The West Virginia Dialect Project was created in order to learn about language variation and foster understanding and appreciation of the speech of West Virginians of all demographics. Founded in 1998, the WVDP was headed by Dr. Kirk Hazen, an award winning faculty mentor and the English department’s resident linguist. Supported by research grants, the WVDP worked to study English in West Virginia and Appalachia, an effort which led to many academic articles, professional presentations, and public outreach programs. An important part of our mission was to teach about dialect diversity in the Mountain State. Through coordination with schools, community groups, health service organizations, and legal counsel, members of the WVDP educated diverse audiences about how the language of West Virginia works.