Rotary receives Ascend West Virginia update

ELKINS -- Emily Huguenin and Jessica Sutton from the Brad and Alys Smith Outdoor Economic Development Collaborative (OEDC) visited the Rotary Club of Elkins on May 20, giving an update on the Ascend WV program which was recently featured on NBC's TODAY Show.

Huguenin is the Director of Ascend WV and Sutton is the Ascend Greater Elkins Experience Coordinator. They are both residents of Elkins.

"West Virginia's greatest challenge is the population decline we've seen over the last 50 years," Huguenin said. "Through talent attraction and retention programs like Ascend WV, we are addressing population decline and infusing communities with new energy and talent.

"This accomplishes the mission of the OEDC, which is to empower WV's communities and partners to advance the state's economy and enhance quality of life through outdoor recreation. We believe that West Virginia's greatest opportunity lies in its places and its people."

The Ascend WV program aims to bring 1,000 remote workers and their families to West Virginia in the next five years, bringing an expected $700 million of new spending to the state's economy. Ascend WV was first announced in April 2021, inviting a pilot cohort to Morgantown.

In just over two years the program expanded to five regions across the state: Morgantown Area, Greenbrier Valley, Eastern Panhandle, Greater Elkins, and New River Gorge. To date, Ascend WV has welcomed over 300 Ascend members and their families, for a total of over 700 new residents. 

Sutton works directly with a cohort of 27 Ascend members who have moved or are in the process of moving to the Greater Elkins region.

"15% of our Ascend members here in Elkins grew up in West Virginia and have returned to the state through the program," she said. "The other 85% are new to WV. Our members moved from 14 states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, and Texas.

"Remote work is so much more than just tech jobs, and our members represent a diversity of industries. What brings them together is an ability to bring their job with them and work from anywhere, and a desire for Community, Purpose, and Outdoors," Sutton explained.

Sutton gave examples of the types of activities that Ascend members have gotten involved in since they moved to Greater Elkins.

"Over the past year we've organized over 150 activities, including wild caving, volunteering with Make It Shine Randolph County, and making masks for the Fasnacht parade in Helvetia," Sutton said. "Our members are motivated to try new things, find out all that the area has to offer, and give back to their new community." 

"What's next with Ascend WV? We are building on this foundation to apply these strategies to new focus areas," Huguenin said. "First Ascent, an initiative of Universities United, helps recent WVU and Marshall graduates to stay in the state through hybrid and remote careers.

"We already have 21 First Ascent members. Teachers Ascend is a pilot program, funded by the Benedum Foundation, to recruit 10 teachers for open positions in Monongalia and Preston Counties. These programs use the foundation of Ascend WV and intentional programming to help new residents plug in. We know that as people get involved locally, they are more likely to stay and contribute positively to their communities." 

More information about Ascend WV can be found on its website, www.ascendwv.com.

Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves. Visit www.Rotary.org to learn more about Rotary International, visit the club's Facebook page - Rotary Club of Elkins – or contact club president Kenny George at kenneth.george@blueridgeriskpartners.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.