SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
A VISION ON PAPER Walking into the ITC feels less
like stepping into a traditional classroom building and more like entering a modern tech company’ s headquarters. Sleek, open spaces
Three years ago, Dr. Torie Jackson, then interim president at WVU Parkersburg, received a phone call and was asked a question that would change not only the trajectory of her life but the lives of thousands in the Mid-Ohio Valley. That evening, she sat down at her dining room table with a blank sheet of paper and began to try to answer that question:
What would you do with ten million dollars?
Her answer to that question is now framed in The Office of the President at WVU Parkersburg, which officially became her office in 2023. That paper, handwritten and scribbled upon, became the blueprint for the Innovation and Technology Center( ITC)— a multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art facility designed to change the way the region learns, works, lives and dreams.
The concept for the ITC was ambitious: create a hub for technology, training and entrepreneurship that would prepare local residents for the careers of today and tomorrow, while attracting new businesses and industries to the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Construction began in 2023, fueled by a mix of public and private funding, strategic partnerships and an unwavering belief that the region’ s workforce potential deserved a space to match its ambition.
“ This was never about building just another campus building,” Jackson says.“ It was about creating an environment where innovation happens naturally and our students and community can come together to solve problems, create businesses and shape the economic future of this region.”
encourage collaboration. Labs hum with advanced computing systems and natural light pours through large windows, highlighting both the clean architectural lines and the bustling energy within.
The ITC houses academic programs in the workforce, technical and computer information science division as well as workforce and economic development. It also features business incubators, which are spaces where students and community entrepreneurs can develop and launch startups, with access to mentorship and resources; collaborative workspaces, which are open-concept areas with flexible furniture, designed for group projects and cross-disciplinary teamwork; and residence halls located adjacent to the ITC, giving students easy access to evening labs, study sessions and networking events.