Generation West Virginia is building a future where young professionals choose to stay, return, and thrive in their home state. Through workforce development, leadership training, employer partnerships, and community convening, GWV addresses the systemic barriers that have driven talent away for generations. These regional impact stories demonstrate how strategic investment in people and place-based collaboration are transforming individual lives and entire communities across West Virginia—proving that the Mountain State's best days are ahead.
In partnership with American Connection Corps and Northstar Digital Literacy,
Generation West Virginia is addressing the digital divide that prevents
residents from accessing modern economic opportunities.
Growing up in Wyoming County’s Cub Creek holler (a place with
no Walmart, no stoplight), Kenzie learned early that if you needed
something done, you did it yourself. That scrappiness, inherited
from her grandfather who built houses by hand after teaching all day,
now powers her work preserving the stories of
West Virginia’s labor movement.
Kennedy’s story embodies what happens when talent stays home.
Raised in Huntington’s theater community (where her father ran
the Huntington Children’s Theatre), she learned early about the power of
community, vulnerability, and mutual support.
Wood County: Strategic Employer Partnership
Generation West Virginia is proud to highlight its
ongoing partnership with Pickering Associates, a
collaboration that demonstrates how strategic workforce
connections can create meaningful outcomes for both
employers and professionals across the state.
After completing NewForce’s tuition-free tech training
program, Lindsey secured her dream job and is thriving
in West Virginia.
Each year, GWV Fellows visit Tucker County to see how
arts, tourism, and strong community partnerships help
coal-impacted regions build resilient, diversified
economies and inspire similar change across West
Virginia.
Generation West Virginia’s Pathways to Progress
Conference demonstrated the organization’s ability to
convene leaders who wouldn’t otherwise connect and
turn conversation into concrete action.
GWV partners with leading employers to develop talent,
strengthen leadership, and create opportunities that
keep West Virginians working and thriving at home.
Madison Stone, 2024 GWV Fellow and Executive Director
of the Elk River Trail Foundation, is turning outdoor
recreation into economic opportunity in Clay County. By
expanding trail access and supporting local businesses,
she’s helping rural communities grow, connect, and
thrive.