Certificate News July 2026
Certificate News – July 2026
Summer semester is in full swing at Virginia Tech! We are offering two classes this semester and thank you to Anthony Romanello, John Budesky and Chris Lawrence for preparing the next generation of local government leaders and managers!
New Changes to the Economic Development Course Offerings at Virginia Tech!
We presented at the VLGMA Summer Conference on a newly revamped Economic Development Planning course and our newly revamped Graduate Certificate in Economic Development. Economic Development Planning: Applied Methods will be offered this Fall.
This course prepares graduate students and working professionals for the full, modern scope of economic development practice. Moving beyond survey-level theory, it grounds students in the applied methods, analytical tools, and practitioner judgment required to design, negotiate, and implement economic development strategies in real communities. Coursework is organized around the six competency domains of the IEDC Economic Developer’s Competency Roadmap — from core functions and business retention through deal structuring, real estate reuse, strategic planning, and emerging place-based strategies — while centering Virginia’s distinct legal and institutional context throughout. Students will leave this course able to diagnose a local economy, evaluate a development opportunity, structure a public incentive package, engage stakeholders productively, and communicate economic development strategy to elected officials and the public.
Virginia Tech offers the Commonwealth Campus program that allows Virginia residents to take up to 12 credits without declaring a degree or program. Managers may consider sending students to take this one class without committing to the local government certificate program. Course tuition is approximately $3,000 and students enrolled in the local government program are eligible for financial assistance through the Bob Stripling VLGMA Scholarship program.
Webinar Speakers Requested
We are looking for webinar speakers for the Fall ICMA Student Chapter events. Webinars are virtual delivery, from 12-1 pm via zoom. If you are interested in presenting on a particular topic of interest to the next generation of local government managers and leaders, please reach out! sddavis@vt.edu.
Certificate Program Information Sessions
The deadline to apply for the Fall semester is August 1. We hold monthly certificate information sessions for prospective students. Use this link to register for the upcoming session! https://spia.vt.edu/newsevents/events/virtualinfosessions.html