The Power of Sports to Unite a Region

In this episode of Our Communiversity Today, host Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, president of West Virginia University Institute of Technology, welcomes Kenny Howell, athletic director of the WVU Tech Golden Bears. Together, they explore how athletics serve as a unifying force for the community and campus alike. Howell shares his journey from growing up in Summers County and playing golf at Salem University to his two-decade career at WVU Tech, where he’s led athletic programs that emphasize academic excellence, sportsmanship, and regional pride.

Dr. Stuart and Howell discuss the integral role Golden Bear Athletics plays in Southern West Virginia, not just on the field but throughout the community. Howell details the 19 athletic programs at WVU Tech, including soccer, basketball, golf, swimming, wrestling, and the emerging esports program, and how partnerships with local organizations like the YMCA, Raleigh County Parks and Recreation, and the City of Beckley make these programs possible. He emphasizes the importance of community support at games and events, noting how athletic success drives local economic activity and engagement across the region.

As the conversation closes, Dr. Stuart underscores the larger mission of the program: showing how WVU Tech continues to bridge higher education and community development. Through athletics, WVU Tech not only builds competitive teams but fosters pride, connection, and opportunity in Southern West Virginia.