ARH Announces New Education Discount Partnership with Valley College

NEWS RELEASE - September 11, 2026

ARH Announces New Education Discount Partnership with Valley College

BECKLEY, W.Va. - Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) has announced a new education discount partnership with Valley College in Beckley, providing ARH employees with expanded opportunities to further their education while reducing the financial burden of tuition.

The partnership was officially celebrated during a signing event held Sept. 9 at Valley College's Beckley campus. Through the collaboration, Valley College will offer scholarships to eligible ARH employees covering up to 20% of program tuition. The scholarship opportunity applies to all programs offered by Valley College.

The agreement also marks a milestone for Valley College, with ARH becoming the college's first employer partner to participate in an education discount initiative of this kind.

"Investing in our people is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of our workforce," said Dylon Baker, vice president of Talent Strategy at ARH. "This partnership with Valley College gives our employees another meaningful opportunity to continue their education, grow professionally and pursue new career pathways while reducing the financial barriers that can often stand in the way. We're especially proud that ARH is Valley College's first employer partner for this initiative, and I believe it's a great example of what's possible when healthcare and higher education work together to create opportunities for the people and communities we serve."

Valley College leaders also emphasized the broader impact the partnership can have on employees, families and communities throughout the region.

"Valley College is honored to work with Appalachian Regional Healthcare to help remove financial barriers and give ARH employees opportunities to advance their education and careers," said Jamie Holliday, Campus Director/Project Manager at Valley College Beckley. "When we invest in employees, we are also investing in the future of healthcare across our region. Partnerships like this are what make a lasting difference in our communities. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will create for students, employees, their families and the communities we serve."

The partnership reflects ARH's continued commitment to supporting the professional and educational growth of its employees while helping strengthen the healthcare workforce throughout the communities it serves.

By bringing together the resources of a healthcare organization and a higher education institution, ARH and Valley College are creating additional pathways for employees to build new skills, advance their careers and pursue educational goals.

The signing was held alongside an open house at Valley College's Beckley campus, giving attendees an opportunity to learn more about the college's programs and the new partnership.

ARH and Valley College are proud to collaborate on an initiative that invests in employees today while helping develop the skilled workforce needed for the future.

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About Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH)
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) traces its roots back to 1955, when the United Mine Workers of America opened the Miners Memorial Hospital system - a network of 10 hospitals dedicated to providing care throughout the coalfields of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Seventy years later, ARH has grown into a 14-hospital not-for-profit health system that serves more than 500,000 residents of central Appalachia each year. ARH hospitals in Barbourville, Harlan, Hazard, Hyden, Martin, McDowell, Middlesboro, Paintsville, Prestonsburg, West Liberty, Whitesburg, and South Williamson in Kentucky, and Beckley and Hinton in West Virginia, ensure that residents, tucked away in even the most remote areas, can access the highest quality of care without traveling hours from home. ARH's hospitals, clinics, multi-specialty physician practices, home health agencies, home medical equipment stores, retail pharmacies, and medical spas boast more than 6,700 employees with a network of more than 1,300 providers, making it the single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third-largest private employer in southern West Virginia.