INSTITUTE, W.Va. — West Virginia State University held a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new $50 million state-of-the-art agricultural laboratory to be built on the school’s campus in Institute.
WVSU President Ericke S. Cage, Governor Jim Justice, Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt and other state and local officials joined in the groundbreaking.
“This is truly an historic day in the life of West Virginia State University as we break ground for this cutting-edge facility that will help drive the future of agriculture and agricultural research in West Virginia for generations to come,” said WVSU President Ericke S. Cage. “I want to thank Governor Jim Justice, Senate President Craig Blair, and House Speaker Roger Hanshaw for their tireless dedication and support of this important project.”
“It’s an honor to be back at West Virginia State University to break ground on our cutting-edge agriculture lab,” Gov. Justice said. “I’ve been all in on this project from the start because I know the difference it will make for our agriculture industry, and I’m thankful the West Virginia Legislature saw that vision, too. Our progress in a few short months is a testament to what we can accomplish when we all pull the rope together. Agriculture is at the very heart of who we are as West Virginians—it’s in our blood, our soil, and our way of life. This state-of-the-art research facility is an investment in our future, our farmers, and our students, who will be the ones to carry this proud tradition forward for generations to come.”
The new facility will house laboratory space for both West Virginia State University and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and will also be home to the new Purdy School of School of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.
The Purdy family made a generous commitment of $2.5 million to support the development of the new School of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. The Purdy gift is the single largest cash gift in the history of WVSU.
“Supporting higher education and helping to create opportunities for students to pursue a college degree is extremely important to myself and my family,” said Verl Purdy, a native of Poca, West Virginia and managing partner of Cadrillion Capital in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I started my higher education career here at West Virginia State University after attending a one room elementary school and a small high school. My siblings and I were first generation college graduates and we have devoted our lives to providing others with the same opportunity to succeed.”
The new agricultural laboratory will build on WVSU’s expansive agricultural research portfolio and provide students with experiential learning opportunities as they can engage in hands-on research projects.
Gov. Justice first announced the project during his January 2024 State of the State Address and the West Virginia Legislature passed it during a special session in May.
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