Region
Southwest Virginia
Through our partnership with UVa-Wise, the University works to support the region in growing and attracting businesses that support emerging industries, including the area’s burgeoning digital economy.
Melissa M. Lubin will lead UVA's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) as Dean with emphasis on programs that respond to both student and workforce demand. Dean Lubin is a champion for community engagement and economic development. Lubin will lead development and growth for SCPS that will reach across UVA's degree completion programs, online offerings, and expanded partnerships in Northern Virginia and in Wise.
Join us for lunch and a panel discussion highlighting partnership between UVA and UVA Wise to support economic and research development in Southwest Virginia. Wednesday, March 25, 2020 | 12:00-1:00pm | UVA Newcomb Hall 389
Learn moreDiscover the University's contributions to Virginia through a series of compelling, vignette-style highlights presented in this first edition report. Understand UVA as an engine for inclusive economic growth by exploring the initiatives that are creating proactive impact across the Commonwealth.
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Faculty at the University of Virginia and UVA’s College at Wise are helping one another make a difference in the lives of Southwest Virginians.
UVA and UVA-Wise are finding new ways to engage in university-based economic development in Southwest Virginia. The Appalachian Prosperity Project partnership is advancing health, education, and economic prosperity in the region.
An up to $486,994 grant to the UVA-Wise Foundation will develop the Clinch River Ecological Education Center in St. Paul, Virginia. UVA's work on a grassroots effort known as the Clinch River Valley initiative set the process in motion and provided a foundation for the grant application.
A new program will use telehealth to bring together a University of Virginia Health System team with primary care providers in the Appalachian region of Virginia to improve lung disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Saltville native Austin Widner has helped the University hone its outreach to students from rural areas west of Roanoke, where many students may have felt that UVA was unattainable.
A new UVA Cancer Center Without Walls initiative will empower Southwest Virginia residents to lead projects to better detect and prevent cancer in the region. The initiative grew out of a community advisory board formed in 2013 and will address cancer disparities in the Appalachian counties of Southwest Virginia.
UVA launched a first-of-its-kind study using telemedicine to detect bladder cancer in underserved parts of the state. A UVA urologist provides analysis and diagnosis through the virtual platform, expanding access to care in an area where increased screening and services could improve early detection and treatment outcomes.
The Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a $100 million program designed to support telehealth and telemedicine programs for underserved populations in rural areas. UVA's co-founder and director of Telehealth Karen Rheuban supported the proposal, envisioning UVA as a strong partner in the effort and testifying to the urgency for support in Southwest Virginia.
Funding from the University's Strategic Investment Fund and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development enabled UVA-Wise to open "The Nest," a critical step towards creating a robust culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.