Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative

Expanding opportunity and transforming the educational and economic landscape of rural Virginia.

Fourteen of the state’s twenty-three community colleges are located in Virginia’s Rural Horseshoe, an arc of countryside stretching from the Eastern Shore to the far Southwest and up the Shenandoah Valley. The Rural Virginia Horseshoe Initiative (RVHI) is working to cut in half, from over 20% to under 10%, the number of residents living within the Rural Horseshoe who lack a high school diploma or its equivalent.

The Initiative also aims to double the percentage of rural residents who earn an associate degree or other college certification from 26% to 52%. RVHI places career coaches in rural high schools to guide students through the transition to college, and offers targeted scholarships for post-secondary degrees and certifications for students of all ages. The Initiative develops workforce training programs that can launch students into sustainable and rewarding careers.