Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.
Today is Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026.
#1 – From BRIDGEVALLEY CTC – Helping first-generation students thrive
Being the first person in your family to attend college is something to celebrate. BridgeValley Community & Technical College wants to make sure those students also have the support they need to succeed.
The college has received a $14,000 First-Generation Student Success Grant to launch Connect, Navigate, Thrive, a campus-wide initiative supporting the hundreds of BridgeValley students each semester who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree.
New programming will help students navigate academic planning, financial wellness, study strategies and the challenge of balancing school, work and family responsibilities.
BridgeValley will also expand National First-Generation College Celebration Day into an entire week this November and launch a year-long “First at BridgeValley” campaign celebrating the achievements of first-generation students.
Read more:
https://www.bridgevalley.edu/news/2026/AGD_First_Gen_Students_Grant.html
#2 – From WV PRESS – Taking hospitality education into the real world
A record 21 West Virginia University students are spending the summer working at Nemacolin, the nationally recognized luxury resort in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Mountaineers make up nearly two-thirds of Nemacolin’s 33-member summer intern class, and WVU’s participation in the program has tripled since 2022.
Students are working in fields ranging from hospitality and tourism management to industrial engineering and animal sciences. Along the way, they’re learning directly from industry professionals and resort executives while gaining experience in the day-to-day operation of a world-class destination.
And those internships can lead somewhere.
Since 2022, nearly 28% of participating interns have accepted full- or part-time jobs at Nemacolin after completing their internships.
#3 – From WV ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – West Virginia aerospace is taking flight
West Virginia has decades of aviation history.
Now, the state is building the workforce and infrastructure for what’s next.
The Mountain State’s aerospace sector includes maintenance and repair operations, advanced materials, aircraft components and next-generation defense manufacturing. Companies including Pratt & Whitney, MHIRJ and Touchstone Advanced Composites are already part of the state’s growing aviation ecosystem.
And the workforce pipeline starts early.
Aviation learning modules are now available in 25 schools across 16 counties, reaching more than 1,000 K-12 students. The Aviation Maintenance Training Center at West Virginia AeroTech Park has capacity for 230 students, while Marshall University’s Bill Noe Flight School provides professional flight training across a multi-airport network.
Read more:
https://westvirginia.gov/industries/aerospace/
Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304.
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That’s all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.
