NEWS

West Virginia University at Parkersburg 300 Campus Drive | Parkersburg, WV |  26104-8647  Phone:  304-424-8203 | Fax:  304-424-8315  Director:  Connie Dziagwa | E-mail:  connie.dziagwa@mail.wvu.edu

MEDIA ADVISORY

A partnership is being formed by West Virginia University at Parkersburg and four local hospitals to impact the region’s critical need for more trained health care professionals.

WHO: Involved in the partnership are: West Virginia University at Parkersburg, Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital, Marietta Memorial Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Selby General Hospital.

WHAT: Each hospital has pledged $15,000 to WVU Parkersburg to assist in upgrading the college’s health sciences labs for its nursing and health-related programs. Also, the pledges will enable the college to hire additional health sciences’ faculty. This will allow the institution to accept more students into its health-related programs.

WHEN/WHERE: Announcement of the partnership will be held at:

2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002

President’s Conference Room (Room 1101)

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Representatives from the college and each of the hospitals will be present.

HOW: With the $60,000 pledged by the hospitals, WVU at Parkersburg is eligible to apply for matching funds as part of WV H.B. 3009 legislation which allows for competitive grants to strengthen the quality of the state’s workforce by linking existing post-secondary education capacity to the needs of business, industry and other employers.

COLLEGE CONTACTS:  WVU Parkersburg President Erik Bitterbaum, 304-424-8200; WVU Parkersburg Academic Dean Joseph Badgley, 304-424-8244; WVU Parkersburg Health Sciences Division Chair Alita Sellers, 304-424-8231.