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Our Mission
To enhance the educational opportunities available to the citizens of Halifax County, South Boston, and Southern Virginia.
Our Vision
An expanded continuing education center located in and serving the residents of Halifax County and Southern Virginia, charged with linking local and regional colleges and universities together to offer post secondary, higher education, and workforce training programs.
Our History
The Halifax Educational Foundation, Inc. (HEF) consists of a thirty-three member Board of community leaders, chief elected officials, and volunteers. The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively to promote and enhance continuing educational opportunities for the citizens of Southside Virginia and to carry out other exclusively charitable, educational, and scientific purposes. In 1994, the Halifax County Board of Supervisors and South Boston Town Council passed a resolution establishing the College Committee, charged with studying the feasibility of establishing a four-year college campus in Halifax County and South Boston in conjunction with several area colleges. Doing extensive research into the most effective options available to the community, the College Committee modified its initial vision in order to better meet the needs of its citizens. From the committee, the Halifax Educational Foundation, Inc. was created. Established in 1997, the Halifax Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the goal of affordable and accessible educational opportunities for citizens of the Southside region. The Foundation initiated a successful capital campaign for the renovation of the former Export Leaf Tobacco Warehouse located in downtown South Boston, Virginia and donated to the Foundation on December 12, 1997, by John R. Cannon and the family of the late Bob Harris. The local community demonstrated strong financial support for the fund raising campaign with over a 75 percent voter approval on the November 1998 ballot for the proposed sale of up to $1.75 million in general
obligation bonds. Additional funding for the project was obtained via donations or grants from local government, citizens, businesses, industry, Community Development Block Grant, USDA Rural Development, Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission, Longwood University, Southside Virginia Community College, and Danville Community College. No state funds were used for the project. In 2001, the Foundation renovated and furnished the Export Leaf Tobacco Warehouse in downtown South Boston and created a 35,000 square foot state-of-the-art educational facility. At the ribbon cutting ceremony on August 19, 2001, the Center changed to a new future and a new name, Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. Within three years the HEF renovated an additional 5,700 square feet of space in the tobacco warehouse for an Advanced Technology Lab for workforce development. Through grants and partnerships, this lab utilizes high performance manufacturing technology. In 2005 via contributions and grants, the HEF constructed 160 additional parking spaces and expanded the parking lot to 300 spaces. The following year an upfit of 5,500 square feet of unfinished space in the West Wing provided additional classrooms and office space. December 2006, Eva Harris and family donated the 45,000 square foot former American Tobacco Warehouse to the HEF. This facility is currently under construction, and scheduled to be substantially completed by December 2010. When complete, the ATW building will house the SVHEC’s signature Business of Art & Design programming with courses in Digital Art & Design and Product Design & Development. In addition, the facility will house the R&D Innovation Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Energy Efficiency. In addition, the HEF sponsors a scholarship program for applicants continuing their education via the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center. Scholarships totaling over $7,000 have been awarded for the current year. Scholarship sponsors include the Halifax Educational Foundation, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, the Hope Scholarship in honor of Alvelta Hope Arthur Lumsden, and the Penick Estate Scholarship in memory of Virginia Penick.
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