Psychology professor Rosalyn Davis received the award during the university’s annual Celebration of Teaching and Service.

The grant will allow the university to establish a new Rising Leaders Program embedded within the university’s existing L.E.A.D.S. (Leadership. Education. Action. Development. Service.) college readiness program.

The grant will be used to increase the university’s nursing program enrollment as well as help the university retain its nursing students to contribute to the state’s nursing workforce.

The gift will provide scholarships and financial assistance to students who participate in Catamount Athletics programs.

The JumpStart Nursing program offers early guaranteed acceptance into the university’s Associate Degree in Nursing program for high school seniors.

The university has been awarded $255,788 to improve and expand its nursing program to train and retain qualified nurses who will work in West Virginia.

The new major falls under the umbrella of the Applied Computer Science degree and is one of five majors in the program students can choose to focus on. The new major launches with the Fall 2025 semester.

The program will be available beginning in May 2025. The accelerated program will take 16 months to complete.

The agreement will provide a seamless transfer pathway for West Virginia Northern Community College students in three specific programs to continue their education at West Liberty University. 

The goal of the program is to train and retain qualified nurses to stay and work in West Virginia amid an ongoing nursing shortage.