Published: October 27, 2007 07:09 pm         

NRCTC’s Nicholas County campus to get upgrades; enrollment up

By Chrissy Boone

REGISTER-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

SUMMERSVILLE — Providing a quality education and job skills is a key goal of New River Community and Technical College.

College President Ted Spring gave an overview of New River’s master plan, as well as an insight to upgrades to the Nicholas County campus, during the quarterly meeting of the Nicholas County Commission economic roundtable committee.

The more than 40 people who attended the meeting at New River’s campus in Summersville learned that the college is planning a $100 million improvement and expansion project which will be spread out over the next 10 years. This master plan is for all four of New River’s campuses: Summersville, Beckley, Lewisburg and Bluefield.

Spring explained that for the Nicholas County campus there will be about $25 million spent to add a building and other space for faculty offices and classrooms, as well as a technical lab facility which will be used to train potential employees for local businesses. “We want to work with businesses to help with the economic development of this county and surrounding areas,” he said.

Spring said enrollment for New River increased by 33 percent this school year. There are a total of 2,250 students enrolled as a whole, 372 at the Nicholas County campus.

New River recently was granted a renewal for seven years of its accreditation and has received accreditation for the LPN program.

“We provide quality education at a lower cost for students who want to take classes then transfer to larger schools to complete their four-year degree,” Spring said.

He went on to explain that New River is talking with Glenville State College, as well as Marshall University, to work out an agreement to offer four-year degrees through the facility in Summersville. “Students will be able to take classes here in Summersville and not have to have such a long drive to complete their education.”

New River currently has an agreement with Glenville State on a teacher education program. Students complete most of their requirements at the Summersville campus, then transfer to Glenville to complete the degree.

The next meeting of the roundtable committee is set for January in Craigsville.