “A great education doesn’t stop at high school graduation,” Stride CEO and Chairman Nate Davis said in a statement. “The Stride brand recognizes that, as a company, we are no longer limited by the boundaries […]