Jon Seeber, General Partner at Updata Partners, and his wife, Heather Seeber, a Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) mathematics faculty member on the Loudoun campus, represent a unique partnership: one rooted in business and investment, and the other in direct service to NOVA students. What they share is a deep commitment to supporting education and strengthening their community through philanthropy.

That shared commitment has guided their family since they moved to the DC area a decade ago. From the beginning, they focused their time and resources on what they saw as the essentials: access to food, supportive relationships, and education.

“For us, it’s about focusing where we can have the most impact,” Jon said. “We try not to spread ourselves too thin, either with time or financial resources.”

Heather, who teaches math at NOVA, sees firsthand how meaningful that impact can be. She describes NOVA’s student population as diverse not only in background, but in the challenges they face. Many are balancing work, family, and academics, all while pursuing degrees that could change their lives.

“I often have students miss class because they’re babysitting siblings or their car breaks down and they don’t have another way to get here,” she explained. “Something as small as a flat tire or a broken calculator, what might be just an inconvenience for many, can completely derail a student’s education.”

That’s why, for the Seebers, giving to the NOVA Foundation is personal. It’s a direct way to help people in their own community thrive.

“When you support NOVA, you’re supporting immigrant families, single mothers, neurodivergent learners, students facing food insecurity, all of them part of the larger Northern Virginia community,” Heather said. “Helping them with tuition or emergency needs helps them set up the rest of their education and the rest of their lives.”

The Seebers have committed $45,000 to NOVA, confident in the long-term value of that investment. They believe few places in the region offer such a direct path to meaningful, lasting change.

“A collection of little impacts at a place like NOVA adds up really quickly,” Jon said. “Whether it’s tuition or help with everyday challenges, anything can make a difference.”

To Jon, the reason to give is simple: education is opportunity.

“Opportunity shows up in different ways,” he said, “but the one consistent way is through education. If we can help someone access that, especially someone who might not have had it otherwise, we’re thrilled to do it. Any time, any way, any place.”

Their story is a reminder that every gift, large or small, can help students overcome obstacles and build brighter futures. By joining the Seebers in supporting NOVA students, donors help ensure that these students not only overcome challenges but also thrive and give back to the community.

Make an Impact Now: Strong Roots, Bright Future — NOVA Foundation

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