Tomblin said she is presenting a "college completion challenge" because West Virginia is so far behind the rest of the nation when it comes to graduation rates.

She told a crowd of people that the focus on college completion is important because of current work force demands and because colleges play a role in attracting new businesses to the state.

She said she will continue to push the initiative even if the political front changes in West Virginia during October's special gubernatorial election. She said many of the necessary changes could happen quickly -- within six months -- and there is a need for colleges to push graduation right now.

"The average age of a health care employee is around 55 years old. The average age of someone in the energy industry is about 52 years old. So, these people are looking for people to replace those individuals in the next five years," Tomblin said.

She said degree completion plays a big role in getting people prepared to take those positions.

Tomblin's visit to Wheeling was one of 10 planned stops statewide. She also met with Dr. Martin Olshinsky of West Virginia Northern Community College, and Robin Capehart, president of West Liberty University. During that time, the college and university signed a partnership making it easier for Northern's students to transfer to West Liberty to earn a bachelor's degree.