CHARLESTON, W.Va – West Virginia students seeking higher education are getting a boost thanks to $9 million in federal funds to create the Advancing College Education in West Virginia program.
The initiative, abbreviated as “ACE WV,” is designed to provide support in various areas beginning in the sixth grade.
“It’s going to provide academic and career support to over 3600 students in over 20 counties. It’s a terrific thing that’s going to help a lot of people out, and it’s going to further develop our workforce,” Governor Patrick Morrisey said in an announcement on social media.
The funding is part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Talent Search Program and will be administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Morrisey believes the initiative is a big step in developing a workforce qualified to handle new opportunities coming to West Virginia.
“We’re bringing new jobs and investment into the Mountain State at a rapid pace, but to keep up with these projected jobs, we need people who are ready to work,” he said.
The opportunities planned through ACE WV go beyond traditional college preparation and factors in additional paths like technical training. Morrisey hopes the program will give more West Virginians the opportunity to make good livings without leaving their home state.
“Students will have access to tutoring, career counseling, college preparation, and they’ll get help exploring apprenticeships and other workforce training opportunities,” he said.
Morrisey touts ACE WV as another move in his plans to create a more job-rich West Virginia. His administration projects 19,000 new jobs from $96 billion worth of private-sector investment since October 2025.
“This is just yet another positive development, and we are going to keep going and furthering West Virginia’s comeback story,” he said.