Home of the "Global Virginia" project. The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Virginia was established in 1991 and currently offers approximately 75 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from eight colleges and universities in Virginia.  The Center is also home to several business outreach initiatives including the Global Virginia project and extensive business conference facilities.  Our beautiful new building was opened in 1998 and overlooks the mountains of Southwest Virginia.			June 2007 Participants in the third annual SW Virginia/NE Tennessee Study in Mexico program visit the Escaleras ladder manufacturing plant in Monterrey, Mexico.  Strongwell, Inc. of Bristol, Virginia, is a major exporter of fiberglass ladder railings to Escaleras. Twenty-five students and professors from seven colleges and universities in VA and TN participated in the 2007 Study in Mexico program.  The local program partner is the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico.  Major funding for the trip was provided by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Business and International Education program.  A new international business study trip to China is planned for 2008.
January 2007 Margaret Hanson-Muse, Senior Commercial Officer, for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce in Lima, Peru, was the guest speaker at a “Doing Business in Peru” seminar at the Higher Ed Center. She is the highest-ranking U.S. government export promotion official in the country. Peru is an important market for mining equipment products from Southwest Virginia. Peruvian tariffs have recently been eliminated on most capital goods exports from the US. The Higher Ed Center will also sponsor a catalogue show representation for SW Virginia companies at the EXTEMIN 2007 mining equipment trade show in Peru.	October 2006 Professor Raoul Godinez from the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico, visits the SW Virginia Higher Ed Center. Professor Godinez in the Site Director for the "SW Virginia Study in Mexico" program.		September 2006 Southwest Virginia forest products exporters were represented in the “Virginia Woods” exhibit at the 2006 ZOW show. The SW Virginia Higher Education Center’s International Business Assistance project sponsored the exhibit along with Virginia Tech, Virginia Dept. of Agriculture, and the Appalachian Regional Commission. There is an enormous demand for logs, lumber, and veneers in China for furniture manufacturing and construction. The participating Southwest Virginia companies were provided with numerous trade leads for follow up. The Higher Education Center also provides translation assistance and international videoconference facilities. Participating Southwest Virginia companies included: B.J. Fortner Lumber Co., Fortress Wood Products, Gilbert-NS Lumber Co., and Independence Lumber Co.
April 2006 George L. Hiller, Director of International Business and Education, accepts the 2006 Program Excellence Award for the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center at the annual convention of NASBITE (www.nasbite.org), North American Small Business International Trade Educators. The Higher Ed Center's "Southwest Virginia Study in Mexico" was recognized by NASBITE as an innovative new approach to international trade education. In the Study in Mexico program, students and faculty from Emory & Henry College, University of Virginia's College at Wise, Virginia Intermont College, and Virginia Highlands Community College study Mexican history, culture, and international business at the Tecnologico de Monterrey. Students also visit the local Mexican business partners of Southwest Virginia firms. Pictured with George Hiller are Mr. Glenn Doolittle, President, of NASBITE and Ms. Jan Smith, incoming President.	March 2006 Betsy White, Executive Director, William King Regional Arts Center in Abingdon, is pictured with the line of authentic Appalachian heritage craft reproductions featured in the new online store: www.williamkingonline.com All of the items are made by crafters in Southwest Virginia and surrounding areas. The online site began operations this month. The new store will expand online export sales opportunities for regional artisans. Key target markets will be Western Europe and Japan, for craft sales as well as expanded international tourism visits to Southwest Virginia. The international business project at the SW Virginia Higher Education Center has provided support for the development of this project.	November 2005 Prof. Raoul Godinez (seated left) from the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico, meets with students and professors from Emory & Henry College during his recent trip to Southwest Virginia. Prof. Godinez was an instructor for the "Southwest Virginia Study in Mexico" program in May 2005. His visit to Virginia was sponsored by the Higher Education Center's grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Business and International Education program.	October 2005 Southwest Virginia Fraser Fir Christmas tree growers meet with Adriana Gonzalez Q., Vice President of Coppesa. The company is one of the largest distributors of Christmas trees (“Arboles de Navidad”) in Mexico City. The Virginia delegation met with several large Mexican distributors of Christmas trees to promote exports of Frasers for the 2005 season. Frasers are largely new to the Mexican market. The USA and Canada export approximately US $40 million per year of fresh-cut Christmas trees to Mexico. The Higher Ed Center has worked with the VA Dept. of Agriculture to provide financial and management support for this export promotion.
October 2005 Mr. Sean King, China Portfolio Manager for the U.S. Department of Commerce Advocacy Center addresses the Doing Business in China Conference at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The Conference was co-sponsored by the Higher Education Center, Virginia Intermont College, and the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. State Sen. William C. Wampler, Jr. from Bristol opened the Conference. Other speakers included representatives from Bristol Compressors and Eastman Chemical, both with major operations in China. Virginia exports over $600 million a year of commodities and manufactured products to China. Approximately 125 people attended the Conference, including a number of area high school and college students.	May 2005 Participants in the first Southwest Virginia Study in Mexico program on the campus at Tecnologicio de Monterrey, Mexico. Fifteen students and professors from: Emory & Henry College, Virginia Intermont College, University of Virginia's College at Wise, and Virginia Highlands Community College participated in the week-long program. Students visited the Mexican business partners for two major exporters from Southwest Virginia; Bristol Compressors and Strongwell Corp. They also took classes on doing business in Mexico and Mexican history/culture.	May 2005 Study in Mexico Trip cont. Dr. Amelia Harris, Academic Dean, University of Virginia's College at Wise and students visit the York International air conditioner assembly plant in Monterrey, Mexico. Bristol Compressors of Bristol, Virignia, is a major exporter of compressors to York facilities in Mexico. Bristol Compressors, a member of the York International family of companies, is one of the largest manufacturers in Southwest Virginia. The company exports compressors around the world.	February 2005 International Transportation and Logistics Update Hank Selby held a seminar on Current issues in International Trade, NAFTA Issues for Exporters and NAFTA Issues for Importers
January 2005 Bristol, TN/VA Chamber of Commerce First Friday Breakfast January 7, 2005: International Business in the Tri Cities George Hiller (at podium), International Business Development Manager, SW Virginia Higher Education Center and Dr. Jon Smith, Professor of Business Administration, East Tennessee State University, addressed the Bristol, TN/VA Chamber of Commerce about the growing importance of international business in the Tri Cities. Lisa Meadows, President and CEO of the Bristol Chamber, is also shown. Some 150 area business executives attended the program. SVHEC and ETSU have both received grants from the U.S. Department of Education to develop programs to better link the higher education and business sectors in the Tri Cities. A joint international business certificate program is planned for fall 2005.	November 2004 USDOC Trade Official Visits Region to Promote International Heritage Tourism in Southwest Virginia. Sandra Necessary, a trade promotion officer with the U.S. Dept. of Commerce office in New Mexico, spoke at the Blue Ridge Travel Association Conference in Bristol. Ms. Necessary was born in Christiansburg, Virginia. She is a national expert on promoting arts/crafts exports and recruiting international tourists to visit the U.S. The Global Virginia project was a co-sponsor of the Conference.	October 2004 Dr. Amelia Harris, Academic Dean, University of Virginia's College at Wise, and George Hiller with the Higher Ed Center meet with students from Tec de Monterrey, Mexico, during a visit to Mexico. The Higher Ed Center and partner colleges from Southwest Virginia plan to offer a special international study program to Monterrey and Saltillo for Southwest Virginia college students. The one-week trip is tentatively scheduled for March 2005.	September 2004 Mexican Christmas Tree Buying Delegation Visits Southwest Virginia. Sponsored by VA Dept. of Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center
June 2004 Dr. Rachel Fowlkes accepts the Southern Growth Policies Board Innovator Award for the "Global Virginia" project. The Higher Education Center was recognized as the most innovative trade promotion agency in Virginia at the Southern Growth Annual Convention in Oklahoma City. (left to right) Governor Brad Henry (OK), Dr. Rachel Fowlkes, Executive Director, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Governor Mike Huckabee (AR) and Governor Bob Riley (AL). See Press Releases for more details.