The Journey of Health and Well-being for West Virginia and the World

Dr. Clay Marsh, ‘Focus Forward’: Improving Lifespan and Healthspan in West Virginia and Beyond

Posted on October 05, 2025

The West Virginia Public Education Collaborative and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation hosted “ Focus Forward: Long Live West Virginia” April 22, 2025, in Morgantown, West Virginia. An annual event, sessions are uniquely designed to link education and economic development. More than 550 attendees came together for the 2025 event to with meet with national, state and local experts and decision makers to explore the intersection of health, wellness and economic mobility while networking and forging meaningful connections. Dr. Clay Marsh shares a follow-up thought piece on how West Virginia, and the nation, can begin to improve health and longevity for the long-term.

Dr. Clay Marsh: Insights from the Past

Posted on September 24, 2025

How do we measure success in our lives?

Posted on August 29, 2025

Dr. Clay Marsh wishes gratitude and abundance for 2025

Posted on December 10, 2024

Time of Change

Posted on July 09, 2024

What does it mean to be authentic?

Posted on December 15, 2023

The American Dream

Posted on November 27, 2023

What's next at the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency?

Posted on May 05, 2023

Reconnecting

Posted on May 04, 2023

A note to our Health Sciences family regarding Dr. John Magruder

Posted on October 10, 2022

Is the COVID-19 Pandemic Over?

Posted on September 21, 2022

The lamps are different, but the Light is the same

Posted on September 11, 2022

Let's change our narrative to we can and we will. Why not, West Virginia?

Posted on August 01, 2022

Secrets to Living Long and Well

Posted on June 13, 2022

Where are we in the COVID-19 pandemic?

Posted on January 24, 2022

Golden Rule Meet Serenity Prayer 

Posted on October 01, 2021

The Two Things

Posted on September 19, 2021

A Critical Moment for West Virginia

Posted on September 09, 2021

COVID-19: Where We Are and What We Can Do

Posted on August 27, 2021

COVID-19: Third Dose Vaccines

Posted on August 20, 2021

The Delta Variant

Posted on August 11, 2021

Kindness

Posted on August 02, 2021

Time to Shine

Posted on July 14, 2021

Why We Should All Choose Vaccination

Posted on June 08, 2021

Students: Get vaccinated against COVID-19

Posted on April 07, 2021

A View from Inside of West Virginia’s COVID-19 Response

Posted on February 01, 2021

Why Older West Virginians are Being Targeted by Vaccines

Posted on December 21, 2020

Clay Marsh: Explaining West Virginia’s COVID Code

Posted on October 07, 2020

We must keep caring for each other, West Virginia.

Posted on September 30, 2020

Altruism in West Virginia, and the best of America

Posted on July 23, 2020

Anticipating The Next Moves: The Dance with COVID-19

Posted on June 29, 2020

Betty

Posted on June 16, 2020

Be the light

Posted on June 03, 2020

Lessons Learned

Posted on June 01, 2020

The Dance Floor

Posted on May 21, 2020

The Dance

Posted on April 30, 2020

Our Next Steps

Posted on April 11, 2020

Healing

Posted on April 07, 2020

How We Beat COVID-19

Posted on April 05, 2020

The Next Few Weeks

Posted on April 02, 2020

Tracking the Speed of Spread of COVID-19 in West Virginia

Posted on March 31, 2020

National Doctors' Day

Posted on March 30, 2020

Why social distancing and staying at home works

Posted on March 28, 2020

Rays of hope

Posted on March 26, 2020

Turning a tsunami into a stream

Posted on March 24, 2020

West Virginia, it's time to double down

Posted on March 22, 2020

Match Day

Posted on March 20, 2020

Black Swan Events, Change and New Opportunity

Posted on March 20, 2020

Our Power

Posted on March 17, 2020

COVID-19 Travel Advice from Dr. Clay Marsh

Posted on March 14, 2020

Abundance and Scarcity

Posted on February 20, 2020

Our Infinite Games

Posted on January 30, 2020

Let us not take for granted our everyday simple gifts

Posted on January 09, 2020

Principles

Posted on December 17, 2019

Fear of change

Posted on December 02, 2019

What do we stand for? What is truth

Posted on November 04, 2019

Lenses and reality

Posted on October 25, 2019

Acceptance and Wonder

Posted on October 09, 2019

Fractals of The Whole

Posted on September 30, 2019

Three Principles

Posted on September 19, 2019

Welcome to WVU. Welcome home.

Posted on August 17, 2019

Reflections on a gentleman and a healer.

Posted on August 04, 2019

Stories

Posted on July 29, 2019

Unfolding

Posted on July 15, 2019

Happy Birthday, West Virginia.

Posted on June 20, 2019

Proud of Our Own – Patrice Harris, MD, President of American Medical Association

Posted on June 14, 2019

Entangled

Posted on May 20, 2019

A Time for Thanks and Reflection

Posted on November 21, 2018

Culture

Posted on May 25, 2018

Safety, game theory and performance

Posted on May 22, 2018

Safety, game theory and performance

Posted on May 22, 2018

Victimhood, happiness and health

Posted on May 17, 2018

Shining brightly

Posted on May 14, 2018

Attachments

Posted on May 11, 2018

Coherence revisited

Posted on May 09, 2018

Duality

Posted on May 07, 2018

Beauty, wonder and awe

Posted on May 03, 2018

Namaste

Posted on May 01, 2018

Mirror

Posted on April 26, 2018

Flow

Posted on April 23, 2018

Rigidity, control and fear

Posted on April 20, 2018

Taking responsibility

Posted on April 18, 2018

Wisdom redux

Posted on April 09, 2018

Leadership inside out

Posted on April 06, 2018

Gratitude and joy

Posted on April 02, 2018

A mindset of abundance

Posted on March 27, 2018

AND

Posted on March 22, 2018

Separation

Posted on March 15, 2018

Networks of Health and Hope 

Posted on March 13, 2018

Wave-particle duality, great teams and health

Posted on March 06, 2018

Coherence

Posted on February 23, 2018

Ending the perception of separation

Posted on February 14, 2018

Self-actualization and health

Posted on February 12, 2018

Wholeness, yin and yang

Posted on February 05, 2018

Disorder and order

Posted on January 23, 2018

The Great State of West Virginia

Posted on January 11, 2018

Happy Holidays

Posted on December 22, 2017

Saying goodbye to a friend

Posted on December 12, 2017

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 23, 2017

Horse Pen Mountain, the fighting chickens and Jim Brick

Posted on November 13, 2017

A Day of Giving

Posted on November 08, 2017

Wholeness and Health

Posted on October 25, 2017

Going with the flow

Posted on October 13, 2017

Fall

Posted on October 09, 2017

Signal and noise

Posted on October 03, 2017

The power of community

Posted on September 14, 2017

Reenergizing, and refocusing, healthcare

Posted on August 31, 2017

An age of acceleration

Posted on August 16, 2017

Students inspiring students

Posted on August 15, 2017

Success breeds success

Posted on August 09, 2017

A Mountaineer Adventure at the James C. Justice National Boy Scout Camp

Posted on July 26, 2017

Bedrock principles and a culture of purpose

Posted on July 24, 2017

Beauty, gratitude and health

Posted on July 12, 2017

The Affordable Care Act and the cost of healthcare

Posted on June 27, 2017

A church of hope

Posted on June 05, 2017

Resilience and bottoms-up communities

Posted on May 30, 2017

Healthy Communities and Purpose

Posted on May 25, 2017

Graduation, love and safety

Posted on May 17, 2017

Riflery, cancer and leadership

Posted on May 05, 2017

Shining a light on a bright spot

Posted on May 01, 2017

Health is a human experience

Posted on April 24, 2017

Prosperity

Posted on April 18, 2017

The future is health, education and prosperity

Posted on April 06, 2017

It's time to invest in West Virginia, because we're worth it

Posted on April 04, 2017

Rebirth and change

Posted on March 31, 2017

Change of State: DxVxF>R​​​​​​​

Posted on March 14, 2017

150 years and still going strong

Posted on February 13, 2017

Mindset and Wellbeing

Posted on February 03, 2017

From Our Heart To Yours

Posted on January 23, 2017

Oman Medical College, Peace and Hope 

Posted on January 12, 2017

Seeing blue

Posted on January 05, 2017

Reflections for the future

Posted on January 03, 2017

Blessings and Beauty

Posted on December 14, 2016

Communicating Health in Charleston

Posted on December 07, 2016

Connection, Love and Safety

Posted on November 29, 2016

Seeing the brighter side of cold winter days

Posted on November 17, 2016

Health care and the election

Posted on November 11, 2016

Continuing the conversation on a national level

Posted on November 07, 2016

Communication, Common Sense and a Better Tomorrow

Posted on October 26, 2016

Recommitting to helping and healing

Posted on October 19, 2016

Trying This, Trying That, for West Virginia

Posted on October 17, 2016

Giving Voice To Hope

Posted on October 14, 2016

A Field Of Dreams

Posted on October 10, 2016

Good Measures and a Good Man

Posted on October 05, 2016

Music in the Pylons

Posted on September 30, 2016

Sugar story shows the need for increased awareness, education

Posted on September 14, 2016

The secret to happiness and success

Posted on August 30, 2016

Going First

Posted on August 19, 2016

Safety and Love - Secrets to Success

Posted on August 18, 2016

Moving forward as one

Posted on August 16, 2016

Change comes from within

Posted on August 08, 2016

Memories of the past, stories of the future

Posted on August 05, 2016

Hunting monsters and getting active

Posted on August 04, 2016

Meeting the future faces of medicine

Posted on August 02, 2016

Bright eyes and big dreams

Posted on July 29, 2016

A Hero's Journey

Posted on July 27, 2016

Health, family and community

Posted on July 13, 2016

Building a better state through community

Posted on July 08, 2016

Clay Marsh, HSC VP - West Virginia Will Prevail

Posted on June 28, 2016

Love, Work and Dream Big

Posted on June 22, 2016

Lessons from school

Posted on June 21, 2016

West Virginia, my home

Posted on June 20, 2016

Looking through the other end of the telescope

Posted on June 10, 2016

Try This Conference: A Movement For Change

Posted on June 08, 2016

Blue chips

Posted on May 24, 2016

Safety and community – the foundation of hope

Posted on May 23, 2016

Keep love in your heart

Posted on May 19, 2016

Service, music, community and the gift of education

Posted on May 16, 2016

Go out and change the world

Posted on May 14, 2016

One WVU. One approach to cancer.

Posted on May 05, 2016

Cancer Gala and the Greenbrier

Posted on May 03, 2016

Calling our sons and daughters home

Posted on April 26, 2016

Thoughts on Academic Medicine

Posted on April 18, 2016

Inspiring Students

Posted on April 06, 2016

It's Doctor’s (Healthcare Workers) Day!

Posted on March 30, 2016

Opiates: Tomorrow’s doctors will do better

Posted on March 30, 2016

Building a healthy and sustainable West Virginia

Posted on March 23, 2016

March 'Matchness' and the donning of the White Coat

Posted on March 21, 2016

Landing some of the planes

Posted on March 17, 2016

A State Of Awe

Posted on March 14, 2016

Oxyana, pain medicine and holistic healing

Posted on March 11, 2016

Building community to fight addiction

Posted on March 08, 2016

Public health and our economy

Posted on March 04, 2016

Roads Scholars

Posted on March 02, 2016

Five paths to health and hope

Posted on February 29, 2016

Talent, Experts and the Wisdom of Crowds

Posted on February 26, 2016

Authenticity

Posted on February 22, 2016

Reflections: Looking back at a year at Health Sciences

Posted on February 16, 2016

Trust, Culture and Ralph Waldo Emerson

Posted on February 15, 2016

Teachers and Doctors

Posted on February 11, 2016

Artisans and Fish Fries

Posted on February 08, 2016

Honesty, truth and frame of reference

Posted on February 05, 2016

To Love, To Learn, To Serve and To Gain Faith

Posted on February 01, 2016

Cookies, market and social norms, and organizational purpose

Posted on January 19, 2016

The wonderful people of Oman – Finding health through community

Posted on January 15, 2016

A graduation to remember

Posted on January 12, 2016

A better future

Posted on January 11, 2016

Characteristics of leaders and sustainably successful teams

Posted on January 01, 2016

Insights from the Wizard of Oz

Posted on December 15, 2015

A new framework

Posted on December 15, 2015

Emotional quotient and emotional intelligence

Posted on December 09, 2015

Leaders eat last

Posted on December 07, 2015

Presidents and lessons learned

Posted on December 03, 2015

Talented alumni and a better future

Posted on December 01, 2015

Taking it Off Campus

Posted on November 04, 2015

Changing How a Whole State Eats

Posted on October 29, 2015

A Network of Hope and Hard Work

Posted on October 29, 2015

Barack Obama, Dan McGinn and a Big Idea

Posted on October 27, 2015

An Attitude of Gratitude

Posted on October 16, 2015

Class Reunions and Animal House

Posted on October 12, 2015

Hospitality and empathy

Posted on October 09, 2015

The Pope and Hope for All

Posted on September 28, 2015

A Golden Moment and New Future for West Virginia

Posted on September 25, 2015

Hope and Purpose

Posted on September 11, 2015

Mountaineer Nation

Posted on September 08, 2015

Retreat and Go Forward

Posted on September 01, 2015

Blue + Yellow = Green

Posted on August 21, 2015

The Power of One

Posted on August 19, 2015

New Mountaineers: You are One of Us

Posted on August 18, 2015

Welcome, Students!

Posted on August 17, 2015

The Long Gold and Blue Line

Posted on August 10, 2015

The Hatfields, McCoys and Bricks

Posted on August 07, 2015

People are Not Their Charts

Posted on August 04, 2015

The Broken Windows Theory and West Virginia

Posted on August 03, 2015

Family Vacation Leads to 'The Road to Character'

Posted on July 20, 2015

Reliant Medical Center and Community

Posted on July 15, 2015

It's How You See It

Posted on July 15, 2015

Social Networks and Transformational Change in Health

Posted on July 13, 2015

West Virginia Possibilities and Camelot

Posted on July 02, 2015

One West Virginia

Posted on June 19, 2015

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

Posted on June 11, 2015

If You Can’t Stand Up, Stand Out

Posted on June 09, 2015

Summer Steps and Health

Posted on June 04, 2015

The Dominion Post and Wide World of Sports

Posted on May 27, 2015

Graduation and Four Challenges

Posted on May 18, 2015

Loose Cannons and Yoda

Posted on May 15, 2015

Complex Systems, Health, and Healthcare Delivery

Posted on May 06, 2015

Leadership, the WVU way!

Posted on April 30, 2015

What Military Police Can Tell Us About Happiness

Posted on April 28, 2015

Lessons from the (Bio)Summit

Posted on April 23, 2015

If You Can, You Should

Posted on April 22, 2015

Eyes Open(ed)

Posted on April 22, 2015

Obesity: Is it the Canary in the Coal Mine?

Posted on April 20, 2015

Maintaining a Sense of Purpose

Posted on April 16, 2015

Stunning Talent

Posted on April 13, 2015

Making WVU Well: Eat, Chill, Move, Love, Sleep

Posted on April 08, 2015

How Do We Go First?

Posted on April 01, 2015

What Would Steve Do? Three Lessons

Posted on March 30, 2015

White Coats and Big Dreams

Posted on March 23, 2015

Antifragile: How Lincoln and the Marines Can Help Transform Healthcare

Posted on March 19, 2015

Thinking Pink

Posted on March 17, 2015

The Law of the Few Applied to Health

Posted on March 11, 2015

The Law of the Few

Posted on March 09, 2015

Groundhog Day

Posted on March 05, 2015

First, Ask Why

Posted on February 26, 2015

Who said you can never go home again? Today, I am home.

Posted on February 16, 2015