Parkersburg, W.Va. (May 16, 2023) — West Virginia University at Parkersburg Board of Governors named Dr. Torie Jackson as the university’s president Tuesday, May 16, during a 3 p.m. board meeting held in the Francis and Nina Phares Board Room.

Jackson will assume the presidency on July 1, 2023. She is currently the interim president and Chief Executive Officer at WVU Parkersburg. She has also served WVU Parkersburg in various leadership roles since her start in higher education in 2004.

“We are excited and honored that Dr. Torie Jackson has been selected as the new President of WVUP. Dr. Jackson’s experiences – both personally and professionally – and her outlook on life make her uniquely suited for this position,” said Steve Hardman, Chair of WVU Parkersburg’s Board of Governors. “Dr. Jackson received a doctorate in higher education from WVU. She has served WVUP in many capacities, including Faculty Member of the Year, Faculty Senate President, Department Chair, Vice President, and Interim President. Dr. Jackson has truly excelled in each of these positions.”

“We had a great Search Committee comprised of outstanding faculty. Staff, students and members of the community. They were focused and dedicated, and took their work very seriously,” Hardman added. “The result is the selection of a truly exceptional president. We are so pleased that Dr. Jackson has been selected to lead WVUP into a very bright future.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to lead the institution that first embraced me years ago. I appreciate the support of our board of governors, our faculty and staff, and our students,” said Jackson. “I will continue to work to make sure all of us are WVU Parkersburg Proud!”

Jackson succeeds herself as interim president. Since Dr. Chris Gilmer departed from the college, she has held the title since July 1, 2022, to become the president at West Virginia University Potomac State College.

“We recently have completed our strategic plan for the college, and it will take a team approach to reach those goals and outcomes,” said Jackson when asked about her plans for the presidency. “We will also continue to work with industry professionals to prepare a workforce for upcoming jobs and focus efforts on recruitment and retention of students in all programs.”

Jackson is a Ritchie County native who has been a member of WVU Parkersburg since 2008. She is an alum of WVUP with an associate of applied science in journalism. She has a Regents Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in journalism, a Master’s in corporate/organizational communication, and a doctorate in higher education administration, all from West Virginia University. Jackson is married to Todd Jackson, a deputy sheriff in Ritchie County, and is the mother to three sons, Creed, Heath, and Ruger.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (May 9, 2023) — WVU Parkersburg held its 52nd annual spring commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. J. Craig McAtee, executive director and CEO for the National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, served as the keynote speaker.

McAtee reflected on his life experiences and told the spring class of 2023 to strive for greatness because perfection doesn’t exist.

“If it ain’t broke, break it because everything can be done better,” said McAtee. “The bottom line is nothing can be considered perfect.”

McAtee serves as the principal of his consulting company, McAtee Ventures, LLC, and was a former director of Additive Manufacturing Technology for Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). He has spent over 25 years in engineering and senior leadership positions for Swagelok Company, an international manufacturing organization based in Cleveland. He is an alum of Parkersburg High School who attended Parkersburg Community College (now WVUP) before moving to Cleveland in 1973. He graduated from Tri-C in 1975, Kent State University with an Industrial Engineering BA in 1977, Malone College with a BA in 1997, and Cleveland State University with an Executive MBA in 2000.

WVU Parkersburg Interim President Dr. Torie Jackson also encouraged the graduating class, reminding them to believe in their talents and that they have a support system beyond their family and friends.

“My advice is very simple: think of new and innovative ways to do things and agree to get out of your comfort zone, and push yourself to accomplish those dreams, knowing you always have a support system in your alma mater,” said Jackson. “Today you show perseverance, and we celebrate your success with you.”

One hundred thirty graduates crossed the stage, with a total of 291 students earning certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degrees, pending final grades. The college also presented recognition awards and honorary degrees to exceptional members of the campus and surrounding community, including:

• Honorary degree recipients: Robert “Todd” Fox, venture leader, and ethics champion at Chemours; Jeff Matheny, former Board of Governors chair; and John Denbigh, former Board of Governors chair.
• Alumni of the Year: Amy West, Program Director, received the award posthumously for her work on the surgical technician program at WVU Parkersburg, and her role as a recruiter and teacher.

Also, during the commencement, WVU Parkersburg recognized Holly Dexter, assistant professor of business, as the Bernard P. McDonough Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year. She is leading the reaffirmation of accreditation of the business programs through the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs accreditation body.

To watch the Spring 2023 commencement ceremony, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAtLHcNuLFU.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (May  3, 2023) – This summer, teens who are interested in forensic science can step into the shoes of law enforcement officers and criminal investigators during WVU Parkersburg’s Teen CSI Academy.

The college’s Criminal Justice professors and leading area experts will guide students through hands-on experience in crime scene reconstruction, evidence processing, criminal profiling, preparing case trials and more during this summer program.

“The Teen CSI Academy breaks down the myths and realities of crime scene and criminal investigations with real-world, hands-on experiences for the participants,” said Andrew Walker, Teen CSI Academy instructor. “We also discuss opportunities for studying criminal justice in college and the variety of career options for individuals interested in the field. Past participants of the academy have enjoyed examining crime scenes, analyzing criminal behavior, and a few participants have even continued their education in our program after high school,”

Academy activities will include:

• Crime scene photography and documentation
• Fingerprint identification
• Identifying blood evidence
• Collecting trace evidence and footwear impressions
• Criminal profiling techniques
• The court process and testifying in court

The academy will take place Tuesday, June 6 through Thursday, June 8, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $150 per student with lunch provided.

The academy is limited to the first 20 participants. The deadline to register is May 31, 2023. Applications may be downloaded at wvup.edu/teen-csi.

For more information, please contact wed@wvup.edu or 304-424-8383.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (May 3, 2023) — The West Virginia University Parkersburg Board of Governors announced Dr. Cathy Monteroso and Dr. Torie Jackson as finalists for Presidency on Tuesday.

“After the search committee met and interviewed, we had 37 applicants. Seven semi-finalists were chosen to be interviewed by zoom,” said Joseph Oliverio, board of governors member and search committee chair, during a Board of Governors meeting on Tuesday, May 2. “The two finalists moving forward — are Dr. Cathy Monteroso and Dr. Torie Jackson.”

Monteroso is the interim president at West Liberty University. She has a bachelor’s in history from East Tennessee State University, a master’s in physical education from Azusa Pacific University, and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Northcentral University. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education.

Jackson is the interim president and the chief executive officer at WVUP. She is an alum of WVUP with an associate of applied science in journalism. She has a Regents Bachelor of Arts with emphasis in journalism, a master’s in corporate/organizational communication, and a doctorate in higher education administration, all from West Virginia University. She has been working in higher education since 2004.

The Board of Governors invited the two finalists to campus on May 12 to visit with faculty, staff and students, and to share a meal with the board.

The board will announce its choice for President during its next regular meeting on May 16.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (May 2, 2023) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Phi Theta Kappa Sigma Omega chapter sponsored an Adopt a Highway cleanup that took place on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

“Fourteen volunteers (Brayden Boothe-Nelson, Adam Fox, Jonah Fox, Zack Burner, Candy Parsons, Kelly Digman, Colton Richards, Ayden Yost, Abby Moore, PTK chapter officer Caroline Northedge, PTK Alumni Victoria Poellot-Tauber, PTK chapter president Tiana Tauber, PTK advisors Andrew Walker and Marie Butler) came out to pick up litter from the edge of the roadways around campus, including Nicolette Road, Swisher Lane, Woodberry Lane, and Campus Drive,” said Marie Butler,  PTK Advisor.

“We had a very successful event with a total of 9 large bags of trash/aluminum cans/pop bottles/Styrofoam cups, 2 tires and a large piece of plastic as well as numerous cigarette butts picked up in 2 hours’ time.”

PTK is an invitation-only honor society on campus. To be eligible, students must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and completed at least 12 credit hours of associate degree work.

However, the event is open to all members of the campus community to take a few hours to give back to the surrounding community.  The Adopt a Highway cleanup event also fulfills required community service hours for the WV Invests, Ascend, Elementary Education and Nursing programs.

For more information about PTK, contact advisors Marie Butler (mbutler1@wvup.edu) or Andrew Walker (wwalker1@wvup.edu).

Parkersburg, W.Va. (April 12, 2023) – WVU Parkersburg is hosting Making Connections with Family Resources, an event to provide families and caregivers with resources for those struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. The event will take place on Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. in the College Activities Center.

A variety of mental health professionals will be speaking at the training. Exhibitors from several organizations will also be present to provide resources and talk to attendees. These exhibitors include, First Choice, WVU RTN, The Healthcare Plan, MSP-CAN, Disability Rights of WV, and Westbrook Health Services.

The event was funded by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the Bureau for Behavioral Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Lunch and childcare will be provided. Visit https://forms.gle/hNHQej9A8vFDNbmh7 to register.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (March 23, 2023) – Rising inflation costs and recent legislation resulted in WVU Parkersburg’s administration requesting a tuition increase be considered for the 2023-24 academic year.

On Tuesday, March 21, the WVUP Board of Governors met to discuss six options for tuition increases. The increases considered were at 5%, 7.5% or 9%. With the first three options, employees would be given a $1,750 increase in pay. The second three options offered the full $2,300 increase in pay as discussed by the WV Legislature during the recent session. Also during the session, the Legislature agreed to large increases in PEIA health care premiums paid by both employers and employees. The $2,300 amount proposed by legislators would be to offset premium costs expected for employees beginning July 1, 2023.

“Our governors discussed the options of tuition and pay increases, considered the impact on students, and listened to the requests of our faculty and staff representatives before making a decision,” said Interim President Dr. Torie Jackson. “After much consideration for next year’s budget projections, they chose to assist employees with the $2,300 increase and to help students with only up to a 7.5% increase in tuition. This will allow us to have a balanced budget for next year provided we meet our enrollment projections.”

The increased costs to the college as a result of unfunded legislative mandates will be more than $400,000. Employer premiums are expected to increase by 25% this summer.

“It is expected that most institutions in the state will be making decisions for increased tuition as a result of increased costs from PEIA, state announced salary increases, and increasing inflation,” Jackson said.

For a student attending WVUP, this increase is calculated at $12 per credit hour for those pursuing an associate degree, a 7.15% increase. It will be an $17 per credit hour increase, a 7.32% increase, for those pursuing baccalaureate degrees. Students only pay for 12 hours of credits. Any credit pursued over 12 hours is at no cost to a student.

The amount of money students can receive if they are fully eligible for federal Pell grants increased to $7,395, which will still completely cover the tuition costs for students attending WVUP who are eligible for a full Pell award. The Promise scholarship award amount also increased to $5,200. In addition, students in all of WVUP’s associate of applied science degrees can be eligible for WV Invests, which means they will have tuition expenses covered by the state after accepting available aid.

“Even with this increase, the majority of our students will still graduate from WVUP debt free,” Jackson said. “We have many programs and scholarships that can make sure they benefit from the value of WVUP while making their big dreams come true in their educational endeavors.”

About WVU Parkersburg

West Virginia University at Parkersburg, established in 1961, is a life-changing institution for the students and communities it serves. The college offers over 50 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 WPKM 96.3 FM, the first community college radio station in the state.