Welcome to the new and improved home on the web for the West Virginia State University - Gus R. Douglass Institute (GRDI). Today is our official launch day and we have great expectations for our new site. I hope that all of you who visit will feel free to offer input and suggestions on how we can continue to better serve your needs here.

On this blog portion of our site, you will soon find postings by many of our knowledgeable and professional staff related to the mission and programming of the GRDI. We encourage you to post comments and join in an open dialogue with us.

In addition, there are numerous other ways to "join the conversation" here on the new site. Visit our Chat Now section for real time discussions with staff and friends. Plus, watch our calendar for regularly scheduled chat sessions on topics of varying interests to be moderated and presented by our staff.

In the very near future, we plan to launch an additional portion of our site geared toward distance learning. This WEBCAST Classroom will deliver real time instruction via web videoconferencing and further our mission by extending educational content to all who visit our site.

Again we encourage you to explore, offer feedback, and "join the conversation." Thank you for visiting our site.

Until next time...

Bob Loughry, GRDI Director of Communications