Success Stories

With over 25,000 square feet of premier, flexible meeting and event space, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center is Southern Virginia’s premiere event venue for small to large meetings, classroom training, corporate retreats, multi-day conferences and more.

From national conferences and community celebrations to professional trainings and completion ceremonies, organizations from across Virginia, North Carolina and beyond trusted the IALR Conference Center to deliver outstanding events with exceptional service.

A unique venture at the forefront of biostimulant research, the Plant Endophyte Research Center at IALR leverages private and public partnerships and funding to study how endophytes can enhance agricultural production.

ATDM is a prototype for rapidly developing skilled workers to enter the defense industrial base. In just four months, adult learners equip themselves for careers in manufacturing careers like welding, machining and quality control.

IALR hosted 18 summer interns for a paid, eight-week experience in summer 2025. Working across many of IALR’s divisions and departments, each of these interns contributed to IALR’s mission of driving economic transformation in Southern Virginia and beyond.

Now celebrating its 10th year, IMT is a collaboration between Danville Community College and IALR aimed at producing manufacturing leaders with a comprehensive understanding of manufacturing processes and operations and critical leadership skills. Graduates have influenced the region’s manufacturing scene by stepping into positions that require leadership, problem-solving and high-level production knowledge.

"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

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.

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.

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 joined forces with economic developers in the region to host the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA) in a collaboration to create a strong economy that benefits the citizens of the Southern Virginia Region by promoting the Institute’s footprint through marketing and public relations efforts.

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.

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.

Hosted at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), the annual Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East brings hundreds of producers, educators, scientists, engineers, developers, extension specialists and other industry members together. Building alliances, sharing information and forging new connections are key themes that drive the success of the event.

This September, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) enters its fifth year as a program administrator for AmeriCorps, a service-based, talent development program of the federal Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) that has improved lives and transformed communities. As their slogan says, AmeriCorps members get things done. 

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) was selected as the host site for the Governor’s First Agriculture & Industrial Biotechnology Conference due to its research focused on agricultural biotechnology, conference center capabilities, and a wide range of technology solutions for conference attendees and presenters.

Decorating the Trees for a Cause is a program sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) that raises money for local causes and charities while bringing the community together in the spirit of the holidays. 

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.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research precipitates positive change while focusing on economic development for Southern Virginia in three key areas: applied research, advanced learning, and workforce development.