est Liberty University Awarded Momentum Initiative Grant
to Support Justice-Involved and At-Risk Youth
WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — West Liberty University has been awarded a Momentum Initiative Grant (MIG) from the West Virginia First Foundation (WVFF) to support Hilltopper Pathways: Out of School Reentry and Support Program. The grant, totaling $249,397, will support a university-anchored initiative designed to serve justice-involved and at-risk middle school students across the Northern Panhandle.
“This work is personal to me,” said Dr. Sherri Theaker, Dean of the College of Education and Human Performance. “I grew up here in the Valley, and I have seen the brilliance and resilience of our young people. I have also seen how easily their potential can be dimmed when they do not have the support they deserve. Our local schools fight for these students every day, and West Liberty University stands with them. We have always believed in the power of education to transform lives, and Hilltopper Pathways is that belief brought to life.”
The Momentum Initiative Grant is part of nearly $18 million in statewide investments approved earlier this month by the WVFF Board of Directors to support high-impact efforts addressing substance use disorder, prevention, recovery, and workforce and system capacity across West Virginia. Funding was awarded to 76 projects statewide through a rigorous, data-driven and community-informed review process.
Developed by West Liberty University’s College of Education and Human Performance, Hilltopper Pathways is a collaborative, out-of-school reentry and prevention program serving students in grades six through eight in Brooke, Hancock, Ohio, Marshall, and Wetzel Counties. The program partners with regional school districts, day report centers, probation officers, and community organizations to provide structured, trauma-informed support during the high-risk hours immediately following the school day.
Each Hilltopper Pathways session blends academic tutoring, mentoring, social-emotional learning, physical wellness, and creative enrichment. Certified teachers, along with trained West Liberty University faculty and student mentors, guide small groups through evidence-based routines that strengthen confidence, connection, and self-regulation.
During its first year, Hilltopper Pathways will serve 25 students with measurable goals that include increased school attendance and course pass rates, a reduction in disciplinary or juvenile justice referrals, and increased family participation in at least one support or engagement event.
What distinguishes Hilltopper Pathways is its intentional bridge between higher education and local systems of care. Faculty from education, community education, criminal justice, health and physical education, and exercise physiology provide ongoing consultation and evaluation, ensuring the program remains both research-based and responsive to community needs.
By transforming after-school hours into safe, purposeful learning time, Hilltopper Pathways strengthens families, supports successful reentry, and advances a sustainable, university-led model of prevention for West Virginia’s youth.
“Hope grows when young people are given real opportunities to see themselves differently,” Dr. Sherri Theaker continued. “When we surround students with positive, research-based activities and mentors who genuinely care, they begin to uncover strengths they never knew they had. Hilltopper Pathways is about opening doors and showing our youth that new possibilities are not only imaginable, but within reach. When a university, its schools, and its community come together with intention and heart, we can change the direction of a child’s life and help their future shine a little brighter.”
The Momentum Initiative Grant reflects WVFF’s nationally distinctive approach to opioid abatement—combining objective evaluation, local expertise, and accountability to ensure settlement dollars generate lasting impact.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students’ aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. To apply or learn more about West Liberty University, visit westliberty.edu.
