West Virginia State University was founded under the provisions of the Second Morrill Act of 1890 as the West Virginia Colored Institute, one of 19 land-grant institutions authorized by Congress and designated by the states to provide for the education of black citizens in agriculture and the mechanical arts. West Virginia was one of the states that maintained segregated educational systems at that time.
 
From 1891 to 1915, the original Institute offered the equivalent of a high school education, vocational training, and teacher preparation. In 1915, the West Virginia Collegiate Institute began to offer college degrees. Under the leadership of President John W. Davis, the academic program was expanded and new buildings were constructed, and in 1927, the Institution was accredited by the North Central Association; in 1929, it became West Virginia State College. Over the next decades, WVSC became recognized as one of the leading public institutions of higher education for African-Americans.
 
In 1954, the United States Supreme Court gave its historic decision outlawing school segregation. The consequence of this decision for West Virginia State College was a rapid transition to an integrated institution serving a predominantly white, commuting, and older student population.  Enrollment quadrupled during the following decades.
 
Meanwhile, by a decision of the West Virginia Board of Education, WVSC was compelled to surrender land-grant status, the only one of the 1890 institutions to do so. Only after a 12-year effort was the college's land-grant status fully restored, in 2001 by an act of Congress.

In 2004, the West Virginia Legislature approved WVSC's transition to University status, and today WVSU offers 23 bachelor's degrees and six master's degrees. With a rich history, and promising future, WVSU is positioned to become the most student-centered research and teaching, land-grant university in West Virginia, and beyond.

For more information on the history of WVSU and our notable alumni, please click here. 

• We are proud of our contribution to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-Americans to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corp. (the precursor to today’s U.S. Air Force). In 1939, West Virginia State College, now University, became the first of six historically black colleges, authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Authority, to establish an aviation program. Consisting of several West Virginia State graduates, in command and support positions, the Tuskegee Airmen personified unparalleled bravery, tireless commitment, and inspiring fortitude.

• We are proud of the Booker T. Washington Institute of West Virginia State University, a program formed from an alliance between the Booker T. Washington Association, the Midland Trail, and the former Cabin Creek Quilts Cooperative. Together, we plan and implement the ideals of Booker T. Washington, an influential figure in national history.

• We are proud of our U.S. Army ROTC Yellow Jacket Battalion, which has produced over 900 Officers, including 15 Generals. More than 100 West Virginia State University alumni have achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher; these distinguished Yellow Jackets are recognized in our ROTC Hall of Fame.

…Looking to an Exciting Future

• We are proud of our connection to Charleston, West Virginia’s largest city and capital. With a city and regional population of over 300,000 people, the Charleston area provides our campus community easy-access to a wealth of cultural and historical activities, music, festivals, entertainment, and the arts.

• We are proud to be home to the Judge Damon J. Keith Scholars Hall, the first new residence hall at West Virginia State University since 1969. With suite-style living including two-, three-, and four-bedroom suites, in addition to a cyber café, gaming room, and academic and meeting spaces, the $25.2 million, 291-bed hall features the unique academic and living environment students expect on a university campus and will greatly assist the University in recruiting and retaining new students.

• We are proud of our national alumni base who, through active engagement and unequaled participation in the University’s well-being, serves as State’s backbone and unwavering support system. Their tremendous support will ensure the future success of our great University.

• We are proud of be recognized by Tree Campus USA. A national program created by the Arbor Day Foundation, this designation recognizes the University’s achievement for effective campus forest management and our campus community’s commitment to conservation and decreasing our environmental footprint.

…Featuring Award-Winning Academics…

• We are proud of our over 200 full- and part-time award-winning faculty members spanning 23 academic degree programs, many of whom have achieved national recognition and distinction within their fields of study.

• We are proud of the immense variety and diverse range of research conducted by our outstanding faculty. With groundbreaking discoveries in fields such as aquaculture; environmental microbiology and biotechnology; horticulture crops and production systems; urban forestry and natural resource management; vegetable genomics and plant breeding; and beetle biodiversity, our faculty and research scientists are making great advances for the future.

• We are proud of our comprehensive Honors Program which provides enriched academic opportunities with advanced scholastic achievements, allowing our students to augment traditional studies with enhanced cultural opportunities as they pursue excellence in their chosen areas of study.

• We are proud of our low student-to-faculty ratio (17-to-1), which allows our faculty to provide individualized learning environments, one-on-one mentoring, and highly effective instruction. At West Virginia State University, our students are not just a number! Our students are future leaders, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs.

• We are proud to offer students the ability to develop individually designed, one-of-a-kind majors. With degrees in such important and cutting-edge fields as energy management (the first of its kind in the state!), science, mathematics, business, and education, as well as opportunities in pharmacy, West Virginia State University is leading the way into a better, brighter future for our students, their families, and for citizens across our state!

• We are proud to offer five fully-online programs.  The fully-online degree programs are: criminal justice, business administration with a concentration in accounting, business administration with a concentration in management, English (Technical Writing), and a master’s degree in instructional educational leadership.

• We are proud of our Research Rookies program, through which highly motivated students with a strong commitment to STEM initiatives are provided with the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research, explore their intended major, develop relationships with faculty, and cultivate critical thinking skills.

• We are proud of our distinction as one of Great Value Colleges’ 2015 100 Most Affordable Small Colleges East of the Mississippi. West Virginia State University ranked fourth most affordable out of 100 institutions of higher education. In addition, WVSU’s Biology program ranked third of the 50 Best Value Small Colleges for a Biology Degree 2015; the Social Work program ranked tenth of the 50 Most Affordable Selective Schools for a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work); and the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration ranked third of the 50 Best Value Small Colleges for a Business Administration Degree 2015, demonstrating our commitment to providing affordable, quality education for our students!

…Exceptional Athletics…

• We are proud of our diverse and multi-faceted athletics teams. Our campus boasts five men’s sports (baseball, basketball, football, golf, and tennis) and five women’s sports (basketball, cross country, softball, tennis, and volleyball).

• We are proud of our student-athletes, who consistently excel both in and out of classroom. With championship-winning teams, who are determined to achieve excellence, our student-athletes prove daily that purposeful hard work and committed sportsmanship create champions.

• We are proud of be home to world-class athletic facilities. With the $19 million renovation of Fleming Hall and the February 2014 dedication and opening of the D. Stephen and Diane H. Walker Convocation Center, a new era has dawned for student-athletes and sports fans at West Virginia State University. The dedication ceremony alone drew national attention as we honored and featured State alum and NBA legend Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in the NBA, as well as other NBA legends Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell.

…Unmatched Research…

• We are proud to contribute to the development of our faculty’s research offerings through the institution of Promoting Excellence in Education through Research (PEER) program. This exciting project provides support to encourage and foster the advancement of research, and to leverage these resources to attract funding to promote and support the enrichment of academia and student learning to the University.

• We are proud to be committed to the betterment of West Virginia through our Agricultural & Environmental Research Station (AERS), part of the Gus R. Douglass Land-Grant Institute. Through the AERS program, we maintain a competitive portfolio of research programs driven by national and state agendas. Through the development of knowledge, engagement in technology, and economic development, we are able to achieve great benefits for all of West Virginia. From on-campus research labs, field plots and greenhouses to laboratory space at the West Virginia Regional Technology Park, AERS is rapidly increasing its presence in agricultural and environmental research.

• We are proud of the West Virginia State University Energy and Environmental Science Institute (WVSUEEI), a compelling new program that enhances State’s capacity to participate in the evolving opportunities in energy and environmental research, teaching, and outreach by facilitating collaboration across disciplines and engaging stakeholders at the local, state, national, and international level. Through the WVSUEEI, work is currently taking place in such diverse and exciting fields as soil science, plant genomics, environmental policy, organic chemistry, microbial ecology, energy security, anaerobic digestion, and STEM outreach.

…and Community Enhancing Public Service…

• We are proud of our culturally-enriching 4-H Youth Development programs. We have adopted a non-traditional approach to 4-H, focusing on youth arts initiatives and STEM education. With programs such as performing arts camps and youth mentoring, our 4-H offerings are encouraging healthy, active lifestyles—one child at a time!

• We are proud of our expansive agricultural outreach programs that focus on alternative agriculture, sustainability, urban forestry, and community, youth, and adaptive gardening. Through these prolific programs, including agriculture and small fruit workshops, SCRATCH Project, and Junior Master Gardener classes, our extension agents are extending knowledge and changing lives across West Virginia.

• We are proud of our Center for the Advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CASTEM), which works to increase participation and retention of underrepresented youths in grades K-12 in STEM fields. With locations on campus and in southern West Virginia, CASTEM staff have brought science education to thousands of the state's young people.

• We are proud of “Orchestra of the Hills,” an event that helped flood victims following the historic flood in June 2016.  WVSU partnered with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra to host the fundraiser that benefited high school music departments in West Virginia who were affected by the severe flooding in the region.

• We are so proud to put a spotlight on homesteading, urban growing and small fruit production through the fourth annual Urban Agriculture conference.  WVSU Extension Service partners with the Capitol Conversation District, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and West Virginia University Extension Service to host this dynamic gathering of farmers, gardeners and homesteaders.

…One Thing is CLEAR!
West Virginia State Has a LOT to be Proud of!

WVSU students will tell you that there's a lot to love about their university ... from the many opportunities to learn and grow ... to the faculty and staff who support them on their journey to a successful future.

Location - WVSU is located just a few miles from Charleston, the capital of West Virginia, and within easy driving distance from major cities in five bordering states.

Size - With more than 4,100 students and a student faculty ratio of 14:1, students are able to learn in a comfortable, supportive environment, while experiencing the opportunities associated with a much larger university.

Campus - You'll love our campus, a beautiful setting with lots of green space and a great quad area for studying outside in the fresh air, or tossing around a football with newfound friends.

History - Founded in 1891 as an Historically Black College (HBCU), WVSU has evolved to serve a population that is richly diverse in ethnicity, geography, residential/commuter, high school graduates and adult learners.

Alumni - WVSU graduates can be found in positions of leadership and public service throughout West Virginia and the world.

Take the next step in your education by discovering the WVSU difference. Be part of a campus environment that has a rich history and a culture of active alumni support, while pursuing your dreams with the help of a faculty dedicated to your success.

West Virginia State University continues to be recognized for the strength of its academic programs, the success of its sustainability efforts, and dedication to excellence. More and more, WVSU is being seen among elite institutions as a high-caliber education destination and a great place to study, live and thrive. For a complete list of our national rankins, recognition and accolades, please click here. 

WVSU students work hard. Our faculty and staff also work hard to help our students find challenge, opportunity, passion and the confidence to realize their dreams. WVSU offers a variety of areas of study in the arts, sciences, business, education and professional studies. To see a complete list of academic programs that WVSU has to offer, please click here.  

WVSU is located in Institute, just eight miles outside of Charleston, the Capital City of West Virginia, and is easily accessible by Interstate from many major U.S. cities.

Being so close to West Virginia's Capital City affords WVSU students many opportunities to learn and explore away from campus. Charleston is home to the State Capitol building, the governor's mansion, and the newly renovated West Virginia State Museum. All of which offer free admission and tours.

There are also numerous shopping and restaurant choices in and around Charleston, including the Charleston Town Center, and the bustling shopping area along U.S. 119, also known as Corridor G.

Charleston is home to the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia, a minor league baseball team, and numerous festivals offering year-round entertainment. The internationally acclaimed "Mountain Stage" radio program also originates in Charleston, offering area residents the opportunity to listen to live music from well-known artists and musicians.

And of course, being in West Virginia, there are numerous opportunities to explore the many activities made possible by the state's natural beauty. Whether it be whitewater rafting on the New River in the spring and summer, or hiking and biking the many rail-trails around the state in the summer, to skiing in the winter there is much to do within an easy drive of WVSU's campus.
 

DIRECTIONS TO WVSU

From Charleston:
Travel nine miles West towards Huntington on Interstate 64. Take exit 50 (Institute Exit). Turn left at the stop sign, onto US Highway 25. Visitor parking is adjacent to the Visitor's Center. Check in at the Visitor's Center, located along Barron Drive, to obtain a visitor's pass for parking.

From Huntington:
Travel 40 miles East towards Charleston on Interstate 64. Get off of the Interstate at exit 50 (Institute Exit). Turn Left at the stop sign, onto US Highway 25. Visitor parking is adjacent to the Visitor's Center. Check in at the Visitor's center, located along Barron Drive, to obtain a visitor's pass for parking.

In order to view the most recent news and press releases, please click here. You can also follow us on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest updates.