Business leaders and government officials shed light on cutting-edge rural broadband initiatives, and gave updates on collaborative economic development efforts designed to boost economic development and job growth in rural Southern Virginia, at a recent Regional Rural Caucus meeting in Martinsville.

Held at New College Institute (NCI), the meeting was organized by the Virginia Rural Center and supported by Virginia legislators. It included participants from the GO Virginia District 3 region, a group of business and civic leaders focused on economic development opportunities specific to the defined territory of Southern Virginia cities and counties.

Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville, discussed the background of NCI and how important the presence of a higher education institution is to economic development. Noting that Martinsville at one point was “the richest community per capita in the whole Commonwealth,” Marshall said that one of the things needed to bring prosperity back to the region is an educated workforce.

NCI Executive Director Leanna Blevins described the need for higher education collaboration in rural areas, and gave updates on partnerships with four year colleges such as James Madison University.

Blevins also highlighted NCI’s new Center of Advanced Manufacturing, established through a partnership with Patrick Henry Community College and Eastman, one of the region’s largest employers. Benefitting from experiential learning, students participate in classroom learning at Patrick Henry Community College and then go to NCI to learn on a one-of-a-kind piece of manufacturing equipment designed and built for the program.

NCI’s programs are open to Patrick residents. NCI’s other partnerships include Longwood, Radford and the University of Virginia.

“We want to transform rural Virginia by taking the best of traditional education and applying that in new and unique ways,” said Blevins.

To learn more visit www.govirginia.org.