With Virginia Western’s attention focused on rapid response to industry needs, the College fulfills a unique niche in the region’s higher education and economic development landscape. Virginia Western would like to share the following article authored by the Roanoke Regional Partnership highlighting the success that comes with regional entities working in tandem to advance economic development goals:

How the Roanoke Region’s Innovation Ecosystem Helped Land RINGANA

When executives from RINGANA, the Austrian life sciences company known for its preservative-free skincare and nutrition products, began scouting for their first North American headquarters, they were vetting locations against a long list of criteria.

Like many companies visiting for the first time, RINGANA leaders were impressed by the beauty of the region. Many foreign investors from parts of Europe, including Italy and Austria, say the Blue Ridge Mountain landscape and Tudor-style architecture remind them of home. But one factor mattered more than scenery: could Roanoke attract the global PhD-level talent a brand like RINGANA needs to succeed?

When that question was posed to the Roanoke Regional Partnership and City of Roanoke teams, they knew exactly how to answer.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute (FBRI) is a Market Differentiator

Companies making long-term investments want to know they can recruit exceptional talent and continue to innovate… we’ve done that.

Home to world-class scientists, physicians, researchers, and graduate students from around the globe, the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC has become one of the Roanoke Region’s most important economic development assets. Founded in 2010, the institute has grown to nearly 700 faculty, staff, students, and trainees, backed by over $225 million in research funding from outside the university, and has helped establish the region as a globally connected center for research and innovation.

While its work is often associated with scientific breakthroughs, FBRI tells an even larger story about the community itself. It showcases the kind of intellectual capital, sophistication, and culture of innovation that companies increasingly seek when making long-term investment decisions.

“Site selectors and business prospects expect to be impressed by the labs and facilities, and they are,” said John Hull, president and CEO of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “What surprises them is the people. Time and again, our visitors leave talking about the caliber of talent they’ve found here in Roanoke. FBRI’s credentials speak for themselves, but those one-on-one conversations with leadership and the internationally diverse talent working there leave a lasting impression.”

Under the leadership of Dr. Michael Friedlander, who joined the institute as its founding executive director and also serves as Virginia Tech’s vice president for health sciences and technology, FBRI has transformed into one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic biomedical research institutions, attracting research and innovation talent including faculty, staff and students from around the nation and world to pursue groundbreaking, team-based discoveries in neuroscience, cancer research, and cardiovascular and metabolic disease and to translate those discoveries into meaningful applications to improve health and quality of lives.

“Companies making long-term investments want to know they can recruit exceptional talent and continue to innovate. At the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, we’ve done that,” Friedlander said. “We were able to demonstrate that the region has built a research ecosystem that not only attracts but celebrates scientists, physicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs from around the world. That talent base isn’t hypothetical — it’s here now, and it’s still growing.”

Whenever prospective companies visit the region, Friedlander is often among the first people willing to sit down and share that story, welcoming executives and site selectors into the institute to experience firsthand the caliber of work taking place in Roanoke.

Friedlander believes the partnerships with Virginia Tech, Carilion Clinic, industry, city and state government, and other local colleges and universities help make Roanoke competitive with much larger metropolitan areas when companies evaluate locations for highly educated and technically skilled workers.

For companies like RINGANA, seeing that talent ecosystem firsthand changes perceptions in ways presentations and workforce reports cannot. Fralin Biomedical may have started the conversation, but it did not stand alone.

Proof Points: An Ecosystem to Back It Up

Companies don’t choose communities because of a single building or institution. They choose places where research, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and industry are already working together. That’s what RINGANA saw in Roanoke.

Over the last decade, the City of Roanoke has been a catalyst in the growth of the Innovation Corridor, investing alongside regional partners to create an ecosystem where research, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and commercialization reinforce one another.

That broader story became clearer as RINGANA leaders visited Virginia Western Community College‘s STEM building, where Dean of STEM Amy White showcased the college’s advanced training facilities and demonstrated its ability to develop workforce solutions tailored to regional employers’ needs.

“At Virginia Western, we move at the speed of business,” White said. “When an employer like RINGANA outlines their needs, we immediately adapt curriculum and develop new workforce solutions to meet the certification and credential needs their future workforce requires. It is important for us to not only showcase what we offer but to actively listen to what our industry partners need.” White highlighted programs such as Virginia Western’s biotechnology and mechatronics curricula, multiple industry certifications, and specialized training opportunities that are uncommon among community colleges and particularly relevant for companies operating at the intersection of life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

For a company preparing to establish manufacturing, distribution, and research operations in the United States, those conversations mattered. They reinforced what RINGANA leaders had already begun to see at FBRI: this was not a region with a single impressive institution, but an interconnected ecosystem intentionally designed to support innovation and growth.

And that ecosystem continues to expand.

RoVa Labs, the 40,000-square-foot wet lab and biotechnology incubator, is creating new opportunities for startups and life sciences companies to grow in the region. Supporting that ecosystem are programs like Carilion Innovation, Usability Works, and RAMP, which provide the commercialization, testing, mentorship, and capital support necessary to help ideas become companies.

“Companies don’t choose communities because of a single building or institution,” Hull said. “They choose places where research, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and industry are already working together. That’s what RINGANA saw in Roanoke.”

Questions Answered and a Win for Roanoke

RINGANA executives arrived looking for a location that could support manufacturing, distribution, research, and long-term growth. They found that AND a community where research institutions, educational partners, healthcare organizations, entrepreneurs, and economic development leaders are working together to build something larger than any one project.

For the Roanoke Region, the announcement of RINGANA’s $85 million investment and 435 new jobs is certainly worth celebrating (in fact, it’s the largest foreign direct investment in the region’s history). It also serves as validation of a strategy years in the making: investments in research, talent, and innovation will yield economic results. Individually, these assets told an impressive story. Collectively, they helped bring a new business to our region and secure economic prosperity for the future.

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Virginia Western Community College is pleased to announce the College’s new role with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) with designation as an NC3 Leadership School. This will enhance regional opportunities in advanced manufacturing and industrial technology.

Virginia Western’s Workforce Solutions division hosted an event Thursday, July 2, to showcase the impact this will have on students and highlight the College’s advanced, industry-informed lab spaces.

Skill sets obtained in the mechatronics career pathway are transferable among many industries, in fields such as advanced manufacturing and industrial technology. The NC3 Leadership School designation represents the highest level of participation within NC3, designed for leading educational institutions that aim to model world-class career and technical education.

As an NC3 Leadership School, Virginia Western will now offer applied mechatronics courses:
• Applied Fluid Power with Vacuum Technology
• Applied Mechanical Systems
• Applied PLCs and Smart Sensors

“Nationally, NC3 has supported more than 430,000 students and issued over one million stackable certifications,” said Dr. Elizabeth Wilmer, Vice President of Academic and Workforce Solutions at Virginia Western. “We are delighted that students in our region have been successfully earning certificates at the fundamentals level, and we know that offering applied level courses as a Leadership School will advance regional opportunities that much more.”

As part of NC3’s mission to elevate learning environments, being named as an NC3 Leadership School creates new opportunity for advancing instruction. The organization hosts NC3 Train-the-Trainer events, which allow instructors to gain hands-on expertise and bring advanced skills back to their classrooms. Faculty gain opportunities to become NC3 Master Instructors, mentoring other educators, along with networking. They also receive access to tour NC3 model campuses as a resource when enhancing curriculum and facilities.

Regional employers recognize how the NC3 Leadership School designation will have a positive impact on their workforces and business operations.

“Our industry is always changing, and it’s important that our technicians keep learning and have access to the best tools and training available. We want to give our employees the opportunity to build their skills, do their jobs well, and provide the best service possible to our customers,” said Ginger Hultquist, Business Operations for Jewell Machinery in Rocky Mount. “The program at Virginia Western Community College gives us that opportunity. The ability to schedule classes around our work demands makes it easy for employees to participate while gaining valuable knowledge and hands-on training that they can use every day.”

NC3 Leadership Schools provide students with industry-recognized, portable certifications that are aligned with national skill standards.

“StikPak is proud to collaborate with Virginia Western’s advanced manufacturing program to help develop the skilled talent our region depends on. Several of our team members have participated in the mechatronics curriculum, yielding exceptional results,” said C. Shay Whitlow, Director of Human Resources and Safety for Rocky Mount’s Stik-Pak Solutions, Inc. “Through this training, employees have acquired valuable technical expertise and earned industry recognized credentials, with several advancing into leadership and higher responsibility positions within our company. This new designation and the expansion of educational pathways will further enhance workforce development and provide manufacturers like StikPak with the talent needed to drive growth, innovation, and long-term success.”

This result was echoed by Doug Agner, General Manager of Salem’s Graham-White Manufacturing, a Wabtec company, a leading advanced manufacturer supporting the global rail industry through innovation in electro pneumatic systems. “The partnership with Virginia Western reflects our commitment to building a skilled, future-ready workforce,” Agner said. “The NC3 Leadership School status and enhanced mechatronics courses will strengthen our talent pipeline and accelerate adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.”

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That’s where Dr. Diane Wolff, Professor of Computer Science/Information Technology at Virginia Western Community College, sees an opportunity.  

“Organizations across industries are collecting exponentially more data, and they need professionals who can transform that data into decisions — not just store or manage it,” Wolff said. “This trend drives demand for data analytics skills in addition to technical programming skills, rather than instead of them.  The complementarity of analytics plus programming increases employability.” 

Virginia Western has revolutionized a two-year programming degree into the Associate of Applied Science in IST: Data Analytics & Programming Solutions degree. This unique pathway was built in tandem with Radford University to create a true “two-plus-two” program, enabling students to receive Radford’s Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Systems in four total years. Additionally, Radford’s program has an opportunity to continue with a one-year option for a Master of Business Administration, which is offered online. 

“By integrating analytics with programming, the curriculum prepares students to work alongside AI tools, not be displaced by them,” Wolff said. “This change modernizes the program, aligns it with current workforce needs, and improves graduate employment outcomes — without abandoning core programming fundamentals.” 

Wolff assembled a team to rethink the program in concert with Dr. Art Carter, Accounting, Finance, and Information Systems department chair at Radford University. While AAS degrees are designed for students to directly enter the workforce, this program also has a pathway built in for direct transfer to a cutting-edge degree at Radford University. The new specialization includes general education requirements such as precalculus and statistics, which are critical for the data science field.  

Radford University’s Information Science and Systems program combines computer science and business classes to create a hybrid of business and technology. This STEM program is designed with a technical core including database, networks, programming and cybersecurity and a business core including accounting, management, economics, finance and marketing, as well as courses specializing in cybersecurity management and decision analytics.  

“We are excited about this partnership,” said Carter. “Over the years of working with Virginia Western, the students coming to Radford have been well prepared and very successful in their studies here. Our Information Science and Systems program concentrates studies in Decision Analytics and Cybersecurity Management, and the Virginia Western program will be a great preparation to finish this program with two additional years of studies.” 

The demand for data analytics is growing rapidly, Wolff said, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting much faster than average growth for these roles. Data scientists are expected to see employment rise 34% between 2024-2034, with around 23,400 openings annually. 

“I’m grateful for both the continuation of our partnership with Radford University and this proactive approach to the need for evolving curricula,” said Amy White, Dean of STEM and Workforce Solutions. “I am proud of the faculty from both institutions who have worked to meet the needs of students in this rapidly changing industry.” 

Applications and admissions of transfer students are increasing, due in part to programs such as Tartan Transfer and the Radford Tuition Promise that ease the transition to a four-year program. Transfer student applications and admissions for the Fall 2026 semester have increased approximately five percent over Fall 2025. Virginia Western is one of nine Tartan Transfer partner institutions, and enrollment through that program continues to grow. 

“This partnership reflects what higher education should look like at its best: institutions working together to create clear, affordable pathways to opportunity,” said Donna McCloskey, dean of the Artis College of Business and Economics. “Through Tartan Transfer and agreements like this one, students can start close to home, build valuable skills and credentials, and continue seamlessly toward a bachelor’s degree and a rewarding career.” 

During students’ time at Virginia Western, opportunities will exist to obtain industry certifications including the Oracle Certified Associate (OCA) in Java, the Information Technology Specialist (ITS) in Database Fundamentals, the CompTIA AI Essentials, the CompTIA Security+, CAPM Project Management, and the CompTIA Linux+ certifications. 

“The new AAS program aims to teach programming with purpose, powered by data,” Wolff said. “It’s not about learning to code for coding’s sake — it’s about using data and technology to solve real problems.”

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The Virginia Workforce Association has named Carilion Clinic’s Grow-Our-Own Medical Assistant-Certified (MA-C) Program as recipient of the Talent Champion Award. Virginia Western and the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board collaborate with Carilion Clinic to operate the program. 

“The Virginia Workforce Association Talent Champion Award recognizes the power of partnership between Carilion Clinic and Virginia Western Community College,” said Lauren Cumella, Healthcare Careers faculty member at Virginia Western. “I am proud to help students gain the skills and confidence needed to launch successful healthcare careers while strengthening the future healthcare workforce in our region. This award reflects the dedication and hard work of our students, faculty, and healthcare partners whose commitment to excellence makes a lasting impact on our community.”

The Grow-Our-Own MA-C Program offers cohorts three times each year — in March, July, and October. Applications are posted by Carilion Clinic approximately two months prior to the start of each cohort.

Here is a news release from Carilion Clinic with more information about the partnership and award:

ROANOKE, Va. — Carilion Clinic’s Grow-Our-Own Medical Assistant-Certified (MA-C) Program has earned the Virginia Workforce Association’s Talent Champion Award. 

The award recognizes employers that go beyond filling positions by making meaningful investments in workforce development, career advancement, and innovative partnerships that create opportunities for individuals while strengthening communities. 

“This achievement reflects the strong collaboration between our educational and workforce development partners, clinic leaders, preceptors and program participants,” said Christine Ugron, ambulatory clinical educator at Carilion. “Together, we’ve created a pathway that helps people enter healthcare careers while helping meet the workforce needs of our region. This recognition demonstrates what is possible when organizations work together to remove barriers to opportunity, invest in workforce development and create meaningful career pathways.” 

Carilion developed the Grow-Our-Own MA-C Program in collaboration with the Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board and Virginia Western Community College. The program offers a unique “learn and earn” pathway that combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical experience, preparing participants for successful careers in healthcare. 

This program is part of Carilion’s broader workforce development focus to invest in talent from within the communities it serves. Through targeted training, educational partnerships, and hands-on experience, the program helps individuals gain the skills needed to launch healthcare careers while supporting the long-term growth of the region’s healthcare workforce. By connecting education, training, and employment, the program helps build a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals prepared to serve patients across the region. 

The Virginia Workforce Association recognized Carilion’s program for its innovative partnerships and exceptional outcomes, including a 100% certification pass rate, strong hiring and retention results, and a commitment to creating accessible pathways into healthcare careers. 

To learn more about career opportunities and workforce development programs at Carilion Clinic, visit CarilionClinic.org/careers.

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Virginia community college tuition remains less than one-third the cost of attending the state’s public four-year baccalaureate institutions, offering Virginia’s most affordable and accessible pathway to better jobs. 

For additional information, read the full article here.

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For the 2025-2026 annual year, which runs summer 2025, fall 2025 and spring 2026, Virginia Western welcomed 1,041 people to its growing alumni network. These students earned a total of 1,304 awards.* 

More than 400 graduates attended Virginia Western’s 60th commencement, held Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Berglund Center in Roanoke. The ceremony honored graduates who completed their degrees and certificates during fall 2025 and spring 2026, as well as students projected to complete during the summer 2026. 

Dr. Laura Treanor presided over her first Commencement ceremony as President of Virginia Western. “Each graduate seated before us represents determination, sacrifice, resilience, and hope for the future,” she said. “We gather not only to recognize academic achievement, but also to celebrate the journeys, challenges, and accomplishments that have brought our graduates to this important moment.” 

Three Virginia Western students participated as speakers in Commencement events. 

Maureen Arthur, a 2026 graduate who received an Associate of Science in Business Administration, addressed graduates before the ceremony as Student Rehearsal Speaker. Hagar Atef Youssef, a 2026 graduate who received an Associate of Science degree in Science, was Student Welcome Speaker during the ceremony, and Demetrice Peerman-Forrest, a 2026 graduate who received an Associate of Applied Science in Human Services, gave the keynote address. 

Addressing graduates at the pre-Commencement rehearsal, Arthur said, “The concept of time is something we all have taken for granted. 525,600 minutes. Regardless of circumstance, we all have the same amount of time in a year.” She encouraged the class not to let time slip away and to let mistakes guide them as they move forward to new opportunities.  

In her welcome speech, Youssef shared lessons she learned as a first-generation college student. “Here at Virginia Western, we aren’t defined by our accents or our past, but by our effort, our courage, and our willingness to keep going,” she said.  

Youssef encouraged her classmates to reflect on their Virginia Western journey with gratitude. “Thank you, Virginia Western, for proving that one year can truly change a life. Just look at our college president, Dr. Treanor, and everything she has accomplished in such a short time.” 

Peerman-Forrest spoke with lessons from the “hard road” she had taken in the years before receiving her degree. “When I first started at Virginia Western, my life looked very different than it is today,” she said. “I started here homeless. I came here in a wheelchair. Some mornings, when I got off the city bus, there was a police officer waiting at the bus stop just to push me up the hill so I could make it to class.” 

Speaking of how faith and resilience — and many supporters at the College — carried her to this day, Peerman-Forrest exhorted her classmates. “Don’t give up just because it’s taking time. Don’t quit just because it’s hard. And don’t count yourself out just because you feel out of place. Because sometimes the very places where you feel like you don’t belong are the places where you are growing into who you’re meant to be.” 

* Spring 2026 awards have not yet been conferred; a graduation application query was used to provide Spring 2026 graduate demographics. Official AY 2025-26 graduate data will be available in summer 2026.

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The ceremony, which will honor graduates from the fall 2025 and spring and summer 2026 semesters, starts at 6:30 p.m. There are 418 students expected to attend, with 546 degrees and certificates being awarded.

Dr. Laura Treanor will preside over her first Commencement ceremony as President of Virginia Western. Dr. Treanor is the fifth person to hold the office of President in the College’s 60-year history.

Three Virginia Western students were selected to participate as speakers in Commencement events:

• Maureen Arthur will serve as Rehearsal Speaker. She is graduating with an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration.
• Hagar Atef Youssef will deliver the Welcome. She is graduating with an Associate of Science degree in Science.
• Demetrice Peerman-Forrest has the role of Keynote Speaker. She is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Human Services.

Virginia Western’s Commencement will be viewable online through a YouTube livestream.

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The Military Friendly Survey has awarded Virginia Western Community College a designation of Gold Status for 2026-27 following College-wide efforts to support military-affiliated students.

The Military Friendly organization assesses educational institutions on benchmarks including graduation, retention, job placement or transfer rates; loan default rates; and veteran outcomes as well as outcomes for Guard and Reserve students, dependents, active duty, and military spouses. To be designated Military Friendly, an educational institution must meet three or more benchmarks.

To achieve Gold Status, Virginia Western had to meet five or more benchmarks and meet qualification percentages compared with other schools in the award category of Large Community College in this survey cycle. The new designation upgrades the College’s ranking of Silver in 2025-26. Virginia Western again received designation as a Military Spouse Friendly School.

The elevation from Military Friendly Silver to Gold status reflects a focused, student-first approach to serving our veteran and military-connected community, said Brandon Snead, VERITAS Veteran Liaison at Virginia Western and himself a U.S. Air Force veteran.

“Over the past year, we’ve implemented new and optimized processes that significantly reduce certification wait times for VA benefits users, while also expanding our outreach efforts to better connect with service members and veterans where they are,” Snead said.

He noted that the student work-study team at the Military Student Center has performed at an exceptionally high level, contributing to a more efficient and welcoming environment.

“At the Military Student Center, we are constantly looking for ways to grow and improve — from introducing loaner calculators to expanding our coffee bar — all with the goal of removing barriers and creating a space where our military-affiliated students can truly thrive,” Snead said.

The Military Student Center held a celebration May 5 to celebrate and recognize the outreach that led to Gold Status.

For more information about the Military Student Center, contact Brandon Snead at bsnead@virginiawestern.edu.

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Project partners marked the opening of RoVa Labs on Wednesday, May 6, and shared the following news release about this transformational investment in the Roanoke region:

Leaders from Carilion Clinic, the City of Roanoke, Roanoke Blacksburg Innovation Alliance (RBIA), and Virginia Western Community College cut the ribbon on years of hard work with the opening of RoVa Labs, a 40,000-square-foot biotech incubator designed to accelerate commercialization, strengthen the Roanoke Innovation Corridor, and position the region as an emerging destination for life sciences innovation and manufacturing.

The $26 million public-private investment is expected to create 250 high-wage jobs within five years while providing nationally competitive infrastructure to help startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs launch and scale companies in Southwest Virginia.

Funded through a $15.7 million state grant matched by more than $10 million in regional investment, RoVa Labs represents one of the region’s most significant investments to date in commercialization infrastructure and the future of Virginia’s growing life sciences economy.

“The shared lab space will attract existing and start-up businesses in the life sciences, biotechnology, and healthcare sectors,” said Carilion Executive Vice President and CFO Don Halliwill. “Building the space is just the first step in creating an innovative gathering place for our region’s greatest minds to collaborate with those who have promising new ideas about exciting and challenging projects.”

Located at 1030 South Jefferson Street in the heart of the Roanoke Innovation Corridor, RoVa Labs fills a longstanding gap in the region’s innovation ecosystem. For years, many early-stage biotech companies were forced to relocate to larger markets such as Boston, San Francisco, and the Research Triangle because the specialized wet lab infrastructure and commercialization support needed to grow did not exist locally.

RoVa Labs changes that dynamic by bringing world-class biotech infrastructure to a lower-cost, high-talent market already supported by nationally recognized research institutions, healthcare systems, workforce development partners, and manufacturing expertise. “Roanoke is a hub for science and research and a place where life sciences entrepreneurs, researchers, and startups can get the necessary support, collaboration, and tools needed to innovate and grow,” said Roanoke City Manager Valmarie Turner.

More than just lab space, RoVa Labs represents a strategic economic development investment designed to help diversify and strengthen the region’s economy through the continued growth of the life sciences sector.

“We haven’t just built labs; we’re building an ecosystem where life sciences companies can scale and compete globally,” said Erin Burcham, RBIA Chief Executive Officer. “By pairing RoVa Labs’ critical infrastructure with the specialized startup programming that early-stage biotech companies require, we’re carrying out a proven blueprint for regional economic transformation.”

The facility helps create a stronger pipeline from research and startup development to scalable production, building upon the Roanoke Region’s existing strengths in advanced manufacturing. From 2019 to 2023, the Roanoke Region accounted for roughly half of Virginia’s manufacturing job growth, demonstrating the region’s momentum and ability to support innovation-driven industries at scale.

“As life sciences companies grow, they eventually need manufacturing, supply chain, and production capabilities,” said Julia Boas, director of Business Investment for the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “The Roanoke Region is uniquely positioned to support that next phase of growth because we already have the industrial foundation, workforce expertise, and collaborative ecosystem needed to help companies move from concept to commercialization to production.” Boas also noted the groundbreaking research taking
place at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, the leadership of Carilion Clinic, and the entrepreneurial pipeline created through programs like RAMP have helped lay the foundation for this moment and positioned the region to compete in the growing life sciences economy.

Regional leaders also emphasized the importance of workforce development in supporting the long-term success of the life sciences sector and ensuring companies have access to a highly skilled talent pipeline.
“While our partners have been hard at work preparing this world-class space, Virginia Western has been hard at work preparing the talent to power it,” said Amy White, dean of STEM and Workforce Solutions. “Our mission is to stay ahead of the ever-changing workforce needs of biotech, healthcare innovation, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies. We are achieving this through a dual focus: training our students for the highly specialized roles within RoVa Labs and supporting our K-12 partners through professional development and outreach efforts. By strengthening every link in the educational pipeline, we are ensuring that Roanoke’s biotech future is fueled by local expertise.”

RoVa Labs is operated by Scheer Partners, a nationally recognized operator of elite life sciences incubators and research environments. Their involvement brings proven expertise and nationally competitive standards to the Roanoke market while reinforcing the region’s emergence as a serious player in the biotech and life sciences economy.

The project also strengthens Virginia’s growing innovation corridor connecting Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Richmond by expanding the infrastructure needed to support research commercialization, entrepreneurship, and company growth across the Commonwealth.

RoVa Labs represents another major milestone in the continued evolution of the Roanoke Innovation Corridor and demonstrates the power of collaboration between healthcare, higher education, local government, workforce development, and economic development organizations working together toward a shared regional vision.

For more information about the labs, please visit the RoVa Labs site.

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Diane and William Elliot and Davis H. Elliot Company, Inc. of Roanoke, Va., have received the 20^th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. They were nominated by Virginia Western Community College.

Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE), the 20th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy Luncheon brings together over 200 guests to recognize outstanding philanthropic contributions to Virginia’s Community Colleges.

In his welcoming remarks, Chancellor David Doré saluted and thanked the donors for their unwavering commitment to students whose potential might otherwise go unrealized. “The individuals and organizations we honor in this room represent an extraordinary $27 million in lifetime giving to Virginia’s community colleges,” he said.

The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of Education Jeffery Smith, who underscored the importance of philanthropy and its ability to remove barriers that could impede or even block the way forward for students short on resources. “Every Virginian deserves a pathway to economic opportunity,” he said.

In addition to Secretary Smith, distinguished guests in attendance included State Board members as well as members of the VFCCE Board of Directors. Author, philanthropist and educator Brent L. Kendrick, Ph.D., whose career reflects a lifelong commitment to teaching and community college education, delivered the keynote address.

2026 Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy Recipients

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