We believe it is valuable to invest time in students to help them explore entrepreneurship. Most entrepreneurs are successful after they gain industry experience, and need support with management, financial, and marketing skills. Through our programs, we teach students in all fields the basics of business ideation and formation, which the students can apply in their future entrepreneurial endeavors. From Farmville to South Boston to Martinsville and beyond, student entrepreneurship is on the rise in Southern Virginia!
Introducing Entrepreneurship Education at the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
Meet Jocelyn Forest, M.Ed., Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator
Jocelyn Forest
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC)
South Boston, VA
For the 2024-2025 school year, 316 students in grades 6-12 were engaged directly in entrepreneurship education. This includes 8 students who participated in a year-long work based learning (WBL) entrepreneurship program in Halifax County. It also includes students who engaged with RISE at a career fair or other community event.
The local business ecosystem supported the students learning. We are very grateful to the 16 businesses and 16 entrepreneurs who engaged as guest speakers and internship sites for the students to gain hands-on experience working in a small business.
Students Engaged
Businesses Engaged
Entrepreneurs Engaged
Introducing the SEED Innovation Hub in Farmville, VA
This position was created through support from the Longwood Office of Community and Economic Development as part of the GO Virginia Region 3 grant for the SEED Innovation Hub, an outgrowth RISE Collaborative initiative. This new, full-time role is housed at the Longwood University in the former Barnes & Noble Bookstore. The space opened in January 2021 and has attracted “people who have big dreams but haven’t had access to anything like this” according to Jacob Dolence, Director of Innovation and Ecosystem Building at Longwood University and SEED Innovation Hub.
The SEED is part of the SOVA Makerspace Network, a group of physical spaces that share a vision to build upon student entrepreneurship programs piloted by the RISE team 2021-2023, and increase regional entrepreneurship awareness and capacity within schools by supporting educators and directly engaging students in foundational entrepreneurship education. Benefits of entrepreneurship education include: problem solving, teamwork, collaboration, etc.
For the SEED, the response from students and community members has been overwhelming. The makerspace allows people with innovative ideas to connect with technology to bring their ideas to life. No matter their previous education level, the SEED is a space where innovators can bring amazing solutions to life. “Don’t understand the K-12 students,” said Dolence.
SEED Innovation Hub
Downtown Farmville, VA
Improving Access to Innovation
- The year-long track at the Career Tech Academy aligns directly with the VDOE’s High-Quality Work-Based-Learning (WBL) standards for the entrepreneurship category, by providing students with a blend of classroom learning combined with authentic, hands-on experiences that develop career readiness skills. This model showed deep learning potential but limited scalability due to the intensive time requirements, the reliance on sustained mentorship, and the difficulty of replicating extensive project-based and internship opportunities across broader school systems. Because student schedules are already so packed, it is difficult to recruit students to a year-long program when they have so many other classes to take. During the 2024-2025 year, this class served 8 students for a full academic year.
- The entrepreneurship curriculum prepares students for postsecondary success and workforce participation. Through activities and engagement with local industry partners, students apply academic knowledge in real world contexts and gain real-life skills, like problem-solving, teamwork, customer service, professional communication, time management, and more.
- Embedding entrepreneurship into existing programs or short-term workshops is more scalable across the region. It could take students several years to gain enough hours to meet the entrepreneurship WBL requirement, but it would still be possible if the student receives workshops starting in middle school, continuing through high school, and completes the online, asynchronous learning program on their own through their school’s access. Access to the online learning program is offered through Canvas or Google Classroom, to educators or club leaders (ex. FBLA clubs).
- Short-term, flexible programs that can be embedded in schools will be a strategic focus for the 2025-2026 academic year. The RISE Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator is visiting schools across the region to provide entrepreneurship education workshops and mentorship to teachers who want to implement entrepreneurship education into their classes. Strong interest from educators and students exists—but clear messaging and easy implementation models are key.
Moving Forward
Makerspace Momentum Building
The RISE Makerspace Network works directly with educators to customize each workshop to meet the needs of the students, the class, and the school. With continued community partnerships and flexible programming, the RISE initiative is poised to empower even more students and educators in the coming year.
SEED Innovation Hub
Downtown Farmville, VA
SOVA Innovation Hub
Regional Non-Profit & Coworking Space in South Boston, VA
Product Works @ Southern Virginia Higher Education Center
Student Entrepreneurship Programs 2025-2026
Educators receive tools and support:
- RISE Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator will come to your school/classroom in-person or virtually
- Continued use of the RISE Generator Curriculum and design thinking workshops
- Menu of flexible offerings (e.g. 1-day, 4-module, hybrid)
- Optional certification for educators (via CO.STARTERS)
- Continued advocacy to get VDOE to approve the RISE student curriculum as an entrepreneurship WBL
Educators (teachers, CTE directors, club leaders) choose to:
- Embed entrepreneurship content into existing academic, career and technical courses.
- Share program materials and conduct interest meetings with students.
- Receive support from RISE to embed the RISE Generator curriculum.
- Co-design entrepreneurship workshops for your students with the RISE Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator.
The RISE Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator works directly with educators to customize each workshop to meet the needs of the students, the class, and the school. With continued community partnerships and flexible programming, the RISE initiative is poised to empower even more students and educators in the coming year.
Ready to Get Started?
Contact Jocelyn Forest, M.Ed., RISE Student Entrepreneurship Education Coordinator, jocelynforest@svhec.org
Program Sponsors
Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC)
SOVA Innovation Hub
Regional Non-Profit & Coworking Space in South Boston, VA
GO Virginia Region 3
SEED Innovation Hub
Downtown Farmville, VA
Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Statewide Network with Local Business Consultants