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Bruce Vandal: WV leads nation in college completion strategies
Published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Gazette editorial page Last week, faculty and staff from West Virginia’s public colleges and universities set forth on a bold path to dramatically improve college completion rates in the state. The work occurred as part of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Corequisite Academy, a two-day conference held in partnership with Complete College America to help campuses implement a new model for college students deemed to be “underprepared.” Developmental, or remedial, education has long been recognized as a major barrier to student success. For too many students, placement in these classes represents a dead…
Continue ReadingGovernor Tomblin declares ‘GEAR UP Week’ in recognition of college readiness program
West Virginia GEAR UP helps thousands of students gain education and training beyond high school CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Sept. 19, 2016) – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today proclaimed this week as “GEAR UP Week” to recognize the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative, a program funded by the United States Department of Education to help students pursue and achieve some form of education or training beyond high school. This week has been declared “National GEAR UP Week” by program partners across the country. “GEAR UP is an exemplary program that has had a proven, positive impact…
Continue ReadingWest Virginia State University’s research on peppers featured in video series
Charleston, W.Va., Sept. 19, 2016 – Research into how peppers can be enhanced for greater nutritional benefit is the focus of a new video released recently by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s (HEPC) Division of Science and Research. Dr. Umesh Reddy and Dr. Padma Nimmakayala describe the work they are doing at West Virginia State University in the two-minute video which is part of an ongoing series about scientists from around the state. Dr. Jan Taylor, Director of the Division of Science and Research said, “Scientific research can lead West Virginia into a new economy, and this begins with…
Continue ReadingGazette-Mail: Students can apply for PROMISE, other financial aid sooner
The application which determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid to go to college and several of the state’s scholarships will be available sooner this year. Instead of waiting until of Jan. 1, 2017, to start the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which is a required application that determines a student’s eligibility for financial aid, students will be able to start the application on Oct. 1 this year. Applications for three West Virginia scholarships (the Promise Scholarship; the Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship; and the Underwood-Smith Teacher Scholarship) also will become available at the beginning of October. “We’re hoping…
Continue ReadingGazette-Mail: Canadian scientist talks crime scene science with sold out Culture Center crowd
Jennifer Gardy is a detective, but not the kind you’re imagining. Instead of a pistol and handcuffs, the tools of Gardy’s trade are microscopes and DNA gels. “I’m the microbe detective,” she likes to tell people. Gardy actually is a senior scientist with the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control and has an assistant professorship at the University of British Columbia. In her day job, she studies how diseases are spread through the world and tries to track down the next big breakouts before they happen. Sometimes she’s a television show host, too. She is an occasional host of Canada’s…
Continue ReadingWVCTCS: WVCTCS helping ITT Tech students continue their education
For Immediate Release: September 8, 2016 Contact: Heather Raines Operations and Communications Coordinator (304) 558-0087 raines@wvctcs.org Huntington, W.Va. – Due to the recent closure of ITT Technical Institute, the West Virginia Community and Technical College System will hold an event for former students on Tuesday, September 13, at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena & Convention Center from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. BridgeValley Community and Technical College, Mountwest Community and Technical College and Huntington Junior College will be on-site to discuss options with students for continuing their education. “We are working quickly to find solutions for these students,”…
Continue ReadingW.Va. colleges and universities to implement new model to improve college completion
When: 12 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 8 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, September 9 Who/What: The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission will host the first statewide Co-Requisite Academy for faculty and staff from West Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities. During the academy, campus teams will develop strategies to implement the co-requisite model of developmental course delivery, a method proven to boost college success rates. Why: Nearly one in four students at West Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities are required to take developmental English or Math courses due to low scores on college admissions exams or low…
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Kendyl Ryan: Push aside fear and pursue your dreams
Originally published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, Daily Mail editorial page. Earlier this week, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin joined leaders across the nation in proclaiming this week “National GEAR UP Week,” highlighting the importance of going to college and encouraging students to pursue their dreams. It’s common knowledge that a high school education simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Going into an interview with a college degree gives the candidate an automatic edge over a candidate with a high school diploma. This is particularly true in West Virginia. According to statistics provided by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, half of…
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