Skip to main content

Top Story

Jerry West’s WVU legacy grows with $5M memorial gift to support students

Call it a slam dunk: West Virginia University is scoring new opportunities for students to pursue and complete their degrees with a $5 million gift from Steve Ballmer, chairman of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, and his wife, Connie, honoring late Mountaineer great Jerry West. The announcement coincides with Jerry West Day, a celebration of West’s memory and legacy at the WVU men’s basketball game Saturday (Jan. 18) versus Iowa State.

Read More

Mountaineer Spotlight

Learn more about West Virginia University students, faculty and staff.


WVUToday on the radio

WVU Press radio spot - December 21, 2024

Transcript

Shauna Johnson: At West Virginia University, Mountaineers go first. WVU Press is celebrating its silver anniversary, marking 25 years of publishing with purpose.

Ben Saffel: I really cannot imagine a job that would be more fulfilling to me overall than working with West Virginia University Press and being in this role.

Shauna Johnson: Ben Saffel, now the press's director, has filled multiple roles during more than 20 of its years.

Ben Saffel: We've gone on a relatively smooth trajectory from being a perhaps marginal university press, publishing West Virginia and university-centric work, to publishing a wide range of scholarship and fiction and creative non-fiction that's really widely regarded in the outside world.

Speaker 1: The most recent years have been marked by significant growth globally.

Ben Saffel: Particularly, we had tremendous success with Deesha Philyaw's the Secret Lives of Church Ladies, which is absolutely a banner success for us and has provided a lot of support for that fiction publishing program. We also have the Teaching and Learning in Higher Education series, which provided a lot of credibility for us in that sphere.

Shauna Johnson: Housed in the office of the provost, WVU Press publishes between 16 and 20 books annually along with three journals.

Ben Saffel: We really, at this point, are enjoying what you might call an embarrassment of riches in terms of work that's coming to us. But we are also working hard to engage with the wider culture and do more conferences and do more events.

Shauna Johnson: Areas of focus include Appalachian studies, history, higher education, the social sciences, and interdisciplinary books about energy, environment and resources. See a full listing at wvupressonline.com.

Ben Saffel: We have this tremendous freedom, but we're also supported and we're also well-regarded within the university, but also outside the university. And it's tremendously challenging to try to keep that reputation up, but it's also tremendously exciting every day.

Shauna Johnson: So let's go. Follow our stories at wvutoday.wvu.edu.

Listen to more

WVU Experts

West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics.

Latest Expert Pitch

WVU toxicologist warns air pollutants from California fires will drift hundreds of miles, triggering breathing and cardiovascular problems

As the deadly California fires persisted into a second week, a West Virginia University air quality expert said people within hundreds of miles may experience the effects and that — beyond any immediate health concerns — a swift, thorough cleanup must occur to prevent lingering effects in the environment.

All Expert Pitches

Research at WVU

WVU studies find time-release medication keeps adults with ADHD on track, lowers substance use risk

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, who use an extended-release medication are more likely to continue the treatment and have a lower risk of developing substance use disorder, according to two West Virginia University studies.

More Research Stories



The Conversation

West Virginia University contributes to and supports The Conversation, an international news source that seeks out academics to provide independent, high quality, authenticated, explanatory journalism to promote better understanding of current affairs and complex issues.

Read Stories

Additional Media

WVUMagazine

WVU Magazine Covers 

WVU Magazine

WVU Photos



WVU Photo Site

WVU Videos



WVU YouTube Channel

About

WVUToday is the source for news and information regarding West Virginia University.

Media Outlets: Please be advised that content viewed on WVUToday is intended for publication. West Virginia University grants editorial usage of content presented on WVUToday in your legacy and online publications. Credit should be given to WVU/Strategic Communications and Marketing.

Our Staff

Contact

Call 1-855-WVU-NEWS for the latest WVU news and information.

Strategic Communications and Marketing, Office of Communications
West Virginia University
2nd Floor Marina Tower, 48 Donley St.
P.O. Box 6688, Morgantown, WV 26506-6688

304-293-6997

WVUToday@mail.wvu.edu