CMI2 Joins Clay County “Make It Shine” for the Third Year in a Row

CMI2 Joins Clay County “Make It Shine” for the Third Year in a Row

April 24, 2026 On April 22, 2026, the Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2) took part in Clay County’s third annual Make Clay County Shine Highway Clean Up Days event. The Make It Shine brings people across the county together to clean up, including the Clay Board of Education, Clay Health Department, Clay Family Support Center, Rail […]

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Ignite 2026: Building the Future of STEM in West Virginia

Ignite 2026: Building the Future of STEM in West Virginia

March 23, 2026 The CMI2 Ignite 2026 Internship focuses on meaningful work and addresses challenges beyond the classroom. From day one, you take action: onboarding, safety training, and learning about CMI2’s mission demonstrate how innovation delivers real-world impact and supports national security. Then you begin creating. Good news, we’ve extended the application deadline to 11:59 […]

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Igniting the Next Generation: Internship Applications Open for 2026

Igniting the Next Generation: Internship Applications Open for 2026

March 17, 2026 Applications Open for CMI2’s 2026 Summer Internship The Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2) is proud to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 Ignite Summer Internship Program, our hands-on, mission-driven opportunity designed to empower the next generation of innovators in Clay County, West Virginia. Each summer, the Ignite program brings together […]

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ILLUME Launches Rope Rescue and Wilderness Medicine Program at Braxton County High

ILLUME Launches Rope Rescue and Wilderness Medicine Program at Braxton County High

February 20, 2026   CMI2 has officially launched the inaugural ILLUME Rope Rescue & Wilderness First Aid Course with our partners at Braxton County High School. This first-of-its-kind collaboration marks a significant step for local students and enhances hands-on STEM education in West Virginia. The immersive course instruction will take place on Fridays over the […]

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Leadership in Action: Walter “Wally” Hatfield

Leadership in Action: Walter “Wally” Hatfield

February 9, 2026 Walter “Wally” Hatfield on Service, Innovation, and Community Impact CMI2’s Vice President of Training and Experimentation, Walter “Wally” Hatfield, was recently featured on the At the Leadership Table podcast with Retired Major General Jim Hoyer. The conversation offered a thoughtful look at leadership, service, and the responsibility we share to strengthen both […]

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Strengthening STEM Education in Clay County Through Community Partnership

Strengthening STEM Education in Clay County Through Community Partnership

December 15, 2025 Collaboration is at the heart of meaningful community impact, and CMI2 recently had the opportunity to highlight one such partnership on Community Connections, a broadcast produced by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (TGKVF). Our own Walter “Wally” Hatfield, Vice President of Training & Experimentation, joined TGKVF to discuss the work CMI2 is […]

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A Week of Inspiration: ILLUME Visits Brooke County Schools

A Week of Inspiration: ILLUME Visits Brooke County Schools

November 7, 2025 During the week of November 3, CMI2’s ILLUME team visited Brooke High School and Brooke Middle School to meet with students and educators, sharing stories and demonstrations that brought the program’s mission to life. “The enthusiasm we saw from students was incredible,” said Walter ‘Wally’ Hatfield, Vice President of Training and Experimentation […]

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ILLUME MS: Students Dive into STEM With New Equipment

ILLUME MS: Students Dive into STEM With New Equipment

October 6, 2025 The tools are here. The students are ready. In Jefferson Davis County, the future begins today. The ILLUME Mississippi program has moved from vision to action. This week, our CMI2 ILLUME team was on the ground in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, delivering and installing state-of-the-art engineering equipment at Jefferson Davis High School, […]

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Cultivating Innovation

Cultivating Innovation

August 26, 2025 Ignite Interns Plant the Future with Fort Andrew Greenspace The new Fort Andrew greenspace represents more than just a physical addition to the site, it’s a symbol of growth, collaboration, and forward-looking innovation. Designed by our 2024-2025 Ignite Interns as a destination to bring people together in a setting that balances nature […]

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ILLUME Expands in West Virginia

ILLUME Expands in West Virginia

August 22, 2025 Lighting the Way: ILLUME Arrives in Brooke, Calhoun & Braxton Counties Our vision for the CMI2 ILLUME program —short for Innovating, Learning, Leading, Uniting, Making, Experimenting—is more than a classroom add-on. It’s a chance to reimagine what students in rural West Virginia can achieve, helping them see themselves as makers, problem solvers, […]

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