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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…
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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…
Continue ReadingMetroNews: Fifteen to Finish program promotes faster college graduation rates
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State junior and Boone County native Taylor Raby is glad she’s able to handle a full-time schedule–something that some students either aren’t able to or choose not to do. “I thought it was really important just to be able to graduate on time,” she said. “I’m actually going to be able to graduate early, hopefully.” The upperclassmen was one of nine students to talk with Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, on Thursday during a sit-down meeting to emphasize the importance of taking at least fifteen credit hours each semester.…
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Exponent Telegram: Students prepare for college during exploration and application week
CLARKSBURG — College Exploration and Application Week is a statewide initiative that provides students the opportunity to learn more about postsecondary options. While not all schools in Harrison County participated, offering guidance to students is a No. 1 concern for junior and senior guidance counselors during this time of year. The effort started in 2010 when the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission found that students had confusion about financial aid and college applications and tended to complete them later in the year, according to Jessica Kennedy, director of communications and outreach. “We wanted to make it a priority for…
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Gazette-Mail: Mascots dance off during college-going event
More than 1,500 ninth grade students participating in the West Virginia GEAR UP program packed into the Clay Center for the Arts for the student leadership academy. The program is a college readiness project coordinated by the state Higher Education Policy Commission and funded by the federal government. It serves students in 10 counties including Fayette, Boone, Mason, Mercer, Mingo, Nicholas, Summers, Webster, Wyoming and Wirt. Wednesday’s event featured speakers including Josh Shipp, a nationally renowned youth leadership coach, Paul Hill, chancellor of the state Higher Education Policy Commission, and Sarah Tucker, chancellor of the state Community and Technical College…
Continue ReadingCollege Foundation of West Virginia sees promising early results in providing college counseling through text messaging
Charleston, W.Va. – During a meeting of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission held today, state officials announced that a pilot project to provide college counseling through text messaging is yielding encouraging results. The project, which is part of the Commission’s statewide College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) outreach initiative, provides students with a series of text message reminders to help them succeed in college. Students can text back anytime to receive free assistance from a counselor. Dr. Ben Castleman and Katharine Meyer, researchers from the University of Virginia, recently released a working paper outlining early results from the effort. Their…
Continue ReadingCollege Foundation of West Virginia providing college planning help through text messages
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 ReadingWVROCKS assists Fairmont State students in completing RBA degrees
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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