Controversy has surrounded the news that a Steubenville-based college has received a $5million matching grant from the West Virginia Water Development Authority. The College of St. Joseph the Worker combines a liberal arts bachelor’s degree with instruction in one of the construction trades: carpentry, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. The college has close ties with the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is currently located in Steubenville
A press release from the College, however, said that the funding will allow the College to expand into Weirton and surrounding areas.
“We plan to purchase and renovate existing, normally dilapidated buildings as well as engage in new construction projects, as well as potentially expanding our instruction operation into Weirton with shop facilities,” said the release. “In addition, our students on-the-job training will involve the renovation of existing buildings and the construction of new ones, on an ongoing basis.”
Does the end justify the means?
Questions have been raised by state-wide media over whether funds designated to ensure safe drinking water in the State could be used for an out-of-state college expansion and whether the process to award the grant funding was subverted Funding has gone to 28 projects, and all but one, the College of St. Joseph the Worker, were for water-sewage projects.
The process, also requires the signature of the Secretaries of Commerce, Economic Development and Tourism, but the application did not have one of those cabinet secretaries’ signature.
Media sources reported that the College planned to use $1 million to start a “mature think tank which would research policy and data and assist in op-eds, speech writing.” Concern over the conservative nature of Fransiscan University of Steubenville stances on issues such as abortion and immigration has been voiced along with the College losing its 501-C3 status with the IRS by engaging in political activities.
The College’s grant application also allocates $2.15 million to create a real estate development and construction company to perform work. After five years the College anticipates 20 apprentices with a potential of 50.
Del. Pat McGeehan (R-1st) initiated the idea and shepherded the grant through the process. He responded to questions regarding his rationale for expending the funds on an out-of-state College.
” A couple years ago, I came up with the idea for this grant fund, which I formally called the “Economic Enhancement Grant Fund.” First, I wanted to create a way for non-profit institutions and municipalities to apply and gain funding for projects that could help beautify and strengthen our local communities. There have been large surpluses of revenue in Charleston—and it was a good time to do it, not simply because funding was more abundant, but because if I did not act, then I knew the surplus money would simply be spent in and around Charleston. I took the idea I had and wrote a bill—which was then passed into law in 2022. The bill I wrote—which created this fund for local grants—placed this fund underneath the supervision of the Water Development Authority, simply because I needed a place that had staff on hand already with experience administering grants. So while the fund falls underneath the management of the Water Development Authority, my intent was simply to have their staff administer the grants. In other words, the fund is managed by people at the Water Development Authority, but it is not a fund that is dedicated to water and sewer projects. In fact, this is the same fund which I was able secure and award the 3 million dollar grant to the city of Chester, in order to pave Chester’s city streets.”
As for the absence of one Secretary’s signature on the application, McGeehan explains that Secretary’s position is vacant and he was told the Governor’s office was handling that.
“The College of Joseph the Worker received a 5 million dollar matching grant from this fund with the expectation they expand into West Virginia,” said McGeehan. “The really beautiful part about this unique program is that the College also specializes in training their students in the field—and not only within a classroom or workshop setting—but within the very communities which they expand into. This is partly done through working on dilapidated buildings that have historical significance—by restoring and beautifying local structures. So, not only will they create a new facility in Hancock County, they will also work on run-down historical buildings in Hancock County to train their students in the skilled trades—which has the added benefit of serving our local communities here in West Virginia.”
” In addition, while each student at the College earns their Journeyman’s card in the trade of their choice, they also earn a bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts—and come out of the program with zero debt. Nowhere in the United States is there an institution that simultaneously trains their students in the manual skilled trades while also efforts inside West Virginia. In other words, this year, the grant will result in 10 million dollars of investment in Hancock County—and since the College has the independent ability to self-perpetuate, this will likely yield much more of an investment than this figure in the years to come. Thus, the entire reason for the grant was to secure the College’s expansion and commitment into Hancock County. Soon a new facility will be built in Weirton, which will give our high school graduates from Oak Glen and Weir High access to great opportunities to learn the skilled trades, such as carpentry, HVAC, or electrical. Too often, many of our young men and women go off to college and spend their young years gaining no practical skills, with little else to show for their time in college beyond a mountain of debt. This investment in West Virginia presents our high-school graduates with a real opportunity to learn great practical skills which produce real income for them—all while enabling them to become independent men and women who have the ability to not only stay in our local area and support a family, but also to obtain very full and dignified work.”
Does the College’s presence in Hancock County duplicate the programs offered through West Virginia Northern Community College and the JDR IV Career Center and does the grant funding mean the State-funded schools are not able to compete on a level playing field?
McGeehan thinks that is not a problem.
“As for working with other institutions, I’m sure the College is open to any cooperation. So, I don’t think this new investment ought to be looked upon as competition, but rather viewed as a great addition that helps further access to the trades for our young men and women. Beyond this project, it is my intent to gain enough financial aid for scholarships to ensure that high school graduates from Hancock County, who have interest in learning one of the skilled trades at any institution that offers them here, can be provided with the financial means to do so,” he said. “Because of the College’s ability to raise funds, offer scholarships, and provide paid on-the-job training for their students, this institution will help serve that cause here in Hancock County. Many of the problems our state suffers from are downstream of faltering local communities, weakened family bonds, and a younger generation without practical skills, who are quite often steeped in university debt. I’ll continue to do what I can to help offset this poor trend, and this project is a step in the right direction to do so.”
