When I went to college in (mumble mumble), it was a chance to learn, grow and explore, with the assumption that I’d find my life’s work along the way. A couple decades later, when I took my son to visit schools, I was surprised (and gratified, once I saw the tuition bill) at how career-focused even liberal arts colleges had become — no more going in undeclared and figuring it out. Today, as Food Editor Eileen Mellon explains in this issue, the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University are leaders in a movement to help students launch businesses while they are still earning diplomas. Their incubator programs present opportunities for students to test their entrepreneurship, but with the safety net of their professors’ guidance and school’s support. Meet the people behind the programs and learn about the students’ journeys beginning on Page 78.
Another thing that’s changing as time passes is the way we vote. We all know about early and mail-in voting, but fewer folks are familiar with ranked choice voting. The system, legal in Virginia and actively used in elections across the country, allows voters to pick as many candidates as they like by designating them first choice, second choice, etc. The tallying system distributes the votes in order until one candidate has the winning percentage. In honor of Election Day, we explore how ranked choice has been used in Virginia and ask whether Richmond will ever adopt the method (Page 72).
As we enter the holiday season, one thing that remains unchanged for me is a fondness for craft fairs. I love visiting pop-up markets to meet the makers and choose handmade gifts for family and friends. Sure, some people do their shopping way in advance and have it wrapped up by Halloween, but for me, going to artisan events is part of getting in the spirit. We talk to event organizers, highlight local makers and recommend a few stores to visit for holiday shopping (Page 86). And, as I do every year, we compiled a calendar of makers markets for easy reference. If we missed any, let us know. (Send suggestions to editor [at] richmag [dot] com.)
Also in this issue, we dig into festive events, explore a cultural condiment, visit a riverside village, examine new options for downtown traffic, revisit a couple of past stories, try water aerobics and so much more. Thanks for reading!
