Dear West Virginia State University Family:

Welcome back to West Virginia State University where 2014 promises to be a year of celebrations, new additions and opportunities for the entire State family. As we begin the New Year and new semester, we are starting a fresh chapter in our efforts to meet the needs of our students and that of the surrounding community, state, region and nation.  We simply describe this by saying, “Find Your Passion at West Virginia State University.”

WVSU has been changing lives, connecting people’s passions with the education needed to launch successful careers, since 1891 – and we are taking that charge to the next level this year. In 2014, two new educational programs begin to take root with the promise of providing students with the knowledge and abilities needed to achieve their dreams and meet the growing demand present in our economy today.  Our new concentration in energy management in WVSU’s Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration is the first-of-its-kind in the State of West Virginia and classes, like Oil and Gas Law, begin this semester.  Our students also have the ability to pursue an affordable, engineering degree at State. I am pleased to say each program has both current and prospective students even more excited about WVSU.

Excitement continues to build with every wall that rises at the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall and with every finishing touch installed at the Convocation Center at Fleming Hall.  With the completion of both major infrastructure projects, our students will be living, learning and competing in state-of-the-art surroundings in 2014.  These new projects could not be possible without the support and contributions of our faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University including state government leaders.  We look forward to recognizing the hard work and contributions of these individuals at the February 28, 2014 opening of the Convocation Center and before the anticipated August 2014 opening of the residence hall.

Throughout 2013, the atmosphere on campus has been one filled with promise and that will continue.  Our resolve has and will continue to extend to each and every community where our Extension Service experts invest their time and talents to make a difference in the lives of others.  From our Economic Development Center on the West Side of Charleston and the community gardens in Huntington to the many projects found throughout the 29 counties Extension serves, our passion for helping others is evident.  We are giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to turn their passions into successful businesses.  Through interactive classroom lessons at elementary schools throughout the region, our faculty are challenging young minds to exceed expectations and develop new passions in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. We are developing a love of STEM learning throughout West Virginia. 

Truly, our University is making progress in leaps and bounds.  In November 2013, key members of the campus community took part in a Budget Efficiency Summit.  Designed to hone in on specific areas in which WVSU can streamline operations while maximizing our budget, our chief goal is to become even better stewards of taxpayer dollars.  But our stride forward does not stop there. We are poised to take our efforts even further through Vision 2020: State’s Roadmap to the Future, a comprehensive, all-encompassing plan that will successfully implement growth and success strategies campus-wide. 

Our student and faculty research continues to grow and yield great results including a statewide award earned by one of our seniors at the fifth biennial Science, Technology and Research (STaR) Symposium hosted by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission last fall. In addition, Promoting Excellence in Education through Research, or PEER, the University, through the Research and Development Corporation, is committing grant funds for the next five years to foster and encourage the advancement of faculty research and scholarly work. This commitment holds promise for great discoveries impacting everyday lives of our friends, family and neighbors today and long into the future – and it all begins at State. It all begins by encouraging our current and future students to find their passion.

I am encouraged by our faculty and staff who, each and every day, exhibit their passions. State’s forward-progress is assured daily by unparalleled commitment and hard-work. Such dedication is evidenced by the outstanding work of our professors, both inside and outside of the classroom. For example over the past year and a half Dr. Micheal Fultz, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has secured grant funding in excess of $600,000 to purchase scientific analytical laboratory equipment for the University. Such investments will serve our students well for years to come.

As you begin your semester, I must take a moment to humbly thank our State family for your dedicated commitment to excellence and on-going focus on student centeredness. I urge you to make the most of your experience at West Virginia State University. Know that we continue to invest in you because we believe you are worth our time and efforts. Find Your Passion at West Virginia State University.

GO STATE!

Sincerely,

Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President