When word got out that West Virginia University's administration intended to eliminate entire programs and hundreds of faculty positions, five undergraduate students huddled into a small dorm room to plan how to best respond.

Three of these students, the union's co-founders, continued working on this issue over the summer of 2023. By July 20th, the West Virginia United Students' Union was formed and ready to lead the fight.

When the administration's recommended cuts and faculty reductions were released on August 11th, WVUSU was ready to respond. Ten days later, the union led one of the largest demonstrations in WVU's history. The student walkout saw hundreds of members of the campus community partake in rallies on the Evansdale and Downtown Campuses, and standing with them were faculty, staff, and dozens of community members.

Today, WVUSU has amassed over four hundred student members from across the various WVU colleges. These members have worked day and night to spread the word to their fellow students, the community, and the world about the issues facing higher education in the state of West Virginia and across the United States.

Within two months of its formation, WVUSU's members and activities had been featured in the press at local, state, and national levels.