July 12, 2012,  IBM held its first Customer Summit meeting coordinated by Don Resnick, the global director of the IBM Academic Initiative. Resnick invited customers using IBM’s Enterprise System Technology to meet with university faculty members to discuss corporate needs in the workforce and how to infuse curricula with the desired skill sets for graduates to be immediately employable. Participants included Depository Trust Clearing Corporation, Highmark West Virginia, IBM Sales & Marketing, FBI/CJIS Fingerprinting, the Department of the Treasury/Bureau of Public Debt and PNC Bank.

Read more about the IBM Academic Initiative and the partnership with Fairmont State.

As part of the ENTROS “Entrepreneurs and Introductions” series created by the I-79 Development Council, two Fairmont State University programs will be highlighted at a special event on Thursday, Sept. 6.

Begun in 2011, ENTROS “Entrepreneurs and Introductions” is an initiative of the I-79 Development Council (I79DC) focusing on startups or small businesses and the entrepreneurs who create them. The Sept. 6 session will feature exhibits and presentations about FSU’s Open Source Intelligence Exchange (OSIX) and IBM Academic Initiative.

The event will begin at 4 p.m. at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont. Admission is free and open to the public. There is no need to register, but for more information, call Deana Keener, I79DC President, at (304) 680-7932 or e-mail her at deana@i79dc.com.

“ENTROS is excited to host our colleges and universities with their start-up programs,” Keener said.

The Open Source Intelligence Exchange at Fairmont State University (OSIX-FSU) is a student-staffed intelligence center focused on assessing and leveraging new and emerging information technologies (NET) in support of the U.S. national security and law enforcement communities.

Fairmont State was one of only two schools in the state to receive funding from the West Virginia Research Trust Fund’s STEM Grant Program for State Colleges and Universities, also known as "Bucks for Brains.” OSIX-FSU's New Media Assessment Project was awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000.  The program has since gained credibility and is being utilized by high-level national leaders on matters of national and international importance.

FSU’s School of Business and College of Science and Technology are partnering with IBM to ensure their graduates will be prepared to be among the next generation of mainframe experts. 

FSU’s partnership with IBM will integrate into FSU’s curricula the programs and IBM product families that will enhance internship and career opportunities for its students. The IBM initiative brings three major components to campus -- the career link, professional development for faculty and software.

“As we all work to attract and create more business and technology in the Corridor, ENTROS provides a platform for us to learn who is here and what they are doing,” Keener said. “We want the soil here to be fertile for businesses and growth. Success has a ‘rising tide’ effect for us all.”

The mission of I79DC is to promote economic diversity and expand the I-79 Corridor economy by aggressively and effectively serving as the regional economic development marketing entity. I79DC also collaborates in finding solutions to regional issues impacting the growth potential of North Central West Virginia.

I-79 serves as the commercial and commuter corridor anchoring North Central West Virginia. Other major corridors connecting with it are I-68 East, Route 50 West and Route 33 East. The corridors of industry and education benefit from strong collaborative interaction on a platform that encourages cross-cultural and multi-state regions.

“I-79  Development Council is growing, and we invite you to connect with us,” Keener said.

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Fairmont State University a five-year Strengthening Institutions Program grant totaling nearly $2 million. The grant will provide enhanced learning opportunities to help students succeed.

“Fairmont State University is honored to have received one of only thirteen new Title III Strengthening Institutions grants awarded nationwide. This grant will allow the University to dedicate resources to the retention of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and School of Business students,” said Dr. Maria Rose, FSU President.

U.S. Rep. David B. McKinley announced the grant award earlier this week.

“College students face a weak economy and an uncertain future,” McKinley said. “Many carry a full load of classes while simultaneously holding down a part- or full-time job. This grant will help Fairmont State prepare these students and ensure they have the skills to be successful.”

The successful grant was authored by a team including representatives of FSU’s School of Business and College of Science and Technology and Office of Institutional Advancement.

In the first year of the grant, funding will enable technology enhancements including iPad carts, development of a Learn Lab in the School of Business, conversion of traditional classrooms into Smart (technology-rich) classrooms, planning the creation of a peer mentoring program and providing faculty development.

Within the five-year grant period, traditionally high-risk courses – those courses that have a high Drop Fail Withdraw (DFW) rate – in the College of Science and Technology and the School of Business will be redesigned to integrate experiential, collaborative and technology-rich learning.

“The nation is in need of many more graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to maintain our economies and to help solve the problems that we will face with resource depletion and environmental decline. STEM programs of study at post-secondary institutions are among the most challenging and often the most difficult for students to master. The focus of these efforts is to improve student academic success, retention and graduation rates. These efforts will have a lasting influence to the citizens of West Virginia as we increase the number of STEM graduates in the future,” said Dr. Anthony Gilberti, Dean of the College of Science and Technology.

"This grant will establish a new standard for experiential and collaborative learning, and technology-rich learning environments in the School of Business. The Learn Lab will improve classroom functionality for both faculty and students by supporting frequent student collaboration and communication, allowing easy transfer of information between individuals and groups, and supporting multiple teaching and learning styles. The Peer Mentoring program, which is a key project area for the grant, is the result of a suggestion from the School of Business Student Leadership Board. The student leaders recognized that peer mentors could be instrumental in helping struggling students master concepts and study habits that will contribute to academic success," said Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

“Over the course of five years, this grant funding will make a significant impact on teaching and learning at Fairmont State. Additionally, in the last two years of the grant, a total of $110,000 has been set aside to use as matching dollars to leverage private donations to establish permanent, endowed funds in support of the peer mentoring program and student scholarships,” said Amantha Cole, Executive Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations.

Fairmont State University’s School of Business will host a guest speaker on the topic of ethics and integrity within business. Weston Smith, a business ethics consultant and forensic accounting advisor, will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, in Colebank Hall Gym.

When he was a chief financial officer at HealthSouth Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, he blew the whistle on a $3 billion dollar accounting fraud.

Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business, said the topic Smith will be discussing is relevant to students of all disciplines. 

“His profile matches up with a lot of students here on campus,” Harvey said. “I think students will actually be able to see themselves in him.”

Smith speaks frequently at universities and to professional groups. His message is titled “Crossing the Line - An Insider’s Perspective of the HealthSouth Fraud.” He describes the culture of the company and the mechanics of the fraud and how detection was avoided.

“I talk about the rationalizations as to why I did what I did, the excuses and the lies I told myself while going along. I get into my own whistleblowing experience, coming forward and what happened after that,” Smith said.

Smith is expected to deliver about a 45-minute message and take questions from audience members after the event.

“I always felt in my heart [that] I would make good ethical decisions in my life, but when it came right down to it and I was faced with a situation, I basically caved. I just want to use my story as an example,” Smith said.

The HealthSouth fraud and Smith’s whistleblowing was highly publicized in national business news.  The story that he shares during speaking engagements touches information that is not always publicized.

Harvey said the message applies to a diverse audience and particularly to FSU students who could face similar challenges.  “Regardless of your major, you’re going to be faced with ethical decisions in your career. Do you know where the ‘line’ is?” asked Harvey.

For more information on the Weston Smith visit or other upcoming School of Business events, contact Dr. Richard Harvey at Richard.Harvey@fairmontstate.edu.

Choosing to pursue a master’s degree program at Fairmont State University represents a commitment to excellence, personal growth and lifelong learning.

As the demand for highly trained professionals in every field increases, more and more students are choosing to pursue a master’s level degree. The degree, once considered primarily a stepping stone toward a doctorate, is becoming, for many, a terminal degree.

Many fields, which once employed graduates with bachelor’s degrees, now prefer to hire those with master’s degrees. Fairmont State is meeting the challenge of educating professionals in a variety of fields including criminal justice, business and multiple areas within the field of professional education.

For a complete list of graduate programs or for more information, click here:

“Many of our students are from West Virginia and would like to earn their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the same institution close to home. Fairmont State’s smaller class sizes mean students receive more attention from faculty. Our applications-based approach prepares graduate students for their next career or challenge,” said Dr. Jack Kirby, Associate Provost and Director of Graduate Studies.

“Fairmont State’s graduate courses are offered in the evenings or online or through a combination of the two, which makes graduate education available and accessible for working adults.”

Graduate Studies at Fairmont State are designed to give students advanced knowledge in a special field of study, higher levels of professional competence, an understanding of and respect for scholarly research and a sophisticated knowledge of the techniques of continued, lifelong intellectual growth. These goals are achieved through coherent, orderly programs of study, investigation and supervised practical experiences that are carefully planned by each individual student in consultation with a graduate faculty advisor.

FSU graduate programs are committed to a student-centered learning environment that emphasizes concrete experiences, intellectual discourse and critical reflection. FSU is small enough to allow each graduate student opportunities for interaction with fellow students and distinguished faculty members, yet large enough to provide challenging and diverse areas of study.

Candace Bonecutter of Point Pleasant is pursuing a Master of Education degree at FSU.

“FSU really does have a family atmosphere, in addition to offering me a top-notch graduate experience. I feel prepared for whatever next step I decide to take – either as a teacher or continuing on to my doctorate in history,” she said.

For more information, call (304) 367-4101 or e-mail gradstudies@fairmontstate.edu

Fairmont State University Accounting students are providing free income tax preparation assistance in three counties and receiving real-life experience to benefit them in their future careers.

Beginning Feb. 1, Accounting students are once again offering IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) tax preparation services in Fairmont, Mannington, Clarksburg and Parsons. The VITA program, which is supervised by Dr. T. Jean Engebretson, provides free basic tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers. VITA provides students with hands-on learning about income tax preparation and real experience working with tax clients.

“The VITA program is an effective community outreach service of the School of Business. Last year, students in the Fairmont State VITA program prepared more than 1,200 federal and state tax returns. The students work long hours and travel to many locations to provide this free service. Their level of expertise and professionalism is routinely praised by the participants. The goodwill generated for the School of Business is immeasurable,” said Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

Student volunteers have a responsibility to provide high quality service and uphold the highest of ethical standards. The student volunteers receive training and certification from the IRS to help prepare basic tax returns in North Central West Virginia communities. Many taxpayers return each year and refer their friends and neighbors to the FSU VITA program.

The Fairmont State VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries and other convenient and public locations. The service includes free electronic filing. To view the complete 2013 VITA schedule of dates and locations, visit http://www.fairmontstate.edu/schoolofbusiness/node/84/view. For more information, call (304) 367-4261.

No appointment is necessary, but those who wish to participate should arrive at least one hour prior to closing time. Returns are prepared on a first-come, first-served basis.

Over spring break in March 2013, 28 Fairmont State University students from the Honors, French, Business and Architecture programs will travel to Paris.

Led by Kirk L. Morphew, Associate Professor of Architecture; Dr. Erin L. Hippolyte, Associate Professor of French; and Dr. Sunil Surendran, Professor of Business, the students will interconnect with art, architecture, language, literature, theatre, history, geography, geology, music and economics that have contributed to the life and culture of Paris as a city and France as a country. Students will develop skills they need in order to explore cultures and civilizations outside their own, and they will be encouraged to work as a team as they explore.

“If Yeats is correct that ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,’ then I can think of no better spark to ignite that fire than travel. Travel is an essential experience and a great tradition in the education of an architect,” Morphew said.

“Paris is a classic destination, one of the most popular for tourists through the years and also a crossroads of global cultures in everyday Parisian life. The city is a manageable size with good public transportation, making it ideal for exploration,” Hippolyte said.

While in Paris, students will visit popular tourist sites and will enjoy activities that are tailored to their areas of study. The students will visit the Bibliothèque Nationale François Mitterrand and the iconic Arc de Triomphe. After a climb up to the top of the Arc, students will have a panoramic view of the “City of Lights” and will see a movie that provides the history of the city from 1836.

On a guided tour, students will visit the Champs de Mars, the Eiffel Tower, the Opéra Garnier, Les Champs Elysées and the boutiques of the Faubourg St. Honoré.  On the Ile de la Cité, they will visit Notre Dame de Paris.  

Morphew has designed a tour to show the architectural ages of Paris by tours of the churches of St Germain-des-Près, La Sainte Chapelle and St Denis.

“Students will gain the ability to navigate throughout Paris with the subway and bus systems and to be familiar with the city culturally and historically. It is a gateway experience to encourage further travel and exploration of the world. They can gain confidence and a wider perspective during even a short experience abroad,” Hippolyte said.

Architecture students will make a side trip to Ronchamp to visit the architectural marvel of Notre Dame du Haut church. Other side trips include Chartres to see the medieval Gothic cathedral there and to Poissy to visit the Villa Savoye.

Not only is it a learning experience, but it also should be an enjoyable trip for the students as well.

“Paris is one of my favorite cities, in which, to do ordinary things, like drink an espresso, eat a piece of bread, and take a walk,” Hippolyte said.

In today’s highly competitive business world, business professionals must know how to conduct themselves and represent their company at the dining table and in other social settings.

To give students an opportunity to learn how to make a positive first impression, the School of Business is co-sponsoring a Business Etiquette Dinner on Wednesday, March 6, at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in the I-79 Technology Park in Fairmont. Other sponsors are the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation and the Bridgeport Conference Center.

The Business Etiquette Dinner begins with a “mocktail” reception at 6 p.m., followed by a seated multi-course meal at 6:30 p.m.  Business representatives from the region are seated with students to engage and interact with them at the dinner. As each course is served, participants will learn the acceptable etiquette from Lyla Grandstaff, certified etiquette consultant, and owner of Elements of Etiquette.

“This event has proven very popular with our students and sells out every year.  I think the students realize they need to practice and polish their social networking skills. The business representatives always enjoy interacting with the students and someone comes away with an interview or job offer every year,” said Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

The goal of the Business Etiquette Dinner is to help students feel more confident in business networking receptions and formal dinner settings. Confidence often increases as more knowledge is gained about what is appropriate or inappropriate etiquette in such situations. An important point about etiquette is that the rules of behavior are often subtle. If students learn these rules, then they can focus their attention more on getting to know their dinner companions and less on second-guessing their dining habits. The negative effects of inappropriate attire, improper conversation and poor social skills can cause students more than an embarrassment; it can cost them a potential job.

“The best tip I can give is that etiquette isn’t about being perfect, it is just about being polite and professional,” Grandstaff said.

The event often sells out, so tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Individual tickets for the event are $25. To offset the cost for the students, corporate sponsorships of $250 or table sponsorships of $500 are also available. Corporate sponsors will receive four tickets to the event. Table sponsors may receive up to eight tickets to the event. All sponsors will be listed in the program and recognized at the dinner.

To order tickets, contact Martha Amos in the School of Business, Room 111 Jaynes Hall, at (304) 367-4395 or Martha.Amos@fairmontstate.edu.

The School of Business co-sponsored a Business Etiquette Dinner on Wednesday, March 6, at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in the I-79 Technology Park in Fairmont. Other sponsors were the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation and the Bridgeport Conference Center.  Read more about the event online.

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.

West Virginia Campus Compact, a coalition of 28 college and universities that encourages and supports community engagement in higher education, honored Fairmont State University with multiple awards at its annual statewide conference.

Fairmont State professor Matt Schmuck’s Friends of Fifth Street Park Project was recognized as the winner of the Campus-Community LINK Partnership Award. The award honors outstanding community service learning partnerships that are grantees of West Virginia Campus Compact’s LINK program.

The Friends of Fifth Street Park project is a model of community engagement, student learning and sustainable, deep change. With the objective of changing a depressed area in the city of Fairmont, led by Schmuck, Fairmont State students have learned management, budgeting, construction and community engagement skills while redeveloping a troubled community park. The community is heavily involved in the effort as well. Schmuck has partnered with the Director of Planning and Development for the City of Fairmont, Kathy Wyrosdick, and many other stakeholders in developing the project.

In addition, Fairmont State professor Rebecca Giorcelli’s project was honored as a LINK Promising Newcomer. Giorcelli has connected students at Fairmont State with the National Appalachian Coal Mining Heritage Association to create exhibits for a coal mining heritage museum. Giorcelli’s community partner for the project is Mike Rohaly of NACMHA.

About the photo: Pictured are Kathy Wyrosdick and Matt Schmuck.

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.

A Fairmont State University report recognizes that the technology industry is a significant player and an economic driver in the area.

Dr. Amy Godfrey, assistant professor of economics at Fairmont State University, is the author of the report, titled the “Economic Impact of the North Central West Virginia Technology Industry on the West Virginia Economy.”

Dr. Richard Harvey, dean of the FSU School of Business, serves on the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation’s Affiliate Leadership Council and said the idea for a new technology impact study came out of discussions with the group. FSU stepped up to tackle the project as part of its services to the business community.

This regional impact study will be distributed widely throughout the state and online, he said.

Jim Estep, president and CEO of the WVHTC Foundation, said the report was a way to more precisely quantify the significant and important activity occurring in the region’s high-technology sector and judge where the growth is headed.

“Both FSU as well as Pierpont Community & Technical College, they have stayed very engaged with the regional technology community and have a done a good job of identifying ways that they can provide an educational service to this community,” he said.

The formal release of the study took place in Charleston on March 14 as part of the “High Tech Expo,” organized by the WVHTC Foundation in Fairmont and its Affiliate Services Program. During the event, approximately 25 businesses from the I-79 High Tech Corridor set up booths at the West Virginia Culture Center and Museum.

The expo was an opportunity to make legislators aware of the activities going on in the north central part of the state, and help them start thinking about the importance of the area’s business sector and the role it plays in the overall state economy. Hopefully sharing that data with legislators will lead to the state government’s interest in supporting the growth, Estep said.

Godfrey, who came from the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics’ Bureau of Business and Economic Research, joined FSU’s School of Business in September of 2012 and began working on the economic impact report at that time.

“This study focused on the economic impact of the technology industry located in North Central West Virginia on the region’s economy and the state’s economy in 2011,” she said.

The report focuses on Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Preston and Upshur counties as North Central West Virginia and also several other counties in the state and bordering states that are considered to be part of the I-79 Corridor. Those other counties include Barbour, Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Randolph and Taylor in West Virginia; Fayette and Greene in Pennsylvania; and Garrett in Maryland.

Godfrey created the study using data on employment and wages that came from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, WorkForce West Virginia and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Fifty-two sectors from the North American Industry Classification System were included to define the technology industry. With an input-output model, Godfrey was able to estimate the economic impact.

She found that the technology industry made up 7.3 percent of total employment and 12.8 percent of total wages in West Virginia in 2011, and 5.05 percent of total employment and 7.42 percent of total wages in the north central part of the state.

“The technology industry is thriving in North Central West Virginia due to the unique demographics of the region,” Godfrey said. “The North Central West Virginia region has above state average educational attainment as well as a more mature aged population.”

She said a very substantial portion of total employment and wages in Marion County came from the technology industry. In 2011, 7.05 percent of total employment and 9.02 percent of total wages in the county could be attributed to this industry.

In terms of economic impact, the technology industry in North Central West Virginia led to $1.6 billion of output, $953 million of value added, and 11,500 jobs and $587.2 million of employee compensation. The area’s impact on the state economy included $1.7 billion of output, $974.8 million of value added, and 11,900 jobs and $597.2 million of employee compensation.

“While the technology industry accounts for a significant portion of total employment for the state and region, the industry accounted for even a larger portion of total wages,” Godfrey said. “This indicates the high level of wages earned by employees in the industry.”

She explained that the report’s results were actually conservative due to an issue with non-disclosure related to the county-level employment and wage data for many of the sectors considered to be part of the technology industry.

Godfrey sees a positive future for the area’s technology sector.

“The technology industry has been growing in North Central West Virginia in the past few years and I expect that the industry will continue to grow in the years to come,” she said.

Estep commented that the study confirmed what the area believed it was seeing.

“It was a validation that the growth is continuing and results are coming in as we were hoping they would,” he said. “It gets everybody excited but motivated to keep working.”

Estep said the federal operations in the region, from the FBI and NASA to the National Energy Technology Laboratory, are the anchors that help drive the technology industry and spark growth.

The area needs to work hard to preserve those operations and help them expand, and also identify and recruit more of these anchors, he said. The presence of those entities attracts more companies that are pursing contracting opportunities and creates even more activity.

“I hope that our efforts and the things we’re doing are a catalyst to make all that produce the kind of economic growth and prosperity that we want to see and is demonstrated as occurring in this study,” Estep said.

He hopes that North Central West Virginia continues to see this steady growth, which could bring other federal anchors to the area as well as more commercial business activities.

“Like any economic development effort, it takes time, but I’m very happy with the base that we’ve created,” Estep said. “I’m happy with the growth, and I think if we can weather the storms of the federal budget madness in Washington and if we can convince the state to increase their support, then I think there’s amazing potential.”

Harvey added that high-tech firms that may be considering locating in the area will find the benefit of being around other firms that are doing similar things. Companies can work together to obtain federal contracts.

The FSU School of Business places a lot of students in this growing and strong industry in the area, which is why it’s so important for the school to know this information, he said. With the many opportunities in the region, young people don’t have to go far to get a good high-tech job.

“We encourage the industry because it really is a nice opportunity for our students to get highpaying jobs in the regional area,” Harvey said. “We’re ideally situated.”

With Godfrey’s background, the school now has the ability to provide more economic reports like this for the community, Harvey said.

“It is a new expertise that we have and something that we hope to make available on a more regular basis going forward in the future,” he said.

This is one of the services that the School of Business wants to offer through its University Business Center. The goal of the center is to serve as the community outreach and engagement arm of the school, Harvey said.

In addition to the reports, the center handles internship experiences and works to make community connections and develop partnerships with the regional business sector, he said. By engaging with the business community, the School of Business can make sure its curriculum is current and valid and that students have the proper knowledge to enter the workforce.

Gina Fantasia came on board in October as the director of the University Business Center.

She further explained that the center works to provide students with a wide range of opportunities to gain hands-on, professional skills that will allow them to use their academic knowledge in a practical way and be valuable to their future employers.

“The idea is that through faculty consulting, the internships, practicums and course-related projects, we make sure that our students are job-ready (upon graduation),” Fantasia said.

The second purpose of the center is to give the region’s public and private decision makers the economic data and expertise to take their businesses to the next level for success. Fantasia said Godfrey’s recent work with the WVHTC Foundation is a perfect illustration of how faculty can partner with the business community.

This article from the Times West Virginian newspaper by Jessica Borders is posted here with permission. Email Jessica Borders at jborders@timeswv.com or follow her on Twitter @JBordersTWV. For more information, visit www.timeswv.com.

Imagine waking up every morning in the heart of Washington, D.C., and learning from professionals in your academic field at The Washington Center. Imagine being in a group of equally driven individuals who are just as eager to learn and attend activities such as Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol Hill, the Roundtable on Philanthropy and Social Responsibility and small group discussions. Fairmont State senior Leighla R. Philpott will have just that experience as she participates in The Washington Center’s summer program.

The Washington Center is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization that integrates academic and work experience to prepare students for personal achievement and civic engagement after graduation from college. More information on The Washington Center and the internships they offer can be found at www.twc.edu.  

Philpott, an Honors student majoring in Accounting, is from Beverly. At The Washington Center, she will take courses such as “The Federal Budget: Can Congress and the President Govern America?,” “U.S. Foreign Policy in the 21^st Century: Dynamics of Change,” “Forensic Psychology,” “Strategic Communications” and “Essentials for Aspiring Leaders.” She will also hold an internship in Business, Economics and Trade. Additionally, Philpott will participate in The Washington Center’s Leadership Forum, designed to help students understand leadership and the opportunity they have to contribute to their local, national and international communities.

“The School of Business places a high value on internships because of the experience received, the career insight gained, and the contacts made,” said Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

Philpott’s participation in The Washington Center’s summer program is partially underwritten by support from the Office of the Provost, the Honors Program, the School of Business and the Offic of Career Services.

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 University School of Business honored students for their academic achievement during the 2013 Delta Mu Delta Induction Ceremony and Scholarship & Award Presentations at the end of the spring 2013 semester.

Delta Mu Delta is an international society in Business Administration that encourages higher scholarship and recognizes and rewards scholastic achievement in business administration programs. Kappa Omicron is the local chapter of Delta Mu Delta at FSU, and invitation to membership points to earnest, intelligent purpose and rewarding achievement. Members include juniors, seniors and graduate students who are in the top 20 percent of the School of Business with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 (juniors and seniors) or 3.6 for graduate students. Dr. Rebecca Giorcelli and Robert Weaver serve as faculty advisors to the chapter.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service, provides tax assistance to low income and elderly taxpayers who cannot afford professional income tax help. The student volunteers must pass an IRS certification program that allows them to participate in 40 hours of community service at VITA site locations in Marion, Harrison, Upshur and Tucker counties. VITA student volunteers recognized at the ceremony were Paul Carpenter, James Cooke, Faith Dixon, Emilka Haas, Lance Hutson, Daniel Monroe, Jonathan Myles, Marsha Styles, Jessica Walter, James Waters and Lou Yuezhong.

Nathan Beck received the award as Outstanding Senior in Accounting. He is a 2007 graduate of John Marshall High School and is majoring in Accounting and Finance. He is the son of Jeff and Linda Beck of Moundsville. He is a member of the FSU Student Accountant Society, the FSU School of Business Students Leadership Board and the WVSCPA. He was the Fairmont State winner of the West Virginia Society of CPA’s Outstanding Accounting Senior Award for 2012-2013.

Goldie R. Preston, a 2009 graduate of Parkersburg High School, was named the Outstanding Senior in Business. She is the daughter of Randy and Dianna Preston of Vienna. A Business Administration major, she is a four-year member of the FSU tennis team and its captain, a student athletic representative, a member of the student leadership committee and a member of the Delta Mu Delta Honor Society. She is a past winner of the Louis Schoolnic Scholarship and the Donald Hoylman Scholarship.

Nicolette Rueger won the award for Outstanding Senior in Information Systems Management. She is a 2009 highest honors graduate of Fairmont Senior High School and the daughter of Rob and Jackie Rueger of Fairmont. She is a past president, secretary and vice president of the Information Systems Students Organization (ISSO). She is a member of Delta Mu Delta Honor Society and the Student Leadership Board. As an Information Systems Management major, she was an Enterprise Systems Program/IBM Academic Initiative participant. As part of the IBM Academic Initiative, she joined IBM’s Sales and Distribution Summit Internship Program in the summer of 2012 in the role of Information Technology Specialist.

Logan Cavicchio was awarded the Stanley and Mary Beafore Scholarship and the Frank and Florence Sansalone Scholarship. A 2009 graduate of East Fairmont High School, she is a Business Marketing major. She is the daughter of Leticia Cavicchio of Fairmont and a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Delta Mu Delta and Alpha Tau Pi. She also is a Dean’s List honoree. She is a recent graduate of the Radiologic Technology Program at West Virginia University Hospitals and is now a board certified Radiologic Technologist. She received an associate degree in allied health in 2012. Her community involvement activities include: 4H volunteer and camp counselor, Elks Hoops Shoot, Elks Major Projects and WVU Concession Stand at Milan Puskar Stadium.

Ryan Calhoun received the Woodrow A. Postesta Scholarship of Accounting and the Conley CPA Group Accounting Excellence Award. He is a 2011 graduate of Parkersburg High School and the son of David and Mary Lou Calhoun of Davisville. He is an Honors Program student and a member of the Student Accountant Society, majoring in Accounting. He is employed by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and is an active member of Edgelawn United Methodist Church in Parkersburg.

Joseph Rocchino won the Dream, Succeed and Lead Award, a special recognition for non-traditional students. He is an Accounting major who works full-time as an inventory specialist for a television programming provider. He and his wife Misty reside in Tunnelton.

A 2011 graduate of Preston High School, Emily Barger won the Glenn A. Harman Accounting Excellence Scholarship and the George E. Lambert Family Endowed Fund for Education Award. She is an Accounting major with memberships in the Student Accountant Society and Delta Mu Delta. She is in the Honors Program, was awarded the PROMISE Scholarship and was on the Dean’s List. She is the daughter of Douglas Barger and Donnie Loughry of Terra Alta.

Sydni L. Hiroskey of Fairmont was a winner of the George E. Lambert Family Endowed Fund for Education Award. A 2004 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, she is an Accounting major. She is the daughter of Mary Ann Piscitelli-Hiroskey of Fairmont and has one daughter, Dominica.

Kaitlyn M. Witsaman won the Emily Leaf Nichols Alumni Scholarship. She is a 2012 graduate of Medina High School and the daughter of Glen and Brenda Witsaman of Medina, Ohio. A Business Marketing major, she is a member of the FSU volleyball team and FSU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Lauren Tomko was awarded the John and Nancy Raley School of Business Scholarship. She was homeschooled, completing her high school studies in 2010, and is the daughter of Michael and Janine Tomko of Clarksburg. She is majoring in Finance and Marketing and won the Louis Schoolnic Scholarship in May 2012. She is a treasurer for Chi Alpha and a Student Leader. She has worked for the FSU Office of Institutional Advancement, gaining experience in her field.

Derek Efaw of Clarksburg won the WesBanco Bank Fairmont, Inc. Endowed Scholarship. A 2007 graduate of Canon McMillian High School in Canonsburg, Pa., he is the son of Timothy Efaw and Cynthia Light. He is majoring in Accounting and is a member of the Student Accountant Society at FSU.

Nolan Merrifield was a winner of the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. He is a 2004 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School and is the son of Gary and Rachel Merrifield of Fairmont. Majoring in Accounting and Finance, he is a member of the Student Leadership Board and the Student Accountant Society.

Alex Campbell won the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. He is the son of Robert and Grace Campbell of Bothell, Wash., and completed his homeschooling studies in 2010. He attended Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa, and Cascadia Community College. At FSU, he majors in Accounting and is a member of Campus Light and captain of an intramural basketball team. He is a representative of the National Society of Leadership and Success Club.

Bradley Cox was the winner of the Mary B. and Edgar N. Jaynes Endowed Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, he is the son of Richard and Katrina Cox of Mount Hope. He is majoring in Accounting and Finance and a member of the Honors Program.

Shaun Smith was awarded the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship. He is a 2006 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School and the son of Kolena Smith of Fairmont. He is the father of two daughters, Leilana Smith and Auna Smith. A President’s List and Dean’s List honoree, he is majoring in Accounting and Finance.

Richard Spencer III won the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship.

Thomas Wimbush won the Robert (Buck) Thompson Family Scholarship.

Faith Dixon of Clarksburg was awarded the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. She is a 1976 graduate of Washington Irving High School and is the daughter of Hope Knapp of Marshville and the late Everette Knapp. She has two children, Michael Knapp and Gabrielle Dixon, and three grandchildren. She is majoring in Accounting and has served as secretary and is the future president of the Student Accountant Society. She was vice president of the Non-Traditional Student Society and a VITA participant.

Randy “Mitch” Moore was awarded the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. He is a 2012 graduate of Hundred High School. He is in the Honors Program at FSU and was a Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship finalist. He is the son of Randy and Janet Moore of Burton. He is on the Admissions and Recruitment student staff at FSU.

Zachary LeFevre was awarded the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. He is a 2010 graduate of Robert C. Byrd High School and the son of Phil LeFevre and Donetta Watson of Clarksburg. He is majoring in Accounting and Finance and is vice president of the Student Accountant Society and a member of the Student Leadership Board. He recently finished an internship at Arnett Foster Toothman, an accounting firm.

Philip Dent of Parsons won the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship. A 2011 honor graduate of Midland Trail High School in Hico, he is the son of the Rev. Philip Royce and Tracey Lynn Dent. He is majoring in Business Administration and has been a Dean’s List honoree every semester at FSU. He participates in intramural sports, including volleyball and softball.

Breanna Hafer of Harrisville, the daughter of Andy and Melissa Gump, won the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship. She is a 2012 graduate of Ritchie County High School, majoring in Business Management at FSU. She volunteers at a local soup kitchen and works full-time at a local restaurant. She also participates in the community service club and American Chemical Society activities.

Chad Frasher, a native of San Diego, Calif., was awarded the WesBanco Business Graduate Degree Endowed Scholarship. He and his wife Samantha reside in Morgantown. He is the son of Shawn and Valerie Frasher of Morgantown and an M.B.A. graduate student at FSU with a focus on Project Management. He received his Business Management degree from FSU in 2012. He worked for the FSU Office of Residence Life and currently managements apartments on campus.

The West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families recently presented Fairmont State University with its Higher Education Partner of the Year Award to honor volunteer service by the FSU School of Business.

Mary A. “Dede” Burnell, CPA, Coordinator of Accounting and Finance and Associate Professor of Accounting and Finance, attended an awards luncheon at West Virginia State University in Institute to receive the award on behalf of FSU. For the past several years, Accounting students, supervised by Dr. T. Jean Engebretson, CPA, have provided free basic tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

“The work that we have seen from the VITA program at FSU has been tremendous,” said Jennifer Thacker, Executive Director of the West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families. “The students work tirelessly to provide free tax preparation to those in need and have served such a large portion of the Fairmont community with their volunteer work. We were so grateful for their efforts and could not have imagined a better recipient for this award.”

FSU student volunteers have a responsibility to provide high quality service and uphold the highest of ethical standards. The student volunteers receive training and certification from the IRS to help prepare basic tax returns in North Central West Virginia communities. Many taxpayers return each year and refer their friends and neighbors to the FSU VITA program.

“The VITA program is an effective community outreach service of the School of Business. In 2012, students in the Fairmont State VITA program prepared more than 1,200 federal and state tax returns. The students work long hours and travel to many locations to provide this free service. Their level of expertise and professionalism is routinely praised by the participants. The goodwill generated for the School of Business is immeasurable,” said Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

The West Virginia Alliance for Sustainable Families serves as an important voice for West Virginia’s working families. The WVASF coordinates research, education, advocacy and coalition building on issues related to asset building and economic stability. The WVASF also leads Earned Income Tax credit awareness throughout the state. The mission of the WVASF is to increase access to asset building opportunities and improve economic security for low- to moderate-income West Virginia families.

The WVASF is the statewide leader building capacity for seven regional EITC coalitions providing Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and EITC outreach, establishing strategic partnerships and providing promotional materials and resources. For more information about the WVASF, visit www.wvasf.org.

For more information about the programs of the Fairmont State University School of Business, click here.

The Title III grant is helping Fairmont State University transform outdated classrooms into active learning spaces for the 21^st Century. One exciting change is the creation of a LearnLab in 104 Jaynes Hall.

Designed using state-of-the-art products by Steelcase, the new LearnLab will provide a technology-rich learning environment for students in the School of Business. The LearnLab embodies Fairmont State’s Title III project goals to create collaborative and experiential learning opportunities by making a space for students to work together, as well as with their instructors, and utilize technology tools not available in a traditional classroom.

Traditional classrooms, with row seating and chalkboards, are suited primarily to lecturing, which leads to a more passive learning style. The LearnLab, however, creates the perfect setting for active learning for a new generation of students who thrive when using technology and working together. The School of Business worked with Steelcase to create a space that would consider pedagogy, technology and space equally. The LearnLab is designed around user-friendly technology and flexible furniture allowing for new teaching and learning methods.

“The primary advantage of the LearnLab design is for collaborative learning to take place. Students can get together in a study group, formal or informal, and collaborate very easily,” explained Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business.

The School of Business’s LearnLab features three media:scape tables, with built-in interactive technology. Each table has two high-definition screens at the head of the table and built-in ports for students’ laptops or portable devices such as an iPad. Media:scape has been designed for a “walk-up and connect” experience, according to Steelcase. Students simply open the media well and remove a Puck™, connect the Puck™ to their laptop and then share what is on their personal screen, with their group, by pressing the Puck™ to choose which HD screen to occupy. Even better, this technology requires no software, drivers or special training, making it easy to use for both the faculty and students.

The flexible design of the LearnLab enables a variety of learning opportunities, including:

• small team co-creation, where students co-create content together in small teams, and media:scape technology enables each student to share their digital content with their team;
• group sharing and discussion, where each team can share content with the other teams in class discussion, and the instructor uses a central switcher to control the display of each team’s content; and
• lecture and presentation, where instructors can share content with the class at every table or on a centrally-located display.

The media:scape table itself, as well as the close proximity and round-table seating arrangement, puts students in the center of the learning process. Because everyone is able to contribute, students are more engaged.

“The LearnLab extends learning beyond the traditional classroom; it offers students a flexible, technology-rich and collaborative environment that we believe will inspire them to partner on projects and pool intellectual energy to achieve success in their classes,” said Dr. Gina Fantasia, Director of the University Business Center and co-author of the Title III grant proposal.

The new LearnLab also includes Huddleboards and the Eno One board. Ultra-lightweight, double-sided, dry-erase Huddleboards hang on a work rail at both ends of the lab, making them easy to see from any seat. They are also removable, so students can take them back to their work spaces, make their notes and then replace them on the rail. The Eno One is a highly-advanced Smartboard with many features to enable quick lesson reference and seamless instruction.

This new setup in the LearnLab creates an environment for face-to-face interaction and engaged, active learning.

“We’re going to do case studies, role plays and simulations. We’re going to do exercises that practice the concepts that they read about in the book and heard their professors talking about. The LearnLab is equipped to help faculty reinforce textbook information with active learning experiences,” Harvey said.

Additionally, the LearnLab will be the home to the student peer mentoring program for the School of Business, which will be developed in the second year of the Title III grant.

“We want to build upon the peer collaboration that good students use so effectively. We will be training talented upper-level students, who—guided by faculty—will assist other students work toward mastery of the concepts and materials in targeted courses. We hope that a fabulous byproduct of that formal peer mentoring process will be to help students learn the techniques and habits that will then make them successful in all their classes,” Fantasia said.