CHARLESTON, W.Va. — WVSU Center downtown is now open and it’s expected to be a hub for social and economic mobility right in the heart of the Capital City.
West Virginia State University is now getting to move into its new center on the first floor of 107 Capitol Street after a year of renovation work that has been conducted there, in what was the former Kanawha Banking and Trust Building.
University officials gathered with local, state, and federal representatives Monday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new center, which WVSU President Ericke Cage said is planned to be used for a variety of different academic and social programming, and entrepreneurial opportunities.
“This center really speaks to WVSU’s mission, commitment to West Virginia’s Capital City to drive forward the growth that we’ve already seen here, being a part of the conversation, being a part of the future of our city,” Cage said.
Cage said the center will focus on four main areas of programming in particular: leadership, lifelong learning, entrepreneurial ventures, and community engagement.
The center will be home to the new WVSU Center for Public Leadership, which Cage said will house a number of programs designed to foster the next generation of civil servants and non-profit sector employees, including the university’s new certified public manager program for state and local government employees.
The Center for Public Leadership will also be home to the university’s master of public administration program and the university’s first doctoral program. 
Cage said as far as lifelong learning goes, the center will provide GED programming among other academic programming.
He said for community engagement, WVSU has something particularly special in store, which will help bring the university’s past and present students together.
“We’re going to be focusing on re-connecting with our close to 10,000 alumni who are based in the Kanawha Valley, so there will be a lot of different events connected with alumni and also those who may not be familiar with WVSU, so it’s a very exciting time,” he said.
Cage said they will have many opportunities set at the center for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
In addition to being the new home for the WVSU Extension Service and the WVSU Foundation, the center will also house Yellow Jacket Enterprises and Opening Soon, two new entrepreneurial investment entities to help students prepare for future careers in entrepreneurial ventures.
The center will also be the hub of many community events such as educational luncheons and conferences, as well, as well as being host to a new speaker series moderated by Cage himself.
Cage said after a year of work to establish the new center downtown, it’s heart-warming to finally see it come to fruition.
“From the moment me and the team stepped into this building to today, it has been a labor of love and feel really, really great,” Cage said. “It’s a huge sense of accomplishment, again, not just for WVSU but for the community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, that we so proudly serve.”
Space in the center will be available for rent for alumni and community groups. People can email WVSUCenterEvents@wvstateu.edu to learn more about the rental opportunities there.
You can also visit www.wvstateu.edu/wvsucenter to follow along with what happening there.