Early this year, education leaders signed a partnership agreement between Emory & Henry College and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Va., to expand the region’s educational opportunities and bring new healthcare and business programs to the area.
Posted July 03, 2023
As a partner, Emory & Henry will have its own office at the Center to work with prospective and current students and plan courses using its state-of-the-art technology. “Emory & Henry College has offered higher education to regional residents for 187 years and in 2021 had the largest incoming first-year class in its history. In 2022, the College also set a record with the most residential students on campus,” said President John W. Wells. “The growth is prompting new modes and locations of academic delivery, including the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center and new online graduate-level degrees in business, nursing, education and mental health counseling. We are committed to continuing to serve the region, meet higher education demands for its residents, and build on economic development with our graduates.”
Both parties will work collaboratively to use resources to the greatest advantage in service to the higher education needs of the region’s citizens and encourage the expansion of higher education in the region. “The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center is excited to embark on this new chapter with Emory & Henry College, and we are especially looking forward to expanding programming to accelerate economic development and educational opportunities. This partnership will enhance our mission and ability to meet the needs of the region,” said David Matlock, agency head of the Center.
“We are committed to continue to serve the region and meet higher education demands for its residents as well as continue to build on economic development with our graduates.”
In March, the College hosted Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver (left) and co-founder of The Origin Project (TOP) and New York Times best-selling author Adriana Trigiani (right) in celebration of the 10th anniversary of TOP. The Origin Project is a program that helps second to 12th graders find their voices through writing about their family and regional roots. Trigiani brings in outstanding authors to talk with students participating in TOP each year. Teachers and high school students who participated in The Origin Project were invited to campus for the unique opportunity to spend time with Trigiani and Kingsolver. Kingsolver discussed her latest book, Demon Copperhead, a modern-day story set in Southwest Virginia. The event was a pre-event of the Virginia Festival of the Book.
