West Virginia State University West Virginia State University ( WVSU ) is a historically black public college in Institute , West Virginia , United States . In the Charleston - metro area , the school is usually referred to simply as " State " or " West Virginia State " . It is one of the original 1890 Land - Grant colleges and the smallest land - grant institution in the country . The University is a member - school of Thurgood Marshall College Fund . History . WVSU is located on Mound Builder Native American land granted to George Washington for his service in the King ' s Military before the Revolutionary War . As a slave plantation , it belonged to Governor Cabbel . His son , Sam Cabbel , married one of his slaves , Mary Barnes . After his death she sold the land to the state as the site of the " ' West Virginia Colored Institute " . Sam and Mary Cabbel and their children are buried on the campus . Early history . The school was established as the West Virginia Colored Institute in 1891 under the second Morrill Act which provided for land - grant institutions for black students in the 17 states that had segregated schools . Booker T . Washington , noted African American educator and statesman , was instrumental in having the institution located in the Kanawha Valley . Dr . Washington visited the campus often and spoke at its first commencement exercise . From 1891 through 1915 , the school provided the equivalent of a high school education , with vocational training and teacher preparation for segregated public schools . Renamed in 1915 as West Virginia Collegiate Institute it began to offer college degrees . It became West Virginia State College in 1929 . East Hall and the Canty House , home of " Colonel " James Munroe Canty , were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 . During World War II , West Virginia State College was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V - 12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission . Desegregation . In 1954 , following the " Brown " decision to desegregate public education , the college transformed from an all - black college with a primarily residential population to a predominantly commuter school with mostly white students . In 2011 - 2012 , WVSU ' s student population was 61 percent white , 12 . 5 percent black , 1 percent Asian , 1 percent Hispanic , 0 . 5 percent American Indian and 24 percent who preferred to not identify race . In 1957 , WVSU lost its land grant status , the only land - grant institution to ever do so , in part due to desegregation . Although land - grant university funding is governed by federal laws , the federal aid is conditioned upon matching state funds . The WV State Board of Education voted to end the matching state funds in 1957 and WVSU also lost the federal funds for instruction , research and extension activities . Under the leadership of President Hazo W . Carter , Jr . , a 12 - year quest was begun to restore the land - grant designation . The first step toward regaining the status came when Gov . Gaston Caperton signed a bill on Feb . 12 , 1991 that had been passed by the Legislature to recognize the land - grant status on the state level . With the assistance from WV Senator Robert C . Byrd , the land - grant status was regained in 2000 , effective in 2001 . WVSU ' s birth right was restored and is recognized as an 1890 land - grant institution with recognition at the Federal level along with funding to carry out the mission of teaching , research , and public service . The land - grant institution of WVSU is named the Gus R . Douglass Land - Grant Institution . University status . In 2003 the school ' s community college , established in 1953 , was separately accredited as the West Virginia State Community and Technical College but remained administratively linked to West Virginia State College . In 2004 , West Virginia State College gained university status , becoming West Virginia State University and began to offer graduate degrees in Biotechnology and Media Studies . In the fall of 2011 , WVSU began to offer a graduate degree in Law Enforcement . In 2008 , the legislature fully separated the community and technical college . However , both schools continued to share the same campus . In 2009 , the Community and Technical College went through a name change . The new name was announced on April 20 , 2009 as Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College . In the fall of 2012 , KVCTC moved to its new location where the former Dow Chemical research facility is located in South Charleston , West Virginia . Leadership . Brian O ' Harold Hemphill is the tenth president of West Virginia State University . Hazo W . Carter , Jr . , the university ' s ninth president and first to serve under the " university " status , is president emeritus . In August 2011 , the faculty , by majority ( 67 to 19 ) , voted " no confidence in [ Carter ' s ] leadership " and as such , President Carter retired on June 30 , 2012 . After a recommendation to the WV Higher Education Policy Commission by the WVSU Board of Governor ' s to amend Carter ' s contract , Carter will remain at the school until June 30 , 2014 as president emeritus . Chancellor of the HEPC Brian Noland noted that " this concept of president emeritus is extremely fitting given President Carter ' s more than 20 years of service " and that it ' s " extremely well - deserved . " Under his new role , Carter will help the university fundraise , act as a spokesman , and help ease the transition for the university ' s new president . The Board of Governors finalized the makeup of the presidential search committee in January 2012 to find a new president to lead the school by July 2012 . On May 9 , 2012 , as the unanimous choice , the WVSU Board of Governors offered Brian O . Hemphill the position of president to which he accepted . The WV Higher Education Policy Commission approved Hemphill on May 18 , 2012 and he became the university ’ s tenth president on July 1 , 2012 . His selection followed a nationwide search . Past presidents of the university include James Edwin Campbell ( 1892 – 94 ) , John H . Hill ( 1894 – 98 ) , James McHenry Jones ( 1898 – 1909 ) , Byrd Prillerman ( 1909 – 19 ) , John W . Davis ( 1919 – 53 ) , William J . L . Wallace ( 1953 – 73 ) , Harold M . McNeill ( 1973 – 81 ) , Thomas Winston Cole , Jr . ( 1982 – 86 ) , and Hazo W . Carter , Jr . ( 1986 – 2012 ) . Several buildings on campus are named after the past presidents ( Campbell Conference Center , Hill Hall , Jones Hall , Prillerman Hall , Davis Fine Arts Building , Wallace Hall , McNeill Facilities Building , and Cole Complex ) . John W . Davis is the longest serving president in the university ' s history , having served for 34 years . Other . On October 19 , 2009 , West Virginia State University dedicated a monument to the memory of noted African American educator and statesman Booker T . Washington . The event took place at West Virginia State University ' s Booker T . Washington Park in Malden , West Virginia . The monument also honors the families of African ancestry who lived in Old Malden in the early 20th Century and who knew and encouraged Booker T . Washington . Special guest speakers at the event included West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin III , Malden attorney Larry L . Rowe , and the president of WVSU . Musical selections were provided by the WVSU Marching Yellow Jackets . February 24 , 2010 was named WVSU Day by the West Virginia legislature . President Hazo W . Carter , Jr . and other WVSU officials were on hand to witness the declaration . WVSU Gus R . Douglass Land - Grant Institute extension agents and staff members presented various demonstrations and interactive displays throughout the day with a performance by the WVSU Jazz Band . In October 2011 , Sandra Orr , professor and Chair of WVSU ' s Department of Education , was listed as one of the 50 most influential professors in education on the website , Masters In Education . WVSU ' s Fall and Spring Commencement Ceremonies were held in December and May , respectively , at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston . Until 2009 , WVSU and WVSCTC had joint commencement ceremonies . In the fall of 2012 , WVSU held its commencement ceremony on campus in the P . A . Williams Auditorium of Ferrell Hall . Student activities . Athletics . During the segregation era , the school competed in athletics as " West Virginia " and played other segregated schools as a member of the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association . After desegregation , the school withdrew from the CIAA ( today ' s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association ) and competed as " West Virginia State " to avoid confusion with West Virginia University . The school then moved to the formerly all - white West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , which competes in the NCAA ' s Division II . The WVIAC will disband following the 2012 - 13 season and the school will join the new Mountain East Conference . The athletic teams are known as the Yellow Jackets . Students from KVCTC can also play on these teams , but are only recognized as WVSU . WVSU athletic teams include men ' s football , baseball , basketball , golf , and tennis , and women ' s basketball , golf , softball , tennis , and volleyball . The football team was ranked in the NCAA ' s Division II Football Poll in 2008 . They played in the Chicago Football Classic , which is for HBCU colleges and universities , at Chicago ' s Soldier Field in 2008 . They defeated the Marauders of Central State University . The Yellow Jackets football team has also played in the Palmetto Capital City Classic against Benedict College and the Dayton Classic against Central State . In December 2012 , Jon Anderson was named the 13th head football coach in Yellow Jackets history . Anderson came to WVSU after serving on the coaching staff of NAIA football powerhouse the University of Sioux Falls ( USF ) . During Anderson ' s time on the coaching staff at USF , the school won three NAIA national championships . Other accolades of the Yellow Jackets athletic teams include the men ' s basketball team ranking # 24 in the U . S . A . on the NCAA ' s Division II preseason top 25 bulletin for 2009 - 10 , the men ' s baseball team receiving the WVIAC Sportsmanship Award for 2008 - 09 , the women ' s cheerleading squad taking third place for the WVIAC Presidents ' Cup in 2007 - 08 , the women ' s golf team finishing sixth place at the WVIAC Women ' s Golf Championship in 2009 , and the 2009 WVIAC Coach Poll ranking the WVSU women ' s volleyball team at number 2 for the start of the 2009 season . During the segregation era , black high schools were barred from competition in the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission , and State therefore sponsored an unofficial " state colored championship " from 1932 to 1959 . Marching Band , Wind , & Jazz Ensemble . In the mid - late 1990s , the band saw a period of resurgence under the direction of Chris Card . From 1995 until 2000 , the band had an enrollment of between 35 - 50 members . Many of the members during this time period were scholarship recipients , and the band often contained 5 - 10 veterans or active members of Drum Corps International . The band was known for its small size and huge sound . The band marches in a " corps - style " fashion , the only band of its type at an HBCU , as most have a " show - style " band . Since 2006 , the Yellow Jackets Marching Band , known as the " " Marching Swarm " " , has broken enrollment records by over 800 % under the direction of Mr . Scott E . Woodard . Mr . Woodard has been the Director of Bands since 2006 and as of 2010 , the Chair of the Music Department of WVSU . When he became the Director of Bands , only 7 students were enrolled . The band does a different marching show at every home football game , with the exception of homecoming as half - time is taken up by the presentation of the homecoming court and a short speech by the president . The band ' s pre - game show consists of a " funky " version of the school ' s fight song , " Hail to the Team " , while spelling out WVSU . This is then followed by the playing of the " National Anthem " and WVSU ' s Alma Mater . Another song / piece may be played between the fight song and the National Anthem . The band performs in one parade unless invited to others : the WVSU Homecoming Parade . The band has also played for the president ' s " State of the University Address " and for WVSU ' s ROTC Hall of Fame Ceremony ( in 2011 , they played for the Founder ' s Day ceremony ) . They have served as the exhibition band at high school marching band festivals , including Nicholas County ' s Mountain Band Spectacular ( 2008 – 2010 ) and Poca High School ' s Invitational Festival in Poca , WV ( 2009 – 2012 ) . In 2008 , the Band was invited to go to Chicago with the football team for the Chicago Football Classic to participate in the Battle of the Bands competition ; the only competition the band has participated in . The Symphonic Wind Ensemble takes place during the last month of the Fall Semester and the entire Spring Semester . The Wind Ensemble performs a concert at the end of the Fall Semester and two during the Spring Semester . Students of the Advanced Conducting studio may also conduct on a concert . The Advanced Conducting studio is a unique feature of WVSU as not many colleges offer it at the undergraduate level . The Wind Ensemble may also play at WVSU ' s commencement ceremonies . The Jazz Ensemble is one of the most visible groups performing for various events on and off campus . In November 2007 , the WVSU Jazz Ensemble traveled to Austria to perform in Vienna , Graz , and Salzburg . On April 12 and 13 , 2012 , the Jazz Ensemble played two concerts for Washington , D . C . ' s 150th Emancipation Day celebrations at the Lincoln Theatre . The April 12th concert featured the WVSU Jazz Ensemble and saxophonist Brian Lenair and the April 13th concert again featured the WVSU Jazz Ensemble and Brian Lenair , but also featured a comedy show by famed comedian , Dick Gregory . The Jazz Ensemble returned the following year to perform for the 151st Anniversary on April 16 and performed at Freedom Plaza . The Jazz Ensemble has also been invited to play at The Greenbrier . Other instrumental groups at WVSU include the Brass Ensemble , the Guitar Ensemble , the Percussion Ensemble , and Woodwind Ensembles ( including one of the premier groups , " 3 Hits and a Ms . Saxophone Quartet " ) . In addition , WVSU is home to the community group , the Mountain State Brass Band , also under the direction of Mr . Scott Woodard . Vocal ensembles . In addition to the instrumental ensembles , WVSU also features the WVSU Concert Choir , the " State " Singers , and two Barbershop Quartets ( one female group and one male group ) . The State Singers consists of eight to ten vocalists with a required audition . The State Singers also perform as the WVSU Vocal Jazz Choir . The State Singers act as ambassadors for the University and frequently perform off campus for important community and cultural events . Every spring , the State Singers go on tour . Recent tours have taken the group to Cleveland , Ohio , Virginia Beach , St . Louis , Missouri , and New York City . On April 13 and 14 , 2012 , the Concert Choir had the unique opportunity of singing the music of " Queen " with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra . The Concert Choir again sang with the WVSO for the symphony ' s 2012 holiday concerts . Dr . Dirk Johnson is the Director of Choral Activities for WVSU and has been at that position since the fall of 2009 . Student life . Many of the students who live in dorms on campus are from large urban areas outside of West Virginia or from the rural counties in the state . Those who stay on campus generally congregate at Wilson Student Union . Student media . The campus radio station at WVSU can be heard locally on 106 . 7 FM or over the internet . The station has hosted live music and interviews with recording artists . The campus newspaper , " The Yellow Jacket , " is published and edited by students and can be picked up in major buildings across the campus .