The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is investing in a $1.4 million Community Facilities Direct Loan to help repair community facilities in rural West Virginia.
The loan will be provided to the Alderson Broaddus Endowment Corporation to assist with renovating the Rex Pyles Arena/Memorial Coliseum at Alderson Broaddus University. The facility houses classrooms, offices, a basketball court, and a swimming pool, and over the past year, the four main wood glulam arches that support the roof structure have begun to fail.
“Assisting local communities through the Community Facilities Direct Loans and Grants program is just one of the many ways USDA is able to make a positive impact in our state,” said Kris Warner, West Virginia State Director, USDA Rural Development. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly here in the Mountain State to be a strong partner to rural West Virginia businesses, which helps build stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural West Virginia thrives, all of America thrives.”
This project is one of 20 different Community Facilities projects across the state with a combined total of more than $6.5 million statewide.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
About Alderson Broaddus University
Alderson Broaddus University is an independent institution of higher learning, committed to serving the region as an academic, cultural, and religious resource, with programs based on a liberal arts foundation.
The mission of AB is to provide students with the highest quality education, striving to prepare students to succeed in their chosen disciplines and to fulfill their roles in a diverse society as well-rounded and responsible citizens.
Since its founding in 1871, AB has been a leader and innovator in higher education, with accolades in the health and natural sciences. Alderson Broaddus University stands out as one of the most innovative health education providers in Appalachia, pioneering the nation’s first baccalaureate physician assistant program of its kind in 1968, a post-baccalaureate physician assistant master’s degree program in 1993, and West Virginia’s first baccalaureate nursing program in 1945.
AB is located on a historic hilltop in Barbour County in Philippi, West Virginia. The University is rooted in historic and continuing relationships with the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. and the West Virginia Baptist Convention.
For more information about AB, visit www.ab.edu.
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