Through a grant, Averett University is collaborating with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) through the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership Initiative (V-TOP) to strengthen the opportunities for students and the talent pipeline for employers in the region.
In addition to Averett, the other degree-granting institutions in Go Virginia’s Region 3 are Danville Community College, Hampden-Sydney College, Longwood University, Patrick & Henry Community College and Southside Virginia Community College.
The program aims to expand high-quality, paid, and credit-bearing student internships and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers. The program comprises institutional grants and a statewide initiative to facilitate the readiness of students, employers, and institutions of higher education to participate in internships and other work-based learning opportunities.
“Averett University is proud to lead the V-TOP effort in GO Virginia Region 3 in collaboration with our higher education partners,” said Dr. Julie J. Brown, Averett University provost . “It is imperative that our college students have access to high-quality internships which add relevancy to their academic journeys, ultimately connecting them to employers and the myriad of meaningful career opportunities in southern Virginia.”
In conjunction with this initiative, Averett hired Victoria McKinnis to head up the program for Region 3 in February 2026. Under the supervision Brown, McKinnis will oversee the operation and growth of the program, which will bring great value to the students of Averett and will continue the university’s goal of providing for its students and the entire Southside Region.
V-TOP is a collaborative effort across the Commonwealth to support growth. By connecting Virginia students to work-based learning opportunities with Virginia businesses, V-TOP drives economic development and build a talent pipeline to meet business needs.
“Averett University’s partnership with V-TOP reflects a shared commitment to expanding meaningful internship and work-based learning opportunities for students,” Dr. Alisha Bazemore, Assistant Director of Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives at SCHEV said. “Together, we are building stronger pathways that prepare students for meaningful careers and contribute to Virginia’s future talent pipeline.”
Averett was awarded the grant and is spearheading the mission. Under the leadership of President Dr. Thomas Powell, Averett has focused on having its students participate in internships and externships, to gain real-world experience and better prepare graduates to join the ever-expanding workforce, locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
With fewer than half of Virginia’s college students completing an internship, the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) initiative is vital for expanding work-based learning. This institution-led regional program provides Averett students with robust resources to enhance career awareness and secure high-quality internships. By fostering regional collaboration, V-TOP empowers students to pursue opportunities across Virginia, ensuring they graduate with the confidence and experience needed to launch successful careers.
In 2018, the Virginia General Assembly appropriated funding to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to stimulate public colleges and universities to develop partnerships to provide innovative paid internship opportunities for their students. In 2019, the effort was expanded and enacted into law as the Innovative Internship Fund and Program. In 2020, through a partnership with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, Virginia Chamber Foundation, the program was rebranded as the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP). V-TOP is funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program.
At the end of February, the Implementation Team met, followed by a meeting of stakeholders. The Implementation Team consists of Carolyn Sutphin, Associate for Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives with SCHEV for GO Virginia’s Region 3; Hannah Overby, Regional Internship Manager of VEDP for GO VA’s Region 3; Maki Malone, Workforce Credentials and Apprenticeship Advisor for Southside Virginia Community College; Danika Bellamy Sankar, Associate Director for Work-Based Experiences at Longwood University; Ashley Crute, Assistant Director of Experiential Programs and Student Employment at Hampton-Sydney College; Barry Richmond, Apprenticeship Coordinator at Danville Community College; and Terrence Strickland, Coordinator of Technical Programs at Patrick & Henry Community College.
Virginia employers can strengthen their workforce by offering high-quality, paid internships that build a skilled talent pipeline. SCHEV’s Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) and Virginia Economic Development Partnership(VEDP)are teaming up to expand these opportunities across the state.
For more information on the V-TOP Initiative, go to Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP). For more information on the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program, go to Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program | Virginia State Council Of Higher Education, VA.