Skip to main content
John Chambers College of
Business and Economics
About | Directory | WVU Home

Choose a Topic

BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION

This year, we are inviting YOU to help us choose a topic for our second annual Impact Challenge! Be a part of the solution and cast your vote today!

alt="Students Raising Hands" />

Date: SPRING 2021
Location: WVU Evansdale Crossing in Morgantown, WV
Questions? Email Tara St. Clair (tara.stclair@mail.wvu.edu)

TOPICS TO CHOOSE FROM...

Dependent care in West Virginia (elder or childcare)        VOTE NOW

Workforce participation is low in West Virginia, hovering around 53%. Part of the problem is the lack of access to affordable dependent care around  the state. Many potential workforce participants are forced to stay home with their young children or elderly parents because utilizing a dependent care service either is not possible or so expensive that it would take an entire paycheck to cover the service anyway.
  • How do we make dependent care more readily available in West Virginia?
  • How do we make dependent care more affordable in West Virginia?
  • How do we encourage those with dependents to participate in the West Virginia workforce?

Food Insecurity in West Virginia       VOTE NOW

Food insecurity is defined as "the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food." Food deserts and food insecurity are prevalent issues facing many West Virginia residents.
  • How do we make nutritious food more accessible in West Virginia?
  • What food industries would perform best in West Virginia?
  • What business innovations would help solve food insecurity in West Virginia?

Fin Tech in West Virginia       VOTE NOW

Fin tech, or financial technology, is a fast-growing industry that innovates new technologies to improve finance activities. This industry includes technologies we now use every day, from crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe to cash apps like Venmo, as well as more advanced technology used for investing, insurance, and cryptocurrency.

  • How can we encourage more fin tech startup activity in towns across West Virginia?
  • How can West Virginia use fin tech to increase business activity in West Virginia?
  • What fin tech innovations would help solve West Virginia's greatest issues?

    Pandemic response for businesses in West Virginia       VOTE NOW

    COVID-19 has forced many WV businesses to temporarily close their doors, lay off employees, or even shut down for good. Those that are still surviving are left in financial strain. 
    • How can businesses in West Virginia survive in a post-COVID world?
    • How can we encourage more startup activity in West Virginia in a post-COVID world?
    • How can West Virginia as a whole move forward after the COVID-19 pandemic?

    WV FORWARD

    West Virginia Forward is a statewide initiative interwoven with collaborative partnerships. The initiative capitalizes on opportunities in three main segments: job growth, lifelong learning, and human capital. WV Forward does every day what we are asking  YOU to do during the Impact Challenge: make a difference in West Virginia and solve real, prevalent issues.

    Learn more about WV Forward