About

"We’ve worked with Virginia Tech’s Center for Economic & Community Engagement to help provide engineering students and faculty with positions at Volvo and Mack Trucks and their supplier firms. With support from U.S. Economic Development Administration during the 2008-10 recession, we completed numbers of product development and process improvements projects with Volvo and their suppliers that helped the company continue to grow their influence in the region. More recently, we worked with Mack Trucks as they developed a new product line that will be established at a new factory in Roanoke, Virginia."

- Matt Earnest, Director of VT Center for High Performance Manufacturing

"Virginia Tech’s Center for Economic & Community Engagement has been a great partner to our alliance to include Verge, RAMP, and RBTC. Their team has assisted us with high level strategy and in understanding our true, measurable impact in the tech and biotech innovation space both in the region and beyond. The VT CECE team have also provided key assistance in our grant writing strategy, storytelling, and outcome measurements."

- Erin Burcham, President of Verge Alliance

"I worked with the Virginia Tech Center for Economic & Community Engagement on the $4 million CREATES program during the 2008-10 Recession. This US DOL-funded initiative involved collaborations between Virginia Western Community College and Virginia Tech faculty and focused on the creation of new courses and partnerships with industry. Courses centered on energy research and allowed students to receive training as well as hands-on job experience. Hundreds of people found new jobs and others acquired new skills, allowing them to find success in difficult economic times. The Center for Economic & Community Engagement is a great resource and partner for those wanting to invest in their communities."

- Dr. Robert Sandel, President of Virginia Western Community College

"Virginia Tech's Center for Economic & Community Engagement is an ideal partner if you're looking for evidence-based problem-solvers and researchers.  The individuals in the center are known as being trailblazers in the space of technical assistance for entrepreneurship, community, talent, technology and workforce research.  The team skillfully provides a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including focus groups, surveys, economic impact analysis, and interviews.  Aside from the fact that the staff is always friendly and responsive, the quality of the research is nothing short of top notch." 

- Samantha Steidle, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship & Director of Radford University's Venture Lab

"At Apex, we believe entrepreneurship, new venture development and business growth is the key ingredient to developing a bright future for our region. We would not be where we are without the vital support of the Virginia Tech Center for Economic & Community Engagement (VT CECE) and their wonderful support and leadership.  The VT CECE has been our partner since the early days of our launching the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs. They have gone out of their way to make sure they are supporting our mission of inspiring and empowering our students, faculty, and alumni turn their passion, purpose, and ideas into action. The entire VT CECE team have a fantastic cooperative approach, are incredibly responsive and have a strong willingness to support the Apex Center and our growing success.  There is much more to be done and the team at VT CECE are bringing together the key players in the state and region to make it happen. The future is bright."

- Derick Maggard, Executive Director of the Apex Center for Entrepreneurs

"The City of Galax, along with members from Vaughan Furniture Company, reached out to the Virginia Tech Center for Economic & Community Engagement for assistance in evaluating a former 400,000 square foot furniture factory in Galax as a possible multi-use facility that could serve as a catalyst for tourism and increased visitors to our city. The “ask” was simple but the deliverable very complicated – “What can this former factory be that will help Galax in the future?” The CECE staff and graduate students worked diligently over a few months reviewing the facility and exploring our regional needs, similar projects, possible funding sources, and how communities partnered or supported developers. The final product was presented to the owners, Galax City Council, and other key individuals in our community and was received with much excitement about the possibilities for the former plant. The final project has generated so much interest that we now have active working committees and state agency representatives meeting on a continuous basis to begin moving this project forward. Without the assistance from the Virginia Tech CECE, we would not have made any progress on this exciting project."

- Keith Barker, City Manager of Galax

"We work with Virginia Tech’s Center for Economic & Community Engagement to connect Virginia Tech’s assets and resources with companies in Newport News. The Newport News Economic Development Authority was a proud sponsor of the inaugural Hampton Roads-Virginia Tech Showcase that brought Virginia Tech President Tim Sands and 90 faculty together for a day of talks and presentations with more than 200 economic leaders from around the region. With the resources and opportunities available through the Center for Economic & Community Engagement, we are collaboratively working to make the new Tech Center Research Park in Newport News a success. By providing professional opportunities and career development programs for individuals and businesses in our area, we are excited about the even larger impact Virginia Tech will have in the region."

- Matt Johnson, Economic Development Manager, City of Newport News