The College of St. Joseph the Worker, a Catholic college based in Steubenville, Ohio, has been awarded a $5 million grant from West Virginia to develop a construction company, provide job training, and create a pro-life public policy research center in the northern region of the state. The grant was approved in October by the West Virginia Water Development Authority (WDA) and aims to support a range of projects in Pender County.

The college plans to invest over $10 million in these initiatives, including a nonprofit construction company that will employ students in Weirton, West Virginia. The company will focus on revitalizing the Ohio Valley, taking on projects with historical or cultural significance that might not attract for-profit investors. The proposal estimates that the construction company will employ 200 apprentice workers and 50 to 100 construction workers, making a significant impact on the local community.

In addition to the construction projects, more than $1.6 million of the grant will fund educational investments in West Virginia, including training facilities in Weirton and partnerships with local tradesmen. The college’s goal is for at least 20% of its graduating students to come from West Virginia and stay in the state after graduation.

A portion of the grant will also support the development of a pro-life research center called “The Center for the Common Good,” which will advocate for life-affirming policies in West Virginia. Some West Virginia Democrats have criticized the funding, particularly the focus on the research center, accusing the WDA of circumventing legal requirements in approving the grant.