Success Stories

An agreement to serve as the interim executive director for a few months quickly evolved into a permanent position Jerry Gwaltney held for over four years at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. Gwaltney has lead the Institute since April 2013 and will retire July 31, 2017.

IMT graduates find success in advanced manufacturing. Leading employer Harlow hired their first Danville employees from the renowned training program.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) hosted 17 summer interns for an eight-week, paid experience during the Summer of 2023. From recent high school graduates to students pursuing their master’s degrees, these interns worked in various divisions and departments across our organization.

During National Apprenticeship Week 2023 (Nov. 13-17), the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) acknowledged some of the organizations providing quality registered apprenticeship opportunities in Southern Virginia. Staff "popped in" on several of these partners to provide them with their 2023 ExTRA Awards.

A total of 110 students participated in at least one of eight summer STEM camps hosted at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) during June and July 2024. These engaging, hands-on camps sparked interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) primarily for students in grades 3-8.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) hosted 13 summer interns for a paid, eight-week experience in summer 2024. Working across many of IALR’s divisions and departments, each of these interns made significant contributions to IALR’s mission of driving economic transformation in Southern Virginia and beyond.

Approximately 4,546 middle and high school students connected with employers and learned about their region's career pathways and employment opportunities during the 2024 Career ChoICE Youth Expo events hosted at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham and Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville.

"IALR is so much more than a collection of programs or a campus; it’s where education, innovation and collaboration meet. Here, shared success happens every day." - Telly Tucker, IALR President