Merit Badge University @ WVU
11th Annual Merit Badge University
at West Virginia University
Update as of Wednesday, February 22:
A detailed email has been sent to all participants, as well as attached to this page under "attachments."
Merit Badge University is an opportunity for Scouts BSA members to work on an array of merit badges taught by professors and professionals of West Virginia's flagship institution. Classes are taught throughout the day, and if prerequisites are met, Scouts typically can complete an entire merit badge (or two) in one day while being taught by experts in the field!
WHEN: Saturday, February 25, 2023
WHERE: Classes will be held on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown. Scouts will NOT be at the WVU Rec Center as they have in years past. This year's check-in locatons are at the WVU College of Law, Mineral Resource Building and Health Science Center. Please refer to the chart below.
REGISTRATION: will open January 9, 2023 at 6:00PM. Registration is closed.
COST: $25 per Scout; includes all program materials and 2023 event patch. Registrations are non-transferable.
NEW! ADULT LEADER TRAININGS: The following adult leader trainings will be offered at Merit Badge University in the College of Law, Fitzsimmons Event Hall. Please register for one, two or all three.
- 10:00AM: Scouting Safely
We will discuss the policies, tools and training that BSA provides to help keep our Scouts and Scouters safe as well as how to foster a culture of safety within your unit using Safety Moments and Incident/Near-Miss Reports. Topics include:- An overview of the training provided by BSA
- The Guide to Safe Scouting
- Planning for safety
- Safety Moments
- Incident Response
- 11:00AM: The "Guides To"
- Every Scouter should be aware of the Guide to Safe Scouting and the Guide to Advancement. They aren't just rulebooks, they are important resources for providing a consistent and safe program for our Scouts. We will hit the high points of each Guide, talk about where you can find resources when you have questions, and finish with a quiz game with Fabulous Yet Inexpensive Prizes!
- 12:00PM: Adult Training in the BSA
- We will briefly discuss the range of training offered to Scouters by the BSA -- from position-specific training to the Philmont Leadership Challenge -- including who they are for, what they offer, and where to find them. We will also discuss some of the training we offer our Scouts -- Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops (ILST), National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) and the capstone National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE). We will also share upcoming training opportunities in and near Mountaineer Area Council and would love to hear your requests or suggestions for training we should offer.
NEW! SESSION FOR PARENTS! Join us for a fun and informative session to prepare your family for life’s next adventure – college!
- 3:00 - 4:00PM, Mineral Resources Building (MRB), room 113
- Lisa Hanselman is a parent of two WVU students and leads the Mountaineer Parents Club - an organization that supports parents of WVU students, helping to keep parents connected to their students. Wherever your child may be interested in attending college (hopefully at WVU, but this session is open to all!), Lisa has a wealth of knowledge on how to help prepare your student as well as yourself for this transitional time. This is a great opportunity to help plan and prepare for the future! Her talk will last approximately 30 minutes and is followed by an open question format for the remaining time.
2023 Merit Badges to be offered:
(registration opens Monday, January 9 at 6:00PM)
|
MERIT BADGE |
TIME |
LOCATION |
PRE-REQS
|
|
Art |
1:00 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | read pamphlet |
| Astronomy new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | See attached Google document. |
| Aviation new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | read pamphlet |
| Bird Study new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. |
5(a) and 5(b) -- Although we will be going out birdwatching, we are unlikely to see all 20 required species in one day! So, please observe as many bird species as you can prior to the event, and write down the date, time, location, and habitat where you saw each bird (either in your field notebook or just on a piece of paper). Although most of our day will be indoors, we will also take a walk through the woods to look for birds. Please dress warmly in layers, and wear boots or shoes that can get muddy and wet. |
| Chemistry | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | 4(a); read pamphlet |
| Chess | 8:30 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | read pamphlet |
| Citizenship in Society | 8:30 - 4:30 | Health Sciences Center - North. Okey Patteson Auditorium |
IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the subject matter of this merit badge, as well as it being newly required for Eagle Scout rank, priority registration will be given to older Scouts and those already Life Rank. All registrations for this merit badge will be added to a waitlist, with class enrollment notifications sent by January 27, 2023. During registration, Scouts are able to select a second choice class. If accepted to Citizenship in Society, their second choice class selection will be removed. Following the BSA's guidelines for the merit badge, the total class will be split into small groups for discussion with teams of counselors from WVU's Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Payment for this class is due at the time of registration. If the Scout is not selected for the class, a refund will be issued after January 27, 2023. UPDATE: CONFIRMED CLASS REGISTRATION EMAILS FOR CITIZENSHIP IN SOCIETY WERE SENT ON JANUARY 26. Pre-reqs: |
|
Citizenship in the |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | Read the Citizenship In the Nation Merit Badge Pamphlet; Complete requirement #3; Read the Constitution of the United States of America and its Amendments; Carefully read all requirements and be prepared to discuss what you have researched to fulfill the requirements |
| Composite Materials new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | read pamphlet; 4b |
| Crime Prevention (morning OR afternoon) | 8:30 - 12:00 or 1:00 - 4:30 |
College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | 2; 4a, 4b;5; 7; read pamphlet |
| Dentistry | 8:30 - 4:30 | 4c: Keep a record of everything you eat for three days. Bring the list on February 25 6c: Bring five toothpaste advertisements Come prepared to complete 2d (discuss how the use of tobacco products can negatively affect your oral health) Research the role of a dentist and dental hygienist. What are the different dental specialties? |
|
| Energy | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building, Parking Area 41. | Requirement #4 (14-day log) |
| Engineering | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building . Parking Area 41. |
Requirement #2, #5 a or b; Note for Requirement #6: counselors will complete two of the requirements in class. However, if the Scouts wishes to complete 6f or 6g, those should be done ahead of time. |
| Entrepreneurship (afternoon only) new for 2023! |
1:00 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | read pamphlet |
| Environmental Science | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building . Parking Area 41. | Click here for pre-requisites. Please reach out to the merit badge counselor on the attachment with any questions prior to MBU. |
| Fingerprinting (morning only) |
8:30 - 12:00 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall |
read pamphlet; bring signed transportation permission form found here |
| First Aid | 8:30 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall |
1 (Be prepared to demonstrate all first-aid requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks); Pre-class preparation including the request for written responses improves the student’s chances to pass First Aid Merit Badge on the day of Merit Badge University. |
| Geology new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | read pamphlet | |
| Journalism (morning only) |
8:30 - 12:00 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall |
Read pamphlet |
|
Law |
1:00 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | read pamphlet |
| Mining in Society | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. |
Will be going off campus in a van to a mine site; bring signed parent/guardian release; watch three videos below prior to class: NOTE: The mine requires everyone to wear BOOTS. Tennis shoes are not permitted. Bring signed permission form found here. |
| Nuclear Science | 8:30 - 4:30 | read pamphlet; bring empty soda can | |
| Programming | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building, Parking Area 41. | Bring current, up-to-date Cyber Chip to MBU |
| Public Speaking | 8:30 - 4:30 | College of Law Fitzsimmons Event Hall | 2 (including bring your own visual aids); read pamphlet |
| Robotics | 8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. | read pamphlet; the class will use a software called "Lego Mindstorms EV3." The instructor will bring a few laptops with the software pre-loaded. If any Scout wishes to bring a laptop with this free program already downloaded, the link is: https://education.lego.com/en-us/downloads/mindstorms-ev3/software#downloads. It is not required to bring a laptop. |
| Space Exploration new for 2023! |
8:30 - 4:30 | Mineral Resource Building. Parking Area 41. |
Task 2 - Design a collector’s card, with a picture on the front and information on the back, about your favorite space pioneer. Size may vary from a 3x5 postcard to a 8.5x11 sheet of paper Task 5b - Using magazine photographs, news clippings, and electronic articles (such as from the internet), make a scrapbook about a current planetary mission. Scrapbook should be 2-3 pages of 8.5x11 paper to 12x12 paper. We plan to cover the remaining material during WVU MBU. Students are invited to bring their own Estes (model) rocket to fly on maximum of C motor. (not required, but invited) Students are invited to bring their own motors, no larger than C motor. (not required, but invited) If any additional Badge Task Requirements have been completed before Feb. 25, students need to bring documentation and/or video of launches of completed tasks. Students are encouraged to bring their own model rocket payload for launch. Payload can be no larger than a standard chicken egg. |
| Sustainability | 8:30 - 4:30 | 1; Water-A; Food-A; Energy-B or C; Stuff-A; 4; 5; read pamphlet. NOTE: Scouts cannot complete this badge in one day without a lot of work with their families ahead of time. |
OPTIONAL: For an additional $6 per person, all Scouts participating in MBU (as well as Scout families) will have the option to utilize the WVU Student Rec Center from 5:00 - 9:00PM on Saturday, February 25. Participants will have access to:
- BSA Swim Classification Test. This will be limited to 15 Scouts per session. Sessions are at 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00PM. The tests are open only to MBU participants.
- Swimming pool, climbing wall, basketball courts, badminton courts, ping pong, racquetball and squash.
- You do not be registered for a swim session to access the above activities. Scouts are welcome to participate in these activities either before, or after, their BSA Swim Check session.
- Registration for these optional WVU Student Rec Center activities will be completed / paid as part of the MBU registration.
- Click here for directions to the WVU Student Rec Center.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:
Prior to completing this registration, Scouts must have secured approval from their unit leader to participate in Merit Badge University and to enroll in the selected merit badge(s). By registering, it is assumed that the Scout has received the prior approval.
UNIFORM: All participants should wear a full BSA field uniform ("Class A") or its equivalent for their group.
TO BRING:
- Pen and notebook/paper to take notes during merit badge classes and activities
- Documentation of any prerequisite completion and a copy of the merit badge pamphlet
- All Scouts registered for a full day must bring a lunch
- Bottled water
PRIOR TO MBU: Complete prerequisite requirements (listed above) and bring proof of completion to MBU. Obtain and read a copy of the BSA's merit badge pamphlet for your assigned merit badge(s).
BLUE CARDS / ADVANCEMENT RECORDS: Physical blue cards or "blue sheets" will NOT be used. One week following Merit Badge University, Scout advancement records will be available electronically using the registration confirmation email.
EVENT SPONSORSHIP: Merit Badge University is conducted in partnership with West Virginia University and Mountaineer Area Council.
CANCELLATION / REFUND POLICY:
- In the event a merit badge session is canceled, a full refund will be issued to those registered.
- In the event that the Scout is no longer able to attend:
- a partial refund of $20 will be issued if a cancellation email is sent to info@macbsa.org by Monday, February 13 and if the spot can be filled by another Scout
- no refunds will be issued for cancellations after Monday, February 13.
West Virginia University
Saturday 02-25-2023
7:30 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET Past
Map of SessionScout Registration
West Virginia University
Saturday 02-25-2023
8:30 AM ET to 9:00 PM ET Past
Adult Training Registration
West Virginia University
Saturday 02-25-2023
10:00 AM ET to 1:00 PM ET Past
