A Memorandum from President Dr. Chris Gilmer to the WVU Parkersburg Campus and Guests

Effective immediately, but with a transition period for full enforcement to begin on Monday, August 16, 2021, the following protocols governing face coverings are in place for all WVUP facilities without exception, unless or until they are repealed by order of the President who is authorized by the WVUP Board of Governors to make updates to existing COVID-19 protocols. These requirements will be enforced:

1. The wearing of masks is strongly encouraged indoors in all WVUP facilities by all people at all times until further notice.

2. The wearing of masks is strongly encouraged outdoors at all WVUP facilities until further notice, when groups of people congregate.

3. WVUP will not issue a comprehensive mask mandate at this time, but will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that masks should be worn indoors by all people, vaccinated and unvaccinated, in areas of “high” or “substantial” spread as measured by the CDC. When either Wood County or Jackson County, West Virginia, or both, are rated “high” or “substantial,” since all of WVUP’s facilities are located in these two counties, masks will be required indoors in all public spaces in all WVUP facilities. This requirement will be enforced with employees, students, and guests. Until further notice, the administration will review CDC’s map before close of business each Friday and will issue through multiple communication channels before closing of business each Friday what the face coverings protocol will be for the following week. Changes in protocol, if any, will go into effect at the opening of facilities on Monday of each week. At present, any changes of mask protocols will be made at one-week intervals, and WVUP will be pleased to relax the mask protocols at any time that the public health guidance discussed herein allows. Today, all counties in our primary service area, including Washington County, Ohio, are rated “high” or “substantial” except for Ritchie County.

4. Faculty members may choose to teach their face-to-face classes wearing clear face shields instead of wearing masks.

5. Exceptions for masks at times when masks are required will only be made, on a case-by­case basis, for those people who have a legitimate medical reason documented by a medical or behavioral health professional or through a properly filed Americans with Disabilties Act (ADA) accommodation request.

6. “Public spaces” are defined as any space within any facility on WVUP property which is not a private, one-person enclosed work area inhabited by only the one person assigned to that area.

7. Violations of these protocols should be reported to the Office of the President, to any Vice President of the university, or to campus security. If any employee is placed in the position of enforcement with any student or guest, call any executive officer or campus security for assistance.

8. Signs will be posted at each main entrance of campus facilities indicating the current protocol level: “Masks Required” or “Masks Suggested.” Anyone entering our facilities will be required to comply with posted guidance.

9. Anyone entering WVUP’s facilities at a time when masks are required should provide his, her, or their own mask. The administration reserves the right to approve or to disapprove of any mask or face covering based on current public health guidance regarding efficacy. Alternative masks will be made available by WVUP as needed.

Questions or concerns about these protocols may be referred to the President or to any Vice President. It is always my wish and my commitment that our facilities are as welcoming as possible and that WVUP is serving the educational needs of our students and communities, but protecting the health and safety of those who work and learn here, as well as the public health of the communities we serve, is an even more paramount concern. As stated, these protocols, based solidly on the best available public health guidance, will be fully enforced beginning with the opening of facilities on August 16, 2021.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 10, 2021) – After being awarded the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Grant, Westbrook Health Services is partnering with West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Veterans Resource Center to enhance awareness of available mental health services.

The Behavioral Health Clinic will be streamed on the college’s Facebook page on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 12:15 p.m.

“As the WVU Parkersburg Veterans Advocate, I often liaison with other military resource providers, and when I see a service than may be of benefit to our students, I want the resource provider to let our students how they can access it,” said Veterans Advocate Darren Shearlock.

Tim Leach, veteran and service coordinator at Westbrook Health Services, will be presenting on behavioral health services offered to the military personnel, veterans and their families. During his 25 years of military service, Leach served as a staff sergeant for the Army, in addition to spending time in the National Guard.

“There’s several different behavioral health services that are a benefit to the community, if only they could access them. If the community doesn’t know about these services, it’s almost like they don’t exist,” Shearlock said.

The clinic will offer behavioral health services including: mental health disorders, substance abuse, case management, therapy and doctor services. It is open to anyone interested in learning, but is particularly pertinent to those with military ties.

“Currently in the United States, there are 22 military suicides a day. Part of that high number is due to lack of proper behavioral health treatments and substance abuse treatments. If we can get this information out there, so those services can be available, hopefully we can lower that suicide rate,” Shearlock said.

For more information, please contact Darren Shearlock at Darren.Shearlock@wvup.edu or 304-424-8337.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 9, 2021) – Intubations equipment, check; blood pressure cuffs, check; suture kit, check; ready for take-off.

As a flight nurse, Chelsea Epling provides medical care to patients who get transported to hospitals in helicopters or planes. Even before she receives requests for transport, she performs daily checks of the aircraft and equipment, like ensuring all medications are current, cataloging supplies and packing accessories for electronic monitors.

“With our advanced scope of practice, we can bring the hospital to the patient,” said Epling. “Intubation, mechanical ventilation, chest decompression, blood administration, diagnosing STEMIs that occur in the field, critical drips. You name it; we can do it.”

Epling is a 2016 graduate of WVU Parkersburg and holds her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, Regents Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and is a critical care registered nurse (CCRN) and emergency medical technician (EMT-P). In addition to her training and certifications, Epling was also accepted into the ECHO’s Future Flight Crew.

The ECHO’s Future Flight Crew is a national program founded by operation flight programs to help train groups and discuss public safety issues and EMS flight services. ECHO also provides tactical, search and rescue and air medical training.

“This was a six-month training program that was mostly distance learning,” said Epling. “I had to fly out to Minnesota for a weekend of hands-on sessions and then spent a week at a conference specifically for flight medical providers, learning from some of the industry’s leading flight clinicians.”

Epling calls on her training and experience every day on the job. She credits her instructors and nursing education at WVU Parkersburg for providing her the skills to be successful.

“Kathy Frum, Cindy Watkins and Dr. Stephanie Smith-Stout spent countless hours giving me ‘tough love,’ praying with me and encouraging me,” said Epling. “They believed in me when I didn’t. They truly cared about my success in the nursing program and my success as a practicing RN. They taught me how to break down questions and apply what I was learning to real-life scenarios.”

She continued, “Hard work and determination can get you anywhere. This career can take you far, even up to 10,000 feet.”

Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 10, 2021) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg Board of Governors will meet Tuesday, August 10, 2021. The meeting will take place at 3:15 p.m. in the College Activities Center (Room 1536). Due to COVID-19, a virtual option to attend is also available.

For further details and instructions on how to attend the meeting, please contact Brady Whipkey, WVU Parkersburg chief of staff, at brady.whipkey@wvup.edu.

Visit http://www.wvup.edu/about/board-of-governors/agendas/ to view the complete agenda.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (August 2, 2021) – Beginning in Summer 2021, West Virginia University at Parkersburg began offering a special education specialization to Elementary Education students and alumni. This opportunity has now expanded and is being offered to anyone with a teaching degree.

During the July 2021 West Virginia Board of Education meeting, WVU Parkersburg’s special education specialization was approved to be offered to any other individuals with teaching degrees interested in getting the certificate. Prior to this, WVU Parkersburg students and alumni were the only one’s eligible for these courses.

“This is a great opportunity for current teachers to gain an additional certification in Multi-Categorical K-12 Special Education. I consider this a win for our students and teachers,” said Dr. David Lancaster, Education Division chairperson and professor.

The certification is a total of 15 credit hours, with an additional 80 hours of field placement. Students who have completed the Elementary Education program at WVU Parkersburg will only need to take nine credit hours, with 20 hours of field placement.

“There is a great need for Special Education teachers, so we’re excited to be offering this certification to teachers, in order to fill those roles,” Dr. Lancaster said.

Anyone interested in obtaining this certificate can sign up for classes for the Fall 2021 semester.

For more information on the new special education specialization, contact Bobbi Marshall at rmarsha7@wvup.edu or 304-424-8000 ext. 442. To discuss a future in the Elementary Education program, contact Dr. David Lancaster at dlancas1@wvup.edu or 304-424-8314. Visit wvup.edu/education to learn more about the WVU Parkersburg Education Division.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 30, 2021) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg is using funding from the American Recovery Plan Act to give students a second chance, far beyond putting extra dollars in their pocket.

The college notified 245 students Thursday morning that their tuition balances were covered, and they no longer owe the institution money. The benefit — $230,397.57 dispersed to student accounts — expunging the balance of students’ accounts who had balances from the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters.

“We are happy to announce our decision to utilize a portion of the proceeds from our ARPA funding to pay off the balances of student accounts for the Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, and Spring 2021 semesters. We are so pleased to have this funding available to provide our students with a second chance at pursuing their dream of completing their college education,” said Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration, Alice Harris.

“There is no distance we will not go to provide a path to college completion for our students, and this is just one more example of our commitment to student success,” said WVU Parkersburg President Dr. Chris Gilmer.

In Fall 2021, all students who are charged regular tuition fees, with the exception of Early College student, will be eligible for additional relief funds. The first of three fund disbursements, for students who did not have a balance, will begin being released as early as Sept. 10. Per the ARPA, funding will be dispersed to students with the greatest financial need first; those who qualify for the PELL Grant after filling out the FAFSA will be among the first to receive funding. No additional paperwork is needed to qualify for the funds, aside from the FAFSA.

“For many students, COVID is an obstacle that they were unable to overcome, which led many of them to stop pursuing a college degree. As a result of their withdrawal, many students had unpaid tuition and fee balances that jeopardized their ability to return to classes or obtain a college transcript. The administration of WVUP has great compassion for the struggle all of our students have encountered during the pandemic,” Harris said.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 27, 2021) – WVU Parkersburg’s Arts Collaborative of the Mid-Ohio Valley was recently honored during the 2021 Community Colleges of Appalachia (CCA) Annual Awards virtual ceremony.

The Arts Collaborative received the Mark Ivester Innovation Award for designing and successfully implementing a program to improve the culture of the areas it serves. Dr. Ivester was the former North Georgia Technical College president and CCA Board of Directors Chair-Elect and is remembered for his legacy of leadership and putting student needs first.

Sponsored by the Ross Foundation, the Arts Collaborative is a community initiative to provide a wide representation of the Mid-Ohio Valley’s artists, music, theatre, history, art education, fine arts and cultural treasures and be a collaborative hub for its members.

“We believe that promoting a robust arts scene throughout our service area greatly enhances the quality of life for our students, employees and the community at large,” said WVU Parkersburg President Dr. Chris Gilmer. “We thank the Community Colleges of Appalachia for the honor of this award, named in memory of a true leader in the community college community, and we recommit ourselves to deserving it every day.”

Cities across the nation, including Parkersburg, have seen local revitalization due to art projects and creating community spaces for all peoples to enjoy. This includes murals, in-person and virtual performances and fostering accessibility and inclusion in the arts.

Current members of the Arts Collaborative are the Actors Guild of Parkersburg, Artsbridge, Discovery World, Downtown PKB, Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, Henderson Hall, Historic Smoot Theatre, Oil and Gas Museum, Parkersburg Art Center, Schrader Youth Ballet, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra of Parkersburg and Wood County Society and Artbeat Studio.

To stay up-to-date with the latest shows, exhibits, music and classes by visiting artsofthemov.wvup.edu or facebook.com/ArtsoftheMOV.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 22, 2021) – WVU Parkersburg was selected from a competitive field of community colleges across the country to receive $100,000 to transform the future of students in the community.

Funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) and led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Metallica Scholars Initiative was designed to directly support students while elevating the importance of career and technical education. Metallica continues to use its global platform to speak out on the dignity of professional trades and community colleges that prepare students.

The Metallica Scholars Initiative is in its third year and has improved the earning potential for students who become Metallica Scholars. WVU Parkersburg will focus its efforts on students earning an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Technology by offering tuition and textbook assistance and covering costs for students to take up to four industry-recognized certification exams. The college’s goal is to elevate students’ credentialed skill sets by meeting industry standards, and raising the level of academic programs offered.

“Selection for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is further proof that WVU Parkersburg is among the top tier of higher education institutions, not just locally and in West Virginia, but nationally as well,” said WVU Parkersburg President Dr. Chris Gilmer. “Only nine colleges were selected this year from an amazing field of applicants nationwide, and we thank this iconic band, its foundation and our good friends at the AACC for their confidence in us.”

He continued, “I have always said that students in rural areas deserve the same advantages as students who might come from more economic privilege, and, given the resources, our students can compete on an equal basis with anyone. These funds and the national prominence which comes with this award will help WVU Parkersburg to continue to lift our students and the communities we serve to even greater heights of educational and career attainment. In this moment, we are indeed West Virginia and WVUP Proud.”

“We are proud to work with Metallica to advance the career and technical education provided by the nation’s community colleges,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “Colleges across the country provide pathways to well-paying jobs through programs, services and training that lead to in-demand skills, certificates and degrees for students. These programs are responsive to the needs of local businesses and provide a pipeline of qualified workers to local industry. It’s a win-win for our students and the local economy. For Metallica to continue to invest in these students and communities is a testament to the power of the workforce education community colleges provide and we are proud to do this work with them.”

James Hetfield, Metallica’s vocalist/guitarist and co-founder, said, “As a touring entity, we are in direct involvement with multiple essential career choices along our path. From electrical, professional driving, culinary, mechanical maintenance, public safety, logistical organizers. And that just scratches the surface. Those, along with a multitude of other technical careers, make our touring and our performances possible. We are passionate and grateful to these trades and tradespeople.”

The MSI recipients to date are:

– Northwest-Shoals Community College, Muscle Shoals, Alabama
– Pima County Community College, Tucson, Arizona
– Hartnell College, Salinas, California
– Victor Valley College, Victorville, California
– Polk State College, Winter Haven, Florida
– Valencia College, Orlando, Florida
– North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
– Clinton Community College, Clinton, Iowa
– College of Lake County, Grayslake, Illinois
– Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, Wichita, Kansas
– Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown, Kentucky
– Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland
– Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
– Central Community College, Grand Island, Nebraska
– Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York
– Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, North Carolina
– Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, Oregon
– Columbia Gorge Community College, The Dalles, Oregon
– Lone Star College, The Woodlands, Texas
– Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia
– Spokane Community College, Spokane, Washington
– Gateway Technical College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
– West Virginia University Parkersburg, Parkersburg, West Virginia

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 19, 2021) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg wishes to announce that it will host a site visit for continuing accreditation of its RN-BSN nursing program by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

You are invited to meet with the site visit team and share your comments about the program in person at a meeting scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 in Room 1300 of the college’s main campus located at 300 Campus Drive, Parkersburg, WV, 26104.

Written comments are also welcome and should be submitted directly to:

Dr. Marsal Stoll, Chief Executive Officer
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road Northeast, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326

Or email: mstoll@acenursing.org

All written comments should be received by the ACEN by September, 1, 2021.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (July 15, 2021) – Military Times has named WVU Parkersburg a “Best for Vets” career and technical college for the third year in a row. This time, the college earned the No. 7 ranking on the list.

More than 300 schools were considered, and Military Times evaluated schools’ programs, cost and services for military veterans and their families. The organization also measured data from the U.S. Department of Education and Veterans Affairs and Defense.

“As a retired Army Master Sergeant, I am thrilled to be a part of a team that is continually recognized for helping veterans. WVU Parkersburg is ‘Best for Vets’ due to the work and generosity of our many community partners,” said Darren Shearlock, WVU Parkersburg veterans advocate.

WVU Parkersburg’s partners in education, such as the Jan Dils Foundation, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Marine Corps League, provide student veterans scholarships, giving them greater opportunities to succeed academically.

“Completing college is not always an easy task, but fortunately, U.S. service members and veterans are used to completing difficult tasks,” said Shearlock. “If they can succeed in boot camp, overseas deployments and war, they can succeed in college. They only need the right tools and a little help.”

As a veterans advocate, Shearlock helps students manage college credit transfers, secure financing through the GI Bill and apply for VA benefits. Through community and Foundation funds, WVU Parkersburg also offers veteran-based scholarships to help students pay for tuition and fees.

The WVU Parkersburg’s Veterans Resource Center provides veteran students and families with the tools to achieve academic success and transition to civilian life. This includes offering a student-run Veterans Corps that organizes extracurricular activities for members and community events to honor patriotic holidays.

Find the “Best for Vets” rankings at colleges.militarytimes.com.

To learn more about WVU Parkersburg’s veteran resources, contact Darren Shearlock at darren.shearlock@wvup.edu or 304-424-8337.