SHEPHERDSTOWN — Funds secured by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., through the Congressional Direct Spending process for projects at Shepherd University, led to the senator visiting Shepherdstown on Monday.
Capito attended a brief tour at the Tabler Farm Agricultural Innovation Center, before making a stop at Snyder Hall on the campus of the university. Capito, along with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., secured $1.4 million for the innovation center project.
The funding will help create a small business incubator that will develop new agricultural production systems at Tabler Farm to demonstrate and train new farmers in innovative, small-scale agriculture. Funds will help with construction of infrastructure for the project.
While at the innovation center, Capito toured one structure on the 158-acre property that has been converted from a former milking parlor into an aquaponics center housing fish and plants. She also observed an area where a multipurpose facility will be constructed and used for a variety of activities, including farm production and processing, community workshops, product marketing and traditional college classes and labs.
The planned construction will be a steel building approximately half insulated and half finished, with a bathroom and office, along with traditional classroom space.
The other half of the structure will be unfinished, with concrete floors and large sliding or roll-up doors, which will be used for seasonal farm production or equipment storage and maintenance, as well as in three seasons for workshops, classes and community events.
In addition to the funding awarded for the innovation center, funds were also allocated to the university’s Department of Chemistry to revitalize the labs and classrooms, enabling expansion of current scientific and teaching methods.
Capito took time to tour some of the labs during her visit on Monday.
“The facilities at Shepherd University we saw today have the benefit of helping the university through improved programs, curriculum and overall college experience,” Capito said. “During the conversations around the Congressionally Directed Spending process, projects like the ones we saw during today’s visit, as well as the ones we discussed, were exactly what I had in mind. I was glad to have the chance to see these facilities up close and meet with university leadership, including Dr. Hendrix, to learn more about Shepherd’s goals and how I can help support their vision to grow and provide West Virginians the best learning opportunities possible.”
“We are profoundly grateful to Senator Shelley Moore Capito for visiting us and touring the facilities she promoted for Congressionally Directed Funding – Shepherd University’s Agricultural Innovation Center at Tabler Farm and the chemistry labs in the Byrd Science Building. Both Senator Capito and Senator Manchin cosponsored the critically-needed funding for these facilities, that will allow us to provide advanced educational opportunities and resources for our students and the community,” said Shepherd University President Mary J.C. Hendrix.
Additional dollars were secured to fund a professional development series for high school teachers, “The Write Way Forward West Virginia Students Succeed.” The series will focus on using writing to respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Also selected for funding was the School of Education, which will use money to develop a special education curriculum and the courses necessary to offer a special education endorsement for elementary and secondary education majors.