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The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, formerly Clinch Valley College of the University of Virginia, is the only four-year, state-supported college in far southwestern Virginia and is a division of the University of Virginia.
Situated on 396 acres in Wise County, UVA Wise is an incredible example of the determination and perseverance of southwestern Virginia citizens. Before the College was created, there were no public colleges in Virginia west of Radford. Higher education was simply out of reach for most residents of Virginia’s Appalachian Mountains.
When local residents Fred B. Greear, William A. Thompson, Kenneth P. Asbury, affectionately known as the “Three Wise Men,” and others made their case to University of Virginia President Colgate Darden for establishing a college in Wise, the Commonwealth of Virginia supported the cause by offering $5,000 to open, staff, and operate the two-year school for the first year.
Local supporters donated over $6,000 to furnish and equip the classrooms. Wise County donated property and two sandstone buildings, remnants of the county poor farm, to house the first classes. All of these events happened in the winter of 1954. In September of that same year, Clinch Valley College opened its doors to 100 freshmen.
Many of the first classes of graduates went on to the University and other senior institutions and became some of the region’s most successful professionals. As more graduates of the two-year college expressed their preference to stay closer to home to complete their baccalaureate degrees, the College began the process to become a senior institution. The College first granted Bachelor of Arts degrees in June 1970. Bachelor of Science degrees were first awarded in 1973. Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees were first awarded in 1996. From 1954 to 2016, the College has awarded 13,851 degrees and certificates.
One of the most significant events in the College’s history was the adoption of a new name. On July 1, 1999, following passage of legislation by the Virginia General Assembly, Clinch Valley College became The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
The small College - once nicknamed “Poor Farm University” - is now a vibrant undergraduate institution. UVA Wise is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and recognized as a College of Distinction. In recent years, the College has experienced an expansive building program, the creation of new academic majors, and the recruitment of the next generation of talented faculty and staff.
The liberal arts foundation emphasized at UVA Wise prepares students for professional careers, graduate study, and lifelong learning. The College’s liberal arts foundation promotes the thoughtful development of the ideas, insights, values, competencies and behavior of an educated person. Small classes taught by faculty who focus on teaching excellence, creative and scholarly activities, and community service characterize its student-centered learning environment. Campus life provides a rich variety of cultural activities that broaden students’ perspectives on the world and its evolving global society.
UVA Wise offers undergraduate programs in the arts and sciences as well as undergraduate professional programs in business, software engineering, nursing, teacher education and other fields, all characterized by a strong liberal arts experience.
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