Fifty-years later after we welcomed our first of class of students in 1955, our presence extends throughout West Virginia, impacting economic development and quality of life, thanks to our top academic programs, dedicated faculty and staff, our national centers, and the numerous service projects and campus events.

Some highlights of the University’s impact on West Virginia include:

* A recent West Virginia Independent Colleges and Universities study estimates our total annual economic impact at $216.4 million and the creation of 1,307 jobs.

* The campus is home to several national centers that benefit education and the economy, including the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC), the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies, the NASA Classroom of the Future, and a Challenger Learning Center.

* The campus, through our National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC), plays a leadership role in HEALTHeWV, a collaborative initiative, which taps both the military's extensive health experience and the power of computers. HEALTHeWV will give physicians immediate access to up-to-date information that will let them more effectively monitor the health of people with diabetes, breast cancer, pediatric asthma, heart and lung disease, and other chronic diseases.

* WJU faculty and members of the NTTC and the CET on the campus are among the developers of the Coal Impoundment Location and Information System (http://www.coalimpoundment.org) that identifies coal impoundments in West Virginia, alerts residents of emergency situations and evacuation plans, improves safety and examines alternatives for impounding coal waste and sludge in the Mountain State.

* Led by the Center for Educational Technologies, we established Community Alert Online (http://communityalertonline.com), which provides real-time emergency information from the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency and Ohio County schools.

* U.S. News & World Report ranks us 17th in its “Best Master’s Universities in the South” category, making us the highest ranked West Virginia university or college in that category for nine-consecutive years.

* WJU’s Adult and Continuing Education Division educates West Virginia’s workforce by providing ISO certification training for several industries; and offers leadership skills training programs.

* There are more than 800 graduates from the University’s Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Development (BOLD) program, and the highest percentage is from West Virginia. These students are prepared for management and supervisory positions of leadership. About 1/3 go on to earn a master’s degree.

* The campus is home to the Mid-Atlantic Region Space Science Broker, which is housed in the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future. The Mid-Atlantic Region Space Science Broker is a contact for scientists and educators seeking information about space science education and NASA public outreach resources.

* The campus hosts numerous statewide events, including the West Virginia FIRST LEGO League robotics competition.

* The University distributed 25,000 copies of the interactive DVD Foundations of Freedom, which is devoted to the history of the U.S. Constitution, to high schools around the country. The DVD was developed by the Center for Educational Technologies under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education in response to Senator Robert C. Byrd’s goal of restoring history to its rightful place in American schools. The National Constitution Center now includes Foundations of Freedom among the educational materials promotes for Constitution Day.

* Students in our International Business (MGT 311) class develop business plan for West Virginia business plans seeking to expand operations into other markets.

* Thirteen thousand K-12 students visit the campus each year to participate in a mission at our Challenger Learning Center.

* More than 2,100 of our 8,944 living alumni reside in West Virginia, ensuring the University’s graduates provide leadership to communities throughout the Mountain State.

* Our 18 NCAA Division II athletic teams have won 45 WVICU championships.
We integrate the Jesuit traditions of intellectual excellence with the best of advanced technology to educate students for life, for leadership, and for service with and among others.
U.S.News & World Report ranks us 17th in the "Best Master’s Universities in the South," making us the highest ranked institution in West Virginia in that category for nine consecutive years, and the highest ranked school in the Ohio Valley. We are profiled in The Templeton Guide: Colleges that Encourage Character Development, as an exemplary college program that inspires students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives.
We are the only Catholic institution of higher education in West Virginia and offer more than 30 undergraduate programs of study and six graduate degrees to about 1,500 students. We have a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1, and 18 intercollegiate NCAA Division II athletic teams. Our 65-acre campus located in Wheeling, W.Va., features 15 modern buildings, a multi-million dollar Acker Science Center, and residence halls, and a modern recreation and athletic facility with a soccer/track and field complex. The campus is home to the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center, the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies, the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future, a Challenger Learning Center and the Clifford M. Lewis Appalachian Institute.