Collaborate. Innovate. Create. Educate.
Together, we are stronger. The relationships we’ve built with our partner schools – James Madison, Old Dominion, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech, William and Mary and Virginia Military Institute – bring valuable assets to bear on the challenges and opportunities facing the state University system. Each school leverages its unique strengths and resources to further a shared goal. In the 4-VA scenario, the technological resources from one campus are combined with the rich historical archives of another and the performing arts expertise at a third. The results? An extraordinary final product and educational resource available to all Virginians.
By and large, the 4-VA effort is focused in these areas:
- Grants for Collaborative and Complementary Research
- Support for Identifying and Developing Open Educational Resources (OER)
- Course Sharing
- Degree Completion
Whether it is a grant for a ground-breaking study on microbial phage evolution, or supporting faculty in the development of dynamic OER lesson plans to bring a language and culture alive for their students, or seamlessly transitioning undergraduates from Northern Virginia Community College to Mason, the 4-VA effort is a concrete example of driving success.
Importantly, the 4-VA mission aligns carefully with the goals and strategies of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia – making higher education more affordable and attainable with an eye toward providing pathways to careers of the future.
4 – VA Results: Virginia Jobs, National Recognition, and Bottom Line Savings
Thanks to new pedagogy, educational opportunities, and the pioneering STEM programs developed through 4-VA, Virginians are being trained for a wide range of in-demand and growing jobs from bioinformatics to cyber security. Students are leaving Mason and partner schools with a resume that truly opens doors — especially in the Northern Virginia area where technology is a robust driver of the economy.
A 4-VA grant is often the seed money that launches continued student and faculty research efforts into the larger universe of funding; to include NASA, the National Science Foundation and Mason’s OSCAR “Students as Scholars” grants.
What’s more, many 4–VA funded programs have been introduced to national and international academic and scientific audiences via presentations at conferences, conventions and symposiums.
An important outcome of 4–VA, however, extends even further beyond the lofty goals of mission-driven research, leading-edge teaching tools or greater access to courses and educational opportunities.
Perhaps the most overarching benefit? Cost savings.
The 4-VA team carefully studies each request for funding to assess its potential impact for reducing expenses while improving results for our students and Virginia’s taxpayers. We’re finding and fueling the most effective, inventive, and resourceful prospects to do more — efficiently.