Photo Above: Participants in the CIVIC Scholars Program during a visit to the Virginia General Assembly in Richmond
Cultivating Hampton Roads’ next generation of leaders is the goal of the CIVIC Scholars Program at Old Dominion University and Tidewater Community College. A collaborative effort with the CIVIC Leadership Institute, it connects the colleges’ students with local business and government leaders in hopes they will remain in the area.
“It’s designed to combat the brain drain in Hampton Roads,” says Lianna Childress, program director.
The brain drain Childress referred to was documented in the 2023 ODU State of the Commonwealth report, which revealed Hampton Roads was experiencing stagnated population growth, and a decline in the number of younger residents, she explained. Annual Growth from 2020-2022 was down 0.5% in Hampton Roads.
The CIVIC Scholars Program was started in 2013 by ODU Vice President for University Advancement Alonzo Brandon and Cathy Lewis, former president of CIVIC Leadership. TCC students were added in 2015. Each academic year, nearly 40 students are selected to participate. The students are in various majors ranging from culinary arts, speech pathology to engineering.
The program has several components. Students meet with mentors and business leaders, attend skills-based workshops and are given personal development opportunities.
“We are closing a gap by introducing students to the wide range of career opportunities available across Hampton Roads. Participants able to build a professional social network by meeting approximately 50 local executives through this program,” Childress explains.
The CIVIC Scholars Mentor Link Experience pairs a college junior with a mentor based on the student’s academic, career and personal goals.
“Students say it’s one of the most valuable parts of the program,” she says.
For the mentors it is a chance to share their life and career experiences.
“They love to be able to connect with students, develop a succession plan for them (after graduation), share their own personal struggles and how they were able to establish themselves,” Childress said. This has resulted in internship opportunities for many students, she adds.
The program also incorporates opportunities for students to engage with government. They visited the Virginia General Assembly’s Lobby Day to talk with legislators.
CIVIC Scholars at the annual Darden Awards presented by the Civic Leadership Institute
ODU graduate Daniel Tekleab, considers the program “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
He said the diverse group of scholars is plus. Now working as a Human Resources Specialist at Dollar Tree, he said the team building exercises helped him develop his strengths. That gave him confidence with job interviews. And meeting with such business leaders like Greg Garrett, Senior Partner and CEO of Garrett Realty Partners, proved to be valuable.
“He gave me a lot to think about in terms of tracking my career. It was very helpful,” Tekleab says.
Katherine Guevara, graduated with a degree in management from ODU and will soon be taking to the skies for Envoy Air. Through the CIVIC Scholars program, she had the opportunity to meet with local airline employees who shared advice on how to become a flight attendant.
John Angle, Senior Vice President of Operations at W.M. Jordan, has worked with several students over the years. He advised one student on what engineering program was best suited for her because of her love of math. He’s also coached a couple of students on refining soft skills, such as table manners.
By building relationships with the students, Angle works to keep them in the area following college graduation, he says.
The creation of CIVIC Scholars program was presented to the National Association of Leadership Professionals’ annual convention and has inspired the development of similar programs in other cities and universities, Childress shared.
Childress continues. “As these young professionals grow, their engagement strengthens the local workforce and business ecosystem, creating a pipeline of motivated, connected talent that benefits employers and drives economic vitality in Hampton Roads.”
