Reaffirming the University’s commitment to its land-grant mission, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities has named WVU one of six finalists for its 14th annual Innovation and Economic Prosperity awards.
The awards include the following:
- IEP Talent Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives in education and workforce development.
- IEP Place Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives resulting in social, cultural, or community development.
- IEP Innovation Award, recognizing exemplary initiatives spurring innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology-based economic development.
The six universities are also finalists for the IEP Economic Engagement Connections Award, the top prize recognizing overall excellence across all three award categories.
To be eligible for an award, an institution must first earn the IEP designation from APLU, which recognizes institutional commitment to regional economic development.
To earn the IEP designation, universities must conduct a rigorous self-study of their economic engagement activities that includes input from external stakeholders. This process identifies areas for growth, demonstrating a commitment to continuous learning and improvement that benefits both the universities and its regional partners.
Other finalists include Carolina University, Oregon State University, the University of Pittsburgh, Texas A&M University, Wayne State University, and Wichita State University.
The winners will be announced during the APLU’s annual meeting in November.