Tag: Wheeling Jesuit University’s Appalachian Institute

Wheeling Jesuit University Welcomes ServeCon

More than twenty programs will be recruiting service-minded people at Wheeling Jesuit University this week in the first-ever ServeCon event.

ServeCon is kind of like a service-job fair. It’s a free conference where service programs and organizations come together hoping to attract applicants. Participants can apply for more than 5,000 available positions. Over 20 programs, including the Peace Corp, AmeriCorp, Habitat for Humanity, and the Nazareth Farm will be represented.

Full-year and summer opportunities are available for community members of all ages and skill levels. Program participants might tutor and mentor children; or address issues of homelessness and poverty; provide kids with meals through summer months; develop heritage sites; or recruit and manage volunteers.

“We’ve got secular, we’ve got spiritually-oriented, we’ve got a lot of different opportunities for people who aren’t quite sure what to do with the next year. If they want to get involved with something good or build their resume or just gain some real-world experience,” said Nic Cochran who in the Appalachian Institute of Wheeling Jesuit University.

In addition to WJU, The Franklin Project, Campus Compact West Virginia, and Volunteer West Virginia are all sponsoring the free event which runs from 2-4 p.m. February 23rd on the campus of Wheeling Jesuit University.

Programs present at the event will include:

  • The Christian Appalachian Project
  • Girl Scouts of Black Diamond
  • Horseshoe Leadership Center
  • Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center
  • Faith in Action Caregivers, Inc.
  • City Year
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Nazareth Farm
  • LifeBridge AmeriCorps
  • Corporation for National and Community Service
  • Volunteer West Virginia
  • AmeriCorps on the Frontline
  • STEM Network Schools Program
  • Preservation Alliance of WV
  • Peace Corps
  • VISTA Collaborative
  • WV Promise
  • Energy Express

Panel Discusses Clean Power Plan in Wheeling

The Appalachian Institute at Wheeling Jesuit University hosted a panel discussion this week about the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. The new rule seeks to reduce carbon emissions in the US by 37 percent by 2030 as compared to 2005 levels.

The Appalachian Institute hosted the panel discussion titled “Speaking Truth to Power” at Wheeling Jesuit University. It’s one of several events designed to generate understanding about controversial and consequential matters in the state.

“We want to give community chance to really learn what the plan is about, it’s potential impacts and also possible solutions,” said director of the Appalachian Institute, Beth Collins.

Panelist: James Van Nostrand

The panel discussion was included the associate professor of law at West Virginia University, and director of the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development, James Van Nostrand. He’s worked in recent years to explore viable scenarios in which West Virginia could comply with proposed federal guidelines.

“We haven’t done the analysis to figure out how we’re going to get to 37 percent,” Van Nostrand said, “but based on our analysis of the proposed rule, it’s doable. It’s going to cause disruption. The coal plants that we have are going to run less because we need to have lower carbon emissions.”

Van Nostrand ran through possible reactions to the rule, which include litigation, legislation, retaliation, or (as Van Nostrand was apt to encourage) innovation.

“We have the resources to scale up energy efficiency, scale up co-firing with coal, scale up combined heat and power. It can be done, but it’s going to be a different future.”

Van Nostrand talked about this week’s announcement by Governor Tomblin that West Virginia would be creating a compliance plan as opposed to simply retaliating with a “just say no” stance to the carbon regulations.

Panelist: David Greene

A retired coal miner and author of Unfit to Be a Slave, David Greene, was the other panelist. He spoke about community coping mechanisms in the face of economic change. He said now more than ever community members need to be critical thinkers, questioning all sources of information and decision makers.

“A Greek playwright Euripides said, ‘question everything, and answer nothing.’” Greene said. “I’m not sure you have to answer nothing, but I think questioning everything is a good starting point.”

Greene said being armed with knowledge of history, business realities, and the concerns of your neighbors are key to navigating paths forward in light of a major economic shift like the one we’re seeing in the energy sector.

“People can learn what they need to; they have perceptions, heart and soul,” Greene reflected. “We can remake the world, but we really need a lot of people.”

Wheeling Jesuit Plans Discussion on EPA's Clean Power Plan

Wheeling Jesuit University’s Appalachian Institute will hold a panel discussion on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.

The discussion will take place on Wednesday night in the Center for Educational Technologies building on the Wheeling Jesuit campus.

The EPA’s proposed regulations are intended to limit carbon emissions from power plants that cause climate change. It calls for a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions from U.S. power plants by 2030.

States and industry groups opposed to the plan filed lawsuits Friday at the U.S. Court of Appeals.

The Obama administration and environmental groups say the rules are needed to cut carbon emissions while curbing the worst impacts of climate change and sea-level rise. They also say the plan will spur new clean-energy jobs.

Exit mobile version