Latest News

Media Contact

Jessica Tice
304-558-0699
jessica.tice@wvhepc.edu

Williamson Daily News: MCHS holds College Day

April 14, 2016

Published April 13, 2016 by the Williamson Daily News By Kyle Lovern – klovern@civitasmedia.com WVU, MU and Southern presidents attend RED JACKET – Mingo Central High School welcomed some important guests on Tuesday afternoon, the presidents of West Virginia University, Marshall University and Southern W.Va. Community and Technical College for their College Day assembly. Presidents Gordon Gee of WVU, Jerome Gilbert of MU and Robert Gunter of SWVCTC (Southern) all addressed thestudents, faculty and parents in attendance for the special day. Gary White of Logan, the former interim president of Marshall, was also at the event with Gilbert. Dr. Paul…

Continue Reading

Huntington Herald-Dispatch editorial: New strategy for remedial classes appears to aid students

April 12, 2016

Published April 12, 2016 in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch One of the tell-tale signs that public education often falls short is that far too many students who graduate from high school aren’t adequately prepared to take on the rigors of college-level math and English. That’s not just a reference to students who did poorly in high school and did not intend to attend a college or university; it applies also to many students who plan to continue their studies and have been accepted at an institution of higher education. In the past, the answer for those students was to take remedial…

Continue Reading

Charleston Daily Mail editorial: A day to celebrate a college education

April 7, 2016

Published April 7, 2016 in the Charleston Gazette-Mail Enrolling in college or other post-high school training is the best decision some students will ever make. Despite the years of hard work, a post-secondary education for many students can set them on a course of lifelong success. That decision is to be celebrated, and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission will do just that later this month. State education officials will gather with students at Mingo Central High School on April 12. Any student who has committed to… »READ MORE

Continue Reading

College presidents, officials to recognize Mingo Central students during College Decision Day

April 6, 2016

DELBARTON, W.Va. – Mingo Central High School will celebrate ‘College Decision Day,’ an event honoring students who plan to pursue some form of education or training beyond high school, on April 12 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. College Decision Day is organized by the College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV), an initiative coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to help students go to college and succeed.  Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of West Virginia’s four-year public colleges and universities; Dr. E. Gordon Gee, President of West Virginia University; Dr. Jerome Gilbert, President of Marshall University and Dr. Robert…

Continue Reading

April 15 deadline approaching for West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program applications

April 1, 2016

~Higher Education Policy Commission approves increase in award amount for students beginning this fall~ Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission today reminded students that April 15 is the deadline to submit the needed paperwork to be considered for the Higher Education Grant Program (HEGP), the state’s need-based financial aid offering, for college beginning this fall. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the application for HEGP, and is the only document students need to complete to see if they qualify. “We always encourage students to complete the FAFSA to see if they are…

Continue Reading

WVROCKS expands online degree opportunities for adult students with new grant

March 7, 2016

Charleston, W.Va. – Armed with a new $500,000 grant, the West Virginia Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System (WVROCKS) is expanding opportunities for adult students in the state to earn Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degrees online. The grant, which was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service program, is funding video equipment that will allow WVROCKS to offer classes online that include synchronous learning beginning in fall 2016. “This grant is another opportunity for us to expand WVROCKS, which offers nontraditional students an unencumbered path toward their degrees,” said Dr. Roxann Humbert, who oversees the portal. “We…

Continue Reading

West Virginia makes it easier to transfer college credits

February 29, 2016

by George Hohmann for the West Virginia Press Association About 200,000 West Virginians — 20 percent of the state’s adults — have some college credits but no degree and every year about 3,000 seek to transfer their credits, said Paul Hill, the state’s chancellor of higher education. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin thinks one path to improving the state’s last-place ranking in the percentage of residents with a college degree is to make it easier to transfer credits. Gov. Tomblin focused on this in his 2014 State of the State speech. “College students across the Mountain State report problems with the flow of class credits between public institutions of higher learning,” he…

Continue Reading

Chancellor Hill: Scientific discovery fuels minds, futures

February 25, 2016

This commentary appeared in the February 25, 2016 edition of the Charleston Gazette-Mail. As a young boy growing up in rural West Virginia, I loved discovery. I was fascinated by the idea of putting two things together and getting something entirely new, how things worked and why frogs croaked in the spring. So I was drawn to science. Scientific research is profoundly fascinating. Something starts as an idea, and with analytical powers, deep study and experimental creation, you end up with a problem solved, questions answered or a discovery made. Students from across our state who are at the Capitol…

Continue Reading

March 1 deadline approaching for PROMISE Scholarship applications

February 24, 2016

Charleston, W.Va. – High school seniors in the class of 2016 planning to apply for West Virginia’s PROMISE Scholarship program have until March 1 to complete the required forms, the state’s Higher Education Policy Commission office reminded students and families today. Through PROMISE, qualifying high school graduates receive annual awards of up to $4,750 to cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at eligible West Virginia higher education institutions. “Since the PROMISE program started, more than $400 million has been provided to more than 35,000 West Virginia students from all 55 counties to attend a public or independent college…

Continue Reading

College Goal Sunday event offers free help with college financial aid forms

February 15, 2016

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia students can get free help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other college financial aid forms during the state’s annual College Goal Sunday event. College Goal Sunday financial aid workshops will be held February 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 25 locations. “Completing the FAFSA is a critical step for anyone considering going to college,” Brian Weingart, Senior Director of Financial Aid at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, said. “Students must submit this form in order to be considered for a variety of financial aid programs including state and federal grants,…

Continue Reading

College Foundation of West Virginia sets goal to increase FAFSA completion rates

February 11, 2016

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) today announced a goal to increase the number of 12th graders who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or “FAFSA” to 60 percent.  Last year, 57 percent of high school seniors completed the FAFSA, which is the primary application for state and federal financial aid for college. As of January 29, eight percent of this year’s 12th graders have completed the form. A complete list of FAFSA completion rates by high school is available at www.cfwvconnect.com/financial-aid-outreach.  According to a report from the White House, “The President’s Plan for Early Financial Aid,”…

Continue Reading

College Foundation of West Virginia providing college planning help through text messages

January 20, 2016

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Students heading to college this fall can receive deadline reminders and get help completing college-related tasks — all through text messaging.  The College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) is offering the service to any West Virginia student considering entering a two-year college, four-year college or career and technical program in the fall of 2016. Participating students will receive a few text messages per month reminding them of upcoming deadlines and providing information about important college-planing tasks such as applying for financial aid, registering for orientation and purchasing text books. Additionally, students can text back anytime they have…

Continue Reading

West Virginia’s higher education community to join forces for Higher Education Day at the Capitol

January 18, 2016

Charleston, W.Va. – Representatives of higher education institutions from across the state will come together on Tuesday, January 19, for Higher Education Day at the Capitol, an annual event held to recognize West Virginia’s colleges and universities and highlight the far-reaching postsecondary opportunities available across the state. Participating institutions include West Virginia’s public four-year and two-year colleges and universities, along with independent four-year institutions. Each campus will distribute information and have representatives on hand to answer questions. The event is hosted by Paul Hill, Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission; Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of the Community and…

Continue Reading