News
Blog | 3 min read
Greater Richmond’s talent investment surge
November 17, 2025
Education, research and workforce development
Greater Richmond is experiencing a wave of transformative investments in talent development, reinforcing the region’s position as a hub for education, innovation and advanced manufacturing. Three major developments stand out:
Historic monetary gifts mark biggest donation in VSU’s 143-year legacy
Virginia State University (VSU) recently received an additional $50 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This gift follows Scott’s previous $30 million donation in 2020, bringing her total investment in VSU to $80 million. VSU is now poised to make significant strides in student success and community impact as transformational investment will accelerate VSU’s strategic initiatives, expand educational opportunities and strengthen its role as a leading HBCU in the country.
“Ms. Scott’s generosity and trust in our mission will change the trajectory of Virginia State University for generations to come. Her investment allows us to continue to build upon our legacy of excellence and expand our reach to more students who deserve access to a world-class education.”
– Dr. Makola M. Abdullah, VSU President
Bioscience powerhouses create advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing training center
Following the announcement that Eli Lilly and Co. would build a $5 billion state-of-the-art manufacturing facility generating 650 high-wage jobs and 1,800 construction jobs in the Richmond MSA, the global pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and Merck joined Lilly to commit an additional $120 million to establish the Virginia Center for Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (VCAPM) in the region. The center will prepare up to 2,500 Virginians annually for careers in life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
“Virginia is building a world-class training hub for advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing… this partnership will unlock a diverse pipeline of highly skilled talent, strengthen U.S. supply chains and accelerate the delivery of innovative medicines to patients.”
– Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca
The facility reflects a strong commitment to workforce development and positions Greater Richmond as a leader in preparing talent for global industries.
VCU Leads Virginia in research funding
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) continues to shine as a research powerhouse. VCU recently hit a milestone of $506 million in sponsored funding from notable groups such as the Bill and Melina Gates Foundation, U.S. Dept. of Defense, National Institute of Health and Virginia’s Dept. of Health, among others. This marks a research funding increase larger than Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia, reinforcing its role as a driver of innovation and discovery. This leadership in research not only attracts top-tier faculty and students but also fuels partnerships that benefit the entire region.
“For the sixth year in a row, VCU has again broken its own record for sponsored funding, continuing its rise as one of the nation’s top 50 public research universities.”
– Michael Rao, Ph.D., VCU President
These investments represent a strategic commitment to education, workforce readiness and research excellence. By strengthening institutions like VSU and VCU and supporting advanced training initiatives, Greater Richmond is building a talent pipeline that meets today’s economic demands and anticipates tomorrow’s opportunities.
