About
What is V-TOP?
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Chamber Foundation, and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council have partnered to support and expand the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, or V-TOP for short.
A recent survey of Virginia graduates revealed that fewer than half of the almost 15,350 respondents had completed one or more internships during their undergraduate experience. More than half of respondents also noted that their internship helped them to receive a job offer post-graduation.
It is V-TOP’s role to facilitate the internship readiness of our students, institutions, and employers.
How is V-TOP funded?
V-TOP is funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program. The purpose of the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program is to:
- Expand paid and credit-bearing student internships and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers
- Facilitate the readiness of students, employers, and institutions of higher education to participate in internship and work-based learning
What’s Next?
The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership will continue to work collaboratively with institutions, students, and employers to increase connectivity through the development of readiness resources and innovative engagement solutions. Stay up to date on the latest activities by following us on social media and joining our monthly newsletter.
V-TOP Staff
| Name | Title |
| Alisha Bazemore | Assistant Director for Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives |
| Ashley Crute | Associate for Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives |
| Carolyn Sutphin | Associate of Innovative Work-Based Learning Initiatives |
| Emily Salmon | Acting Director – Strategic Planning & Policy Studies |
| Sam Ratcliffe | Work-Based Learning Specialist |
| Stacey Garnett | V-TOP Financial Services Specialist |
Partners
The Virginia Chamber Foundation tracks Virginia’s economic competitiveness, conducts research and analysis, and hosts programs connected to the priorities of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Strategic Plan Blueprint Virginia 2030 – among them higher ed and work-based learning.
The Virginia Business Higher Education Council is a leading state-level partnership between Virginia’s business and higher education communities. The Growth4VA campaign of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council highlights the close connection between Virginia’s top-ranked higher education system and a growing state economy, focusing on the benefits of internships and affordable talent pathways that lead to full-time jobs in the Commonwealth.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia is the Commonwealth’s coordinating body for higher ed. Its mission is to advocate and promote the development of Virginia’s higher ed system in the Commonwealth of Virginia and to lead state-level strategic planning and policy development and implementation.