WVDCR and West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Potomac State College announce partnership

2/18/2025

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (WVDCR), the West Virginia University (WVU) Board of Governors and Delegate Eric Brooks announced a partnership aimed at providing eligible graduates of WVDCR's Basic Training programs with an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice through Potomac State College on the campus of West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) in Beckley.

“We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with West Virginia University Institute of Technology and Potomac State College. This collaboration allows us to provide additional training and professional development opportunities for our Correctional Officers,” said WVDCR Commissioner William Marshall. “By facilitating academic credit for correctional work experience, this collaboration not only benefits the graduates, but also contributes to the professional growth of West Virginia's correctional officers and the overall development of the state's correctional system.”

“Our goal is to have a qualified, well-educated workforce and this Memorandum of Understanding will allow our Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff to pursue higher education much more easily,” said Delegate Eric Brooks, R-Raleigh, who took part in the announcement. “This partnership will provide opportunities for our DCR staff that they didn’t have before. I am thankful for the efforts of the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation and their leadership staff as well as WVU Tech President Stuart and his staff for making these opportunities a reality.”

This agreement creates a pathway for WVDCR Academy graduates to earn credits applicable to an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice at West Virginia University. Students will be required to have successfully completed the coursework and successfully obtained their training at the WVDCR Corrections Academy, for which credit may be applied to the Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice Studies. Students will then complete the remaining program requirements to obtain an Associate of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, either online or in person.

“Our ability to work through the WVU System to provide a high-demand Potomac State College degree on the campus of WVU Tech in Beckley that meets the needs of the WVDCR shows our unwavering commitment to provide quality education to all West Virginians,” said Dr. Jerry Wallace, President of Potomac State College.

This partnership allows graduates of the West Virginia Corrections Academy to receive academic credits. The Corrections Academy program equips graduates with a comprehensive curriculum, encompassing vital subjects such as Correctional Documentation, the Prison Rape Elimination Act, Emergency Procedures, Interpersonal Communication Skills, Suicide Prevention, Autism Awareness, Trauma-Informed Correctional Care, Scenario-Based Training and various other pertinent classes.

“This collaborative degree program with Potomac State College provides WVDCR employees with enhanced education and career development skills. Upon completion of their associate degree, graduates may seamlessly transition to a four-year program at WVU Tech. This initiative benefits both WVDCR employees and the State of West Virginia,” according to Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, President of WVU Tech.

Students must follow WVU Tech and Potomac State College's admission procedures and meet degree completion requirements to benefit from articulated and academic credits under the agreement.

The WV DCR oversees West Virginia's 11 prisons, 10 regional jails, 10 juvenile centers, 13 Parole Services Offices, 20 Youth Reporting Centers and three work-release sites.

For more information about employment opportunities with the WV DCR, go to dcr.wv.gov/careers.

WVDCR and West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Potomac State College announce partnership

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