The Southern Virginia Higher Education Foundation (SVHEF) has awarded more than twenty-thousand ($20,000) dollars in scholarships to support students pursuing workforce training programs at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) this fall. Among this year’s recipients are students enrolled in the new Industrial Maintenance Electrical and Instrumentation (IMEI) cohort, offered through Danville Community College (DCC). The IMEI program provides seven-hundred (700) hours of training over sixteen weeks, preparing technicians to maintain, repair, and calibrate electrical and mechanical systems used across industries- from automotive manufacturing to food processing.
A total of seventeen (17) students received financial support through the J. E. Burton Construction Scholarship, Ann Chesley Edmunds Scholarship, Urban Grid Community Impact Scholarship, and the SVHEF Scholarship. Scholarship recipients include: Jared Brown, Jeremiah Bruch, Quamel Foster, Durrell Chandler, Maurice Hankins, Michael Brizendine, Andrea Jones, Roger Owen III, Joseph Watkins Sr., Micah Williamson, Stacy Powell, Nazsaire Ross, Melvin Womack, Chase Davis, K’veon Oliver, and Jacob Watson.
These students will learn to repair and maintain electrical instruments and equipment. Also, they will learn how to install and dismantle equipment, set calibration and ensure quality control. This intensive hands-on curriculum places students in the lab where skilled instructors create simulations and production environments to train students with first hand knowledge of the future applications of their skills.
“I’m truly excited for this training opportunity,” said Jeffrey Brown Technical and Industrial Program Leader at SVHEC. “These students will be equipped to work in multiple areas in one industry.”
“For employers, it’s a win-win, one IMEI certified employee can perform the work of a plumber, electrician, or mechanical engineer,” added Brown.
In addition to the IMEI cohort, the SVHEF awarded scholarships to Information Technology (IT) students this fall. Recipients of the Microsoft Scholar’s Scholarship were Jaedyn Ford, Kristi Greene, Jeremy Lacks. IT student Cameron Jones received the Elliott Electric, Inc. Scholarship.
Enrollment for Spring 2026 classes is now open. The SVHEC partners with both Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) and Danville Community College (DCC) and provides access to Associate’s Degrees and Workforce Certification Programs in South Boston, VA. Scholarship applications are due December 22, 2025. Students may apply online at www.svhef.org or pick up a paper application at the SVHEF office, located on the SVHEC campus. Each application must include a personal essay and two letters of recommendation.
The Southern Virginia Higher Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping SVHEC students achieve their educational and career goals through scholarships and outreach programs that expand access to opportunity across the region. For more information about available scholarships, visit www.svhef.org or contact Liza Fulton, SVHEF Scholarship and Outreach Coordinator, at lizafulton@svhef.org or 434-572-5448.