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WHS celebrates College Decision Day
While lots of ink and air time were devoted to last week’s NFL draft, area high school seniors were being recognized for making a different kind of decision. College Decision Day, sponsored by GEAR UP, was observed at Westside High last Thursday. About three dozen students headed to college or military service were recognized in a ceremony held in the school auditorium. The format was similar to a sports signing day. Senior , accompanied by parents and a favorite teacher, sat at a table and “signed” with a college, got their photo taken and were congratulated by the principal, assistant…
Continue Reading‘College Decision Day’ events to celebrate students for committing to higher education
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Thirty-four West Virginia high schools will participate in the annual statewide “College Decision Day” campaign to recognize high school seniors who plan to pursue some type of education or training beyond high school. College Decision Day is organized by the College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV), an initiative coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to help students go to college and succeed. “College Decision Day is inspired by sports events, such as the NCAA national signing day and the NFL draft,” Dr. Paul L. Hill, Chancellor for the Commission, said. “We want to make sure…
Continue ReadingWilliamson Daily News: MCHS holds College Day
Published April 13, 2016 by the Williamson Daily News By Kyle Lovern – klovern@civitasmedia.com WVU, MU and Southern presidents attend RED JACKET – Mingo Central High School welcomed some important guests on Tuesday afternoon, the presidents of West Virginia University, Marshall University and Southern W.Va. Community and Technical College for their College Day assembly. Presidents Gordon Gee of WVU, Jerome Gilbert of MU and Robert Gunter of SWVCTC (Southern) all addressed thestudents, faculty and parents in attendance for the special day. Gary White of Logan, the former interim president of Marshall, was also at the event with Gilbert. Dr. Paul…
Continue ReadingCharleston Daily Mail editorial: A day to celebrate a college education
Published April 7, 2016 in the Charleston Gazette-Mail Enrolling in college or other post-high school training is the best decision some students will ever make. Despite the years of hard work, a post-secondary education for many students can set them on a course of lifelong success. That decision is to be celebrated, and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission will do just that later this month. State education officials will gather with students at Mingo Central High School on April 12. Any student who has committed to… »READ MORE
Continue ReadingCollege presidents, officials to recognize Mingo Central students during College Decision Day
DELBARTON, W.Va. – Mingo Central High School will celebrate ‘College Decision Day,’ an event honoring students who plan to pursue some form of education or training beyond high school, on April 12 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. College Decision Day is organized by the College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV), an initiative coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to help students go to college and succeed. Dr. Paul Hill, Chancellor of West Virginia’s four-year public colleges and universities; Dr. E. Gordon Gee, President of West Virginia University; Dr. Jerome Gilbert, President of Marshall University and Dr. Robert…
Continue ReadingApril 15 deadline approaching for West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program applications
~Higher Education Policy Commission approves increase in award amount for students beginning this fall~ Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission today reminded students that April 15 is the deadline to submit the needed paperwork to be considered for the Higher Education Grant Program (HEGP), the state’s need-based financial aid offering, for college beginning this fall. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) serves as the application for HEGP, and is the only document students need to complete to see if they qualify. “We always encourage students to complete the FAFSA to see if they are…
Continue ReadingWVROCKS expands online degree opportunities for adult students with new grant
Charleston, W.Va. – Armed with a new $500,000 grant, the West Virginia Remote Online Collaborative Knowledge System (WVROCKS) is expanding opportunities for adult students in the state to earn Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degrees online. The grant, which was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service program, is funding video equipment that will allow WVROCKS to offer classes online that include synchronous learning beginning in fall 2016. “This grant is another opportunity for us to expand WVROCKS, which offers nontraditional students an unencumbered path toward their degrees,” said Dr. Roxann Humbert, who oversees the portal. “We…
Continue ReadingWest Virginia makes it easier to transfer college credits
by George Hohmann for the West Virginia Press Association About 200,000 West Virginians — 20 percent of the state’s adults — have some college credits but no degree and every year about 3,000 seek to transfer their credits, said Paul Hill, the state’s chancellor of higher education. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin thinks one path to improving the state’s last-place ranking in the percentage of residents with a college degree is to make it easier to transfer credits. Gov. Tomblin focused on this in his 2014 State of the State speech. “College students across the Mountain State report problems with the flow of class credits between public institutions of higher learning,” he…
Continue ReadingChancellor Hill: Scientific discovery fuels minds, futures
This commentary appeared in the February 25, 2016 edition of the Charleston Gazette-Mail. As a young boy growing up in rural West Virginia, I loved discovery. I was fascinated by the idea of putting two things together and getting something entirely new, how things worked and why frogs croaked in the spring. So I was drawn to science. Scientific research is profoundly fascinating. Something starts as an idea, and with analytical powers, deep study and experimental creation, you end up with a problem solved, questions answered or a discovery made. Students from across our state who are at the Capitol…
Continue ReadingMarch 1 deadline approaching for PROMISE Scholarship applications
Charleston, W.Va. – High school seniors in the class of 2016 planning to apply for West Virginia’s PROMISE Scholarship program have until March 1 to complete the required forms, the state’s Higher Education Policy Commission office reminded students and families today. Through PROMISE, qualifying high school graduates receive annual awards of up to $4,750 to cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees at eligible West Virginia higher education institutions. “Since the PROMISE program started, more than $400 million has been provided to more than 35,000 West Virginia students from all 55 counties to attend a public or independent college…
Continue ReadingCollege Goal Sunday event offers free help with college financial aid forms
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia students can get free help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other college financial aid forms during the state’s annual College Goal Sunday event. College Goal Sunday financial aid workshops will be held February 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. at 25 locations. “Completing the FAFSA is a critical step for anyone considering going to 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 programs including state and federal grants,…
Continue ReadingCollege Foundation of West Virginia sets goal to increase FAFSA completion rates
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) today announced a goal to increase the number of 12th graders who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or “FAFSA” to 60 percent. Last year, 57 percent of high school seniors completed the FAFSA, which is the primary application for state and federal financial aid for college. As of January 29, eight percent of this year’s 12th graders have completed the form. A complete list of FAFSA completion rates by high school is available at www.cfwvconnect.com/financial-aid-outreach. According to a report from the White House, “The President’s Plan for Early Financial Aid,”…
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 ReadingWest Virginia’s higher education community to join forces for Higher Education Day at the Capitol
Charleston, W.Va. – Representatives of higher education institutions from across the state will come together on Tuesday, January 19, for Higher Education Day at the Capitol, 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; Sarah Tucker, Chancellor of the Community and…
Continue ReadingChancellor Hill joins students at Preston High School for college & career discussion
This week, Chancellor Paul Hill met with a group of juniors and seniors at Preston High School in Kingwood to talk about their plans for life after graduation – if and where they plan to attend college, what career paths they’re considering, and whether financial aid and college access outreach programs are helping them along the way. “These bright students have some incredible aspirations — to be engineers, lawyers, microbiologists and health care providers. I believe they have the drive to reach these goals, and we are working at the state level to ensure they have the support networks they…
Continue ReadingFollowing record degree production, West Virginia higher education leaders collaborate to ‘Double the Degrees’ by 2025
Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (Commission) and West Virginia Community and Technical College System (WVCTCS) today announced a shared statewide goal to “Double the Degrees” produced annually in West Virginia by the year 2025. The announcement comes on the heels of a record number of college degrees – more than 18,000 – awarded by West Virginia’s public colleges and universities in 2014. By increasing the number of high-quality certificates, associate degrees and bachelor degrees earned and awarded each year to 40,000, state higher education leaders say West Virginia will be more strongly positioned to meet…
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College Foundation of West Virginia recognizes high schools for meeting FAFSA completion goal
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV) announced today that 32 high schools in West Virginia met or exceeded the State’s 2015 goal for increasing the number of 12th graders who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or “FAFSA.” In January, CFWV set a goal of ensuring that at least 60 percent of high school seniors complete the FAFSA, which is the primary application for state and federal financial aid for college, by September 1. “Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps in pursuing higher education,” Brian Weingart, Senior Director for Financial Aid…
Continue ReadingHigher Education Policy Commission approves new presidents at Marshall, Shepherd and West Liberty universities
–New Commissioner Andrew Payne sworn in– Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission voted unanimously today to grant final approval of three presidential selections – Dr. Jerome Gilbert at Marshall University, Dr. Mary Hendrix at Shepherd University and Dr. Stephen Greiner at West Liberty University. “It is certainly uncommon to have three presidential searches underway at the same time, but I am pleased that stakeholders across each campus – boards, faculty, students and staff – were fully engaged in the processes,” said Dr. Paul Hill, the Commission’s Chancellor. “As an ex-officio member of the search committees, I…
Continue ReadingChancellors Hill & Tucker: Colleges pledge to help veterans succeed
As West Virginians honor those who have served and continue serving this Veterans Day, our state’s public colleges and universities have rallied together to create a stronger level of support for veterans and service members who are working to further their education. This year, the Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System of West Virginia launched the “5 Star Challenge,” which sets forth five exemplary standards for better supporting student veterans. And we are proud to say that all of our community and technical colleges and four-year institutions have accepted the challenge. According to spring 2015 enrollment…
Continue ReadingChancellor Hill: Marking 50 years of the Higher Education Act
On November 8, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Higher Education Act, unparalleled federal legislation that strengthened investments in public colleges and universities and provided dedicated support to students pursuing higher education. On that day 50 years ago, he said, “This will swing open a new door for the young people of America…the most important door that will ever open – the door to education.” This was a touchstone moment for higher education in our country. It made postsecondary education a national priority and placed it within the reach of more lower- and middle-income Americans. And it avowed…
Continue ReadingW.Va. colleges and universities commit to increased support for student veterans
All public undergraduate institutions accept ‘5 Star Challenge’ CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia’s public two-year and four-year colleges and universities are pledging increased support for student veterans during events to be held this week through the State’s ‘5 Star Challenge’ initiative, which launched earlier this fall. The Challenge, which calls on institutions to adopt a set of exemplary standards for supporting student veterans, is a tribute to the military tradition of issuing “challenge coins” to service members who embody the values and standards of their military units. College and university presidents from across West Virginia will participate in ceremonies pledging…
Continue ReadingCharleston Gazette editorial: A plan for college
From the Charleston Gazette-Mail Higher Education Chancellor Paul Hill shared some disturbing news in a meeting with Gazette-Mail editors last week: West Virginia has lost significant ground on the rate of high school graduates going on to college. As of five years ago, West Virginia had worked up to 61.5 percent of students going on to college after high school, close to the national average of 63 percent. Since then, that rate has dropped to about 55 percent, where it was 15 years ago. This is happening despite the continuing projections that most jobs in the future will require some…
Continue ReadingPROMISE Scholarship application opens Nov. 2
Charleston Gazette-Mail by Samuel Speciale Applications for West Virginia’s Promise Scholarship will be available starting Monday. The merit-based financial aid program, which covers up to $4,750 in tuition and fees, is awarded to eligible high school graduates. The application is available until March 1, the same day students must turn in their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. While receiving the scholarship requires meeting academic benchmarks, one higher education official said eligibility should not keep a student from applying. “Basically, if you are a high school student in West Virginia, apply,” said Brian Weingart, director…
Continue ReadingCharleston Daily Mail editorial: College-going culture can help drive economy
From the Charleston Gazette-Mail. The statistics are well-known: West Virginia has the fewest adults with bachelor’s degrees, the fewest number of adults working and the highest student loan default rate in the country. Combating those statistics is hard, but something Higher Education Policy Commission Chancellor Paul Hill works to do every day. Hill and other HEPC officials met with a combined Gazette-Mail editorial board Tuesday to talk about the challenges West Virginia faces when it comes to post-secondary education. Hill wants to create a “college-going culture” in West Virginia. Though that may sound difficult, there are some things working in West Virginia’s…
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Huntington Herald-Dispatch editorial: New strategy for remedial classes appears to aid students
Published April 12, 2016 in the Huntington Herald-Dispatch One of the tell-tale signs that public education often falls short is that far too many students who graduate from high school aren’t adequately prepared to take on the rigors of college-level math and English. That’s not just a reference to students who did poorly in high school and did not intend to attend a college or university; it applies also to many students who plan to continue their studies and have been accepted at an institution of higher education. In the past, the answer for those students was to take remedial…
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