The fervent dreams and hard work of many have coalesced into an extraordinary institution of higher learning. For over 50 years, our progenitors and builders have never wavered in their belief in what Clinch Valley College – now The University of Virginia’s College at Wise - could become. And UVa-Wise has become a place where a student-centered liberal arts education, innovative and essential professional programs, and a vibrant co-curricular program change lives everyday.

Fulfilling the Dream is a campaign about what happens next. It is a campaign that will launch UVa-Wise to new heights of achievement and service.

To serve our growing student body, scholarships and campus facilities – a new dining commons and an additional residence hall center - are critical. To employ faculty who are leaders in their fields, endowed professorships will give us the flexibility and competitive edge to recruit them. To create a more vibrant campus life, an athletic endowment, recreation/convocation center, and an arts facility are key ingredients. To provide skilled workers for the region’s new economy, our software engineering program must possess an unsurpassed measure of excellence.

Several friends of the College have already stepped forward to lead the way. The fine arts center is funded and should be completed by mid-2008, and an addition to the Lila Vicars Smith House is now under construction. Both are visible examples of the exciting changes ahead.

Our challenge is to dream as big as our founders did, and to develop a college that continues to be worthy of the aspirations our students and their families have for themselves, our region, and the Commonwealth. I invite you to partner with us to make it happen.

With my very best wishes,

David J. Prior
Chancellor