BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College and Notre Dame High School have signed a formal agreement to begin a creative and performing arts partnership between the institutions.

Under the agreement executed today, WVWC will employ an instructor to teach in the Performing Arts Conservatory at Notre Dame High School.  2022 WVWC graduate Pippa McGinley will facilitate Notre Dame’s “Shamrocks” Show Choir program and assist students in preparation for musical theater and thespian performances and competitions. 

 West Virginia Wesleyan College will also provide performance space for up to three NDHS productions  in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts yearly.    Notre Dame students will be eligible for unique scholarship opportunities through WVWC and will interact regularly with Wesleyan faculty and staff members to learn more about the arts, college application processes, and financial aid.

There will be more opportunities for the two entities to partner in the future with hopeful projects including dual credit and college credit courses, performances with West Virginia Wesleyan ensembles, and arts camps and intensives held on the residential campus.  

Dr. James Moore, interim President, said, “West Virginia Wesleyan College is thrilled to partner with Notre Dame High School to further the cause of their already amazing Performing Art Conservatory. The quality of all Notre Dame High School students is well known to us, and we applaud the teachers there for their focus on the whole student, for providing a thoughtfully rigorous environment, and for doing so in such a holistic manner. We truly believe that this is the first step of many for our two institutions. The sky is the limit.”

Kelly Light, principal at Notre Dame High School, said, “Notre Dame High School is thrilled to forge a partnership with West Virginia Wesleyan College. We are incredibly excited to work with such a prestigious institution, not only for the growth of our Performing Arts Conservatory (PAC)  program, but also for the potential opportunities for all Notre Dame students. As institutions with shared Christian values and an emphasis on academic rigor, we believe WVWC is a great fit for our college-bound students and look forward to working with WVWC to show them all the college has to offer.”

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 70 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu. 

ABOUT NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL

Notre Dame High School is an academic, secondary school dedicated to the education of the total person. The school not only addresses the academic but also the spiritual, moral, and emotional needs of its students. The school, unique to North Central West Virginia, carries out its ministry in the context of gospel values. Students in grades 7-12 attend a school where critical thinking skills are paired with basic knowledge in the fine arts. Notre Dame is part of the tradition of Catholic education in Harrison County, with a solid foundation in academic excellence, including 15 AP Scholars, 7 WVSSAC State Academic Achievement and Community Service Award winners, as well as Bucklew and Foundation Scholarship recipients. To learn more about Notre Dame, visit notredamewv.org.