News

UPDATED 2/1/23 9:00 AM

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New Pitch Southern West Virginia Business Idea Competition Round on March 30

The West Virginia Hive, in partnership with the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) Launch Lab, will host a new Pitch Southern West Virginia business idea competition round on March 30 on the WVU Tech campus. Applications to pitch business ideas are due at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27.

Diana Woods, director of the WVU Tech Launch Lab who is serving as coordinator of the event, said a panel of judges will select three top entries, with the first-place winner earning a $2,000 prize. The three top business presenters will receive awards in the competition, with an additional prize awarded to the best presentation by a WVU Tech student or team of students.

“We hope entrepreneurs will get as excited about these competitions as we do and take advantage of this great opportunity,” said Judy Moore, executive director of the WV Hive and deputy director of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority. “The cash prizes aren’t the only benefit of participating. Entrepreneurs who participate gain tremendous experience through the entire process of applying, preparing the pitch presentation, and pitching in front of an audience. And, there is also a ton of feedback provided during the process from our panel of expert judges, which includes successful entrepreneurs, business professionals, educators, and investors.”

Those eligible to participate include WVU Tech students, faculty and staff, and entrepreneurs and businesses of the southern West Virginia counties of Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, Monroe, Mercer, Wyoming, McDowell, Logan and Mingo.

The business idea competition is limited to entrepreneurs of new start-ups and businesses in operation for less than three years. The best proposals submitted will be invited to give five-minute, in-person pitches of their business ideas before the reviewers. The reviewers will engage in a question-and-answer session with each presenter.

The deadline to submit an application is 8 a.m., Monday, Feb. 27.  Proposals for business pitches and questions about the competition should be emailed to Diana Woods at tech-launchlab@mail.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) has released its Spring 2022 Dean’s and President’s lists.

A total of 295 students earned honors during the spring semester.

In all, 178 students were named to the Dean’s list, having earned a 3.5 GPA or higher. The University’s President’s list included 117 students who earned a 4.0 GPA.

The President’s and Dean’s list for both the Leonard C. Nelson School of Engineering and Sciences and the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences can be found here.

Students majoring in nursing or pre-nursing will be listed under the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences lists.

Beckley, W.Va. - West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) has announced Robert “Bob” Fletcher Arritt, Joseph Craffey and David Kidd as the 2023 class of inductees into the Golden Bear Athletic Hall of Fame. 

WVU Tech's homecoming is February 6-11, 2023. Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at the Distinguished Alumni Reception and Awards at The Resort at Glade Springs on Friday, February 10, 2023. The reception is being sponsored by the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association. They will also be featured in the homecoming parade, beginning at 11:00 a.m., and during the basketball games at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Raleigh County Convention Center on Saturday, February 11. 

Alumni feature: Tom Westfall, Vice President of Gas Supply and Technical Services, Mountaineer Gas Company

The future in the oil and gas industry is bright, and there are plenty of WVU Tech grads at the helm of Mountaineer Gas Company to help propel the industry forward.

In preparation for its annual homecoming celebration, West Virginia University Institute of Technology has announced its academic alumni award winners for 2023.

Honoring the alumni awardees
WVU Tech’s Homecoming celebration begins on campus on February 6 and ends on February 11. Alumni winners will be honored at a reception and dinner at The Resort at Glade Springs on Friday, February 10, 2023. The reception is being sponsored by the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association. They will also be featured in the homecoming parade, beginning at 11:00 a.m., and during the basketball games at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.at the Raleigh County Convention Center on Saturday, February 11.

Butch Martin says WVU Tech runs in his family. His dad attended what was then New River State in the 1930s, hitchhiking his way from Cedar Grove to Montgomery. His sister graduated from Tech in 1958, and Martin started at Tech in 1965 and graduated in 1970.

Initially coming to Tech by way of Ripley High School as a chemistry major, he changed his major to business administration technology.

West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) men’s and women’s basketball teams will be playing a doubleheader at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center on Saturday, January 7, 2023. The women’s game will tip off at 1 p.m., with the men’s game to follow at 3 p.m.
 
Many community partners came together to make this opportunity possible for the Golden Bears. Thanks to generous support from the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association and Jarrett Construction, the games will be free for anyone who wants to attend.

“We are beyond excited to partner with the great folks at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center to put on these two River States Conference (RSC) games. As we continue to expand our athletic footprint, these opportunities are something we definitely appreciate. With the help of our sponsors from the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association and Jarrett Construction, we are pleased to announce that admission to both games will be free to everyone,” says Kenny Howell, Athletic Director at WVU Tech. “We hope to see our familiar faces from Raleigh County in attendance and will be excited to welcome our friends, alumni and fans from the Kanawha Valley and surrounding areas who want to see some fantastic small college basketball.”

Mike Fry, '84, president of the Tech Golden Bear Alumni Association (TGBAA), is excited for the Association to connect with alumni, students, employees and friends at the games. “By helping support the ticket buyout for the games, we hope that our fellow alumni and our friends in the Charleston area will come out and support our WVU Tech Golden Bear men’s and women’s basketball teams.”

John Jarrett, '84, president and founder of Jarrett Construction, is a co-sponsor of the games. “Jarrett Construction is a proud supporter of WVU Tech. We believe in Golden Bears hiring Golden Bears, West Virginia’s best and brightest. We want to continue to hire and connect with WVU Tech students and alumni. I’m a proud Tech grad and love to support WVU Tech and Golden Bear Athletics,” shared Jarrett.

"We're excited to welcome the Golden Bears to Charleston. We also look forward to welcoming players, staff, fans and boosters from Oakland City University. This is a great opportunity to showcase our city and facilities, as well as host some exciting NAIA basketball,” says Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Tim Brady.

OVG360 (Oak View Group) and General Manager of the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center, Patrick Leahy, says this is a way to bring additional local college sports to the city.

"Hosting the WVU Tech men's and women's basketball teams at the Coliseum is another way to showcase local sports. We look forward to seeing local basketball fans and high school teams come out to watch the collegiate level of play," Leahy says.

Both coaches are excited to be able to play in Charleston and understand what it means to play at the Coliseum.

“Some of our players have been fortunate to play there in high school for the West Virginia State Tournament. The guys that have not played there are looking forward to it. It will be high-level college basketball in a very fun environment. This is a great opportunity for our programs to compete with Oakland City at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center,” says George Wilmore, head men’s basketball coach for the Golden Bears.

Women’s head coach Roger Hodge echoes Wilmore’s sentiment.

“Having grown up in West Virginia and starting my coaching career here, I understand the significance that Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center holds in relation to basketball within the state. It has been the site of some of the most historic games that West Virginia has ever seen. I have watched many games there and have been on the bench in the facility as a young coach a long time ago. This will be my first time working as a head coach there, so the experience will be special for me. Not only do I consider it an honor for our basketball program to play in the Charleston Coliseum, but it is also great for our institution. The positive exposure of playing in such an outstanding venue highlights the growth of WVU Tech. What a great opportunity this will be for our program and school to showcase what we are all about! I encourage the Golden Bear family to come and support our teams and the school,” says Hodge.

Stuart most recently served as the president of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. Prior to his role at Clayton State, he served as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia. Before moving to Georgia, Stuart served in the provost’s office at West Virginia State University in a variety of roles including associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs. He also served as a faculty member teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at WVSU, West Virginia State Community and Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"We are pleased to welcome Dr. Stuart to the WVU Tech Campus and our WVU family,"  WVU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed said. "Dr. Stuart has extensive leadership experience in higher education with a compelling personal story that makes him a role model for our students. He is a proud West Virginia native who overcame adversity to become a highly successful university administrator, and he wants to bring those lessons home."