West Virginia State University

Infobox University
name = West Virginia State University
native_name =


latin_name =
motto = A Living Laboratory of Human Relations
mottoeng =
established = 1891
closed =
type = Public, HBCU
affiliation =
endowment =
officer_in_charge =
chairman =
chancellor =
president = Hazo W. Carter, Jr., Ed.D.
vice-president =
superintendent =
provost =
vice_chancellor =
rector =
principal =
dean =
director =
head_label =
Operator =Carolyn willis
faculty =
staff =
students = 7,000
undergrad = 6,700
postgrad = 300
ratio = 18.1
doctoral =
other =
city = Institute
state = West Virginia
province =
country =
United States
coor =
campus = Suburban
former_names = West Virginia Colored Institute
West Virginia Collegiate Institute
West Virginia State College
West Virginia Graduate College
free_label =
free =
sports =
colors = Black and Gold
color box|black color box|gold
colours =
nickname = "State" or "West Virginia State"
mascot = Yellow Jackets
athletics = NCAA Division II
affiliations = West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
website = [http://www.wvstateu.edu/ www.wvstateu.edu]

footnotes =

West Virginia State University is a historically black (though now over 90 percent white) public college in Institute, an unincorporated area of Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States and suburb of Charleston. In the Charleston-metro area, the school is usually referred to simply as "State" or "West Virginia State". It is the smallest land grant college in the country. Hazo W. Carter, Jr. is the ninth president of West Virginia State College and in 2004, he became the first president of West Virginia State University.

History

The school was established as the West Virginia Colored Institute in 1891 under the second Morrill Act which provided for land-grant institutions for black students in the 17 states that had segregated schools.

From 1891 through 1915, the school provided the equivalent of a high school education, along with vocational training and teacher preparation for the state's then segregated system of public schools. In 1915, the school was renamed as the West Virginia Collegiate Institute and began to also offer college degrees. It was renamed West Virginia State College in 1929.

In 1954, the school began a rapid transition following the "Brown" decision to desegregate public education. The school surrendered its land-grant status, the only college ever to do so, and was incorporated into the general system of public colleges in West Virginia. Within a decade of the "Brown" decision, the college transformed from an all-black college with a primarily residential population to a heavily commuter school with over 90 percent of its students being white. The school remains over 90 percent white and commuter today, and its student body is largely older and part-time. However, to this day, African Americans make up the vast majority of students residing on campus, and the university's administration has always been heavily African American, even after integration. In 2001 the school's land-grant status was restored.

The school previously hosted a separate graduate institution that, after several name changes, became the West Virginia Graduate College. However, in the 1990s, the graduate college was absorbed by Marshall University, and eventually moved to its own facility in South Charleston.

In 2003 the school's Community College, established in 1953, was separately accredited as the West Virginia State Community and Technical College but remained administratively linked to West Virginia State University. In 2004 the West Virginia State College gained university status, and began to offer graduate degrees in Biotechnology and Media Studies. In 2008 the legislature fully separated The Community & Technical College. However, both schools continue to share the same campus.

tudent activities

Athletics

The athletic teams, known as the Yellow Jackets, compete in the NCAA's Division II as a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

On September 6, 2008, the Yellow Jacket Football team played in the 11th Annual Chicago Football Classic, which is for HBCU colleges and universities, in Chicago, Illinois at Soldier Field. The Yellow Jackets Led by Fullback from Philadelphia, Kyle Jones, defeated the Marauders of Central State University. The Yellow Jackets beat the Marauders 47 to 13.

2008 was the first year that WVSU was ranked in NCAA's Division II Football Poll since WVSU joined the NCAA Division II in 1995.

Marching Band

The Yellow Jackets Marching Band consists of 45 members under the direction of Scott E. Woodard. Mr. Woodard has been the Director of Bands since 2006. When he became the Director of Bands, only 7 students were signed up for band. The Band was invited to go to Chicago with the football team for the Chicago Football Classic. After the game the band competed in a Battle of the Bands competition against Central States Marching Band "The Invincible Marching Marauders". Central State won the competition. Even though the band lost the competition, they can at least say they played at Soldier Field.

Juliana Kemp is the current feature twirler for the Yellow Jacket Marching Band. She is a 2005 graduate of South Charleston High School. She is the only girl so far to have won the title of Miss Kanawha Majorette twice at the Daily Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival. She won this honor in 2003 and again in 2005.

tudent media

The campus radio station, WVSU, can be heard locally on 106.7 FM or over the internet. The station has hosted live music and interviews with recording artists. The campus newspaper, "The Yellow Jacket," is published and edited by students and can be picked up for free in every major building across the campus.

External links

* [http://www.wvstateu.edu www.wvstateu.edu] Official web site
* [http://www.wvsuyellowjackets.com www.wvsuyellowjackets.com] Official athletics site
* [http://www.wvstateu.edu/general/radio/default.aspx WVSU Campus Radio Station]
* [http://fozzy.wvstateu.edu:80/~yellowjacket/ "The Yellow Jacket"]

References