(Melfa, VA)  Dr. Linda Thomas-Glover, President of Eastern Shore Community College, today announced support of the newly-launched Growth4VA campaign, which will focus on promoting reform and reinvestment in Virginia’s top-ranked higher education system. The campaign, backed by a partnership of higher education and business leaders, aims to help grow the Virginia economy, expand access to education and job opportunities for all Virginians, and regain Virginia’s #1 ranking for business.
Virginia’s colleges, universities, and community colleges are stepping up to help achieve these goals. Working with our partners in the business community, we will be offering practical policies and creative ideas focused on four strategies:

• Make Virginia the Top State for Talent
• Become recognized as the Home of Innovators and Entrepreneurs
• Prepare Virginians for Great Jobs and Great Lives
• Provide Affordable Access for All Virginians

For years ESCC has focused upon internship opportunities with businesses like Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, LJT & Associates, Perdue, Tyson Foods, and Eastern Shore Rural Health to provide opportunities for students to experience real-time work environments. These activities have allowed students to refine their workplace skills and employers to see the quality of potential employees.

Dr. Glover commented that “Effective partnership is a key foundation piece of the Growth4VA Campaign.  ESCC is committed to building upon existing partnerships with businesses on the Shore as we support opportunities to build a local workforce that meets the needs of employers and support economic development. Working together we can overcome one challenge we face by developing our workforce with a focus on ‘Local Learning and Training for Shore Success’.”

Growth4VA is a campaign of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council and has been endorsed by all 15 of Virginia’s public higher education institutions and the Virginia Community College System. To learn more about the Growth4VA campaign, including the current economic impact of Virginia’s higher education system and the Growth4VA coalition’s plans for expanding economic growth and opportunity in Virginia, visit the campaign website at www.Growth4VA.com.