Mischief, magic and donkey ears come to WVU Parkersburg on October 15

 Parkersburg, W.Va. (September 25, 2026) — Love triangles are messy, but adding enchanted forest juice and a runaway troupe of amateur actors turns romance into outright mayhem.

On Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM, West Virginia’s Shakespeare troupe, The Rustic Mechanicals, land at West Virginia University at Parkersburg to stage William Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Audiences can expect a high-energy, fast-paced production packed with warring fairy monarchs, baffled runaway lovers, dynamic music, and a very literal translation of making an ass out of oneself. The Mechanicals’ signature performance style pairs Renaissance wit with Appalachian drive, ensuring a night of accessible, razor-sharp classical theatre that proves the course of true love never did run smooth—or quietly.

Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM

WVU Parkersburg Main Campus, Parkersburg, WV

General Public: $17 in advance / $25 at the door

Campus Community: Free admission for all current WVU Parkersburg students, faculty, and staff with valid institutional ID

Seating is limited, and advance purchase is strongly encouraged before the fairy dust settles.

WVU Parkersburg President urges Congress to support Pell Grants, workforce funding

 Parkersburg, W.Va. (September 18, 2026) — WVU Parkersburg President Torie Jackson was a featured speaker Thursday at a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill on the role of community colleges in workforce development and student success.

The Association of Community College Trustees, in partnership with the Community College Coalition, hosted “Strengthening America’s Workforce Pipeline: The Role of Community College in Federal Education and Workforce Investments” at the Russell Senate Office Building. U.S. Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, gave opening remarks. The briefing focused on Pell Grants, Adult Basic Education, Child Care Access Means Parents in School and Strengthening Community College Training Grants.

Jackson spoke alongside college leaders and students from across the country.

“It was an honor to be selected by ACCT to represent WVU Parkersburg, West Virginia, and community colleges nationally in Washington,” Jackson said. “As a former Pell Grant recipient, I know personally how important federal support can be in making college possible. That opportunity changed the trajectory of my life, and today’s students deserve access to those same opportunities.”

Jackson told the audience she worked during high school to help support her family after her father lost his job. “I decided in high school that education would be my path to something different,” she said. A Pell Grant made college possible, and “I was actually able to graduate from college with almost no debt.”

She also described how federal workforce funding has affected students in West Virginia. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded a $6.2 million Strengthening Community College Training Grant to three West Virginia community colleges, including WVU Parkersburg, to strengthen nursing education.

Jackson said the grant has helped WVU Parkersburg increase its nursing student population by 62.4%, expand class capacity, add student coaches and faculty, and increase simulation and clinical hours.

“We have a 100 percent pass rate for all our graduates whenever they do take their tests at the end,” she said. “[The grant] allows you to take your program and be able to expand it.”

While in Washington, Jackson also visited the offices of Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice and Rep. Carol Miller, and met with the chief of staff for Rep. Riley Moore.

“We are doing incredible things in the Mid-Ohio Valley, and it is important for federal leaders to see the real results of their investments — students earning credentials and degrees, families gaining economic opportunity, and employers getting the skilled workforce they need,” Jackson said. “The work happening at WVU Parkersburg is a great example of the impact community colleges have every day, and more people should know our story.”

The Association of Community College Trustees represents more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern more than 1,000 community, technical and junior colleges in the United States and beyond.

WVU Parkersburg teacher candidates begin Fall 2026 residencies

Parkersburg, W.Va. (September 9, 2026) — Eight WVU Parkersburg teacher candidates are spending the fall 2026 semester immersed in K-6 classrooms as part of the university’s yearlong teacher residency program.

“The Residency Model has been such a wonderful addition to teacher preparation programs. Residents are given the opportunity to work with the same cooperating teacher and the same K-6 students for an entire year,” said Dr. Bobbi Marshall, dean of Professional Studies. “Being able to participate in the same class for a full school year gives teacher candidates the opportunity to participate in the start of the school year as well as the end of the school year. The full year experience provides teacher candidates with the skills that they need to successfully step into their own classroom after graduation.”

The Elementary Education Program provides field experience in the classroom as early as the freshman year. Under the traditional student-teaching model, teacher candidates spend a semester in two classrooms and quickly assume teaching responsibilities under the mentorship of an experienced teacher until they are teaching full time. The new residency model places teacher candidates in one classroom for their entire senior year, and they assume responsibilities more gradually.

The Fall 2026 class of students in Education 401 includes:

JACKSON COUNTY — Lanna Bragg

WIRT COUNTY — Kelsie Means

WOOD COUNTY — Lauren Brandjes, Kaitlin Duckworth, Marlee Hunt, Allie Lowther, Megan Mestuzzi and Rylee Wise

Visit https://www.wvup.edu/academics/programs/elementary-education/ to learn more about WVU Parkersburg’s Elementary Education program.

WVU Parkersburg invited to return to nationally recognized Metallica Scholars Initiative as the workforce education program expands to over 90 schools

 Parkersburg, W.Va. (September 9, 2026) — WVU Parkersburg is proud to announce it has once again been asked to participate in the eighth year of the prestigious Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). Supported by a generous grant aimed at enhancing the student experience and career readiness within its technology and media programs, WVU Parkersburg awarded 127 scholarships across multiple programs — including Computer Science, Computer Information Technology and Digital Media Production — totaling $113,751. The college has also funded approximately 159 certification exams, valued at $29,268.

Dr. Torie Jackson, President of WVU Parkersburg, said:

“Every Metallica Scholar has a story of determination, resilience and hope. For eight years, this extraordinary partnership has helped our students move from possibility to purpose by providing the resources they need to complete their education and begin meaningful careers. We are incredibly grateful to All Within My Hands and AACC for believing in community colleges and, most importantly, believing in our students.”

All Within My Hands (AWMH), the non-profit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, proudly announces the eighth year of its Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) with its largest grant to date: over $3.3M. 18 new U.S. schools will join the returning 75 colleges in the fall for a total of 93 in the program. In addition, later this year, the Metallica Scholars Initiative will also expand to the United Kingdom in partnership with Capital City College Group in London.

“This thing started as a dream. Now our program is changing lives. To expand our impact on a global scale and support even more students is so rewarding. We’re so proud of all the Metallica Scholars who have come through it and all the ones who will participate in it. It’s humbling to know we’ve been part of the journey of thousands of trade professionals doing good, hard work in the world.”

-James Hetfield, Metallica Band Member

AWMH continues to work closely with its long-time partner, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Launched in 2019 by All Within My Hands, MSI’s core focus is supporting conventional trades, including welders, plumbers, and electricians, while also adding fields that will generate the jobs of tomorrow. The workforce initiative continues to evolve, supporting diverse fields for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to establish meaningful careers that provide family-sustaining wages. Year 8 includes a wide range of fields, including nursing and healthcare, optical systems technology, automotive repair, maritime manufacturing, firefighting and EMT, pipefitting and agricultural pathways.

Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard, President and CEO, AACC, said, “The continued growth of the Metallica Scholars Initiative is a powerful testament to what’s possible when visionary philanthropy and community colleges come together around a shared mission. Through this partnership, 13,000 community college students have already been supported across the country, earning the skills needed for in-demand careers with family-sustaining wages. This latest, generous investment by Metallica’s foundation will reach more learners, while strengthening the workforce pipelines that power local economies. We are proud to partner with All Within My Hands to scale this impact, ensuring even more students have access to life-changing opportunities in the skilled trades and beyond.”

The initiative’s eighth iteration also marks the renewal of AWMH’s partnerships with Carhartt, Wolverine, CNH Construction and Upstaging, Inc., as well as the addition of the Foundation’s newest partner, ServiceTitan. These corporate partners complement the Foundation’s Executive and Advisory Board Members and the broader Metallica Family, all of whom have played a role in advancing AWMH’s mission and driving its success.

Peter Delgrosso, Executive Director, AWMH, said, “Metallica Scholars Year 8 will see our largest-scale growth yet, as we anticipate supporting close to 4,000 new students in the United States and more than 1,000 learners in the UK. This represents an approximate 40% increase in our student body, something we are incredibly excited about. Supporting people of all ages entering and ascending through trades is the right thing to do, not just domestically, but also abroad. Our Metallica Scholars have demonstrated resilience and a strong determination to succeed, which in turn motivates us to match their ambition.”

About WVU Parkersburg

WVU Parkersburg, established in 1961, is a life-changing institution for the students and communities it serves. The college offers over 40 degree programs, workforce development, short-term career training programs and community education classes. WVU Parkersburg is also the only community and technical college in West Virginia to offer bachelor’s degrees, and it is home to Tower 61 Radio, broadcasting on WPKM 96.3 FM, the first community college radio station in the state.

About All Within My Hands

Established in 2017, All Within My Hands (AWMH) is a non-profit, philanthropic organization conceived by the members and management of Metallica and dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. Metallica covers all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go directly to the organizations supported by the Foundation. To date, All Within My Hands has provided grants of $19M to career and technical education programs through its Metallica Scholars Initiative, $8.8M to combat food insecurity, and $6.2M to disaster relief and other critical local services worldwide. Visit AllWithinMyHands.org to learn more. And follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About American Association of Community Colleges

As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/

WVU Parkersburg accepting applications for EMT short-term program

Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 28, 2026) — WVU Parkersburg is accepting applications for its Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) short-term program, designed to prepare individuals for entry-level careers in emergency medical services.

Classes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays from Sept. 28 through Dec. 16, 2026, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at WVU Parkersburg’s Main Campus.

The program provides students with the knowledge, hands-on skills and real-world experience needed to begin a career in emergency medical services. Through instruction, skills labs, and clinical and field experiences, students develop the confidence and competence to provide safe, effective emergency care.

“Our division at WVU Parkersburg is focused on offering programs that meet the needs of local business and industry while providing students with relevant, high-quality training that leads to employment,” said Abby Campbell, program manager at WVU Parkersburg. “Our new EMT short-term program gives students an opportunity to quickly gain the skills and training needed to begin a career in emergency medical services, while also creating a clear pathway to continue their education through WVU Parkersburg’s Emergency Medical Services degree program. We’re excited to offer a program that can help meet an important workforce need in our region while giving students options to continue growing in the field.”

The EMT program was developed to reflect real-world emergency care environments and current industry standards. The combination of classroom instruction, skills labs and clinical and field experience is designed to give students practical preparation and a clear understanding of employer expectations for entry-level EMTs.

“The EMT short-term program provides students with the knowledge, hands-on skills and real-world experience needed to begin a career in Emergency Medical Services. Through instruction, skills labs and clinical and field experiences, students develop the confidence and competence to provide safe, effective emergency care. Successful completion of the course prepares students and provides eligibility to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) EMT certification examination, helping develop job-ready EMTs who can strengthen the region’s EMS workforce and serve the emergency care needs of our local communities,” said Chad Knox, EMS program director at WVU Parkersburg.

EMTs are in demand across the region, with opportunities at ambulance services, fire departments and hospitals.

The cost of the program is $2,000 per person. Funding or payment plans must be secured by Sept. 14, 2026, two weeks before the first day of class. Class size is limited to 10 students, with a minimum of five students required to run the program.

To apply, visit wed.apply.wvup.edu. For more information, email wed@wvup.edu or call 304-424-8274.

WVU Parkersburg Board of Governors honors longtime administrator, welcomes new member and advances policy agenda

 Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 19, 2026) — The WVU Parkersburg Board of Governors met Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, to swear in a new board member, approve a policy update for public comment and hear updates on enrollment, finances and campus programs as the college opened its fall semester with a renewed focus on student success.

President Dr. Torie Jackson opened the meeting by honoring the memory of Alice Harris, associate professor of accounting, who served the college for more than a decade, including as executive vice president of finance and administration. Jackson credited Harris with guiding the college through some of its most challenging financial years and helping mentor many members of the current staff.

“She was a trusted leader whose careful management and long-range vision helped strengthen the financial foundation of our college, positioning us for the opportunities we continue to pursue today,” Jackson said.

The board observed a moment of silence in her honor. The college community will celebrate Harris’s life on Sunday, Aug. 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the College Activities Center.

The Honorable Timothy Sweeney, judge of the Third Circuit Court, administered the oath of office to new board member Sami Kincaid at the start of the meeting.

In her report to the board, Jackson recapped the college’s fall welcome-back session, where five students shared their personal journeys with faculty and staff returning for the semester. She said the stories were designed to challenge every employee to consider how their work contributes to student success. Jack Comeau, known as Moon King, attended the board meeting after being recognized this month with the Governor’s Service Award in the Young Adult category for his volunteer work and community service while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Jackson also praised the college’s College 101 orientation, led by Dr. Jared Gump, who was also on hand, noting the effort drew roughly 30 employees to help welcome new students to campus.

Board Chair Blaine Hess reported the college has now posted 11 consecutive semesters of enrollment growth and holds the highest student retention rate among West Virginia’s community colleges. Chief Financial Officer Bradley Wilson told the board that summer enrollment rose 9.2% in full-time-equivalent students, generating roughly $124,957 in additional tuition revenue.

The board voted to move an updated version of Policy A-43, “Disability Accommodations,” forward for a 30-day public comment period. Jackson said the revision aligns the policy with current West Virginia code and adds language committing the institution to engage in good faith in an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations. The board also received four policy updates as information items, with no board action required: Policy B-03 (“Sabbatical Leave”), Policy B-08 (“Holidays”), Policy B-12 (“Adjunct Faculty”) and Policy B-54 (“Emergency Call-In”). Jackson noted the sabbatical leave revision drew written comment from two faculty members but was supported by all five academic deans and the vice president of academic affairs.

“Every decision made by this board and every action taken by our employees creates opportunities for students to discover their potential and build brighter futures,” Jackson said.

The Board of Governors will next meet Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026.

WVU Parkersburg accepting applications for manufacturing training program

The Beet Grows Up. WVU Parkersburg Relaunches Campus Radio as Tower 61 Radio

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (July 23, 2026) – Before there was a campus, there was a year. In 1961, a small college opened its doors in Parkersburg and began the work of educating the Mid-Ohio Valley. Sixty-five years later, that founding year has a new voice. WVU Parkersburg announced today that WPKM 96.3 FM, the first community college radio station in West Virginia and long known to listeners as The Beet, has been rebranded as Tower 61 Radio.

The name carries two stories at once. The tower nods to the bell tower at the heart of campus, the same landmark anchoring the college’s visual identity. The 61 honors the year it all began.

“I hope the first thing people think of is WVU Parkersburg,” said Cody Davis, program coordinator for the college’s Integrated Marketing Communications program, which houses the station. “I want Tower 61 Radio to be seen as an extension of the university, a place that showcases our students, our faculty and the opportunities we provide.”

The rebrand arrives alongside the launch of the college’s new Integrated Marketing Communications program and updated learning outcomes in Digital Media Production, changes Davis says made this the right moment to reimagine the station.

“Radio has changed so much,” Davis said. “It is no longer just about what comes through the speakers. It’s about branding, digital content, community engagement and creating experiences for audiences across multiple platforms. We wanted the station to become a place where students could apply those skills in a real-world environment.”

Listeners will notice the difference on the dial first. Tower 61 features a classic rock format spanning the 1960s through the 1990s, built on a music library of more than 800 songs that students personally listened to and categorized by decade, genre and style. Three student workers have been hired as the primary voices of the station, hosting programs, taking requests and connecting with listeners throughout the day.

The station’s reach is growing too. A second broadcast tower planned at the college’s Innovation and Technology Center will extend the signal into Vienna and beyond, carrying student voices farther across the Mid-Ohio Valley than ever before.

For Dr. Bobbi Marshall, dean of the Professional Studies Division, the station’s value goes well beyond the media programs it serves. She sees Tower 61 as a campus-wide classroom where education students can host story times, criminal justice students can produce podcasts, agriculture students can deliver farm reports and business students can build promotional campaigns.

“The station becomes more than a media outlet,” Marshall said. “It becomes a collaborative learning environment that promotes creativity, communication and real-world experience.”

Both leaders were quick to honor what came before. The Beet holds a pioneering place in West Virginia broadcasting history, and its legacy is woven into the new station rather than replaced by it.

“Aligning the program with current industry standards is not about saying goodbye to an old friend,” Marshall said. “It is about welcoming a new one. This evolution honors The Beet’s rich history and pioneering spirit while creating new opportunities for today’s students.”

Davis put it more simply. “The same way a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the station is transforming into something new while carrying pieces of its past with it.”

Future plans for Tower 61 include remote broadcasts from sporting events, campus activities and community gatherings, along with original programming featuring faculty spotlights, study tips, reading hours and public service announcements.

Tower 61 Radio broadcasts on WPKM 96.3 FM.

As required by the U.S. Department of Education’s 1979 Guidelines for Eliminating Discrimination, WVU Parkersburg is proud to offer more than 40 degree programs and certificates within these academic areas: Professional Studies, Nursing & Health Sciences, Workforce, Technical and Computer Information Science and Arts & Sciences. Additionally, the college offers early college opportunities for high school students, technical training and workforce development, and community education classes. Visit wvup.edu for more information.

Admission to WVU Parkersburg is open to any individual who meets the institution’s open admissions policy. Applicants for admission or employment, students, employees, sources of referral of applicants for admission and employment, and all third parties holding professional agreements with WVU Parkersburg are hereby notified that this institution is committed to nondiscrimination in admission, employment, educational programs or activities and in employment or employee health benefits. Also, it is the policy of WVU Parkersburg to prohibit harassment (including sexual harassment and sexual violence) of students and employees. Faculty, staff, students and applicants are protected from retaliation for alleging discrimination or assisting in an investigation of discrimination.

WVU Parkersburg is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, veteran status, ancestry, or national origin in admission, employment, educational programs or activities. Further, faculty, staff, students, and applicants are protected from retaliation for making complaints or assisting in investigations of discrimination. Any person with inquiries regarding WVU Parkersburg’s compliance with Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is directed to contact the individual designated to coordinate the institution’s efforts to comply with the regulations implementing these laws:

Mary Bentz, Executive Director, Human Resources and Compliance
WVU Parkersburg
300 Campus Drive, Room 1008
Parkersburg, WV 26104
Office: 304-424-8212; Fax: 304-424-8302
Email: Mary.Bentz@wvup.edu

Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 or ADA complaints may also be filed with the Regional Office for Civil Rights: U.S. Department of Education;
Philadelphia Office for Civil Rights;
100 Penn Square East, Suite 515;
Telephone: 215-656- 541; FAX: 215-656-8605; TDD: 800-877-8339;
Email: OCR.Philadelphia@ed.gov.

Employees and applicants for employment may also file employment discrimination complaints with the Regional Office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission;
801 Market Street, Suite 1300; Philadelphia, PA 19107-
3127; Telephone: 800-660-4000 / 215-440-2601; Fax: 215-440-2606; TTY: 800-669-6820.

Full Circle: WVU Parkersburg Criminal Justice student returns to lead the camp that started it all

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 3, 2026) — Long before Grace Sprout ever set foot in a college classroom, she was solving crimes from her grandmother’s living room. As a kid, she’d curl up with her grandmother and her Aunt Liz late at night to watch true-crime shows — the kind of programming most families wouldn’t hand to a child, but the kind that Sprout couldn’t get enough of.

Her mother, Kelli Sprout, who works in the nursing department at WVU Parkersburg, saw her interest in criminal justice and signed her up for the college’s summer Teen CSI Academy in 2021.

For the first time, Sprout felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be. The academy let her dig into the subject she loved in a hands-on, educational setting, surrounded by other teenagers who were just as curious as she was. She back the following summer, in 2022, for more.

Sprout began taking classes at WVU Parkersburg as a dual-credit senior before graduating from Parkersburg Catholic High School in 2024, choosing to study under two professors she’d already grown to admire through the academy: Andrew Walker and Amy Strong.

“They’ve both been very good at their jobs and good at leading me towards the profession that I’m more interested in,” Sprout said.

Sprout originally planned to follow her mother into nursing. That changed once she started thinking seriously about who needs an advocate most.

“I want to help that person who feels like they can’t help themselves — those people who have been accused of a crime that maybe they didn’t commit. To be that ear for that person, to help them get their justice,” Sprout said.

In 2024, Sprout returned to the Teen Criminal Justice Academy — by then renamed to reflect the full breadth of the field, not just forensics — to help Walker and Strong run it. It didn’t take long before they had a bigger idea: would Grace want to take it over?

This past June 15-18, she did exactly that, directing the camp for 10 area teenagers. Under her leadership, students processed a mock crime scene, dusted fingerprints, ran powder tests and built a full investigation file — photos, sketches and all. Midweek, Wirt County Prosecuting Attorney Austin Grimmett, a WVU Parkersburg alumnus, came in to hear their findings and walk them through what would happen next in a real case. By the end of the week, two of her campers had decided WVU Parkersburg was where they wanted to be — both are enrolling next semester.

For Sprout, running the camp she once attended as a wide-eyed teenager was its own kind of education.

“I was that little kid who was passionate about something that maybe the rest of their family was not. To be that person that they could tell, ‘I feel so passionate about this, will you listen to me talk about it?’ That was really special — to see myself in those younger kids,” Sprout said.

Sprout earned her Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice from WVU Parkersburg in 2025 and is on track to earn her bachelor’s degree in May 2027. She once dreamed of becoming an FBI agent; these days’ she’s keeping her options open across similar government roles with a particular interest in forensic lab work. After graduation, she’s weighing a master’s degree in criminal justice against heading straight into the field.

Sprout has been a kid who fell in love with a subject at her grandmother’s house, a teenager who found her people at a summer camp, a student who found mentors who treated her passion seriously and now a young woman handing that same experience to the next group of curious teenagers.

“I fell in love with the program and I fell in love with the college,” Sprout said.

For Grace Sprout, WVU Parkersburg was never just a place she ended up. It’s the place she grew up — sitting in her mom’s office as a little girl, pretending to work — and that place she came home to, year after year, to become exactly who she wanted to be.

To hear Grace Sprout tell her story in her own words, watch the full video interview on the WVU Parkersburg YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/vdmk5GjFPiw.