Virginia’s noble goal of becoming the nation’s top state for talent depends on a strong commitment to every institution of higher education that prepares our future workforce. Public universities, community colleges and nonprofit private colleges work together as an essential ecosystem, expanding opportunities for students and strengthening the economy by producing the nurses, cybersecurity professionals, teachers, entrepreneurs and civic leaders Virginia needs. Employers depend on this talent development, and students need affordable pathways to success. As a former Virginia secretary of education and a board member of both a public and a private university, strong higher ed partnerships are essential to economic growth.
To meet these talent objectives, Virginia’s nonprofit private colleges are indispensable state partners by awarding one-third of all undergraduate degrees and nearly 40% of nursing degrees in the state. Traditional liberal arts programs develop communication, critical thinking and sound judgment, skills that are AI-proof and increasingly important to employers as AI transforms the workplace. Together, specialized preparation and a broad education equip graduates with the skills to adapt as jobs evolve over their careers.
Nonprofit private colleges serve the entire state, from Tidewater to Southwest Virginia, where public four-year institutions have a limited presence. With over 100,000 students, they also expand access for students from underserved communities, including those who are the first in their families to attend college. Virginia’s private nonprofit colleges provide important access to higher education. In 2024–25, 53% of their undergraduate students received federal Pell Grants. This federal assistance, institutional scholarships and Virginia’s Tuition Assistance Grant make these educational opportunities more affordable.
Unfortunately, new federal student borrowing caps and the elimination of Grad PLUS loans for new borrowers risk weakening Virginia’s healthcare workforce, in particular, by making advanced professional education harder to finance. Families now face financing gaps that colleges cannot easily absorb. Virginia’s nonprofit private institutions report substantial borrowing shortfalls, enrollment delays and concerns about the viability of graduate programs. When students are priced out of essential programs like nursing, Virginia’s workforce suffers, leaving our communities without the urgent care they need.
What can be done to preserve affordability and essential workforce pipelines? One way is for Virginia to help students succeed at colleges with existing educational capacity, such as our private colleges. Consider this basic economic fact. If Virginia residents currently attending nonprofit private colleges shifted to public institutions, the state’s cost of supporting them could more than double. Preserving that private school capacity by providing additional funding tools is sound fiscal policy, and the state will continue to see a significant return on investment per degree.
Private colleges cannot sustain this partnership alone. Replacing lost federal student financing with institutional aid strains budgets that support faculty, facilities, technology and student services. Without enhanced state support, Virginia risks fewer graduates, diminished programs and weaker workforce pipelines. The commonwealth can protect its higher education capacity and strengthen student affordability through two targeted investments:
First, in the 2027 General Assembly Session, lawmakers should support the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s proposal to raise Tuition Assistance Grant awards to $5,450 for eligible undergraduate and graduate students. I hope Gov. Spanberger will lead this conversation in her December budget amendments. Such a measured investment would improve affordability for students, preserve access to higher education and affirm that Virginia values residents pursuing degrees at nonprofit private institutions.
Second, the commonwealth should launch a pilot grant program helping nonprofit private colleges preserve and maintain campuses that drive local economic activity. Right now, improvements rely almost entirely on private philanthropy, debt or tuition revenue. Kudos to Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico County, for launching the discussion with 2026’s HB 522. His proposal would match private funds dollar for dollar, supporting millions in essential improvements and local investment. Six states, including Maryland and Pennsylvania, offer similar programs. A competitive grant program, with legal safeguards and oversight by SCHEV, the Department of Historic Resources and the Department of General Services, would ensure accountability for costs, outcomes and return on investment. I urge the Spanberger administration to support this targeted pilot.
Virginia’s nonprofit private colleges perform a public good. Investing in essential maintenance at nonprofit private colleges protects Virginia’s investment in students. It eases budget pressures, helps preserve financial aid and academic programs, keeps classrooms and laboratories ready for learning, and avoids costlier replacement needs. A modest investment now can help more students graduate, strengthen the state workforce and save taxpayers money. As former Gov. Douglas Wilder often said, “If the thing is right, the time is always right.” These investments are right, and now is the time to secure Virginia’s future success.
James W. Dyke Jr. served as Virginia’s secretary of education from 1990 to 1993.
