UVA Wise Announces Regional Leadership Development Program
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise) held a special event recently at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center to announce a new regional leadership development program set to launch in 2025. The event was held at the Center, where the College has established its community and economic development office. The event was attended by representatives from UVA Wise and the Higher Education Center, area legislators, state agencies, employers and other regional leaders.
“Effective leadership is critical to the success of any organization or community, and it is vitally important for the future of our region,” said UVA Wise chancellor Donna P. Henry. “LEAD SWVA provides a tremendous opportunity for existing and emerging leaders to continue developing their skills as well as increasing their self-awareness and becoming more familiar with the region in which they live, work and play. This program will build upon the individual county leadership programs that are typically hosted by the Chambers of Commerce.”
The program is spearheaded by the College’s community and economic developmentoffice, which is located at the Higher Education Center. The office is led by Randall Rose, associate vice chancellor of community and economic development, and shares space with the GO Virginia Region 1 program, which aims to support economic development projects in the region.
UVA Wise introduced LEAD SWVA as a unique program designed to foster individuals who aspire to grow and progress professionally while supporting the communities in which they live and work. By honing communication, problem-solving, and team management skills, and learning best practices in community engagement and project delivery, participants will be empowered to LEAD—Learn, Engage, Aspire, Deliver.
The program aims to create opportunities for participants to build a robust network of social capital, increase awareness of the challenges facing communities in Southwest Virginia, and equip participants with the tools needed to engage and actively address critical issues across the region.
From May to November, members of the LEAD SWVA cohort will meet monthly in various localities for leadership workshops, program activities, and community visits to hear from local leaders and regional representatives while visiting key sites and destinations. The program provides a hands-on experience and equips participants with practical skills, preparing them to complete a capstone service project to positively impact their own communities.
“We’re excited to see UVA Wise expand the programming and services it offers from right here at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, including their new LEAD SWVA program,” said David Matlock, director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. “We’re especially excited about their plans to ramp up professional and academic programming here in support of our higher education mission. We are a Center doing great things because of great people, and this is yet another example of that.”
UVA Wise is the only public higher education institution in far Southwest Virginia. The College has long focused on supporting community and economic development in the region and was recently awarded the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities organization for its extensive engagement efforts.
“UVA Wise reaffirms its dedication to the Southwest Virginia region, with community and economic development staff located not only in Abingdon but also in St. Paul at the Oxbow Center and our main campus in Wise. The College utilizes every lever at our disposal to effectively deploy our skills and resources to support our local communities,” said Shannon Blevins, vice chancellor for strategic engagement and government relations at UVA Wise.
The LEAD SWVA program application is open now through February 17, 2025. Formore details and to apply, visit www.leadswva.org.