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West Virginia students earning higher GPAs, completing first year of college thanks to text messaging service
West Virginia students are earning higher grade point averages, successfully completing first year of college thanks to text messaging service Rural students benefit from college counseling via “Txt 4 Success” initiative CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Like many college juniors, Chelsea Goins is well-versed in juggling responsibilities. Not only is she a student at Concord University, but she also has three on-campus jobs, participates in cheerleading and teaches dance classes in her community. Her busy schedule makes it easy to forget about college deadlines. Luckily, she receives reminders directly on her cellphone. The College Foundation of West Virginia’s (CFWV’s) “Txt 4 Success” initiative works…
Continue ReadingWest Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission releases enrollment report, announces newly appointed members
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission releases enrollment report, announces newly appointed members CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) held its regularly scheduled Commission meeting. During the meeting, HEPC released the Fall 2017 Enrollment Report, which covers national enrollment trends as well as projections and statistics for West Virginia’s four-year public colleges. The report indicates that public four-year institutions nationwide are continuing to experience slow enrollment growth, increasing by 0.2 percent in the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters. The headcount in West Virginia’s public four-year colleges has decreased by 0.2 percent since Fall…
Continue ReadingWest Virginia schools to celebrate statewide College Application and Exploration Week
West Virginia schools to celebrate statewide College Application and Exploration Week More than 350 schools registered to help students explore postsecondary options, careers CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Schools across the state will participate in the College Foundation of West Virginia’s (CFWV’s) College Application and Exploration Week initiative scheduled for November 6 – 10. During the week, staff from participating schools – from pre-schools to adult learning centers – will provide students with age-appropriate information pertaining to colleges and careers. Students will learn about the importance of pursuing some form of college after high school, whether it is certificate and technical programs,…
Continue ReadingCollege Foundation of West Virginia sets new goal for completion of federal student aid application
College Foundation of West Virginia sets new goal for completion of federal student aid application CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Today, the College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) announced the statewide goal to have at least 63 percent of high school seniors file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 15, 2018. Filing the FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid for college. Students who file the FAFSA are considered for the Federal Pell Grant, which awards up to $5,920 annually to students to cover the cost of tuition and other education expenses. Additionally, students must…
Continue ReadingHigher Education Policy Commission and Kanawha County Schools awarded $50,000 for FAFSA completion efforts
Higher Education Policy Commission and Kanawha County Schools awarded $50,000 for FAFSA completion efforts CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) announced today that the agency has been awarded $50,000 from the National College Access Network (NCAN), a nonprofit organization focusing on ensuring equal access to higher education. Last year, HEPC secured a $55,000 grant from NCAN to fund a “Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion Challenge” campaign in Kanawha County Schools. The FAFSA Completion Challenge campaign, which was funded by the Kresge Foundation, was a national effort to increase FAFSA completion rates by at least five percent…
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West Virginia Center for Nursing awards $422,000 in scholarships to help nursing students earn a degree
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Center for Nursing announced today that 224 students will receive funds totaling $422,000 as part of the Nursing Scholarship Program. The program, which is administered by the West Virginia Center for Nursing in conjunction with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC), helps licensed practical, registered, master’s and doctoral nursing students pursue their degrees. “The Center for Nursing plays a crucial role in helping address our state’s need for healthcare providers,” Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of the HEPC, said. “This scholarship is an example of our efforts to directly align our higher education…
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State higher ed official nationally recognized for service to student veterans
Higher Education Policy Commission staff member’s work ‘protects veterans’ education benefits’ CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s director of veterans’ programs has received the National Association of State Approving Agencies’ (NASAA’s) highest recognition for his efforts to promote veterans’ education opportunities. L.G. Corder, Esq., Director of Veterans Education and Training Programs at the Policy Commission (HEPC), was recently presented the “President’s Award,” the top honor from NASAA, an organization dedicated to providing and safeguarding quality education and training programs for veterans. NASAA members work with government agencies, Congress, schools and employers to assure that veterans have…
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Parkersburg News and Sentinel: Stay on Track: College students, take 15 credits per semester
Young people across West Virginia have begun yet another year on college campuses as they work toward their degrees and pursuing their career goals. In fact, West Virginia University reported a record number of new freshmen enrollments this year — 6,224 of them, to be exact. As part of the effort to make sure all those freshmen, at WVU and every other institution of higher learning in the state, achieve their goals, the Higher Education Policy Commission is issuing a reminder: Earn at least 15 credits per semester to stay on track for graduation. Read the full story »
Continue ReadingHerald-Dispatch: Editorial: Rise in student aid applications a good sign for WV
It is really one of the first steps toward going to college or community college. But in recent years, only about half of West Virginia high school seniors have made it that far. So, it is encouraging to see that by the end of June this year, almost two-thirds of the state’s seniors had completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, called FAFSA for short. That’s up from about 57 percent from two years ago. This application starts the process that opens up the opportunity for students to win a Promise Scholarship, but also to qualify for many forms…
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Higher Education Policy Commission urges students to take ’15 to Finish’
Campaign aims to increase college-completion rates, save students money CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As colleges across the state kick off the fall semester, officials at the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) are reminding students of the importance of earning at least 15 credit hours per semester to stay on track for graduation. Through their “15 to Finish” campaign, HEPC policy experts hope to help more students complete degree programs and reduce the overall cost of higher education. Federal financial aid policies define “full-time” enrollment as 12 credits per semester, and, as a result, many students taking only 12 hours think they…
Continue ReadingWVVA: Byrd Higher Ed Center announces 10th anniversary scholarship winners
RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (WVVA) – For ten years, the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center has been helping make it possible for a segment of the student population to get their degrees. And now, the collaborative learning center is looking toward the next decade of serving students. Students, family and administrators gathered in front of the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center in Beaver to celebrate ten years of serving students. A time capsule, filled with messages of hope and thoughts of what the future may hold, was buried as part of a ceremony that awarded 30 students with $1,000 scholarships. “It’s…
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Gazette-Mail: Two-thirds of WV’s high school seniors apply for financial aid
Nearly two-thirds of all high school seniors in West Virginia had completed an important application by the end of June, according to the state’s Higher Education Policy Commission. The application, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the first step for students to earn the Promise Scholarship and to qualify for other forms of federal student aid. In Kanawha County, where state officials secured a $55,000 grant to encourage more students to complete the application, there was at least an 8 percent bump from the 2014-15 school year. “Our high schools were very creative in reaching out to students…
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Higher Education Policy Commission recognizes Kanawha County high schools for college-going efforts
‘FAFSA Completion Challenge’ leads to more students applying for college financial aid CHARLESTON, W.Va. – State higher education officials are applauding the efforts of Kanawha County high schools for their part in a year-long “FAFSA Completion Challenge” campaign, a countywide effort to increase the number of 12th graders applying for college financial aid. During a training event for Kanawha County principals on Friday, representatives from the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) joined Kanawha County Schools (KCS) Superintendent Dr. Ron Duerring to celebrate the results of the campaign, which led to a nine-point increase in the number of Kanawha County seniors…
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Erma Byrd Center celebrates tenth anniversary
Collaboration among colleges and universities expands access to higher education for students in Southern West Virginia BEAVER, W.Va. – State officials, students, faculty and community members gathered at the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center on Friday to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the facility’s opening. The Erma Byrd Center, which was West Virginia’s first collaborative higher education campus, offers classes and student services from Bluefield State College, Concord University and Marshall University. During Friday’s celebration, a variety of state and college officials offered congratulations and celebratory remarks, including Dr. Dave Swanson, chair of the Higher Education Foundation; Dr. Paul L.…
Continue ReadingVideo: 2017 CFWV Youth Summit
West Virginia Student Success Summit 2017 from Seeds Training on Vimeo. Students from six high schools —Calhoun County, Herbert Hoover, Lewis County, Spring Valley, Tolsia and Wayne County — sent teams of students to the 2017 Youth Summit, hosted July 25-27 as part of the Commission’s College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) initiative. Students learned leadership skills and strategies to build and strengthen a college-going culture in their communities. They will return to their high schools to launch Higher Education Readiness Officers (HEROs) groups this fall.
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Student Success Summit to focus on collaboration across education systems
Seventh annual Summit kicks off tomorrow in Morgantown MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Nearly 500 education administrators, teachers, students, military leaders and community group members will come together this week to tackle education issues in the Mountain State. The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and the West Virginia Department of Education will host the seventh annual statewide Student Success Summit on Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27 at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel and Conference Center in Morgantown. The Summit focuses on encouraging collaboration across the full length of the education pipeline. Representatives ranging from pre-school teachers to college presidents…
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State higher ed officials offer guidance on student loan borrowing
Eight tips for financing higher education CHARLESTON, W.Va. – As students and families across the state are planning their budgets for the fall semester of college, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and Community and Technical College System (CTCS) today issued guidance on making smart choices when it comes to student loan borrowing. “Choosing to pursue education and training beyond high school is undoubtedly a sound investment,” Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor at the Commission, said. “But just like with any other financial decision, it’s imperative that students make informed choices in deciding the type and amount of loans…
Continue ReadingMetroNews: Columbia University neuroscientist explains studying the brain
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Dr. Carl Schoonover has a fascination with the human brain, and has been studying how people connect memories with certain odors. The problem: the brain is too difficult to study using lab instruments. “It’s been very difficult look at it,” the Columbia University neuroscientist said. “If you just take a brain out of a skull, even put it under a microscope, all you’re going to see is a gray, undifferentiated mass. There’s nothing really there for you.” Schoonover gave a lecture Thursday in Charleston to explain how humans have studied the brain dating back to second century…
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Higher Education Policy Commission reports increase in student success rates following education reform
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – More Mountain State students are succeeding in college thanks, in part, to an overhaul in the way entry-level courses are taught. Earlier today during a meeting of the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC), state officials announced that recent efforts to reform developmental, or “remedial,” education are helping more students pass first-year math and English courses. Historically, one in four students at West Virginia’s public colleges and universities has been required to take developmental math or English classes because their high school grade point averages (GPAs) or entrance exam scores were below the threshold at which students are…
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West Virginia ‘GEAR UP’ to host college prep academy at Concord University
ATHENS, W.Va. – On Wednesday, nearly 200 high school sophomores are expected to arrive at Concord University to attend GEAR UP U, a summer academy designed to give students the opportunity to experience life on a college campus. The event, which runs this Wednesday, June 14 through Saturday, June 17, is sponsored by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s (HEPC’s) federally funded “Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)” initiative. During GEAR UP U, students will live on the campus of Concord University, go to classes based on their chosen major and hone their leadership skills. Students will also participate in…
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Health Sciences Service Program awards $285,000 to support rural health care in West Virginia
The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) announced today that 12 health sciences students from across West Virginia have received financial support for their education through the state’s Health Sciences Service Program. The Health Sciences Service Program was created by the West Virginia Legislature in 1995. Since its inception, the program has provided more than 180 health professionals with funds to help cover education expenses in exchange for a commitment to practice in a rural or underserved community in West Virginia. Eligible students must be enrolled in the final year of a health professions graduate program and must commit…
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Student leaders to tackle higher education issues, strengthening campus communities
WESTON, W.Va. – College students from across West Virginia are meeting next week at Jackson’s Mill to tackle issues facing the state’s higher education system and learn new ways to strengthen their campus communities. More than 75 student government representatives from West Virginia’s public two-year and four-year colleges and universities are participating in the annual West Virginia Student Leadership Conference, which kicks off Monday and continues through Wednesday. The conference is sponsored by the West Virginia Community and Technical College System (WVCTCS), the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and Shepherd University. During the conference, students will attend sessions…
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Report: More Mountain State students pursuing higher education
Braxton, Doddridge and Clay counties lead the way in improving college-going rates Charleston, W.Va. – More West Virginia high school graduates went on to pursue higher education last year, according to a report released today by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) and West Virginia Community and Technical College System (CTCS). The college-going rate increased for the second consecutive year, inching up by 0.3 percent — or 266 students — from 2015 to 2016. “These gains, while subtle, represent a solid step in the right direction,” Dr. Paul Hill, HEPC Chancellor, said. “For several years, the impact of…
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Higher education Chancellor Paul Hill issues statement on the announcement of new jobs coming to the West Virginia Regional Technology Park
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “On behalf of the state higher education system, I am so pleased to welcome N3 as our newest tenant at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park. The investment they have chosen to make in West Virginia will not only bring well-paying jobs for college graduates to our area but also support a region-wide culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. “Their decision to launch operations here speaks volumes of the quality of our facilities. But, more importantly, it serves as a reflection of the caliber of our workforce and the knowledge, skills and abilities of our recent college graduates.…
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