The Legislature celebrated “Higher Education Day” today as the halls of the state Capitol were filled with displays from various colleges, universities and community and technical schools from around the state. Information regarding course offerings and campus amenities were available for citizens to learn more about the individual schools and staff representing the various schools were also on hand to answer any questions interested bystanders posed.
One of the schools, the Community and Technical College at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology, based in Montgomery, WV, brought a 1/36th scale model of the Capitol Complex and the surrounding area to the Upper Rotunda.
The model, a project by the students in the computer-aided drafting and design department at the college, will replace an outdated model built in 1974 and will help state officials plan for emergencies and other events held at the Capitol.
Professors Bill Javins and Jim King were on hand to answer questions about the model and were the professors charged with helping create both the virtual and physical models with the help of over 30 students. The model includes such intricate details from around the Complex as the Veterans Memorial, the statue of Lincoln Walks at Midnight as well as a handcrafted eagle sitting atop the dome.
The model took nearly two years to complete and will now be used on a daily basis by the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety and the Division of Protective Services to aid officials securing the Capitol during high profile visits from dignitaries or the many fairs and festivals held on the grounds throughout the year.
