Governor's STEM Institute (GSI)
Where
- West Virginia University
- Green Bank Observatory
When
West Virginia University
Session I – June 28-July 5, 2025
Session II – July 20-July 27, 2025
Apply for the 2025 GSI WVU Program
Green Bank Observatory
July 6-July 19, 2025
Apply for the 2025 GSI Green Bank Observatory Program
About these Schools
West Virginia University
Governor’s STEM Institute (GSI) students will engage in several projects and activities related to the math and science of food. The goal is to open students’ eyes to how math and science connect to growing, preparing, and eating food.
Green Bank Observatory
Learn about the magic of the universe as you study the mysteries of outer space, utilizing data from the Green Bank Observatory (Green Bank) in Pocahontas County. Accessing the information under the guidance of nationally recognized scientists and instructors, students will learn about the constellations, outer space and, perhaps just as importantly, about their inner selves.
School and County Information
The GSI requires middle schools and county boards of education to recruit and assist students during the application window. The school counselor should not be the only individual involved in recruitment. Please use the flyer attached below to share this information in classrooms and with teachers who may be able to promote the program.
GSI Flyers
Please use the flyers below to share information about the GSI programs in classrooms and with teachers who may be able to promote the program.
- 2025 GSI WVU Flyer (for 7th grade students)
- 2025 GSI Green Bank Flyer (for 8th grade students)
Middle School Responsibilities
- Inform all qualifying students of their eligibility. Speak with students about the merit of the GSI. If students within the school attended last year, please have them speak to prospective students. Schools may recommend 7th grade students for West Virginia University (WVU) and 8th grade for Green Bank. There are separate applications and forms for each location.
- Inform students of the application.
- Communicate with the county contact about deadlines to ensure students from the high school have submitted their applications with sufficient time for the school counselor to scan documents and make selections to the county.
- The school counselor must scan student applications as PDF files and establish a committee to determine who will be nominated by the principal. The principal must sign the recommendation form and scan it as a PDF. All PDF student applications and the principal recommendation are sent electronically to the county contact. Each county will have its own deadline for schools. The state deadline for counties to submit their recommendations to the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is April 11, 2025.
- The school counselor must print transcripts and first-semester student grades, as required in the application.
Principal Recommendation Forms
- GSI WVU Principal Recommendation Form (for 7th grade students)
- GSI Green Bank Principal Recommendation Form (for 8th grade students)
County Contact Responsibilities
- Review all information on the GSI on the WVDE website.
- Establish a county deadline for schools to submit PDF files of student applications and principal recommendations for consideration at the county level. The state submission deadline for counties for the superintendent nomination form is April 11, 2025.
- Share the PDF flyers with all middle and high school principals and counselors to post and share with students and parents.
- The county contact must convene a county selection committee to select two students (male or female) for GSI. Additional nominations may be made based on information within the superintendent’s recommendation form. Please plan accordingly.
- The county contact should complete the superintendent’s recommendation form, ask the superintendent to sign it, and scan it into a PDF file. Please submit the PDF file and the PDF student applications of the nominated students to the state file upload folder.
- Please label the PDF as the county name and 2025 GSIWVU or Green Bank Superintendent Recommendations (i.e. Pocahontas_2025GSIWVU_Superintendent_Recommendations or Pocahontas_2025GSIGreenBank_Superintendent_Recommendations).
Superintendent Recommendation Forms
Submission Folders
Apply Online
Thank you for your interest in the GSI at WVU and Green Bank. Please review the qualifications listed below before completing this part of the application.
Required Qualifications
- Must be a current middle school in West Virginia with plans to attend next school year.
- Must be a West Virginia resident.
- Must be a 7th grade student for WVU or an 8th grade student for Green Bank at the time of application.
- Must not have attended the GSI in the past.
- Must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
- Must have a recommendation from the school principal (within Part II of the application).
- Must have a recommendation from a math or science teacher (within Part II of the application).
- Must have one additional teacher recommendation (within Part II of the application).
- Must satisfy all immunization requirements according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). Non-public school and homeschooled students must provide proof of immunizations.
WVU Applications
Application Part I (7th Grade Students ONLY)
Complete Part I of the WVU Application online
We recommend collecting all required documents within the application before starting the online form. We do not accept PDF versions of Part I. Please submit this part online only.
You can download and print the PDF version of Part I of the WVU application to prepare your answers before starting the online form.
Part I goes directly to the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Students must complete this part of the application below before beginning Part II.
Application Part II
Part II of the application requires students to type information within the PDF and print pages to be completed by the school counselor and principal.
- Part II Student Application: Non-fillable PDF.
- Part II Student Application: Fillable PDF.
The school counselor will scan all documents into one file for each student’s application.
A selection committee at the school will determine students who are recommended from each school. Students who are selected will be recommended to the county superintendent for final selection.
The WVDE is not accepting paper submissions of applications. Once the counselor has scanned all required documents into one file for each student, those files will be submitted electronically from the school to the county and then uploaded to the state file submission from the county superintendent’s recommendations. The county contact uploads the county selections to the file submission.
Green Bank Observatory Applications
Application Part I (8th Grade Students ONLY)
Complete Part I of the Green Bank Observatory Application online
We recommend collecting all required documents within the application before starting the online form. We do not accept PDF versions of Part I. Please submit this part online only.
You can download and print the PDF version of Part I of the Green Bank Observatory application to prepare your answers before starting the online form.
Part I goes directly to the WVDE. Students must complete this part of the application below before beginning Part II.
Application Part II
Part II of the application requires students to type information within the PDF and print pages to be completed by the school counselor and principal.
The school counselor will scan all documents into one file for each student’s application.
A selection committee at the school will determine students who are recommended from each school. Students who are selected will be recommended to the county superintendent for final selection.
The WVDE is not accepting paper submissions of applications. Once the counselor has scanned all required documents into one file for each student, those files will be submitted electronically from the school to the county and then uploaded to the state file submission from the county superintendent’s recommendations. The county contact uploads the county selections to the file submission.
Parent Information
GSI Green Bank Parent Information
Drop Off and Pickup
Please be advised, parents are required to drop off students on July 6th and pick up students on July 19that the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, WV.
Handbook and Itinerary
TheStudent Handbook and Itinerary are posted below as examples. We share this information only to inform students and parents of expectations and what the experience may look like for the duration of the school.
Information and events within the documents are subject to change as the hosting college/universities/organizations prepare for the summer. Please only use the information as a guide to what might be expected during GSI Green Bank.
The West Virginia Department of Education maintains a Facebook page to showcase students during each school. Please visit the page to view all the exciting activities going on throughout the summer.
GSI WVU Parent Information
Drop Off and Pickup
Please be advised, parents are required to drop off students on June 28th or July 20thand pick up students on July 5th or July 27th at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV.
Handbook and Itinerary
The 2024 Student Handbook and Itinerary are posted below as examples. We share this information only to inform students and parents of expectations and what the experience may look like for the duration of the school.
Information and events within the documents are subject to change as the hosting college/universities/organizations prepare for the summer. Please only use the information as a guide to what might be expected during GSI WVU.
For general information related to opening and closing, residential hall logistics (packing list), and campus map/directions, download the 2024 Parent Packet, provided by WVU
The West Virginia Department of Education maintains a Facebook page to showcase students during each school. Please visit the page to view all the exciting activities going on throughout the summer.
Jobs
WVU Positions
Faculty Positions
Any person with experience teaching math, science, or computer science in secondary education interested in working with the program may contact Gretchen Gibson.
Residential Positions
Any current West Virginia University (WVU) student who is a member of the WVU Honors Program and has lived at least one year in the Honors Hall may apply to be a resident assistant during the GSI at WVU.
Interested students may contact Gretchen Gibson.
Green Bank Positions
Faculty Positions
Applications for GSI faculty positions at Green Bank are due by March 31, 2025.
Undergraduate Mentor
Applications for GSI undergraduate mentor positions at Green Bank are due by March 31, 2025.
For questions, please contact the GSI Green Bank Deans:
Contact Us
For more information about the Governor's STEM Institute, please contact the WVDE State Coordinator of West Virginia Governor’s Schools.
