Higher Education

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Higher education in West Virginia offers students valuable opportunities to gain a quality education, practical skills, and rewarding career paths while enjoying the state’s supportive and affordable learning environment. Home to respected institutions like West Virginia University (WVU), Marshall University (MU), and a network of private and community colleges, the state offers diverse programs in fields such as healthcare, engineering, business, and the arts. West Virginia’s colleges and universities emphasize small class sizes, hands-on learning, and community engagement, helping students build strong connections with faculty and local employers. Affordable tuition, scholarships, and beautiful campus settings nestled in the scenic Appalachian Mountains make higher education in West Virginia an excellent choice for students seeking personal growth, academic success, and a bright future.

Concord's master's degree in social work has been ranked among the nation's best.

Concord U. online social work program among top

The Master of Social Work program at Concord University has been recognized as one of the top online programs in the nation by Learn.org, according to university officials. Concord ranked 20 among the 25 schools that made the organization’s 2020 “Best Master’s in Social Work Online Programs” list, according to Dr. C. Scott Inghram, an … Read more

"In this time of social distancing, it can be tempting to follow the crowd and make decisions such as panic shopping."

WVU agent provides finance tips to help during outbreak

Service workers and those who have been unexpectedly laid off may not have the savings they need in a time like this, says a health-and-families agent for the extension service at West Virginia University. Lauren Weatherford, who is working with families in Fayette and Nicholas counties in southern West Virginia, says many mountaineers are wondering … Read more

McMurran Hall at Shepherd University fronts East German Street in historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Shepherd offers free online Lifelong Learning courses

Shepherd University, at Shepherdstown, West Virginia, is offering an opportunity for the public to engage free-of-charge in its Lifelong Learning program through a series of classes online that are open to anyone. The classes will be delivered in March and April through the Zoom software platform, according to Cecelia Mason, a spokesperson for the university. … Read more

Professor Christine Schimmel recommends parents be open with their children about current events.

WVU expert offers advice on children’s virus anxieties

Transparent communication between caregivers and their children is key in mitigating children’s anxiety about the pandemic, says a school counseling expert at West Virginia University. Christine Schimmel, associate professor and program coordinator of the School Counseling Program at the College of Education and Human Services, recommends that parents be open with their children about current … Read more

Switching to compassion mode may be one way to manage COVID-19 anxiety.

WVU: Compassion may ease anxieties related to coronavirus

Practicing social distancing is one way to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but practicing emotional closeness may help alleviate the anxiety that the coronavirus can provoke. Julie Brefczynski-Lewis, a research assistant professor in the West Virginia University Department of Neuroscience, part of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, said that “switching to compassion mode” may … Read more

Professors are advising social media users to question their biases and turn to local media for COVID-19 information.

WVU: Question biases, use local news for COVID-19 info

As more people turn to social media and other online sources for updates on the COVID-19 outbreak, determining which sources are reliable becomes increasingly difficult. Two professors at West Virginia University are advising users of social media to question their own biases and turn to the local news media for information. Dana Coester and Bob … Read more

WVU Dean of Health Sciences Clay Marsh, MD, is advising to take travel precautions.

WVU Dean advising travel precaution in face of COVID-19

Though there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in West Virginia, Dr. Clay Marsh of West Virginia University is advising Mountaineers to employ precautions when traveling for spring break. The school’s Vice President and Executive Dean for Health Sciences, Marsh says non-essential travel should be limited, and he’s asking students, faculty, and staff to inform … Read more

There are no reported cases of COVID-19 at WVU, but officials are concerned about the return to campus after travel.

WVU suspends in-person classes after spring break, moves online

West Virginia University will temporarily suspend in-person classes the week following spring break then offer online class instruction or other alternative learning options beginning March 30 as it continues to monitor the threat of novel coronavirus. All other online-only classes will continue as originally scheduled. WVU President Gordon Gee made the announcement in a Tuesday, … Read more

Katherine Johnson and her family attended the dedication of a statue raised in her honor at West Virginia State University.

W.Va. State U. mourns gifted alumni Katherine Johnson

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, pioneering NASA mathematician, and West Virginia State University alumna Katherine Johnson passed away today at age 101, according to university president Anthony L. Jenkins. Jenkins lauded Johnson as one of the school’s most gifted and generous graduates, for which the Katherine Johnson Plaza was named last year. “Today is a … Read more