Shepherd University and Berkeley County Schools (BCS) are teaming up to give local high school students an easier path to higher education. Starting with students from Hedgesville, Martinsburg, Musselman, and Spring Mills High Schools, any student with a GPA of 2.5 or higher will be automatically accepted into Shepherd University when they graduate.
“This partnership will open up so many opportunities, academically and beyond.” Stated Dr. Ryan Saxe, the BCS superintendent. The goal of the program is to help students transition smoothly from high school to college without the usual application process.
“Part of what makes Shepherd appealing to so many students is the community, so we want to introduce that community right away and show those students that they matter to us as individuals,” stated Will Bell, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Shepherd, explained how the process will work.
Usually, students are required to gather the necessary information, pay the fees, and submit their applications. However, with this agreement, eligible students won’t have to do any of that. They will simply receive a letter confirming their acceptance. Shepherd also intends to personally connect with as many students as they can.
The program is expected to benefit about 1,030 students in 2025, with plans to expand to other counties like Jefferson and Morgan in the future. This partnership shows Shepherd University’s commitment to helping local students succeed and making higher education more accessible for everyone.
One of our very own staff members, Mr. Daniel Rizer, graduated from Shepherd University. “As a Shepherd graduate, I think it’s great that high school students now have that opportunity to go to Shepherd. Any time we can get college courses done in high school is great because it usually is tuition free,” stated Rizer.
