WVACHE Awards Grants for College Access

The West Virginia Access Center for Higher Education, Inc. has awarded Access Project grants to 14 high schools and technical centers throughout the Mountain State to encourage more students to go to college.

Established in 1998 to encourage and inspire more West Virginia students to attain post-secondary education, the WVACHE pursues its mission by awarding two-year Access Project grants on a competitive basis to high schools and vocational schools. These Access Projects implement a proven model program of activities that encourage all students to consider and prepare for college (whether a two- or four-year degree program), explore careers, and find financial aid to help them pursue higher education. Typical components of a successful WVACHE Access Project include, but are not limited to, field trips to campuses and businesses; career-interest assessments; college and career fairs; ACT/SAT preparation assistance; peer speakers; and financial-aid information.

In comparison to pre-intervention levels, data from the most recently completed two-year grant period indicate that nearly 500 additional students enrolled in college for fall 2007 than would have without the implementation of the 14 WVACHE Access Projects funded in 2007-08.

Access Project grantees for the 2007-08 academic year include Berkeley Springs High School (Morgan County), Buckhannon Upshur High School (Upshur County), Cameron High School (Marshall County), James Monroe High School (Monroe County), John Marshall High School (Marshall County), Mid-Ohio Valley Technical Institute (Pleasants County), Mineral County Technical Center, Musselman High School (Berkeley County), Nicholas County High School, Pendleton County High School, Petersburg High School (Grant County), Roane County High School, Roane-Jackson Technical Center (Roane County), and Valley High School (Wetzel County).

“Congratulations to all of these schools on their successful Access Project proposals,” said Ms. Sarita A. Rhonemus, WVACHE executive director. “We look forward to working with them to help more of their students realize that they can go to college.”

For more information about the WVACHE or to support the program, please contact Sarita A. Rhonemus, WVACHE Executive Director, at 304-327-4096 or sarhonemus@wvache.org.