By Kenzie Dye
Photo by Marshall University.
In an effort to grow their communities, several universities in the Mountain State have created new centers downtown. Marshall University, University of Charleston (UC) and West Virginia State University (WVSU) have all recently opened one of these spaces and hope that in doing so, they can generate a wide range of benefits for both the campus and the downtown area.
Toney Stroud, chief legal counsel and vice president for strategic initiatives and corporate relations at Marshall University, says the creation of the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation sparked a whole new initiative to invest in West Virginia’s future. A $45 million investment, the center opened for classes January 8 and currently houses classroom spaces, computer labs and study rooms.
Marshall was then inspired to enlist the help of Fairmount Properties to create a full mixed-use district. The new district, adjacent to the business and innovation center, will be a place where locals can live, work, dine, play and learn.
“The innovation district will facilitate the sharing of knowledge, creativity and innovative ideas from the academic environment into the broader economic landscape,” Stroud says.
With the new location connecting Marshall’s campus with downtown Huntington, Stroud hopes it will strengthen the connection between those communities and increase accessibility for students.
“This closer connection will facilitate engagement between students and the local community, fostering a stronger sense of unity and mutual support,” he says.
The space will be open to different groups and individuals, including students, educators, trainers, nonprofit organizations and community groups. With businesses in the downtown area so close in proximity, they will be able to collaborate more easily, increasing investments and innovation for the city.
In the future, Stroud says he hopes for the innovation district to move past the border of Huntington and spread throughout the Appalachian region. With a new cybersecurity facility underway, the next phase of development will help move the Mountain State toward becoming a worldwide leader in cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.
Meanwhile, in Charleston, UC and WVSU have opened their own innovation hubs, bringing a new vibrancy to the state’s capital.
Photo by University of Charleston.
UC’s Downtown Innovation Hub (UCDIH) opened last July with intentions to heighten the university’s success in its own innovation, business and leadership communities. This location offers different workshops and programs where locals have the opportunity to teach, learn, advise and network.
The UCDIH is located on 240 Capitol Street, right in the heart of Charleston. Marty Roth, UC’s president, says the space was carefully chosen based on extensive research of hubs in other parts of the country as well as what location would most accurately fit their design objectives.
“The UCDIH fills a critical gap in the Charleston/Kanawha Valley entrepreneurial ecosystem—providing training, coaching and networking to help existing small and medium size businesses scale up and grow,” Roth says.
The center hosts the Business Accelerator Program, the first cohort of which included seven businesses, rising to now hosting 11 businesses in the second cohort.
“We look forward to serving more clients in the Business Accelerator Program, attracting more business and community members to our events and partnering with other location-specific hubs and accelerators to coordinate impactful regional and statewide programs,” Roth says.
All programs at the UCDIH are free, and the facility is available to rent, so it is easily accessible to everyone.
Photo by West Virginia State University.
Also located on Capitol Street is WVSU’s downtown location, which opened December 2023 with hopes of engaging the university with the Kanawha Valley.
“It will be a hive of activity where high-demand academic programming and social engagement initiatives will con-verge to support economic growth and social change in West Virginia’s Capital City,” says Ericke Cage, WVSU president.
The center focuses many of its programs on the business and governmental communities and currently houses the WVSU Center for Public Leadership, Certified Public Manager program, Master of Public Administration program and the university’s first doctoral program in educational leadership.
Despite having been open for only a short time, the downtown location has seen an impressive amount of growth potential. It recently launched the Lunch and Learn series that runs through spring and features various faculty and staff educating the community on their expertise.
“The WVSU Center is home to a number of transformative programs that will empower citizens of the city of Charleston and the surrounding region to advance in their lives and professional careers. We encourage everyone to stop in and check out the center for themselves and get connected with West Virginia State University,” Cage says.
