Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications

08/28/2026

“This country is going to tear itself apart, if we continue to go down this path,” said Hurunessa Fariad, during the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University’s “Friendship Across Faith & Party” panel discussion.... Article by Tabitha Johnston, The Journal.
https://stubblefieldinstitute.org/in-the-news/9-11s-impact-felt-across-all-religions-races/

08/25/2026

💛💙💛💙 Welcome to all of the new and returning students - plus faculty & staff! - here on campus at Shepherd University this fall. It is energizing and inspiring to be part of this back-to-school week. The Stubblefield Institute wishes everyone a successful and enjoyable new school year! Go Rams!!

08/25/2026

The wish to move beyond respect and acceptance into friendship and community invites curiosity and a willingness to commit to reaching out to others. Thank you to Suhail Khan, Hurunessa Fariad, and Joel Rainey for taking to the stage and reaching out to our audience. And thank you to our audience for greeting them warmly!

08/24/2026

🕊️ Happening tonight! "Friendship Across Faith and Party." Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Event begins at 6 p.m. https://stubblefieldinstitute.org/event/friendship/

08/04/2026

Last week, the Stubblefield Institute assisted with Shepherd University's Leaders Rising program. Rising high school seniors were on campus for a full week-long summer experience led by Shepherd University's Division of Student Affairs. Participants built skills and experience in leadership, civic engagement, and community service, preparing for the next steps toward their careers. The Stubblefield Institute thanks West Virginia Delegate Joe Funkhouser and Shepherdstown Mayor James Gatz who met with the students to discuss how state and local government function. Thank you also to the community leaders who donated their time to provide feedback to the students about their impact projects: Brooke Grossman, executive director of Jefferson County Community Ministries; Margaret Kursey and Tom Kearns of The Martinsburg Initiative; Heather Morgan McIntyre, executive director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce; Stacie Rohn, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Eastern Panhandle; and Maria Russo, policy specialist with the WV Rivers Coalition . Thank you! 💙💛💙💛

08/03/2026

Join us for an evening exploring how faith and politics often divide communities -- but can also provide the identities and values that help us discover common ground and sustain meaningful friendships. "Friendship Across Faith & Party" will be co-hosted by the Stubblefield Institute and Covenant Church, Shepherdstown, on August 24. Registration now open.

Join us for an evening exploring how faith and politics often divide communities -- but can also provide the identities and values that help us discover common ground and sustain meaningful friendships.

07/20/2026

Leadership West Virginia builds "a stronger West Virginia through education, connection, and leadership." Stubblefield Institute Executive Director Ashley Horst, a member of this year's Leadership West Virginia class (and a 2015 graduate of Leadership Berkeley), presented in Morgantown as part of this month's theme of "Leading Beyond Limitations: Obstacles to Opportunities in West Virginia Communities and Education." Stubblefield Institute Board Member Hoppy Kercheval was also part of this day of learning, leading a panel on the future of education in West Virginia, with panelists Senator Mike Oliverio, Delegate Joe Statler, Delegate Anitra Hamilton, and Senator Joey Garcia.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19JsXTAQHo/

07/09/2026

❌📅❌ Data Center Conversation Cancelled
The Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications has decided to cancel the event 'Big Data, Big Decisions: Data Centers and West Virginia's Future.'

When this event was conceived, our goal was to create a forum where community members, industry representatives, policymakers, and other stakeholders could engage in a thoughtful and constructive conversation about an issue of growing importance to West Virginia. Consistent with our mission, we sought to bring together diverse perspectives to explore questions, share concerns, and deepen our collective understanding of how data center development may impact the future of the Mountain State.

It was always intended, as has been our practice, to include a community voice in the panel discussion, though we had not yet confirmed who that participant would be. In retrospect, we should have waited until all participants were finalized before publicly promoting the event. Our intention was to provide ample opportunity for interested individuals to register, engage, and contribute their questions; however, moving forward before all participants were confirmed created the potential perception of bias, which is inconsistent with our commitment to fair, balanced, and credible civic dialogue.
A comment shared on social media stated, "Come on, Stubblefield Institute. Surely you can do better." That observation is fair, and we take it seriously.

We can do better—and we must. Meaningful civil discourse depends on the inclusion of multiple perspectives, transparency in process, and a willingness to engage openly with differing viewpoints. Because we do not believe this event currently reflects those standards, we have chosen to cancel it.

We hope to host this discussion in the future and to do so in a manner that meets the high standard of civic engagement and balanced dialogue that the people of West Virginia deserve.