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Communities in West Virginia offers residents a welcoming atmosphere, affordable cost of living, and a strong sense of connection to nature and neighbors alike. From charming small towns to vibrant cities like Charleston and Morgantown, West Virginia communities provide friendly neighborhoods, excellent schools, and access to outdoor recreation right at your doorstep. Residents enjoy a slower pace of life surrounded by the state’s beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests, along with rich local culture, historic sites, and community events that bring people together. With safe streets, local businesses, and a true spirit of Appalachian hospitality, living in West Virginia communities means enjoying a high quality of life and a supportive, tight-knit environment where everyone feels at home. Be sure to visit our Communities Travel Guide for information about communities in West Virginia.

Fulbright Scholars Léa Serres, left, Aya Atwa, and Chu-Yun Hsueh will teach language courses in French, Arabic, and Chinese at Bethany College in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Communities

Bethany College welcomes three Fulbright scholars

by Clyde Craig

Bethany College is hosting three recipients of the prestigious Fulbright scholarship who will be teaching foreign languages during the school’s 2019-2020 academic year. Engaged through Fulbright’s cultural exchange program’s foreign language teaching assistantship, Aya Atwa, of Egypt, Chu-Yun Hsueh, of Taiwan, and Léa Serres, of France, will be teaching language courses in Arabic, Chinese, and … Read more

Homemade butter awaits a West Virginia home-cooked meal.
Communities

How to make butter at home—West Virginia style

by David Sibray

The process of making butter is known to be older than civilization, and a limitless variety of butter-making methods certainly exist—ranging from the production of ghee in southern Asia to bog butter in northern Europe. Simply put, the making of butter requires that microscopic globules of butterfat in cream be agitated, or churned, until the … Read more

WVU Tech students socialize along South Kanawha Street in Beckley, West Virginia.
Communities

WVU Tech Homecoming weekend to feature community events

by David Sibray

WVU Tech will host its annual Homecoming at its new campus in Beckley, West Virginia, September 23-28, featuring a parade, tailgate, and ribbon cuttings for new facilities. Celebrating its third homecoming since opening the campus at Beckley, the university’s student population is now 1,700 and growing, and community leaders are excited. “It’s really obvious that … Read more

Vapor wafts off a cooling tower at the Willow Island Power Station near Belmont, West Virginia.
Communities

Can AI be used to improve U.S. coal plant profitability?

by Clyde Craig

Can artificial intelligence be employed to boost coal power usage? One chemical engineer at West Virginia University is tapping into artificial intelligence to improve the profitability and flexibility of coal-fired power plants. Debangsu Bhattacharyya has received a $2.5-million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an online tool that uses AI to monitor … Read more

Fireworks explode above the campus of Glenville State College on the Little Kanawha River. (Photo courtesy Glenville State College.)Fireworks explode above the campus of Glenville State College on the Little Kanawha River.
Communities

Affordability, student support boost Glenville enrollment

by Bianca Bosworth

Affordability and student-support initiatives are boosting fall enrollment at Glenville State College, which welcomed 425 new traditional and online students this semester, bringing total enrollment at the school to 1,540. According to Dr. Kathleen Nelson, staff and faculty efforts combined with scholarships and low tuition rates have helped the school build its enrollment. “Our faculty … Read more

West Virginia leads the nation in small farms, according to West Virginia University.
Communities

WVU helps tackle food safety issues for state farmers

by Clyde Craig

West Virginia leads the U.S. in the number of small farmers, and a team of researchers at West Virginia University is hoping to help them increase the safety of the local foods sold to communities. Researchers are developing a three-step wash process to help mitigate food safety risks associated with locally grown fresh produce in … Read more

WVU Professor Examines Invasive Grass in West Virginia
Communities

WVU prof to study plant invading the Appalachian forest

by Clyde Craig

To the casual observer, Japanese stiltgrass appears as a harmless, leafy-green plant that blends into the majestic scenery during a weekend hike, but plant biologists like Craig Barrett know better. “I’d visited sites to study endangered orchids in West Virginia over the past few years, and I’d noticed Japanese stiltgrass creeping in and becoming a … Read more

Alderson Broaddus has been named Best Value and Best Regional College in the South by U.S. News & World Report.
Communities

Alderson Broaddus ranked top by U.S. News & World Report

by David Sibray

Alderson Broaddus University received recognition this week as the highest-ranking West Virginia college or university in two categories published by U.S. News & World Report. The school was ranked first among West Virginia colleges overall and 39th among the 2020 “Best Regional Colleges in the South.” The report compares institutions based on performance across a … Read more