Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College

History

The school was founded as the Logan Branch of Marshall College and the Williamson Branch of Marshall College in 1960 and renamed as branches of Marshall University when their mother institution achieved university status in 1961. It had community college jurisdiction over Logan and Mingo counties. In both cases, the schools were housed in the buildings that had been surplussed by the desegregation of public education.

In 1970, the two branches were merged and became a stand-alone community college. The college's jurisdiction was expanded to include Boone County and Wyoming County. Classes in these counties were held in leased locations until 1971, when a permanent building was constructed in Williamson.

In the 1980s, the college was refocused and permanent buildings were built in each county.

Today

Southern provides both associates degrees in 2-year fields (career/technical programs), and the first two years of a four year degree, in the anticipation of a transfer to a bachelor's level institution.

The service area of the school was expanded by 1995 legislation that divided West Virginia into eleven districts. Southern serves part of Raleigh County as well as all of Boone, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties.

Approximately 2,000 students are enrolled. Almost all of them attend part-time, and the vast majority are much older than traditional college age.

The school has no residential programs, and no athletics. It does have school colors, gold and black.

Campus locations are in Foster, Mount Gay, Williamson and Saulsville.

Joanne Jaeger Tomblin, the wife of West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, served as President of the community college from November, 1999 to June, 2015.