The Collaborative at WVU

The VISTA Collaborative at West Virginia University (WVU) is leading the way in developing higher education as a hub for the AmeriCorps VISTA program.

In accordance with our land-grant mission, we are striving to collaborate in a way that supports student learning through service, gives back to the community, and improves outcomes in the community and in student success. Through collective impact, these collaborations will create a sustainable impact on poverty in West Virginia.

The VISTA Collaborative is comprised of focus areas that address various initiatives within our community. The focus areas change with each new program and they represent the diversity in higher education. 

Some of our current and ongoing projects include

• Forming a Campus CERT student organization to educate about disaster preparedness and disaster response
• Integrating and supporting service-learning within the Davis & Eberly Colleges
• Collaborating with BAD Buildings and LUSD Law Clinic to eliminate dilapidated buildings in WV
• Creating a Community Empowerment handbook to help guide WV communities toward success
• Assisting pre-health professional students in completing job shadowing in rural areas of WV
• Encouraging the university to adopt additional veteran-friendly educational practices
• Developing resources to promote STEM related fields, specifically for low-income students
• Presenting on best practices for Community Engaged Scholarship at WVU and at regional conferences
• Facilitating the inaugural year of WVU's PeaceCorps Prep Program