70th Anniversary Alumni Oral History Project

This year, we are so excited to be celebrating the College’s 70th anniversary. As part of that milestone, our advancement and alumni engagement team has launched a comprehensive project to capture your most meaningful stories of UVA Wise and Clinch Valley College. 

We are working with an external company, Publishing Concepts (PCI), to be sure we have your most up-to-date information and that you have an opportunity to contribute stories to memorialize the history of the campus experience through the years.

PCI will contact you via email and postcard to gather your input. After many stories have been collected, alumni will be offered the opportunity to purchase a book capturing many of the oral histories shared with PCI. After you contribute your story, PCI will share with you purchasing options directly. 

We look forward to hearing your best UVA Wise/CVC memories. Thank you in advance for sharing your memories through this project! 

Frequently Asked Questions by Alumni

I received an email/postcard/phone call asking for my personal information and a story about my experience at UVA Wise. Tell me more about the project.
We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce an Oral History Publication for The University of Virginia’s College at Wise.  PCI is a family-owned business based in Dallas, Texas, that has published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for over 100 years. This project allows us to hear about your personal experiences from your time at UVA Wise and how the College helped shape your life since then. And, while we have you on the phone, we want to make sure your contact information is up to date.

Does UVA Wise benefit from this at all?

Yes, in a few different ways:

  • Updated Information – allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni
  • Legacy – sharing and collecting stories preserves the history of our Institution
  • Revenue – generates non-dues revenue for alumni programs
  • Pride – wearing apparel shows support and love for our Institution

How do I know my information will only be used for Oral History Project purposes?
PCI is committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI for the publication of the Oral History Project will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Project and except as required by court order or law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact PII (Personal Identifiable Information) from any and all electronic files that we have supplied or were produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Oral History Project.

I would like to verify or update my information and share a story. How may I do this?

  • If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Project. The representative will verify some basic data elements from the alumni information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, and then ask you to share your story about your time at UVA Wise. Your story will be recorded and the sound clip provided to the College at the conclusion of the project. 
  • If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story. 

Can I choose what information prints in the publication?
The only information that is included in the publication is your name and class year, along with your story and photo. No contact information is printed. When you call to update your contact information, it will only be used to update your alumni record for UVA Wise. You may revoke consent for your story and/or photo to appear any time before the end of the updating phase, in October 2024, by contacting PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 or customerservice@publishingconcepts.com. 

I updated my information but need some more time to think about what experience to share. 
You can call back at any time before the end of the updating phase, in October 2024, to share your story.

I shared a story and the representative said I could send a photo. How do I do this?
You will receive an email with a link to upload one photo (black and white or color) plus a caption. 

If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send a physical photo in to be printed (note: the photo will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).

Can anyone purchase a book?
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise Alumni Oral History Publication is available for sale only to UVA Wise alumni only.

I ordered a book / package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?
Contact PCI’s customer service.