public college covering some 85 acres (34 hectares) in Institute, W. Va., 8 miles (13 kilometers) west of Charleston. Founded in 1891 as a college for African Americans, today it is integrated. Enrollment consists of roughly 4,800 students, most of whom are state residents. More than a third of the students are over the age of 25, and many attend part-time. The academic calendar is divided into semesters. More than a third of the full-time faculty hold doctorates. West Virginia State awards associate degrees in a variety of disciplines. Bachelor's degrees can be earned in such areas as art, social work, liberal arts and sciences, business, communications, criminal justice, recreation, and education. Some older students can receive credit for work and life experiences. The college is next to the West Virginia Vocational Rehabilitation Center and offers special services for the handicapped. The campus contains housing opportunities for single men and women, married students, and single parents. College life includes musical and theatrical groups, publications, honor societies, fraternities and sororities, and intramural sports. Varsity sports teams, nicknamed the Yellow Jackets, compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. School colors are old gold and black. |