COBE signs memorandum of understanding with Northern Virginia Government Service company

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Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill (left) and ESP President and CEO Douglas N. Fouser signed a memorandum of understanding Sept. 30. The agreement will benefit the signatories through branding, advertising and growth with a special emphasis on Northern Virginia.

Radford University’s College of Business and Economics (COBE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize a partnership with Engineering Solutions & Products, LLC on Sept. 29 at the university’s Kyle Hall.

Signing the MOU were Radford University President Brian O. Hemphill and ESP President and CEO Douglas N. Fouser.

The purpose of the MOU is to establish a strategic relationship between Radford University, COBE and ESP, which is headquartered in Chantilly. The agreement will benefit the signatories through branding, advertising and growth with a special emphasis on Northern Virginia.

“This is the beginning of a partnership between two organizations that share many goals,” said College of Business and Economics Dean George Low.

Low spoke of ESP’s core values and noted the commonalities between those values and the four fundamentals President Hemphill has laid out for Radford: excellence, transparency, accountability and student-centeredness.

The partnership will offer Radford University students opportunities for internships, full-time positions, class projects and other initiatives that will be developed over time, Low said. ESP works with many government agencies and may have specific opportunities for Radford University students who are military veterans, the dean said.

An opportunity may exist, Fouser said, for Radford University students to work with ESP employees.

“What a great way to bring these two common values together in a formal way in a memorandum of understanding that will allow both organizations to continue to thrive, grow and accomplish our goals,” Low said. “It’s also a model that demonstrates how Radford can connect in a meaningful way with corporate partners, and this is something that magnifies what we are able to do when we work with others that share a common vision and goals.”

The MOU offers many opportunities for ESP, Fouser noted, including an opportunity for its employees to enroll in Radford University classes, such as a COBE’s online MBA program.

“We can bring the Radford University name to Northern Virginia and offer our employees an opportunity to go to a great school,” Fouser said.

Along with Fouser, attending the ceremony from ESP were Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development Hans Hollister and Senior Vice President of Growth and Innovation Dianne Tolliver.

Low and Fouser praised Tolliver, who developed the idea for the partnership. She serves on the COBE Advisory Council, and her son is a Radford University alumnus.

Before the signing, Fouser participated in COBE’s Executive in Residence program, in which executives visit campus to engage with students, faculty and the campus community through classroom sessions, lectures, one-on-one meetings and campus-wide forums. Fouser met with students in Feifei Zhu’s Finance 331 class.

ESP representatives also met with College of Science and Technology leadership to explore opportunities for collaboration in technology disciplines, including computer science and cyber defense.

ESP is a successful, growing, mid-sized company that provides training and support to U.S. government agencies throughout the world. More information can be found at www.espus.com.

Radford University is a comprehensive public university of 9,400 students that has received national recognition for many of its undergraduate and graduate academic programs, as well as its sustainability initiatives. The university serves the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation through a wide range of academic, cultural, human service and research programs. Radford University offers many opportunities for student engagement, leadership development and community service.

Oct 3, 2016
Chad Osborne
540-831-7761
caosborne@radford.edu