Wellpoint West Virginia announced on Mar. 17 a $100,000 donation to West Virginia State University (WVSU) to create healthcare scholarships aimed at strengthening the state’s rural health care workforce and expanding opportunities for students pursuing medical careers.
The announcement was made during WVSU’s Day of Giving and Founders Day celebrations, underscoring a joint effort to prepare future health professionals who will serve communities throughout West Virginia.
“We are grateful to Wellpoint West Virginia for this transformational $100,000 investment in the future of healthcare in our state,” said Ericke Cage, president of WVSU. “This generous support will expand scholarship opportunities for our students pursuing careers in healthcare and directly strengthen the pipeline of highly trained professionals committed to serving West Virginia’s rural communities.”
The new scholarships will support students entering healthcare fields where workforce shortages are especially challenging, particularly in rural areas with limited access to care. Tadd Haynes, president of Wellpoint West Virginia, said, “West Virginia’s health care system depends on strong local talent and the next generation of professionals who are committed to serving their communities. By supporting students at WVSU who are pursuing careers in health care, we are helping strengthen the workforce that will care for families across our state for years to come.”
The funding contributes to WVSU’s State of Tomorrow Capital Campaign—a $25 million initiative focused on enhancing academic programs, expanding campus resources, and building stronger workforce pathways for students statewide. Trey Jones, vice president for university advancement and president of the WVSU Foundation, said, “At WVSU, we are focused on preparing the next generation of healthcare leaders, and partnerships like this one so that talent developed here at home can stay and make a lasting difference in improving quality and outcomes across rural West Virginia. Investments like these in our State of Tomorrow Capital Campaign solidify that we will meet the workforce needs of West Virginia and beyond for years to come.”
Wellpoint West Virginia serves more than 140,000 Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries across the state. The company has provided Medicaid services since 2003 and began serving WVCHIP members in 2021.
