Kirk Cox

08/06/2026

I couldn’t be more thrilled that my great friend Frank Atkinson released today his book "The Lion’s Den: Renewing Our Democracy by Renewing Ourselves." It is truly inspiring and required reading for anyone who yearns for a return to “a more perfect Union,” the hallmark phrase from the Preamble to our United States Constitution. The Founders knew freedom cannot sustain itself. As Benjamin Franklin warned, we have “a republic, if you can keep it.” And keeping it depends on the character of the people. As we celebrate our 250th birthday Frank shows us the path back to live as people worthy of the republic we have been given.

That’s nineteen-year-old Daniel McGuire’s first thought as he stands in his old high school gym, newly orphaned after his parents die in a car crash following a campaign event. When Congressman Ned Nevers shows up to pay his respects, Danny’s reaction throws the “Golden Boy of Virginia ...

07/30/2026

Today is Virginia Intern Day! Great to be in Richmond to recognize some of the fantastic interns across different industries. College students who complete internships during the course of their study on average find better paying jobs after graduation.

07/13/2026

As a retired government teacher and a hot dog connoisseur, I encourage everyone to vote 🗳️

Do you have a favorite hot dog joint in Petersburg? We have 7 on the lineup. The deadline to cast your vote is at noon on July 17.

07/12/2026

Watching the New York Yankees versus Washington Nationals game with Jim D**e, Virginia’s former secretary of education. Of course, I am rooting for the Yankees! ⚾️

07/04/2026

Celebrating a few big birthdays this weekend...

🇺🇸America (250)
👧🏼Isley (2)
👦🏼Charles (2)

07/01/2026

As we approach the 250th birthday of our nation, I wanted to share a few heartfelt thoughts on what makes America unique. A special thanks to my son Cameron and Chris Stephens at The Heights Baptist Church for their tremendous assistance with this video.

05/18/2026

Great report from WHSV - TV 3 on last week's Internship Summit at Mary Baldwin University.

Leaders, educators and employers gathered Wednesday morning for an internship summit discussing the future of workforce development across the region.

05/13/2026

Had a great time being a keynote speaker at Mary Baldwin University’s Internship Summit: Building Stronger Pathways from Education to Employment.

I emphasized that employers view internship experiences as the most influential factor in tough hiring decisions and that 82% of the public supports funding campus internship centers.

As President of VBHEC our organization is committed to the goal of every Virginia university student to have the opportunity for at least one internship in their field of study.

04/15/2026

Today, I was glad to attend the inaugural board meeting of the Virginia Business K-12 Partnership in Richmond. This new organization's mission is to raise awareness of the vital connection between K-12 education and economic growth/workforce development. I know just how important this is having served as a public school teacher for 30 years.

Stewart Roberson (pictured) will serve as the group's chair/president. I look forward to working closely with him and the other board members to achieve consensus on practical ways to strengthen the vital bridge between our schools and workplaces.

04/09/2026

I was very sorry to see that Virginia Tech President Tim Sands intends to step down in the coming months. President Sands has been a true leader in so many ways, and I have had a chance to witness that firsthand as President of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. He has been an invaluable member of our VBHEC Board having served on the executive committee and leading a presidential workgroup that was instrumental in formulating our most recent successful Growth4VA campaign that emphasized affordable talent pathway and paid internships for students.

President Sands’s hard work and vision have truly transformed Virginia Tech. From establishing the Virginia Tech Carilion Academic Health Center and the Innovation Center in Alexandria to having a profound impact on the 100,000 Hokies that graduated during his tenure, Tim Sands has been simply transformational. Most importantly he is just a good man that stays calm no matter how difficult the circumstance and always puts the University and its students first.

🔗 https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/president.html