50th Anniversary of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WV is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding in 1972. The institution was initially known as Greenbriar School of Osteopathic Medicine for four years. Visit the 50th Anniversary webpage for more information on planned activities.

The Parkersburg News and Sentinel also posted, "West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine marks 50th anniversary," with reporting by Douglass Huxley.

You can also read more about acquisition of the campus of the former Greenbriar Military School and the founding of the osteopathic school on the institutional history webpage.

Glenville State College Changes Name

Glenville State College in West Virginia announced this week that it will change its name to Glenville State University. On Tuesday, February 22, 2022, Glenville State College will officially become Glenville State University.

The institution was founded in 1872 as the Glenville Branch, State Normal School of West Virginia. The name changed to Glenville State Normal School in 1898 and to Glenville State Teachers College in 1931. Glenville State College was then adopted as the name in 1943.

 

50th Anniversary for West Virginia Northern Community College

West Virginia Northern Community College (WVNCC) is beginning its 50th anniversary celebration. The reporting by the Wetzel Chronicle, "WVNCC celebrates their 50th anniversary," offers information on upcoming events.

WVNCC was "...established on May 9, 1972, when the West Virginia Board of Regents created a dual-campus community college out of what was formerly the Hancock County Branch and the Wheeling Campus of West Liberty State College. The Board specified that the newly created institution was to be a comprehensive community college responsible for educational programs of two years or less duration for high school graduates and adults. Responding to local needs, Northern opened a campus in New Martinsville in 1975 and a campus in Weirton in 1985."

Shepherd University Prepares for 150th Anniversary

Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia is preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding.

The institution was founded in 1871 as Shepherd College. It became Shephard State Normal School in 1872. The name changed to Shepherd State Teachers College in 1931 and back to Shepherd College in 1943. It then became Shepherd University in April 2004 with a final name change.

You can visit the 150th anniversary web site for upcoming events, a timeline, and a variety of other historical resources.

Wheeling Jesuit University Adopts New Name

Jeff Jenkins of West Virginia's MetroNews reports that "Wheeling Jesuit changes name to Wheeling University."

Wheeling College was founded in partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Society of Jesus of the Maryland Province in 1954. The name changed to Wheeling Jesuit College in 1987 and Wheeling Jesuit University in 1996.

Wheeling has been facing serious financial issues in recent years.  Financial exigency was declared in spring 2019, followed by faculty layoffs and elimination of programs.  

Gregg Toppo reported for Inside Higher Ed in April that the Society of Jesus ended its ties with the institution, "After Cuts, Jesuits End Ties to Wheeling Jesuit."

Concord University History and Traditions

I was looking for information this morning on the history of Concord University in Athens, West Virginia and found the wonderful athens we knew site created and maintained by Garland Elmore, Jr.  While Elmore's website is designed to offer information on the broader Athens community, it includes a number of pages with text and photographs focusing on Concord University.  

The institution was founded as Concord State Normal School in 1872. The name changed to Concord State Teachers College in 1931. The name changed again Concord College in 1943 it became Concord University in 2004. The university's web site offers a History & Goals page that includes tables with lists of principals/presidents, institutional names with corresponding seals, and other historical information.

Salem International University Changes Its Name

The State Journal of Clarksburg, West Virginia posted "Honoring history, heritage was reason for university name change," indicating that Salem International University recently changed its name to Salem University.  Salem University is a small, for-profit institution and enrolls roughly 850 students.

The institution, located in Salem, WV, was founded as Salem College in 1888.  It joined with Teikyo University Foundation to form Salem-Teikyo University in 1989. The name was changed to Salem International University in 2000 and to Salem University in 2018

West Virginia Business College Closes

Jeff Jenkins reported on July 10, 2017 for the Charleston, WV Metro News Network, "Email says WV Business College has closed."  Jenkins quotes an email from James Weir, West Virginia Business College general manager, that was sent to students.  The institution was no longer accredited and was experiencing declining enrollment.

The institution was founded in 1881 as Elliott Commercial College in Clarksburg, WV. The name change in 1911 to West Virginia Business College. A branch campus was established in Wheeling in 1989 and was later designated as the main campus. The initial branch in Clarksburg then moved to Nutter Fort, WV.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page.  There are separate tabs for non-profit and for-profit closures.  Each tab includes basic information for each institution, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

Colorado Heights University will be Closing

The Denver Post reported today that Colorado Heights University will be closing.  The Denver Business Journal published an article yesterday, "University housed in historic Loretto Heights campus to close."  There is also a statement on the institution's web site with links to additional information.

The institution opened in 1989 as Teikyo Loretto Heights University on the campus of the former Loretto Heights College.  The institution changed its name to Colorado Heights University in 2009.  Roughly 130 students were enrolled in degree programs.  There were also several hundred international students participating in various English-as-a-second-language programs.

The Teikyo Universities Group, a Japanese foundation, affiliated with Teikyo University, has operated several other institutions in the United States:  

• Salem Teikyo University (now Salem International University) in Salem, West Virginia.
• Teikyo-Westmar University, later Westmar University, in Le Mars, Iowa, that closed in 1995.
• Teikyo-Marycrest University, later, Marycrest International University, that closed in 2002, in Davenport, Iowa.
• Teikyo Post University (now Post University) in Waterbury, Connecticut.

If you are interested in recent trends for closures, access College Closures since 2009 in the index at the right of any College History Garden page.  There are separate tabs for non-profit and for-profit closures.  Each tab includes basic information for each institution, i.e., Carnegie Classification, sector, accrediting agency, and the IPEDS unitid.

West Virginia State University Celebrates 125th Anniversary

West Virginia State University is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.  The institution was founded in 1891 as West Virginia Colored Institute.  The name changed to West Virginia Collegiate Institute in 1915, to West Virginia State College in 1929, and to West Virginia State University on April 7, 2004.  You can find an interesting historical overview on YouTube, "West Virginia State University - 125 Years of Passion and Purpose."

Storer College alumni gather to honor the institution's legacy

A report on the annual alumni gathering at the site of Storer College in Harpers Ferry, WV was published by The Washington Post on October 22, 2015.  Stephanie Shapiro captures the emotional ties of alumni to their former institution that closed in 1955.  She also highlights the efforts of alumni and the National Park Service to protect the legacy of those who served Storer or attended as students.

A previous post on the College History Garden includes links to a collection of historical photographs, the National Park brochure for Storer College, and a dissertation focused on the institution's history by Dawne R. Burke.

WV Institute of Technology will be moving to former campus of Mountain State University

The Daily Athenaeum reports that West Virginia University Institute of Technology will be moving by 2017 to the former campus of Mountain State University in Beckley, WV.  Mountain State University suspended enrollment in 2012 and closed.

West Virginia Institute of Technology is a regional campus of West Virginia University in Montgomery, WV and enrolls over 1,200 students.  The institution is governed by the WVU Board of Governors.

A History of West Virginia Wesleyan College Available at the Internet Archive

A History of West Virginia Wesleyan College 1890-1965 is available at the Internet Archive in a variety of formats.  The author is Kenneth M. Plummer and the book was published to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the institution.  West Virginia Wesleyan was founded by the West Virginia Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

I certainly encourage those who are able to consider making a donation to help support the access to many wonderful historical resources at the Internet Archive.

Used copies of Plummer's book are also available for purchase through Abe Books at minimal cost.

West Virginia Colleges that have Closed, Merged, or Changed Names

This table below includes institutions that have closed, merged, or changed their names.  If you note a need for changing or updating information, please notify ray01brown@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

An index with links to separate pages for other states and countries is available.

There is a College History Garden Facebook group or you can view and follow multiple College History Garden boards on Pinterest or there is a board specifically devoted to West Virginia colleges.

Thanks for your interest and suggestions!

Alderson-Broaddus University (WV)

The State Journal in West Virginia reported April 20, 2013 that Alderson-Broaddus College will change its name to Alderson-Broaddus University, effective July 1st.

Broaddus College and Alderson College, two institutions with similar traditions as Baptist liberal arts institutions merged in 1932 to become Alderson-Broaddus College.

Broaddus College was founded in Winchester, Virginia in 1871 by Edward Jefferson Willis, a Baptist minister who named the new college after Rev. William Francis Ferguson Broaddus. The institution later moved across the Alleghenies to Clarksburg, West Virginia, in 1876. The college was moved again to  Philippi, West Virginia in 1901.

Alderson Academy and Junior College, was founded in Alderson, West Virginia in 1901 by Emma Alderson.

A historical sketch written by Kim Smucker is available at the West Virginia Encyclopedia (e-WV).

WBOY-TV offers a video segment on the name change featuring images of the campus and interviews with administrators.

Greenbrier College (WVa)

Greenbrier College for Women, Lewisburg, WVa, was founded as Lewisburg Academy in 1808 by Presbyterians and closed during the Civil War.  It reopened in 1875 as Lewisburg Female Institute until 1911, when the name was changed to Lewisburg Seminary.  In 1923 the name was changed to Greenbrier College.  The institution closed in 1972.

The Greenbrier College Alumnae Association maintains an excellent web site with many photographs of the campus and a variety of interesting links.

I also enjoyed reading a Brief History of Greenbrier College this summer that offers chapters by various authors covering the period from the founding to 1949.

Mountain State University (WVa) Faces Loss of Accreditation

The Journal, Martinsburg, WV, reports that Mountain State University is suspending enrollment of new students for fall.  The institution is facing possible loss of accreditation and is planning an appeal to a recent decision of the Higher Learning Commission.

Founded as Beckley College in 1933, the name changed to the College of West Virginia in 1991 when baccalaureate degrees were first offered.  The name changed again in 2001 to Mountain State University.

Update...The University of Charleston (UC) announced August 1, 2012 that it is cooperating with Mountain State University (MSU) as its primary partner in the teach-out of current MSU students and that the two colleges have agreed to negotiate a separate agreement under which UC could establish four-year private college centers in Beckley and Martinsburg by the end of the year. 

Storer College (WV)

Storer College was founded October 2, 1867 as Storer Normal School and closed in 1955, one year after the landmark school desegregation decision handed down by the Supreme Court in Brown v. The Board of Education. Today the campus is maintained by the National Park Service as part of the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.

A collection of historic photos of Storer College developed by Beth Jane Toren and Alisha Myers is also available.



See also Dawne R. Burke's dissertation, Storer College: A Hope for Redemption in the Shadow of Slavery, 1865-1955.

College-to-University Name Changes

An interview with Dr. James Owston from June 9, 2009 is now available on the West Virginia Public Broadcasting website. Dr. Owston conducted research for his dissertation on "college to

university" name changes or rebranding and maintains a web site with links to his dissertation and a variety of other resources.