iQuasar’s Role in Advancing SCHEV’s V-TOP Internship Program
The Client
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) is the Commonwealth’s coordinating body for higher education, aimed at creating an educationally and economically sound, progressive, and well-coordinated system. SCHEV supports students through increased access, affordability, and real-world learning opportunities, and helps employers by strengthening the talent pipeline. Through the V-TOP (Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (Virginia TOP)) initiative, SCHEV awarded over $524,000 in grants to convert federal work-study roles into career-relevant internships. In 2023–24, Virginia institutions awarded over 132,000 degrees and certificates, reflecting academic progress statewide. SCHEV ensures that higher education remains aligned with workforce needs. It also honors teaching excellence through its annual Outstanding Faculty Awards, with 12 recipients recognized in 2025. Together, these efforts highlight SCHEV’s essential role in advancing both student success and economic development across Virginia.
The Problem/Opportunity
SCHEV faced several challenges in expanding quality internship opportunities across Virginia, particularly through its V-TOP initiative.
- Limited Employer Capacity: Many small and mid-sized businesses lack the time, resources, or infrastructure to develop and manage structured, high-quality internship programs.
- Student Access & Alignment: Students faced difficulties in finding paid internships that matched their academic backgrounds and career goals, especially in underserved regions or niche industries.
- Operational & Administrative Burden: Coordinating outreach, onboarding, compliance, and tracking intern performance across institutions and employers proved challenging to manage at scale.
Our Solution
To address these challenges, iQuasar, with over two decades of recruitment and staffing experience, developed a structured process to support SCHEV in expanding access to meaningful internships. Our team proactively engaged with employers to understand their internship needs and even assisted in drafting job descriptions tailored to those requirements. We conducted in-depth research on how to attract qualified students and matched them with roles that aligned with their skills, interests, and career goals. Acting as a bridge between candidates and employers, iQuasar managed the entire onboarding process, with interns placed on our payroll, significantly reducing the operational and administrative burden on SCHEV and its partners. Additionally, we closely monitor and track the utilization of matching funds, ensuring transparency and alignment with SCHEV’s program objectives.
How Our Solution Created Value for the Client
Our solution delivered tangible results for SCHEV and contributed meaningfully to the success of the V-TOP program. Since the inception of the program, iQuasar has successfully onboarded over 200 employers and facilitated more than 300 student placements, providing students with valuable, career-relevant work experience while supporting employer workforce needs.
During the final quarter of the first year, we established a robust and efficient process to support the program’s structure and workflow. Despite joining late in the cycle, we achieved strong placement numbers that quarter. Building on that momentum, we successfully placed over 150 interns in the second year, surpassing expectations and significantly enhancing the program’s credibility and impact. Our performance led to two consecutive contract renewals, reflecting the value of our contributions and the trust placed in us to continue driving the program’s success.
We also brought structure and consistency to the program by streamlining communication, ensuring timely onboarding, and handling payroll and compliance requirements on behalf of SCHEV and employers. We ensured transparency, compliance, and efficiency in tracking matching fund usage, a critical requirement of the grant-funded initiative. Most importantly, we helped align higher education with workforce demands, allowing students to gain real-world experience while contributing to Virginia’s economic development.