Three Fairmont State University students have been selected for the 2013 Undergraduate Literary Symposium, which is to be held at Marshall University in Huntington on Saturday, March 2.

The three students are Benjamin D. Fisher, Tammy J. Lacaria and Bradley T. Riffee. Fisher and Lacaria are both residents of Bridgeport, and Riffee lives in Morgantown. The three students wrote their essays for their senior seminar on the British writer Thomas Hardy. The seminar was taught by Dr. Angela Schwer, Professor of English, who helped the students refine their essays and submit them to the Symposium.

Fisher will present his essay, “Animal Cruelty in the Works of Thomas Hardy,” during the 19th-century British Literature session of the symposium. His paper investigates cruelty toward animals in Hardy’s fiction and poetry to argue that this cruelty reflects Hardy’s naturalistic worldview. Lacaria’s essay, “The Nature of Tess,” discusses the exploitation of Hardy’s heroine because of her inferior position as a woman. Riffee’s “Tess, Gender Class Expectations, and Society’s Time of Change at the End of the 19th Century” analyzes social injustices that existed in 19th-century male and female relationships. His paper is part of a panel on Class and Gender in Literature.

“It's a real honor for our students to present their work at this Symposium. The students gain confidence and professional poise through presenting, and they'll be among the top English students in the state.  We're very proud of them,” Schwer said.

The West Virginia Undergraduate Literary Symposium began at West Virginia University, which hosted it for more than a dozen years. In 2011, the Symposium began to rotate among West Virginia’s universities and colleges. Wheeling Jesuit hosted the Symposium that year, and Fairmont State sponsored it in 2012.

The family of the late Sgt. Michael Todd May, representatives of the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department and members of the Fairmont State University community gathered on Tuesday, March 5, for a ceremony to dedicate donations made in May’s memory.

“Todd’s entire life has been dedicated to helping others, through his work as a Deputy Sheriff and even in his death as an organ donor. Todd embodied the true meaning of being a civil servant,” said Sgt. J.E. Burks of the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.

Over the past year, the Sgt. Todd May Memorial Fund Committee has raised funds in May’s memory. The committee worked with the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., to establish an endowed scholarship fund. The Sgt. Todd May Memorial Scholarship is designed to benefit law enforcement officers in Monongalia County, their families or others pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at Fairmont State University.

“Without the support and generous giving from our community, this scholarship would not be possible. Thank you to everyone who has supported and continues to support the Sgt. Michael Todd May Memorial Fund. Todd was always looking out for and taking care of everyone, and now with the scholarship we are able to keep his memory going by helping others pursue their dream in Criminal Justice,” said Tammy White, Detective Division Assistant for the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department.

During the March 5 event, FSU senior Tyler Hawkins of Buckhannon was announced as the first recipient of the May scholarship. The son of David and Kim Hawkins, he is a 2009 graduate of Buckhannon-Upshur High School. A double major in Criminal Justice and National Security and Intelligence with a minor in Political Science at FSU, Hawkins has maintained a perfect GPA while also working part-time. He plans to pursue a career in law enforcement following graduation.

Additionally, the committee contributed other dollars in support of the Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) at FSU. Fairmont State previously had received a matching grant from the West Virginia Research Trust Fund; therefore, this donation was matched dollar-for-dollar as part of the “Bucks for Brains” program, doubling the impact of the gift. 

OSIX is the laboratory and applied research arm of the University’s National Security and Intelligence Program. Students working in the OSIX lab gather and analyze intelligence from open sources, including online discussion boards, social media and chatrooms, to identify and assess national security and law enforcement threats.

“As the Fairmont State family, we are so proud of our students and former students in the Criminal Justice program who dedicate themselves to serving and protecting others, knowing that they may one day be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice,” said Dr. Maria Rose, President of Fairmont State University. “Sergeant May’s legacy will continue at Fairmont State by helping other students pursue their educational and career goals.”

A graduate of Morgantown High School, May attended Fairmont State University, where he pursued a degree in Criminal Justice. At Fairmont State, he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He later graduated from the West Virginia State Police Academy in Institute, W.Va.

After working briefly at the Eastern Regional Corrections facility and the Berkeley County Sherriff's Department, May began his career with the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department in Morgantown. In his role with the department, May was assigned as a leader on its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, was a shift supervisor and earned the rank of Sergeant. May died Feb. 18, 2012, in the line of duty while responding to a call to assist fellow officers in a police pursuit.

Contributions to the Sgt. Michael Todd May Memorial Fund can be made at any Clear Mountain Bank. Donations may be mailed to the Sgt. Michael Todd May Memorial Fund, Attn: Tammy White, 116 Walnut St., Morgantown, WV 26505.

The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts and the Department of Language and Literature welcome the American Shakespeare Center’s “Tempt Me Further Tour” to campus in March.

The appearance of the American Shakespeare Center tour on the shared main campus of FSU and Pierpont Community & Technical College is made possible by FSU President Maria Rose, the FSU School of Fine Arts, the FSU Department of Language and Literature and the Office of Student Affairs.

Three separate productions will take place in Wallman Hall Theatre —“The Duchess of Malfi,” “Love’s Labour’s Lost” and “Twelfth Night.” Tickets are $12 for adults. To order tickets, call the Box Office at (304) 367-4240 or order online at www.fairmontstate.edu/tickets.

“The Duchess of Malfi” will be performed at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 23. John Webster’s brutal and astonishing play tells the story of one of the stage’s greatest women and two of its greatest villains. The widowed Duchess of Malfi tragically defies her two powerful brothers by secretly marrying her household steward. When they uncover her deception, the brothers plot a series of horrific events that leads them all to destruction in this dark tapestry of sibling rivalry, forbidden love, unquenchable ambition and ensuing madness.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23. The King of Navarre and his three schoolmates are ripe for an education in love from the Princess of France and her three ladies. Joining the lovers is a brilliantly goofy troupe of clowns, including the love-warrior Don Armado and the lust-sick rogue Costard, who ardently pursue the affections of a winsome country maid — and who perform an unforgettable pageant for the royals. Written around the same time as “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” this giddy and extravagant romantic comedy is Shakespeare’s most exuberant wordfest — a joyful carnival of love, loss and hope.

“Twelfth Night” will be performed at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Writing at the height of his powers, Shakespeare provides a feast of language and songs — and a stage full of memorable characters — from the lovesick Orsino and Viola to the alesick Toby Belch, from the acquiescent Sir Andrew Aguecheek to the pompous Malvolio. Sublime and subversive, “Twelfth Night” breaks rules and bends gender to show love in all its guises and disguises.

Located in Staunton, Va., the American Shakespeare Center recovers the joys and accessibility of Shakespeare’s theatre, language and humanity by exploring the English Renaissance stage and its practices through performance and education. The ASC’s Blackfriars Playhouse, the world’s only recreation of Shakespeare’s indoor theatre, is open year-round for productions of classic plays, which have been hailed by The Washington Post as “shamelessly entertaining” and by The Boston Globe as “phenomenal…bursting with energy.” Founded in 1988 as Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, the organization became the American Shakespeare Center in 2005. For more information, visit www.americanshakespearecenter.com.

To be proclaimed as Northern Ireland Week by the City of Fairmont, the week of April 1 through 5 will feature the visit of a distinguished delegation of visitors from Northern Ireland. A series of speaking events and presentations, several of which will be open to the public, has been planned.

Events on the shared main campus of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College are made possible by FSU President Maria Rose, the FSU College of Liberal Arts and the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. For more information, contact the Folklife Center at (304) 367-4403.

Comprising the delegation from Northern Ireland will be Rev. Dr. Johnston McMaster and his wife Jonene; Rev. Dr. Gary Mason and his wife Joyce; and Gary Crooks and his wife Sandra.

Six counties north of the Republic of Ireland – an independent country – make up Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom and recognizes that country’s monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

McMaster and Mason will present a public talk and open discussion focusing on “The Troubles and Reconciliation in Belfast in Northern Ireland” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday, April 1, in the Falcon Center third floor conference rooms. Admission to this event is free and open to the public. During the event, City of Fairmont Mayor Ron Straight is expected to present a proclamation officially declaring the first week in April as Northern Ireland Week.

From 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, in Multi-media Room A of the Ruth Ann Musick Library, McMaster and Mason will participate on a panel with other faculty members to discuss Violence Prevention as part of the Instructor Exchange Ad-Hoc Committee of the FSU Faculty Senate. Dr. Tad Kato, chairman of the committee, will act as facilitator for the event, and Rev. Richard Bowyer, Minister Emeritus of the Wesley Foundation of Fairmont State and Pierpont, will serve as moderator. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

Throughout the week, McMaster, Mason and Crooks will visit FSU criminal justice, sociology, Honors, folklore, English and political science classes to speak with students and will give presentations to the Lifelong Learners community group in Fairmont, as well as local United Methodist churches. Later in the week, they will speak at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

The visit is the continuation of relationships built during student research and a study-tour sponsored by the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center.

In the summer of 2012, Dr. Judy P. Byers, Director of the Folklife Center; Noel W. Tenney, Cultural Specialist; and Rev. Richard Bowyer led the“Roads to Appalachia through Study-Travel Abroad” program in Northern Ireland.

“We hope that those who attend talks by Dr. Johnston McMaster and Dr. Gary Mason take away a deeper understanding of reconciliation and the peace movement going on now in Northern Ireland to make the world better. Studying while one travels is the common denominator for the best kind of learning,” Byers said.

Centered in Belfast, the group, including students and community members, studied the conflict era of the 20^th century in Northern Ireland, called “The Troubles” – how the conflict arose and how reconciliation is coming about in recent times.

Bowyer and his wife Faith have traveled to Northern Ireland many times over the past 20 years and even worked on the staff of the East Belfast Mission and lived in East Belfast for several months.

“One thing we would hope people gain from attending Monday night’s presentation by Dr. Gary Mason and Dr. Johnston McMaster is the notion of the futility of violence,” Bowyer said.

Students built upon their first-person experiences in the study-tour program for a research project presented through the 2012 Appalachian Teaching Project. By conducting a comparative research exploration of conflict and poverty in relationship to community sustainability and economic development, students discovered the parallels between the historic interrelatedness of the people of Northern Ireland and North Central West Virginia. The work of the East Belfast Mission in Northern Ireland and four United Methodist mission projects in West Virginia provided the basis for comparison.

On Friday, April 5, the Northern Ireland delegation will meet for a luncheon with FSU students and the directors of the four mission projects studied by the students: House of the Carpenter in Wheeling, Scott’s Run Settlement House in Osage, Heart and Hand in Philippi and The Upshur Parish House in Buckhannon. The students presented their findings before the Appalachian Teaching Project Conference sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington, D.C., in December 2012. Other invited guests include Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball of the West Virginia Annual Conference and Rev. Ellis Conley, Superintendent of the Mon Valley District of the United Methodist Church. Kostas Skordas, Acting Director of Regional Planning and Research for the ARC, is expected to attend the Monday evening presentation by Mason and McMaster.

McMaster holds a doctorate is from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Ill. McMaster was director for 16 years of Education for Reconciliation, a community education program of the Irish School of Ecumenics, Belfast. The program operated throughout Northern Ireland and the Irish border counties. He currently works for Ethical and Shared Remembering, 1912-1922, an educational project he designed to provide an alternative and more ethical way of remembering the centenaries of key events that shaped Ireland for the rest of the 20^th century and into the present. He is also an adjunct assistant professor with the Irish School of Ecumenics/Trinity College Dublin and visiting professor with the Border Peace School in South Korea.

McMaster’s publications include: “A Passion for Justice: Social Ethics in the Celtic Tradition;” Overcoming Violence: Dismantling an Irish History and Theology, an Alternative Version;” and “Signing the Covenant: But Which One?” Through involvement with Christian-Muslim dialogue, nationally and internationally, he is writing a commissioned book on the thought of Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish Muslim philosopher and theologian, bringing his thought into the dialogue with Jewish and Christian thought. The writing dialogue will pursue a shared Abrahamic ethic. 

McMaster has been involved in the development of a community education program for Northern Ireland and the border counties. This includes the development of teaching methodologies, curriculum design and delivery. He has lectured in Eastern Europe, Sri Lanka, South Korea and the United States. McMaster has been engaged as a consultant with statutory and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland and chairs a number of initiatives and works collaboratively with community relations networks.

McMaster’s areas of interest and ongoing research include reconciliation and peace-building, socio-political hermeneutics, empire studies, faith after Christendom, Celtic Christianity and spirituality, ethical remembering, social ethics and inter-faith dialogue.

Mason is a Methodist clergyperson in Belfast who has been in the pastorate for 25 years. He studied Business Studies for his primary degree at the University of Ulster where he was awarded the British Enkalon cup for the best student in Business Organization. He went on to work as a health service administrator for a number of years before studying theology at Queens University in Belfast and entering the Christian ministry in 1987. In the final year of his theological studies, he won the Minnis Mills award for the best student in Pastoral and Communication Studies. Mason also holds an honorary doctorate from Florida Southern College for his role in peace building in Ireland and also carried out doctoral studies at the University of Ulster and earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Psychology. In the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2007, he was made a member of the Order of the British Empire for his work in the peace process and was awarded the honor in the autumn of 2007 by HRH Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

In the course of his ministry, Mason has been involved in what has now been called the peace process. Behind the scenes, he has taken part in discussions with those wedded to violence in society, trying to present an alternative way to resolve the differences.

Mason has spent his ministry in the inner city having a strong commitment to the church’s role in the urban setting. From 1992 until 1999 he had responsibility for two Methodist churches one of which sits on a peace line in West Belfast. A peace line is a Berlin type wall, which separates the Protestant and Catholic communities. As recognition of the role he has had in peace building in the 1990s, he was invited to attend a reception with the former British Prime Minister, John Major, at Hillsborough Castle a number of years ago. During one of President Clinton’s visits to Belfast a member of Mason’s former congregation aged 10 years was chosen to meet the President and then flown a few weeks later to a meeting with Bill Clinton in the oval office with his family. The Springfield Road Methodist cross community project has been designated to be part of the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland Churches’ Commission on Mission, Building Bridges of Hope, a value sharing project. This is part of a wider European network of churches trying to bridge divisions in Western Europe.

In 1999 Mason was moved to be the Senior Minister and Mission Superintendent of one of the largest Methodist Missions in Europe at East Belfast Mission, this church with 100 employees is in the inner city and is seen as one of the most creative churches in the area of social justice and peace building in Ireland. This church in the last few years has been at the forefront of efforts to quell interface violence and is recognized by the British, Irish and the American administrations as having a leading role in developing peace within loyalist communities. East Belfast Mission in the autumn of 2012 opened what is probably the largest faith based redevelopment project in Western Europe called Skainos.

He was also a member of a working party on sectarianism drawn together by the Irish Council of Churches, which resulted in the publication, Sectarianism, the most detailed report ever made to the Irish church on this topic. The co-chair of this working party Mary MacAleese is the former President of Ireland, who remains a friend to this day.

Mason was also the Methodist representative on the Loyalist Commission, a group consisting of loyalist paramilitaries, community activists and church representatives. This group has received press coverage on an international scale. In July 2002 the former British secretary of state Dr. John Reid met the commission at Mason’s church, this was the first time ever that an official meeting between paramilitaries had taken place in the history of the conflict. Mason was one of the main engineers in setting this dialogue in place.

Mason has appeared on ITV, BBC, CNN television and radio on a number of occasions on various documentaries and religious affairs programs. In March 2008, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh visited the East Belfast Mission and give very public recognition to the work carried out there.

In June 2009 two of the loyalist paramilitaries groupings, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Red Hand Commando, after 40 years of an armed campaign announced the decommissioning of their weapons statements in Mason’s church. They were the only group of ex-combatants to do so in a church setting.

Mason has travelled widely in the U.S. and has spoken in Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and independent free churches, Jewish Synagogues and Jewish centers and also given lectures in a number of Church, College, University and denominational settings across the U.S.

Mason has spoken at political gatherings across the island of Ireland and Europe seeking to engage others in lessons to be learned from the Irish peace process.

Crooks is the equivalent to a Lay Leader in a local congregation of the United Methodist Church and serves as an Officer for the East Belfast mission, where his wife Sandra is receptionist for the Stepping Stone Job Replacement Program. He works in the mental health field.

About the image: This poster design features the word "Welcome" in the Gaelic language.

Fiction writer Cary Holladay, Fairmont State University’s 2013 Artist-in-Residence, will read from her new novel, “Horse People,” on Thursday, April 4, in the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center’s Great Room of Cultures.

The reading begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public. “Horse People” is published by Louisiana State University Press as part of its Yellow Shoe Fiction Series. Enriched by history and folklore, the volume features several generations of a family in Virginia’s horse country.

A native of Virginia, Holladay is the author of five volumes of fiction: “A Fight in the Doctor’s Office,” “The Quick-Change Artist: Stories,” “Mercury,” “The Palace of Wasted Footsteps” and “The People Down South.” Her stories have appeared in Ecotone, Epoch, Five Points, The Georgia Review, Glimmer Train, The Hudson Review, The Oxford American, The Sewanee Review, Shenandoah, The Southern Review, Tin House and other journals and have been anthologized numerous times in New Stories from the South: The Year’s Best. She won an O. Henry Prize for “Merry-Go-Sorry,” her story about a triple homicide and the trials and convictions, which was published in Alaska Quarterly Review.

She earned an A.B. degree at the College of William and Mary. At Pennsylvania State University, she studied with novelists Robert C.S. Downs, Tom Rogers and Paul West and poets John Balaban and John Haag, earning an M.A. in English with a concentration in fiction writing.

Holladay’s career has included teaching positions at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, La Salle University, the University of Pennsylvania and Rhodes College. Since 2002, she has taught at the University of Memphis, where she is an Associate Professor of English and Director of the River City Writers Series. In 2009, she was named a First Tennessee Professor. In 2011, she received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts. Holladay’s husband, the poet and fiction writer John Bensko, also teaches creative writing at the University of Memphis.

Holladay will be in residence on campus from April 1-5. She will visit classes, hold a master class in fiction writing for FSU students and read from her new novel.

“We are fortunate to have a writer of Cary Holladay’s stature as our Artist-in-Residence and to work with our students who are interested in becoming writers and with all of our students who are studying literature. Cary’s stories are full of moving insights into the depths of human desire. We hope everyone will come to hear her read from her new book in April and to get to know her,” said Dr. J. Robert Baker, Professor of English, Senior Level, and Chair of the Department of Language and Literature at FSU.

Holladay’s “The Deer in the Mirror: Stories and a Novella” also will be published in 2013, this volume by Ohio State University Press. The book has won the Ohio State University Press Prize in Short Fiction. Regional culture and legend can be found in the volume, which begins on the Virginia frontier in 1745 and culminates during the Yukon Gold Rush in 1898.

The Artist-in-Residence Program at FSU is designed to enhance the academic and curricular arts programs of the University, provide the opportunity for faculty development and growth and provide a valuable intellectual and cultural resource for the community. The program is made possible by an annual stipend from the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc.

Successful residency programs have been provided in recent years by British musician Emma Peake; stage director Jeffrey Ingman; poet Maggie Anderson; sculptor Wayne Trapp; the late local jazz legend Johnnie Johnson; British actor Roger Jerome; freelance artist Patricia Musick; opera singers Maryanne Talese and Stephen Lusmann; portrait artist Elizabeth McLain; writers Jaimy Gordon and Meredith Sue Willis; pianist Nada Loutfi; landscape painter Ann Templeton; singer-songwriter Larry Groce; professional dulcimer player Stephen Seifert; Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova; and animator and cartoonist Gary Leib. Residencies have included mentoring of FSU students, well-received performances and exhibitions for the college and community and workshops for public school students and teachers.

Kestrel: A Journal of Literature and Art, the Fairmont State University Department of Language and Literature and the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center will host a two-day Celebration of Issue 29.

Ten contributors to the new Kestrel issue will be on campus to participate in a panel discussion and offer individual consultations for writers, as well as give readings from their own work.

On Friday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to noon in Jaynes Hall 307, Dr. Suzanne Heagy will moderate a panel discussion on “Character and Persona: Fiction and Poetry.” Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

Following the panel, individual consultations will be available for student and community writers from 12:30 to 3 p.m. in the study rooms at the Ruth Ann Musick Library. Participants will submit work beforehand to a poet or fiction writer, who will read the work and offer detailed feedback during a 30-minute private consultation. Consultations are $25, and a limited number of student scholarships are available.

On Friday evening, Kestrel will host a reception and readings at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Featured writers include Nancy Takacs, Linda Heuring, Daniel McTaggart, Alyse Knorr and Maureen Alsop. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, April 13, readings and book-signings will take place at a venue to be determined from 2 to 4 p.m. Featured writers include Alison Ruth, Juditha Dowd, Mike Wright, Tania Moore, and Sally Rosen Kindred. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

For more information about events or to register for a consultation, contact Dr. Donna Long at donna.long@fairmontstate.edu. For more information about the visiting writers offering individual consultations, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/kestrel.

The end of the academic year is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of the students and faculty of Fairmont State University.

The six academic colleges and schools of the University are planning awards ceremonies to honor students. Following are the dates, times and locations for these events:

• School of Business Awards, 6 p.m., Friday, April 26, Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.

• School of Fine Arts Awards, 3 p.m., Sunday, April 28, Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.
   
• College of Liberal Arts Awards, 5:30 p.m., Friday, May 3, Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.
   
• College of Science and Technology Awards, 6 p.m., Friday May 3, Room 305 of the Engineering Technology Building.
   
• School of Education, Health and Human Performance Awards, 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9, Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.
         
• School of Nursing and Allied Health Administration Pinning and Awards, 7 p.m., Thursday, May 9, Feaster Center.

As part of the Fairmont State University Presidential Lecture Series, Dr. Elizabeth Savage, Professor of English, will present “ ‘A Careful Disorderliness Is the True Method’: Reading, not Knowing, ‘Moby-Dick.'"

The 23rd annual lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in Multi-Media Room A of the Ruth Ann Musick Library. The Presidential Lecture Series was established in 1989 to provide faculty the opportunity to share their work with colleagues and members of the community. A reception in the Library lobby will immediately follow the lecture. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Parking will be available on the top level of the parking garage.

It wasn’t until Savage began her doctoral studies at Duquesne University that she first read “Moby-Dick.” Since that time she has spent almost 17 years of uninterrupted readings of the book and makes a case that however long, difficult, or irregular in form, “Moby-Dick” must be read and reread in order to understand its presence in American culture and its centrality to living an educated and worthwhile life.

“Too often, ‘Moby-Dick’ is talked about like the Constitution is invoked, as if everyone already knows what it says and, therefore, doesn’t need to read it as a living document, revitalized by close attention and regular discussion,” said Savage. “This presentation is a pitch that reading Melville’s famous novel better equips us as teachers, colleagues, friends, citizens—and even feminists—in our efforts to minimize sloppy thinking, snap judgments and the temptations of celebrity.”

Savage was nominated by Dr. J. Robert Baker, FSU’s Department of Language and Literature Chairman.

“With Dr. Savage as this year’s Presidential Lecturer, we will all enjoy an evening of first-rate scholarship, excellent intellectual argument and ingenious good humor,” he said. “We will delight in her love of Melville’s novel and be moved to consider the important issues she raises for us in our own teaching.”

The Presidential Lecturer is chosen annually by the University president from a series of nominations. The event attracts a mix of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members and the lecture is recorded for future use upon request.

Fairmont State University was proud to participate in the Make Marion County Shine initiative and partner with Main Street Fairmont with a clean-up of Locust Avenue on Saturday, April 6. The team of 18 students, faculty, staff and community members picked up 48 bags of trash in four hours. Participating students represented the Occupational Safety program, Alpha Phi Sigma (Criminal Justice Honor Society), S.T.A.N.D., Tau Kappa Epsilon and Student Government. The Office of Institutional Advancement and Physical Plant also supported the initiative.

Fairmont State University Criminal Justice students recently took several top honors at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences/Alpha Phi Sigma National Conference in Dallas.

“Our Fairmont State students can compete with any students anywhere. They don’t just compete, they win. Our students who participate in events like this national conference are better prepared to enter the workplace and for graduate school. Our Criminal Justice students know they have the skills they need to succeed when they graduate from Fairmont State’s undergraduate and graduate level programs,” said Dr. Deanna Shields, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and advisor to FSU’s Epsilon Iota chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society.

For the second consecutive year, FSU’s chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma took first place in the Crime Scene Competition. Brittany Schumate of Coal City served as team captain. Other participating students were Nicole Allison of New Cumberland, Kaitlyn Antolock of Fairmont, Amy Bess of Hughestown, Logan Fletcher of Mount Clare, Michele Howard of Fairmont and Marshal Sherry of Farmington. As part of the competition, the students investigated a mock homicide scene set up in a hotel room. The team was allowed into the area for a limited amount of time, and then team members worked through the night to determine the details of the case and identify the killer.

Kaitlyn Antolock of Fairmont was elected for a two-year term as national Vice President for Alpha Phi Sigma. Running for office required her to present two speeches, and her campaign slogan was “Roll with Antolock.” She handed out pepperoni rolls as part of her campaign and shared the story of their creation in Fairmont. As part of her duties, Antolock will help plan next year’s conference. Because of her election, Shields will serve as advisor to the national group.

Nicole Allison of New Cumberland won first place in the Undergraduate Criminal Justice Knowledge Exam. The 100-question multiple-choice test covers the entire Criminal Justice field – Alpha Phi Sigma history, law enforcement, corrections and courts.

In addition, three students and three faculty members presented papers at the conference. Amanda Algee, a graduate student, presented a paper at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Conference. Antolock, an undergraduate student, and Fletcher, a graduate student, presented papers at the Alpha Phi Sigma student panel.

“Participating in this national conference helps students develop leadership and networking skills and build cultural awareness by visiting different parts of the country. Many create friendships that last a lifetime,” Shields said.

For more information about FSU’s Criminal Justice programs, click hereor call Shields at (304) 367-4161.

Six Fairmont State University faculty members have been nominated for the 2013 Abelina Suarez Professorship, which will be awarded during the Faculty Recognition event at noon Wednesday, April 24, in the Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.

A bequest by the estate of Abelina Suarez has been used to establish Fairmont State University’s first named professorship, which will carry her name and that of the discipline of the honoree. Honorees will carry the title in perpetuity, but a new award will be made every five years. The presentation of this professorship is intended to recognize extended and continued excellence by a member of the University faculty. This year marks the third award of the professorship; the first recipient in 2002 was Dr. Judy P. Byers, Abelina Suarez Professor, Senior Level, of English and Folklore Studies, and the second in 2007 was Connie S. Moore, Abelina Suarez Professor, Senior Level, of Nursing.

This year’s nominees are as follows:

• Dr. J. Robert Baker, Professor, Senior Level, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Language and Literature, and Director of the Honors Program;
• Dr. Debra Hemler, Professor of Geoscience, College of Science and Technology, Department of Biology Chemistry and Geoscience, Coordinator of Geoscience and Graduate Faculty;
• Dr. Francene Kirk, Associate Professor of Communication and Theatre, School of Fine Arts;
• Dr. Anne Patterson, Professor of Music, School of Fine Arts;
• Dr. Rhonda Sanford, Professor of English, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Language and Literature and Graduate Faculty;
• Dr. Jacqueline Webb-Dempsey, Professor of Education, School of Education, Health and Human Performance and Graduate Faculty.

Abelina Suarez, who was born in 1910 in Spain but grew up in Anmoore, W.Va., was the first woman to graduate from Ohio University in a field called German chemistry. She was a math and science teacher in Harrison County for more than 30 years. She attended Fairmont State Teachers College in the 1940s and also earned a master’s degree in education from West Virginia University. Through her generosity and foresight, Suarez designated a portion of her estate to support educational opportunities at Fairmont State.

Dr. J. Robert Baker

Dr. J. Robert Baker was educated by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word at St. Frances Cabrini School in Alexandria, La. He earned his undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame. He began teaching at Fairmont State in 1994. In 2000, he began serving as Director of the Honors Program. Baker, Professor of English, Senior Level, was named Chair of the Department of Language and Literature of the College of Liberal Arts in 2008 and received the University’s Excellence in Academic Advising Award in 2012. He also has received the William A. Boram Award for Teaching Excellence and the Harold and Roselyn Williamson Straight Award. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Conference on Christianity and Literature and the secretary of the International Iris Murdoch Society.

“I seek to make the great works of literature accessible to our students so that they may be inspired, as I am, by the insights of these works into the human situation and be opened by them to seeing the world around them more completely. While I know that literature will not be a first passion for all of our students and it certainly will not make them rich, my hope is that they may find it useful on a difficult day, that when confronting a problem or a dilemma, they may remember the bullheadedness of Homer’s Odysseus, the humility of Flaubert’s Felicite, or courage of Tolstoy’s Prince Andrei and find in the virtue of these, or any literary character, a model that allows them to take heart themselves,” Baker wrote in his narrative on teaching, which was submitted as part of his nomination.

Dr. Debra Hemler

Dr. Debra Hemler, Coordinator of Geoscience, Professor of Geoscience in the College of Science and Technology, has been a professor at Fairmont State since 1999 and a graduate faculty member since 2004. She obtained her Ed.D. in geoscience education and her M.S. in wildlife management from West Virginia University. Her B.S. in biology, with a minor in environmental science, is from Northland College in Ashland, Wis. She taught earth science, chemistry and biology for seven years in the public schools in Preston County. She was a Visiting Assistant Professor at WVU for three years prior to coming to Fairmont State. She is the past president for the West Virginia Science Teachers Association, the West Virginia State Coordinator for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, facilitator of the NASA IV & V Educator Resource Center and assistant director of the Rock Camp program.

Deona Champ, a special education teacher at Pendleton County Middle/High School and a former student of Hemler’s, wrote the following in a letter of support for Hemler’s nomination: “If I can connect with one student during my lifetime and do for them what Deb Hemler did for me, I will be satisfied. She opened my eyes to the world. She taught me how to learn. I can now comprehend anything and am confident in the fact that if I could not, I would not give up until I did understand. I believe this is known as intrinsic motivation. As a teacher now, it is all I ask from my students. The rest is up to me and my teaching style. I strive to engage my students and I always think about how Deb approached those challenging topics through hands-on activities, groups, visuals, manipulatives and many more great research-based ideas.”

Dr. Francene Kirk

Dr. Francene Kirk, Associate Professor of Communication and Theatre in the School of Fine Arts, teaches communication, puppetry, children’s theatre, creative drama and theatre education. Since coming to FSU in 2000, Kirk has directed numerous plays and musicals for the Masquers season and for Town & Gown. Kirk has mentored undergraduate research projects and facilitated the creation of student-devised theatre pieces. She was honored for her work in Theatre Education by the City of Fairmont Arts and Humanities Commission. In 2008, she received the William A. Boram Award for Teaching Excellence. A former public school teacher, Kirk served as the Coordinator for Fine Arts at the West Virginia Department of Education for two years. Kirk earned her B.A. from Glenville State College and her master’s degree from West Virginia University. She received her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with content emphases in Theatre and English in 1998 from WVU.

One of Kirk’s former students, Celi Oliveto, is a candidate of Mary Baldwin College’s Master of Letters in Shakespeare and Performance and will soon be an MFA candidate for the same program. She wrote the following about her experience as Kirk’s student: “Dr. Kirk’s example from my undergraduate experience constantly reminds me to push myself to become a better artist and teacher. As fine arts educators, we struggle with the idea that the arts are the ‘easy A’ classes. Dr. Kirk not only taught me to appreciate that the arts are indeed fun and emotionally freeing, but also to vigilantly regulate theatre’s joy for meaningful, purposeful directives such as: leadership, team building, the importance of meeting a deadline, applying creative analysis and critical decision making to support a goal. Dr. Kirk tirelessly works to create working theatre instructors who will hold fine arts students as accountable as that of a math or biology teacher.”

Dr. Anne Patterson

Dr. Anne Patterson, Professor of Music in the School of Fine Arts, has a varied background and a wide range of experience. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and a certificate to teach K-12 music in public schools at Georgia College and State University. After two years as an elementary music teacher, she won a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts to study in Hungary at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. She spent seven years in a pilot music project in the public schools of New Haven, Conn., then launched a successful entrepreneurial effort as the director of her own school of music for children ages 3 to 10 and their parents. Patterson completed her master’s degree in Music Education and doctorate in Music History at the University of Florida.  Her university experience includes posts at the University of Central Arkansas; Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas; and Eastern Oregon University.

In a letter of support for Patterson’s nomination, her former student Felicia Fordyce wrote: “It was soon obvious to all of her students how passionate and enthusiastic she was about teaching us how to incorporate music into daily lessons. Not only is she knowledgeable and proficient in her musicality, but she also strives to make sure all of her students succeed in their education goals. In the time I have known Dr. Patterson, she epitomizes what every teacher should do for his or her students: She puts the students’ needs before her own.”

Dr. Rhonda Sanford

Dr. Rhonda Sanford, Professor of English and Graduate Faculty in the Department of Language and Literature of the College of Liberal Arts, came to Fairmont State in 1999. She earned a B.A., M.B.A. and M.A. at the University of Colorado at Denver. She specialized in her doctorate program at the University of Colorado in English Renaissance Literature and Early Modern Cultural Studies. At FSU, she teaches courses in Shakespeare, early British literature, world literature and composition. She is the author of the book “Maps and Memory in Early Modern England: A Sense of Place,” published by Palgrave/St. Martin’s Press in 2002. She is currently working on a second book titled “Shakespeare’s Dramatic Bastards: Representations of Legitimacy and Illegitimacy in Early Modern England.”

“My experience at Fairmont State has been wonderful because of terrific students, fabulous colleagues, wonderful mentors and a caring community. I am so honored to be nominated for the Abelina Suarez Professorship,” Sanford wrote in her nomination submission. “As a female academic, I see Abelina Suarez as an inspiration and a model of the scholar teacher. Dr. Judy Byers and Connie Moore have followed in her footsteps as holders of the Abelina Suarez Professorship, and I am humbled to be in the company of other excellent nominees this year.” SiS

Dr. Jacqueline Webb-Dempsey

Dr. Jacqueline Webb-Dempsey, Professor of Education in the School of Education, Health and Human Performance, and a member of the Graduate Faculty, earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Foundations of Education from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; a Masters of Education from The University of North Carolina at Wilmington; and a bachelor’s degree from Methodist College. She previously taught in the West Virginia University College of Human Resources & Education and has served as a program specialist for Energy Express, 4-H and Youth, Family and Adult Development for the WVU Extension Service.

Andrea Neptune, a teacher a North Marion High School who earned a master’s degree from FSU, wrote the following in a letter of support for Webb-Dempsey’s nomination: “From my experiences with her I was empowered to continue the work to improve both the learning environment of my classroom as well as the culture of my school. Her instruction was thought provoking, and her methods provided a very comfortable atmosphere to share our expertise and learn from one another.”

The annual Celebration of Student Scholarship will be held on the shared main campus of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College from 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.

This year’s Celebration will showcase posters as well as oral presentations from students who have conducted independent research over the past year. The subjects range from biology to criminal justice, from theatre to literature. The topics of the presentations are even more diverse. Students will present such as in-depth research into the palace of Versailles, the environmental physics of a thrown baseball, the effects of hydraulic “fracking” and the volatile politics of Syria. 

The Celebration of Student Scholarship has its roots in a proposal made 10 years ago by Professors Ann Shaver and Elaine Bartgis that Fairmont State should have an annual symposium for students to present the results of their outstanding work.  The first Celebration was ably put together in April 2002 by Professor Angela Schwer and continued under the sponsorship of the Honors Program until six years ago when Dr. Phillip Mason expanded the Celebration and gave it the shape it has today.

The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts Department of Music celebrates the spirit of musical connection with its Spring Music Gala at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3, in Colebank Hall.

Admission is free to the performance with a donation to The Soup Opera. Representatives will be at the concert to collect canned goods and other donations. For more information, call (304) 367-4219.

Featured during the evening’s performance is “Green Hills of Magic,” a new piece for wind ensemble with live narration by Dr. Judy P. Byers, Abelina Suarez Professor of English and Folklore, Senior Level, and Director of the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center. Written by Fairmont State’s Dr. Daniel Eichenbaum, Assistant Professor of Music, this work connects the extraordinary musicianship of Fairmont State’s music students along with four short folktales of West Virginia narrated by Byers, a preeminent folklorist and storyteller.  All four stories come from the book of the same name which was written by Fairmont State’s own Dr. Ruth Ann Musick. As a devoted scholar of West Virginia folklore, Musick collected stories from across West Virginia and published this collection in 1970. The stories alternate from the serious to the humorous and include ghost, vampire and werewolf stories.  Eichenbaum’s setting for band with Byers’ narration offers a fitting tribute to Musick and the folklore of West Virginia.

Closing the evening’s performance will be a joyful spectacle of nearly 100 musicians as the Fairmont State Wind Ensemble, Collegiate Singers and Community Chorus join forces to celebrate the arts at Fairmont State. The piece, “Caveat of the Cave,” began has a poem by Dr. Elizabeth Savage, Professor of English, in celebration of President Maria Rose’s Inauguration as Fairmont State’s 14th president. Eichenbaum has set the poem as a grand finale celebration that combines these musicians together in a triumphant climax to the evening’s performances.

The program also features Fairmont State’s Collegiate Singers who recently toured Florida. They will perform music excerpts from Haydn’s oratorio “The Creation” and Mozart’s “Coronation Mass.” Premiered in 1798, “The Creation” is a concertized musical rendition of the Book of Genesis and retells the creation of the world. Haydn’s “Creation” remains one of his most popular and enduring works. Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” was written in 1779 upon Mozart’s return to his city of birth, Salzburg, Austria, and his hiring as organist for the city’s cathedral. Though Mozart never called the mass “Coronation,” the name attached itself as 19^th century royalty preferred this work for coronation ceremonies. 

Also on the program will be performances by select students whose outstanding skill level show the height of musical attainment at Fairmont State. Performances include guitar duo Benjamin Male and Sean Lee, the Fairmont State Piano Ensemble, soprano Briana Pudsell, saxophonist Cecil Lopez, marimbist Elizabeth Bertovich and percussionists David Allen and Michael Robinson.

Taking summer classes at Fairmont State University can help students get a head start on the fall semester and bring their graduation date closer. A wide range of courses are offered in Fairmont, Clarksburg and online

The first summer 2013 term begins May 20, and the second summer 2013 term begins June 24. New students should complete their admissions file by May 17. Current students should register before May 20. To view a summer class schedule, click here. For more information, call (304) 367-4141.

Many classes offered in the summer fulfill general education requirements.

“Summer offers an opportunity for students to take courses they know will require extra concentration. It’s also a chance to take courses that are only offered in rotation if a student has missed one in the fall or spring,” said Dr. Christina Lavorata, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Online classes provide flexibility for summer schedules and family plans. Peter Lach, Dean of the School of Fine Arts, said that summer classes allow students to try a class in a new subject matter they might not otherwise consider.

“Summer courses allow students to boost their GPA by focusing on one or two classes instead of a full course load. Taking summer courses also allows students to take a little bit of a lighter course load during the academic year,” said Dr. Diana C. Noone, Chair of Social Sciences.

A total of 1,053 students were named to the Dean’s List at Fairmont State University after completing the spring 2013 semester.

Dr. Christina Lavorata, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, has released the Dean’s List and the President’s List to recognize high-achieving students for their academic distinction. Full-time students who earned a 3.4 or better grade point average for the spring 2013 semester are named to the Dean’s List. Full-time students achieving a perfect 4.0 grade point average are named to the President’s List.

School of Graduate Studies: President’s List

Jonathan Adams, Steve Babich, Katie Barker, Heidi Bastin, Candace Bonecutter, Justine Brown, Julia Campbell, Sarah Cline, Melody Coen, Sherri Craddock, Emily Crow, Misty Dabate, Harmony Dressler, Alyssa Farley, Jaime Ford, Teri Foster, Whitney Garner, Dena Gilchrist, James Greene, Britney Greer, Sherry Hardy, Chelsea Harman, Justin Hough, Ekaterina Inozemtseva, Dorothy Jenkins, Amanda Jones, Alexis Keller, Anita Lambert, Cassandra Layman, Rose Levelle, Delmas Mayle, Lisa Parton, Kristina Peters, Cara Pinti, Ernest Samples, Owen Scott, Heather Shelton, Sandra Shriver, Marylou Smith, Dolores Starke, Jonathan Stevens, Miriam Straka, Tiffany Swan, Mary Swiger, Brittany Tallhamer, Katherine Thompson, Renee Ullery, Priyanka Vijay, Meggan Walker, Christine White, Sarah Williams, Heather Wilson, Kristin Wilson, Jana Woofter, Ernest Yeager.

School of Graduate Studies: Dean’s List

Mark Ankney, Keri Bland, Rebecca Dewitt, Chad Feathers, Logan Fletcher, Alan Guerci, Jessica Harmening, Aaron Hostutler, Carrie Hriblan, Jessica Jones, Lynn Keener, Aaron LaPoe, Neelam Lal, Brittany Meadows, Emily Moneypenny, Brittany Perine, Emily Ramsey, Michael Ray, Doug Renshaw, Teresa Sestito, Victor Slate, Michael Tornifolio, Rebecca Weekley, Theresa Zapach.

President's List

Kristen Akers, Jamie Alderman, Denise Ambrose, Erica Amos, Majesta Antion, Samantha Ash, Kelsey Atkinson, Anthony Barner, Jared Barr, Jessica Barr, Brandon Bartlett, Daphne Beckwith, Adrienne Beiler, Brooke Belmont, Alexander Bennett, Courtenay Bjorndahl, Karman Blakesley, Elizabeth Bowman, Alyssa Bradley, Heather Broadnax, Aubree Brown, McKenzie Bucher, Kirmith Buckhannon, Brittany Butcher, Jill Cable, Ryan Calhoun, Alexander Campbell, Micah Carlton, Michael Carpenter, Rachelle Casteel, Claudia Castro, Tyler Chadock, Angelica Chase, Joanna Chatham, Allison Clayton, Brettney Cole, Brian Coleman, Kathy Collins, Katlyn Corder, Randall Cumblidge, Sage Cutri, Aeriall Daniel, Christian Dawson, Vincent DeMarco, Melinda DeMoss, Justin Debusca, Lesetta Degler, Cole Delawder, Darcy Delligatti, John Dent, Philip Dent, Trixie Devine, Cynthia Dilly, Makaila Dodd, Sean Doherty, Kevin Dudley, Erica Dye, Lauren Dzielski, Kenneth Edwards, Amanda Elliott, Ashley Elliott, Brianna Fealy, Britny Feathers, Daniel Fernandes, Gustavo Fernandes, Justin Findley, Sirena Flesher, Bryan Foley, Veronica Fragale, Daniel Frame, Jared Frick, Jezzeriah Fulaytar, Chelsie Fultz, Lesley Garo-Fridley, Lillian Gaylord, Jessica Gee, Tiara Gerkin, Jennifer Glaspell, Katie Glover, Karen Gregor, Isaiah Gregory, Samantha Grim, Katelyn Groves, Emily Grubb, Bandar Gul, Raven Haddix, Melissa Hamrick, Jennifer Hanlin, Emily Harki, William Harper, Natalie Hathaway, Tyler Hawkins, Macy Hayes, Meghan Heaney, Megan Heckler, Devin Heitz, Cherie Helsley, Kayla Henson, Sarah Heppner, Ryan Heskett, Alien Hidalgo, Melissa Higgins, Kayla Hill, Tiffany Hillery, Justin Hilliard, Laura Horning, Lori Horning, Carmen Howell, Kelly Humphreys, Daniel Ingles, Wesley Jarvis, Marianne Jenkins, Amanda Jenree, Robert Jesmer, Brianna Jett, Crystal Johnson, Michael Johnson, Philip Kahly, Katelyn Kaminski, Destiny Kelley, David Kennedy, Seungha Kim, Amber King, Jaison King, Ashley Kirk, Faith Kline, Liana Kopelov, Amy Kwiatkowski, Marlisa Lake, Olivia Lambert, Brandon Latocha, Jessica Lego, Kayla Light, John Lindsay, Zachary Lopez, Deborah Loughrie, Ashley Lowe, Amber Luttenberger, Jenna Maine, Kaitlyn Martin, Lonzo Martin, Tiffany Martin, Andrew Mascioli, Taylor Masters, Ariel Masturzo, Lance Maxwell, Dawn McCown, Gregory McCown, Beatrice McDaniel, Jordan McDonald, Kenneth McDougal, Daniel McGuffey, Rachel Michael, Amber Miller, Ashley Miller, Samantha Miller, Everett Mitchell, Jacob Moales, Dakota Moore, Emily Moore, Randy Moore, Rachael Moran, Alisha Moreno, Emily Morgan, Hannah Morgan, Brittiny Murphy, Kelsey Musgrave, Mitchell Myers, Leah Nestor, Phong Nguyen, Robert Nice, Taylor Nichols, Anniwaer Nijiati, Nancy Patterson, Alison Petrosky, Ashley Phillips, Melissa Phillips, April Pierson, Erika Pingley, Kyle Poling, Kyle Posey, Anup Poudel, Andrea Price, Katherine Purnell, Abdulrahman Qadi, Sarah Queen, Kiley Radeski, Trista Ramsey, Sarah Ray, Bradley Reed, Rhonda Reed, Cassandra Rentz, Joshua Revels, Calla Rieger, Dawn Riestenberg, Gerald Riffle, Ryan Riggleman, Patrick Robinette, Michael Robinson, Lila Rocovich, Faith Rodeheaver, Lindsey Rome, Jarell Ross, Drew Rossignol, Emily Rowand, Zachary Ruble, Kevin Rucker, Nicolette Rueger, Nicole Ryan, Jennifer Sayers, Jonathan Schiefer, Nicole Sena, Kody Shaffer, Brittany Sheppard, Rojen Shrestha, Brittany Shumate, Jared Sigley, Rebecca Simmerman, Joseph Simmons, Amber Simpson, Kari Sims, Kayla Sisson, Taylor Skelton, Elana Slaubaugh, Amanda Smith, Jordan Smith, Nicole Smith, Raphael Snell, Alexandra Snyder, Justin Snyder, Angela Spatafore, Melanie Springer, Brandy Stebbins, Kelsey Steele, Adam Stevenski, Randall Stickley, Stephanie Stiles, Megan Stivason, Shelly Storms, Daniel Strosnider, Hannah Strosnider, Sissy Stubbs, Danielle Styles, Brianna Swann, Brittany Sypolt, Corbin Sypult, Nickolas Taylor, Caitlin Teetor, Grace Templeman, Jessica Terlosky, Jacqueline Thomas, Pamela Thomas, Mildred Thompson, Shelly Tinder, Lauren Tomko, David Tucker, Joni Tyree, Andrew Udell, Matthew Ullman, Carlton Utter, Aaron VanPelt, Christopher Vance, Katie Vest, Alisha Vincent, Corrie Vincent, Ashley Webb, Noah Weber, Jessica Weekly, Katharine Welch, Holly White, John White, Kayla White, Kelsey Whitt, Kiezin Wigger, Yvette Wilson, Joshua Wininger, Kaitlyn Witsaman, Elena Wojcik, Michael Workman, Tara Wright, Kaitlin Yohe, Matthew Yost, Catharine Zeck.

Dean’s List

Zachary Adamczyk, Jennifer Adams, Deewa Adhikari, Caleb Aites, Nicole Alexander, Brittny Allen, Timothy Allen, Lauren Allison, Nicole Allison, Faisal Almarshad, Chase Alonso, Ahmed Alothimeen, Ahmed Alshaaer, Kristin Amerman, Sara Anderson, Deirdre Andis-Klein, Jade Angeline, Kaitlyn Antolock, Elliott Antulov, Louis Aragona, Elizabeth Arnold, Heather Ashby, Kala Ashby, Louis Assaro, Jeffrey Audia, Amber Austin, Kristin Ayers, Jacqueline Baber, Samantha Bacco, Traci Bailey, Haley Baird, Brandon Baker, Karissa Baker, John Ball, Kristen Ball, Cole Ballard, David Bannister, Leyna Bansbach, Emily Barger, Randy Barnes, Jeffrey Barnette, Cheyenne Barr, Christina Batelli, Melissa Bebout, Sarah Bell, Brittany Bender, Nichole Bender, Chelsea Bennett, Emily Bennett, Morgan Bennett, Tyson Bennett, Bridgette Berkery, Stephen Beros, Elizabeth Bertovich, Paul Blake, Britiany Blankenship, Jennifer Blosser, Sydney Bock, Timothy Bogard, Aneva Bohon, Ethan Bolton, Diane Bolyard, Tammy Bolyard, Becca Bonine, Roxanne Bonner, Caitlin Bonnette, Carter Bowles, Brittany Bowman, William Bowman, Tyler Bowyer, Michael Boyce, Andrew Boyles, Chloe Boyles, Donald Boyles, Marcia Boyles-Bowyer, Kelly Brett, Lauren Brewer, Meaghen Broadwater, Andrew Brock, Diamond Brown, Hannah Brown, Michelle Brown, Travis Brown, Katy Brugnoli, Coltan Brusak, London Bryant, Paige Buckhalter, Kayla Burch, Dennis Burke, Kenny Burnley, Sarah Burnside, Stephanie Bushman, Elisabeth Campbell, Rachel Carder, Justin Carey, Alycia Carlile, Charles Carpenter, Brandon Carr, Bryan Carroll, Quincy Casimir, Colin Casselman, Tyler Casto, Callie Cathell, Emilia Chapman, Josie Charlton, Lauren Chase, Jake Chernik, Gage Chichester, Robyn Chopin, Sarah Clark, Shanna Clark, Corey Clayton, Corey Cleavenger, Tyler Clegg, Casey Clutter, Ellen Cochran, Kaylyn Cochran, Alana Coen, Cassandra Coen, Joshua Coffman, Abbigale Cogar, Colton Cogar, Regina Cole, Robert Cole, Chelsea Collins, Christy Collins, Crystal Collins, Joseph Combs, Hannah Compton, Kyle Compton, Morgan Conner, Katelyn Conrad, Tiffany Cook, Tynasia Cook, James Cooke, Genica Cool, Cosie Cork, Cecilia Cotton, Michelle Cottrill, Natasha Coulthart, Jeffrey Courtney, Bradley Cox, David Cox, Curtis Crabtree, Carole Craft, DaLee Cramer, Ashley Crandall, Anna Crawford, Denise Creel, Kimberly Crislip, John Cross, Caleigh Croston, Caitlin Crutchfield, Desiree Cruz, Nicole Culp, Shanda Cumberledge, Alexander Cunningham, Teresa Cunningham, Michael Cuppett, Nicole Currence, Ashley Curry, Hayden Curtis, Alyssa Custer, Cody Cutlip, Rachel Cutlip, Codey Cutright, Abby Daetwyler, Hassan Danko, Kevin Davis, Morgan Davis, Sara Davis, William Davis, Jessica DeBerry, Mary DeVaul, Cameron Deem, Sarah Deese, Sona Delawder, Mary Demarco, John Dennis, Kosuke Deura, Danielle DiCarlo, Luka David Dilas, Shelby Dillard, Brittany Dobbins, Anthony Domico, Jennifer Downward, David Dryden, Zachary Duley, Caitlin Dunn, Shauna Durant, Brittany Edison, Derek Efaw, Alyssa Elam, Vicki Elam, Timothy Elbert, Jordan Elder, Rachel Elliott, Anthony Ellis, Michael Ellis, Anthony Errigo, Marie Esame, Dominique Evans, Hannah Evans, Peter Evans, Shena Eye, Jessica Faloon, David Farrell, Andrew Farris, Jess Ferrell, Kayla Ferrell, Benjamin Fisher, Roland Fisher, Sydney Fisher, Abigail Fitch, Kiya Fitzgerald, Alissa Fleming, Courtney Fleming, Rachel Fletcher, Terry Flowers, Mason Floyd, Karley Fluharty, Hailee Foley, Bradley Ford, Emily Ford, Kylie Ford, Felicia Fordyce, Joshua Foster, Stacey Fox, Amelia Frame, Holly Frampton, Kristin Francis, Cory Frasco, Kaylee Frederick, Riley Freeman, Seth Freeman, Danielle French, John Freshour, Kody Frey, Michael Frush, Tyler Gahr, Rebecca Gamble, Sarah Garcia, Lucas Gardner, Ty Garrison, Jarick Gee, Nathaniel Gillespie, Chelsey Goddard, Stephanie Goe, Angela Goodwin, Kyle Gorman, Jeremy Gouzd, Jessalyn Gower, Rebecca Goydel, Ashley Graham, Rachel Graham, Katelin Grdgon, Matthew Greathouse, Nicole Green, Tiffany Gregory, Matthew Griffin, Curtis Griffith, Erica Griffith, Rosemary Grimm, Michele Groves, Noha Gull, Chelsey Gum, Hallie Gunnoe, Hanna Gunnoe, Stephanie Gunnoe, Dana Gustafson, Anthony Guzzi, Randall Hacker, Breanna Hafer, Shelby Hall, Sierra Hall, Nicholas Hallis, Alicia Hammond, Jonathan Hamrick, Paige Haning, Kirbee Hannah, Ryan Harbert, Emily Harman, Shelby Harman, Michelle Harmon, Brittany Harris, Jarrod Harris, Sean Harris, Kenneth Harrison, Mary Harrison, Sean Harwell, Erin Harwood, Alexander Hastings, Autumn Haught, Macie Haught, Sherry Hayes, Lisa Hayhurst, Gregory Heater, Bradley Hefner, Brenton Hefner, Jennifer Henline, Danielle Henry, Susannah Hense, Donna Hergenrether, Matthew Herod, Jeffrey Herron, Kristina Hickenbottom, Mindy Hicks, Jordan Higgins, Kathy Higgins, Darrian Hill, Jennifer Hill, Justin Hill, Ryne Hill, Trampus Hill, Anthony Hiroskey, Holly Hoffman, Chelsea Holcomb, Sarah Holcombe, Tristan Holt, Chad Hooton, Melanie Hopkins, Bridget Horner, Taylor Hostuttler, Michele Howard, John Humbertson, Elizabeth Hunnell, Cory Hurst, Courtney Iacobacci, Chelsea Ice, Bobbi Irons, Leah Isner, Jacob Jean-Charles, Mark Jefferies, Kyle Jenkins, Lucas Jennings, Matthew Johnson, Megan Johnson, Jacob Jones, Jodie Jones, Kelci Jones, Nathan Jones, Ashley Jozwick, Jennifer Jozwick, Cody Judy, John Judy, Thomas Judy, Andrew Kapper, Kayla Keefover, Sean Keim, Joseph Keller, Shannon Kelley, Crystal Kelly, Sherry Kelly, Travis Kennedy, Lesley Keplinger, Stephanie Kerby, Kimberly Kettler, Mohammed Khojah, Yun Kim, Morgan Kinty, Ashley Kiser, Brandon Kiser, Aimee Knight, Kirby Koreski, Michael Koscevic, Courtney Kress, Joseph Kubas, Lesley Kuffour, Jake Kuver, Jordan Lacy, Sierra Lamb, Tomeeka Langer, Kerensa Larew, Tiffany Latta, Skylar Layman, Matthew Leach, Tierney Leary, Kaleb Leatherman, Bradley Ledsome, Sean Lee, Zachary Lefevre, Brooke Leggett, Amy Leighton, Mary Leutz, James Lewellyn, Christopher Lewis, Dylan Lewis, Evan Litowitz, Cody Lively, Greg Lloyd, Jaeden Lofton, Amber Logsdon, Emily Lohr, Ryan Looney, Ali Lopez, Angela Losh, Lindsey Losh, Dennis Lott, Deidra Loudin, Michael Lovell, Jordan Lowe, Tyler Lucas, Gregory Lusk, Breanna Lynch, George Lynch, Sabrina Lynch, Ashleigh Magee, Courtney Magner, Benjamin Male, Ashley Malone, Renee Mandy, Zachary Markley, Amanda Marshall, Jordan Marshall, Adam Martin, Ian Martin, Maleea Martin, Tyler Martin, Daniel Martinez, Christopher Matheny, Justine Maxey, Mark Maxwell, Casey Mayer, Jillann Mayle, Benjamin McClain, Alaina McCoy, Logan McDiffitt, Starlene McDonald, Shaun McGary, Rachel McIntire, Erin McKown, Corey McMillen, Patrick McMorrow, Josie McNeely, Jessica McPherson, Makala Meadows, Dominik Mensah, John Mercer, Brad Merryman, Whitney Metz, Alexia Michael, Matthew Middleton, Megan Mike, Joshua Miker, Melissa Miller, Tysa Miller, Beth Mills, Jacob Mills, Anthony Minnick, Hanif Mirza, Jonathan Mitchell, Christina Moody, Logan Moore, Ryan Moore, Emily Moorehead, Aaron Moran, Thomas Morgan, Stephanie Morlock, Eric Morris, Montana Morris, Haely Moyer, Kalee Murphey, Taylor Myers, Jonathan Myles, Courtney Nay, Holly Nealis, Breanna Nestor, Kim Nicholson, Zachary Nolan, Dominique Nuzum, Jenna Nuzum, Nicholas Oldaker, Samuel Orr, Justin Palmer, Kelly Park, Logan Patrick, Alicen Patton, Kirsten Paugh, Ashley Paxton, Catherine Pellegrin, Devon Peluso, Sierra Perry, Myles Petretti, Meredith Pheasant, Bobbi Phillips, Derek Phillips, Lauren Phillips, Andrew Philpott, Sarah Pickett, Patrick Plivelich, Ashley Poling, Samantha Poling, Kristen Pollard, Ingrid Poole, Kaleigh Porcaro, Sophia Porco, John-Edward Porter, Christopher Powell, Timothy Pracht, Goldie Preston, Courtney Price, Noah Price, Daniel Prusa, Briana Pudsell, Katherine Pysell, Kelly Queen, Ryan Radcliff, Sean Rafferty, Laura Ramirez, Evan Ramsey, Michelle Ramsey, Kayla Ratcliff, Kyleen Reckart, Brian Reed, Heather Reid, Megan Reider, William Reifsteck, Daniel Reitz, Stephanie Remias, Andre Revere, Autumn Rice, Christina Richards, Rachel Richards, Tiffany Richards, Courtney Riddell, Kristi Rieser, Jeffrey Rigali, Halie Riggs, Heather Riggs, Brianna Riley, Emilee Riley, Brittany Rimmer, Carolyn Rittenhouse, Ryan Robba, Allison Rogers, Brandon Rohrbacher, Brock Rollyson, Nicole Romano, Nicholas Romito, Abby Rowand, Jonathan Rowh, Joshua Ruble, Amanda Ruffner, Brooks Russell, Kyle Ryan, Zachary Salyers, Mark Sampson, Stephen Sandor, Hannah Sandy, Kasey Sapp, Brigitte Satterfield, Casey Saunders, Jacob Saurborn, Kathryn Saurborn, Courtney Sayre, Tommy Scales, Jordan Schell, Monica Schoonover, Zachary Schott, Christopher Schultz, Samantha Scott, Thomas Scott, Samantha Scritchfield, Kimberly Secreto, Brittany Sellers, Tyler Sensibaugh, Samantha Shackleford, Nicholas Shaffer, Stephanie Shaffer, Vincent Sheeler, Tyler Shelton, Marshal Sherry, Kathryn Shields, Shiho Shimada, Tiffany Shroyer, Savanna Shuck, Lauren Siburt, Cara Simms, Betsy Simons, Jacob Sindledecker, Lex Singleton, Jesse Sisler, Charles Sizemore, Amanda Skidmore, Kacci Skinner, Allison Smith, Ashley Smith, Debra Smith, Heather Smith, Jessica Smith, Kaitlyn Smith, Racheal Smith, Samuel Smith, Tanner Smith, Logan Smithson, Kaitlin Snyder, Kellan Snyder, Emily Sommer, Dustin Spencer, Juliette Spencer, Noah Spencer, Jennifer Spiker, Michelle Stambaugh, Joshua Stanley, Erik Starcher, Courtney Starko, Felicia Starrett, Sarah Staubly, Ivy Stevens, April Stewart, Jessica Stewart, Marisa Stickel, Victoria Stiles, Heather Stout, Andrea Straight, Jakob Streyle, Kaitlyn Superak, Alyssa Swiger, Courtney Swiger, Sommar Swisher, Karen Sypolt, Seth Sypolt, Phillip Szabo, Victoria Taft, Amber Tennant, Bethany Thomas, Nash Thomas, Raven Thomas, Justin Thompson, Kayla Thorne, Gayle Tighe, Samuel Tindal, Derek Tinney, Michelle Tompkin, Dylan Tryon, Jackie Turner, Jaimie Turner, James Turner, Brandon Umstot, Nissa Vance, Frances Vessels, Kristina Vigue, Angela Viscount, Frank Volpe, Candace Walker, Cody Walker, Alexander Wallace, Angela Walter, Jessica Walter, Samuel Walton, James Waters, Christa Weaver, Mandy Weaver, Morgan Weaver, Owen Wells, Jacob Wentz, Cheyenne Westfall, Jennifer Westfall, Alexandria Wharton, John Whelchel, Ashley White, Gary White, Mariah Whiteman, Jacqueline Whiteside, Madison Whiting, Nicole Wienclaw, Aimee Williams, Alicia Williams, Alison Williams, Brittany Williams, Brycen Williams, Casey Williams, Hannah Williams, Ian Williams, Melissa Willis, Zachary Wilmoth, Chelsey Wilson, Tyler Wilson, Tamara Wilt, Charles Winston, Cody Winter, Tyler Withee, Ann Marie Witkowski, Michelle Wojciechowicz, Terri Lynn Wolfe, Meghan Workman, Jason Wright, Kenzie Wright, Logan Wright, Zack Yates, Leah Yoho.

Fairmont State University, with a 120-acre main campus in Fairmont, W.Va., is part of the state’s growing high technology corridor. A city of about 20,000 people, Fairmont is close to larger cities and also to opportunities for outdoor recreation. Founded in 1865 as a private institution dedicated to educating teachers, FSU has a long history of academic excellence. At FSU, students find a wide range of fields of study with more than 80 four-year programs and graduate programs. With an enrollment of about 4,500, FSU is large enough that students find a vibrant campus life and small enough that they do not get lost in the crowd.

The mission of FSU is to provide opportunities for individuals to achieve their professional and personal goals and discover roles for responsible citizenship that promote the common good. FSU values scholarship, opportunity, achievement and responsibility.

Please note:

Questions about this list may be submitted to Amy.Pellegrin@fairmontstate.edu or Kathleen.Cox@fairmontstate.edu.

Fairmont State University has selected five student research projects for funding under the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program.

Sara Davis, Jennifer Goggins, Courtney Swiger and Ian Williams have been named to hold the University’s prestigious SURE fellowships. They each will receive a stipend of $2,400 to conduct their projects between May 13 and June 30, 2013. Completed projects will be presented at the Celebration of Student Scholarship in April 2014.

“We are delighted to support these five students in their summer work. Undergraduate research promotes deep student learning and encourages students to become more independent in their thinking, writing and presentation of findings,” said Dr. Christina Lavorata, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Sara Davis of Monongah is a sophomore majoring in Marketing. Her project is titled “A new Zelda in West Virginia? Challenges and opportunities in West Virginia animation industry.” Davis states that the animation industry is “one of the fastest growing industries” and that “there are many benefits to having a job in this field from a business point of view.” She plans to reveal how resident animation industries can benefit the state of West Virginia in a variety of ways. Her mentor is Dr. Cheon-Pyo (Frank) Lee, Assistant Professor of Information Systems.

A native of Charleston, Jennifer Goggins is a senior Pre-Pharmacy student. Her research project, “Which aquatic organism is the best model organism to assess the effectiveness of acid mine drainage remediation?” is mentored by Dr. Mark Flood, Professor of Biology. Goggins is a member of the University’s Honors Program. She notes that “in recent times, coal mining has waned [in West Virginia], leaving several abandoned mines in the state…producing sulfuric acid…[which] lowers the pH of the water, affecting those species that rely upon the water for a habitat, for reproduction and for sustenance.”  She explains that water fleas (Daphnia magna) have traditionally been used to determine the quality of water in West Virginia, but she will conduct research to determine if a better model exists.

Courtney Swiger is from Barrackville. She is a sophomore Biology student. Her research project is titled “Who eats whom? A mini-ecosystem lab for introductory biology class.” Swiger plans to use live organisms to demonstrate how food chains and ecosystems function in lower-level biology courses.  Swiger will “evaluate different types of living organisms as a part of one food chain and how they interact with each other and react to changes in their environment.” In addition, Swiger explains that “this research project will help with student retention and recruitment because it is more interesting to a student to be able to work with living organisms in an aquarium rather than dead ones on a slide or in a jar.” Her mentor is Dr. Steven Roof, Professor of Biology.

A junior from Fairmont, Ian Williams is majoring in English Education and minoring in Graphics Technology. His research is a creative project in which he will complete a manuscript of ekphrasis poetry.  Ekphrasis (pronounced aik-fra-see) is a form of poetry that describes a visual work of art, such as a painting or sculpture. “My project,” Williams explains, “is primarily based upon experiential learning techniques, requiring me to take initiative and learn through the undertaking and experience of developing a professional manuscript of poetry. Through this process, I will experience the hard work, research and dedication that writing poetry requires, the cooperation and teamwork that matures when collaborating with artists and workshopping writing with peers and the initiative and ambition that it takes to have the manuscript bound and formed into a distributable product.” His mentor is Dr. Donna Long, Professor of English. Williams is a member of the University’s Honors Program.

The SURE Fellows were selected by the Undergraduate Research Advisory Council, comprised of Judy P. Byers, Mark R. Flood, Rebecca Giorcelli, John O’Connor, Sharon Smith, Don Trisel and J. Robert Baker.

Students from all disciplines are encouraged to participate in the SURE program at Fairmont State University. Interested students must have completed their sophomore year and must have a GPA of at least 3.00. Students must be nominated by a faculty member who will also serve as a mentor.

The Fairmont State Foundation has announced that a donation from the Sgt. Todd May Memorial Fund Committee has provided the final funds needed for Fairmont State University’s matching grant from the West Virginia Research Trust Fund as part of the “Bucks for Brains” program.

The Sgt. Todd May Memorial Fund Committee recently donated more than $4,000 to support the FSU Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) program, adding to a previous contribution of $25,000. Including the matching funds from the West Virginia Research Trust Fund grant, the committee’s contributions have had an overall impact of $83,000 for FSU students.

“This most recent gift in memory of Sergeant Todd May will be used to enhance educational opportunities for students who gain valuable, hands-on experience working on intelligence products for real consumers,” said William B. Armistead, President of the Fairmont State Foundation. “With this gift and other previous contributions provided by the Todd May Memorial Fund and other donors, FSU has officially met its $100,000 fund-raising goal and will receive $100,000 in matching funds through the ‘Bucks for Brains’ program.”

In March 2013, FSU celebrated the first award of the Sgt. Todd May Memorial Scholarship, which the Memorial Fund Committee established through the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc. The Sgt. Todd May Memorial Scholarship is designed to benefit law enforcement officers in Monongalia County, their families or others pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice at FSU. Tyler Hawkins of Buckhannon was announced as the first recipient of the May scholarship.

“As the Fairmont State family, we are so proud of our students and former students in the Criminal Justice program who dedicate themselves to serving and protecting others, knowing that they may one day be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice,” said Dr. Maria Rose, President of Fairmont State University. “Sergeant May’s legacy will continue at Fairmont State by helping other students pursue their educational and career goals.”

OSIX is the laboratory and applied research arm of the University’s National Security and Intelligence Program. Students working in the OSIX lab gather and analyze intelligence from open sources, including online discussion boards, social media and chatrooms, to identify and assess national security and law enforcement threats.

A graduate of Morgantown High School, May attended FSU, where he pursued a degree in Criminal Justice. At Fairmont State, he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He later graduated from the West Virginia State Police Academy in Institute, W.Va.

After working briefly at the Eastern Regional Corrections facility and the Berkeley County Sherriff's Department, May began his career with the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department in Morgantown. In his role with the department, May was assigned as a leader on its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, was a shift supervisor and earned the rank of Sergeant. May died Feb. 18, 2012, in the line of duty while responding to a call to assist fellow officers in a police pursuit.

Contributions to the Sgt. Michael Todd May Memorial Fund can be made at any Clear Mountain Bank. Donations may be mailed to the Sgt. Michael Todd May Memorial Fund, Attn: Tammy White, 116 Walnut St., Morgantown, WV 26505.

Fairmont State University will celebrate the 226th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution with activities on Tuesday, Sept. 17, hosted by the FSU College of Liberal Arts.

Sponsored by Alpha Phi Sigma as part of the Constitution Day Celebration, students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to sign a copy of the Constitution between 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the second floor Main Street area of the Falcon Center. Free patriotic lanyards and pocket copies of the Constitution will be given away.

Dr. John McLaughlin will present a talk titled “Racial Profiling and the Constitution” from 1:30 to 2:30 Tuesday, Sept. 17, in the Falcon Center third floor conference rooms. McLaughlin has 26 years of law enforcement experience with the Miami Dade Police Department. He earned degrees from the University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida International University and Lynn University. He is the author of “A Critical Analysis of Racial Profiling.”

Dr. Deanna Shields, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, encourages students, staff and the community to take part in the celebration.

“It’s important for people to participate in our democratic process to truly make it work well. It’s important for all citizens to learn more about our Democratic Republic,” she said.

Shields encourages anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Constitution to visit this web site: 

http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution-day.

The National Security and Intelligence Program and the Open Source Intelligence Exchange at Fairmont State sponsored a special event for students, faculty and staff on Sept. 26.

Assistant Director David Cuthbertson of the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation visited campus and presented a talk on “The FBI’s CJIS Division: Providing Identity Intelligence to Our Partners in Law Enforcement.”

Cuthbertson has served as assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division since 2011. Previously, he served as special agent in charge of the FBI’s El Paso Division. Since entering on duty with the FBI in 1988, Cuthbertson has held assignments across the United States involving the investigation of organized crime, drug trafficking, white-collar crime, gang activity, as well as domestic and international terrorism. Prior to the start of his FBI career, he graduated magna cum laude from William Jewel College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and economics.

The public is invited, along with Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College faculty, staff and students, to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for Fairmont State’s new Writing Center. The ceremony will take place in Room 308 of Jaynes Hall from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16.

The Writing Center was initiated as a proposal for a new Accelerated Learning program. The funds were issued to Fairmont State by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission to support a pilot Accelerated Developmental Learning project. 

“While the immediate focus is on increasing successful student retention and completion in writing courses at all levels, the center is also an essential learning tool for English education majors, who staff the writing center,” said Dr. James Matthews, Director of the Fairmont State University Writing Center.

The purpose of the Center is to provide one-on-one peer tutoring to help students with writing assignments. The Writing Center Tutors are not to be mistaken for copy editors; they will serve as peer consultants in developing a thesis, clarifying an essay’s initial focus, organizing paragraphs, analyzing evidence, integrating and documenting sources and revising a draft.

The Writing Center is currently open and available to students on Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information, contact Dr. James Mathews at James.Matthews@fairmontstate.edu.