Photo by Alex Fliegel .
“ We already naturally work together , but we need to put more out there . The more we do , the stronger those ties are going to be made ,” says Laura Meadows , former executive director of the Upshur County Convention & Visitors Bureau ( CVB ).
In Webster County , an old Go-Mart is being turned into a new visitor ’ s center in Webster Springs . The city of Summersville is also making plans for a new visitor ’ s center that will highlight all of Nicholas County , including parts not near the lake , such as the Monongahela National Forest .
“ There ’ s so much beauty in this region ,” says Summersville Mayor Robert Shafer . “ Our focus would be to complement in a big way not only what we do but what we offer as people head into the New River Gorge National Park .”
Education
The Mountain Lakes region has two higher education institutions , and both are on a mission to help solve local challenges and close employment gaps . Recent initiatives at West Virginia Wesleyan College ( WVWC ) in Buckhannon are aiming to help solve employment shortages in both health care and education . President James Moore says health care education is being expanded through a partnership with Mon Health Systems . Priority access to education is granted to Mon Health employees and in return , graduates of WVWC ' s nursing program who are also Mon Health Scholars will be guaranteed full employment at Mon Health Systems .
WVWC is also moving efforts to offer enrollment for a Master ’ s in Clinical Mental Health degree by January 2024 that will graduate licensed counselors . The college is partnering with Community Care of West Virginia for this program .
“ Just like the nursing shortage we are trying to solve here , the mental health crisis across the country is certainly being felt everywhere . We see day-in and day-out the impact a shortage of mental health professionals is having on our kids , on our friends and on our co-workers ,” Moore says .
In partnership with Upshur County Schools , WVWC also offers a program called Grow Your Own to help with
a teacher shortage in the area . Local high school juniors and seniors may enroll in college courses at WVWC — earning six credits each year — and then begin the university ’ s teacher-education program after graduating high school . Through this initiative , students will graduate college in three years and then be able to start a job as a full-time teacher within the Upshur County Schools system .
With its attainment of university status in 2022 , Glenville State now has graduate degree offerings . President Mark Manchin says the university is creating a College of Health Sciences where master ’ s degrees can be obtained for physician ’ s assistants and other health care programs . Glenville recently started training new nurses for the workforce through its Bachelor of Nursing degree in partnership with Marshall University . By working with Marshall , which already has an accredited nursing program , Manchin says Glenville can get quality nurses into the workforce more quickly .
Glenville State is also working to help resolve the statewide teacher shortage . Manchin says there are around 1,500 certified teaching positions unfilled within the state .
“ We are growing our education program , adding additional staff , identifying additional resources and working with the West Virginia Department of Education to assure we can produce the teachers necessary to fill our classrooms with qualified , accredited teachers ,” Manchin says .
Outdoor Recreation
Summersville is home to West Virginia ’ s largest , most scenic lake and the state ’ s only working lighthouse . Here , thrill seekers and outdoor enthusiasts can go boating , fishing , water skiing , scuba diving , jet skiing and swimming alongside a 1,000-foot sandy beach . Others who prefer dry land may go rock climbing , hiking , picnicking or camping . Those who enjoy hunting or bird watching can appreciate about 6,000 acres of land leased to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources . Brandy Acord , lake manager at Summersville Lake and Dam , says safety and disaster prevention is always a top priority . In fact , Summersville Dam has prevented about $ 1 billion worth of flood damage since its construction .
Photo by Summersville CVB .
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