Jonathan M. Young
Jonathan M. Young is Director of Corporate Relations and Strategic Communications at the Reginald F. Lewis College of Business at Virginia State University (VSU). His responsibilities at VSU include initiating, cultivating, and strengthening relationships with industry for the purpose of business/academic collaboration. In his tenure at VSU including in corporate development, Jonathan has developed innovative new market-driven programs including most recently two initiatives; Project Shadow and Small-Group Role Play, both facilitated by industry. Aimed at increasing students’ exposure to industry, both programs refine "soft skills", augment career awareness, and develop "real world" skill-sets not often learned in a traditional classroom. It should be noted that the programs have been profiled on NBC and FOX as has his entrepreneurship program been featured on NBC. Young has now created and coordinated five new industry advisory boards that provide consultation pertinent to among other action items, curriculum development that meet the needs of 21st century business. Jonathan secured funding for and then created and coordinated an online continuing education program for professionals pertinent to supply-chain management. He has developed and hosted hundreds of events on campus. Jonathan is responsible for marketing to industry to include news releases, newsletters, social media, website, etc. Young has successfully secured tens of thousands of dollars of new industry investment and has developed a portfolio of over 600 companies that regularly participate in VSU programs. Outside of VSU, Young has served on more than a dozen boards of directors and was elected to office twice.