West Virginia University will host more than 325 Boy and Girl Scouts from six states Saturday (Feb. 9) for an on-campus experience at “Merit Badge University.” This day-long event is both educational and fun-filled. Scouts, ages 11-17, take classes just like undergraduates, working with WVU faculty and staff in 23 different topic areas that are merit badges, ranging from Mining in Society to Cooking to Emergency Preparedness, and including Citizenship, First Aid, and Medicine, among many others. With headquarters at the WVU Rec Center, MBU@WVU provides a taste of college life to middle and high school youth, including rides on the PRT. The instructional staff for Merit Badge University includes WVU professors, staff, and graduate students, as well as WVU alumni and supporters. Student groups are involved to provide student “guides” who help the Scouts traverse the campus to go to classes. MBU@WVU is sponsored by WVU's Office of Student Recreation and Outdoor Education, with support from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, the Health Sciences Center, and other WVU colleges and schools. For more information, contact Dr. Dan McNeil, dmcneil@wvu.edu, 304.293.1712. Find out more about MBU@WVU on our web site.