SCHEV funds internship programs at 3 Va. colleges

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) this week awarded $535,000 in funding to the University of Virginia, Old Dominion University and Marymount University for the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, also known as the Virginia Talent+ Opportunity Partnership.

U.Va. and ODU will each receive $250,000 to connect employers with students and increase the number of  paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities. Marymount University will receive a $25,000 vision grant that requires the president of the university to convene a task force to develop an experiential learning vision for students at the university, determine institutional priorities and design strategies.

At ODU, more than 30 partnering organizations have agreed to participate in the 757 Regional Internship Collaborative, according to an ODU spokeswoman. It will bring together representatives from K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, business, industry, economic development and regional leadership organizations.

Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University have been part of the program since last spring. SCHEV will award nine total grants by 2024.

The program is funded by the General Assembly and administered by SCHEV in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation.