Our collaborations with Historically Black Colleges and Universities—including Virginia State University, Hampton University, Norfolk State University, and Virginia Union University—create unique opportunities for students to conduct original research at heritage sites, document oral histories from community elders, analyze economic development through heritage tourism case studies, and develop community engagement projects that benefit both academic learning and heritage preservation. These experiential learning experiences allow business students to track the $132 average visitor spending at heritage sites to understand economic multiplier effects, communications students to document heritage stories for multimedia platforms, sociology students to observe community revitalization through cultural tourism, and history students to access primary source materials unavailable anywhere else—all while earning enhanced Heritage Points through our student rewards program designed specifically for educational activities.
We invite you to explore partnership opportunities
Educational partnerships with AAHA! Virginia extends to K-12 schools, community colleges, and continuing education programs seeking to make African American history tangible and relevant for learners of all ages. Teachers receive ready-made curriculum connections through our Know Your Heritage (KYH) and Know Your Story (KYS) frameworks that align with Virginia Standards of Learning while offering students hands-on experiences that bring textbook concepts to life. Students visit Maggie Walker's National Historic Site and analyze her business strategies. They walk the grounds at Fort Monroe, where freedom seekers first found sanctuary, and interview historians about the economic systems that emerged from these communities. Our educational partnerships include free access to research materials, reduced admission rates for student groups, dedicated educator resources, including lesson plans and field trip guides, scholarship opportunities for students conducting heritage research projects, and internship programs that prepare the next generation of heritage preservation professionals. If your institution shares our belief that heritage sites are living classrooms where education becomes experiential and transformative, we invite you to explore partnership opportunities that will change how your students understand history, community, and their own place in America's ongoing story.