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

Governor Tomblin announces West Virginia’s four-year campuses, community technical colleges to help ease student credit transfer process

April 28, 2014

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin today announced the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) and the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education (Council) have adopted a joint resolution, which paves the way for a more seamless process for students transferring credits from one public higher education institution to another. According to data from the Commission and Council, the percentage of undergraduate transfers from West Virginia community and technical colleges to four-year institutions has increased by 39.5 percent throughout the last five years. Gov. Tomblin, in his State of the State Address earlier this year,…

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Glenville State College gains national recognition, receives internationalization technology award

April 9, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) today applauded Glenville State College for being one of only three schools nationwide selected by The American Council on Education (ACE) and the State University of New York Collaborative Online International Learning (SUNY COIL) Center for the inaugural internationalization online learning award. The winning institutions, which also included Xavier University (OH) and Fayetteville State (NC), were recently honored at SUNY’s 6th annual Collaborative Online International Learning Conference in New York City. “This promising news aligns well with the Commission’s goal to promote and support the internationalization efforts of our…

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State urges students to file the FAFSA now to be considered for state-level college financial aid programs

April 8, 2014

West Virginia Higher Education Grant application deadline is April 15 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) and Community and Technical College System of West Virginia today urged students to file the 2014-15 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 15 in order to be considered for state-level grants to help pay for college and career and technical programs. The FAFSA is available at www.fafsa.gov. Completing the FAFSA allows students to be considered for many types of state and federal financial aid, including the West Virginia Higher Education Grant program and the West Virginia Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student…

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‘GEAR UP’ students recognized during sixth annual Governor’s Honors Symposium

April 5, 2014

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission recognized the academic achievements of more than 200 GEAR UP students at the sixth annual Governor’s Honors Symposium, held April 5 at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences. GEAR UP, which stands for “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs,” is a college preparation initiative providing services to students in ten West Virginia counties. The Symposium highlighted the accomplishments of the program’s 12th-grade students, many of whom have participated in GEAR UP since the seventh grade. During the Symposium, a representative from Governor Earl Ray Tomblin’s office…

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Higher education community embarks upon five-year master plan

March 31, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – More than 150 people from across each of West Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities have converged in Charleston today for a two-day conference hosted by the Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) and focused on the state’s new five-year master plan for higher education, Leading the Way: Access. Success. Impact. Representatives of areas ranging from academic affairs, recruitment and admissions, to career services, retention and community outreach are strategizing about ways to meet the plan’s bold aspirations – with the ultimate goal of solidifying higher education as a means to success for West Virginians and an economic…

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Text messaging program involving high school seniors has caught on quickly

March 21, 2014

Article: Metro News CHARLESTON, W.Va. — To say a text-messaging program between high school students and four colleges and universities in West Virginia is working would be an understatement. The College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) began a three-year pilot project in January that utilizes text-messaging to promote college access and support student success for a high school senior through his or her freshmen year. West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Communications Manager Jessica Kennedy said the response has been outstanding with 57 percent of the seniors in the 14 pilot high schools signing up for the program and many…

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WVROCKS assists Fairmont State students in completing RBA degrees

March 18, 2014

Through the WVROCKS initiative launched by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, adult students at Fairmont State University have found greater success in completing a four-year degree. WVROCKS is an acronym for West Virginia’s Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System, which offers Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) courses online from different institutions throughout the state. The mission of WVROCKS is to provide a high quality, student-focused, engaging, eLearning higher education collaborative. “The Regents Bachelor of Arts degree is a flexible program that provides adult learners the opportunity to turn life experience into course credit, if that experience is generally equivalent…

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Higher Education Policy Commission confirms Gordon Gee as WVU president

March 10, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, in a special meeting in Charleston today (March 10), confirmed the selection of E. Gordon Gee as the 24th president of West Virginia University. The Commission voted to approve the WVU Board of Governors’ March 3 action to amend its search process and select Gee as the permanent president. “President Gee is a vibrant leader with unmatched credentials whose homecoming has been warmly welcomed at West Virginia University,” said Dr. Bruce Berry, chairman of the Higher Education Policy Commission. “We look forward to working closely with President Gee and the…

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Governor Earl Ray Tomblin: A promise that is paying off

February 28, 2014

Like so many West Virginians, Crystin Povenski and her siblings were raised by parents who instilled in them the importance of hard work and the value of learning. She worked hard and, as a result of her good grades in high school and commitment to attending college in the Mountain State, she received a PROMISE Scholarship. After earning her degree from West Virginia University (WVU), Crystin was determined to begin her career in the state she loves. She said it was important for her to exhaust all job search efforts in West Virginia before considering looking elsewhere. Crystin reached her…

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Chancellor Hill: Leading the way with a bold plan for higher education

February 21, 2014

Today at the State Capitol, colleges and universities from across West Virginia have come together to showcase the vast opportunities for a high-quality postsecondary education right here at home. From Shepherdstown to Huntington, Morgantown to Athens, and at multiple points in between, we have an array of affordable options for earning college degrees at public institutions right in our own back yards. Together with these campuses, the Higher Education Policy Commission is tackling a new five-year master plan, Leading the Way: Access. Success. Impact., that builds on recent progress and sets forth bold aspirations for higher education – and a…

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Higher education community to unite for Higher Education Day at the Capitol

February 19, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – Representatives of higher education institutions from across the state will come together this Friday, February 21, for Higher Education Day at the Legislature, 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; James Skidmore, Chancellor of the Community and…

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Grant aimed at improving quality of online courses offered by West Virginia higher education institutions

February 14, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) and Community and Technical College System of West Virginia (WVCTCS) today announced that a $28,765 grant from the West Virginia Technical Assistance Broadband Grant Program will provide training opportunities for faculty members at higher education institutions across the state on how to improve online courses. “Online courses are becoming an increasingly effective way to deliver high-quality educational opportunities to our students, especially nontraditional students who need more flexibility,” said Paul Hill, the Commission’s Chancellor. “This grant and the training that comes with it will help us strengthen online course…

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FAFSA ‘definitely the gateway’ to financial aid

February 8, 2014

Article: Fairmont Times West Virginian Students encouraged to file as soon as possible FAIRMONT, W.Va. — It’s time to file the FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an online form students seeking higher education can fill out to apply for any kind of federal financial aid. “It’s definitely the gateway to all federal and most state financial aid,” said Jessica Kennedy, communications manager for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Students file the FAFSA to get aid like federal PELL grants, which do not have to be paid back, and federal student loans that have lower…

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College Goal Sunday event offers free assistance in applying for financial aid

January 30, 2014

CHARLESTON, WV – West Virginia students can get free help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other financial aid forms during West Virginia’s fifth annual College Goal Sunday event. College Goal Sunday financial aid workshops will be held February 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 25 locations across the state. “Completing the FAFSA is a crucial step in finding financial aid for 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…

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WV Higher Education Policy Commission to recognize scientific research grants tomorrow at Culture Center

January 29, 2014

Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Science and Research has announced winners of new scientific research grants. The recipients of these awards will be formally recognized on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2014 at a luncheon beginning at noon at the West Virginia Culture Center in conjunction with Undergraduate Research Day at the State Capitol. Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Education and the Arts, will be at the luncheon tomorrow to present ceremonial checks to the winners. The Division of Science and Research administers state- and federal-level scientific research grants in West Virginia.…

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Study says nearly half of college grads stay in Mountain State

January 27, 2014

Article: MetroNews MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A study from West Virginia University says college graduates in the Mountain State who received a Promise Scholarship are more likely to stay and work in West Virginia. The WVU College of Business and Economics did the study for the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Researchers took at look at the college graduates from the past 10 years. (Read the WVU study here) The study estimates 48 percent of the graduates work here and those who received a Promise Scholarship are more likely to work in their home state… Read the full story »

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Personal text messages offer support as students face higher education

January 26, 2014

Article: Times West Virginian FAIRMONT, W.VA. — The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission recently launched a three-year pilot project that will help high school seniors prepare for college and begin their freshman year of higher education. The text message support project, which has not yet been officially named, has two main goals: to remind students of deadlines and important steps in the college application process, and to provide them with support and answers to any questions they have along the way. The project is a twist on traditional methods used to help students plan and prepare to move on…

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West Virginia college access and completion project highlighted at White House event

January 16, 2014

Washington, D.C. – Paul Hill, Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission), and Adam Green, Senior Director of the Commission’s Student Success and P-20 Initiatives, today participated in an event hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama focused on new initiatives that will expand college opportunity. West Virginia’s text messaging support project – which launched this month and provides a pilot group of high school seniors personalized college counseling by text message – was highlighted as part of the event as a new, innovative action aimed at increasing college access and completion. “The project…

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