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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
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The West Virginia Encyclopedia
Bridgemont Community and Technical College and Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College became independent institutions in 2009 after having been components of WVU Institute of Technology and West Virginia State University, respectively. Located only 30 miles apart and recruiting students from the same geographic area, the two community and technical colleges were soon combined by the legislature to form the new BridgeValley Community and Technical College. It was expected that consolidating administrative duties would eliminate duplicate costs and prevent the creation of duplicate and competing academic programs.
Though consolidation became official with the passage of legislation in 2013, numerous academic and administrative tasks had to be completed before the merger became a reality. The most crucial of these tasks was to obtain the approval of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. This was received in spring 2014. Other tasks included combining governing boards, faculty, staff, and student councils, as well as the respective college foundations, while also coordinating a new legal identity with state and federal agencies. Finally, the new institution’s governing board approved the new name, BridgeValley Community and Technical College, to recognize the contribution of the parent colleges and to reflect the institutional mission to serve students throughout the combined service area. All tasks were accomplished and BridgeValley Community and Technical College was fully constituted as a new educational institution on March 20, 2014.
BridgeValley has two campuses, at Montgomery and South Charleston, and offers numerous associate degree, certificate, and workforce development programs through on-campus and web-based courses. The first president of BridgeValley was Beverly Jo Harris, former president of Bridgemont Community and Technical College.
In fall 2022, the total enrollment on both campuses was a combined 2,704 (1,070 in Montgomery; 1,634 in South Charleston).
BridgeValley Community and Technical College website
Written by Kenneth R. Bailey