The Campus Within Walls Community Advisory Board convened on March 31, 2025, at the Lake Country Advanced Knowledge Center (LCAKC) in South Hill for a powerful and purposeful discussion on educational and workforce opportunities for justice-impacted individuals.
The meeting opened with an overview of Campus Within Walls, a Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Grant. Attendees learned about the program’s growing impact and the collaborative work taking place to expand educational access to incarcerated learners.
Key presentations came from Jessica Lee and Dr. Adolph Brown of the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), who shared insights into correctional education and the wide-ranging services available through their reentry programs. Their message highlighted the importance of education as a foundation for successful reentry. Adding a workforce perspective, Terra Napier, Executive Director of the Virginia Career Works South Central Workforce Development Board (SCWDB), discussed employment opportunities available to returning citizens and the incentives available for second-chance employers who help rebuild lives through meaningful work.
The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion on how regional stakeholders—from education to workforce and business sectors—can partner more effectively to support justice-impacted individuals approaching reentry. Several current and potential second-chance employers participated in the meeting, including Jones Electric, South Hill Glass, Sun Tribe, SHINE, Nucor, and Reiss Manufacturing, signaling strong regional support for inclusive hiring and reentry success.
Please visit our Campus Within Walls page to learn more about the program.
