The West Virginia Wesleyan Alumni Association was proud to recognize five Wesleyan graduates and friends of the College during the annual Homecoming alumni banquet on October 22. The Alumni Association honored P. Darrell Neufer ’84 and Chaplain (Colonel) James W. Daniels Jr. ’71 with the Alumni Achievement Award; Michael J. Aloi ’80 and Susan Miller Aloi ’80 with the Wesleyan Service Award; Danette Ifert Johnson ’90 and Janine L. Roberts ’99 with the Young Alumni Achievement Award, and Robert J. Wallace will the Extra Mile Award.

“What a wonderful evening!” commented Tim Channell, director of alumni relations. “The alumni banquet gave us the perfect venue to lift up these outstanding individuals. We presented a newly-designed award this year and continued the tradition of a personal media presentation of each award winner.”

The Alumni Achievement Award is given to alumni who have achieved status and position in their profession or have demonstrated exceptional leadership in altruistic, philanthropic, or service endeavors to their community, state or nation. Neufer, a 1984 Wesleyan graduate, is an associate fellow at the John B. Pierce Laboratory and associate professor of Cellular & Molecular Physiology with Yale University. He and his wife, Robin ’86 have three children and reside in Clinton, CT. Chaplain Daniels is a 1971 graduate of Wesleyan with a bachelor of arts degree in religion and a 1990 Wesleyan MBA. He and his wife Elsie live in Wiscasset, ME, but currently are stationed in Washington D.C. They have three adult children and three grandchildren.

The Service Award is presented to alumni that have worked diligently to further the cause of Wesleyan. Both Michael and Susan have opened their hearts to Wesleyan through hosting alumni events, recruiting students, financial contributions, and serving on various boards and committees. Michael has served his alma mater in several leadership roles including the Alumni Council Presidency, a member of the Board of Trustees and adjunct professor for the MBA Program. Susan has served her alma mater as the director of foundation and government support and advancement editor, Freshman Seminar Instructor, a lecturer in the Department of Business & Economics and as a faculty representative to the Bonner Summer Leadership Institute. An active member in her sorority Alpha Gamma Delta, she serves as the alumni advisor and fraternity education instructor. The couple resides in Buckhannon and is the parents of Joey, Alexander, Hannah and Iris.

The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have graduated within the last 15 years and have achieved status and position in their profession. Danette is currently on the faculty of Ithaca College, NY, as an associate professor of Speech Communication. In addition to her teaching duties at Ithaca, she also serves as the executive director of the Eastern Communication Association. She served as associate professor at Wesleyan from 2000-2004 prior to her appointment at Ithaca. Johnson and her husband Steve, a former faculty member at Wesleyan, have one son, Christopher.

Janine has spent the past few years dedicated to community and world service. She is currently in Zimbabwe, Africa with Corner Stone International. The project she is currently working on is entitled “H.O.P.E.” (Helping Others….Providing Empowerment). Malnutrition and AIDS has orphaned many Zimbabwean Children and Janine teaches surviving women to be leaders that care for groups of the orphans. Janine is originally from Parkersburg, WV.

Robert received the Extra Mile Award for his involvement with the Wesleyan Community over the years. The Extra Mile Award is an opportunity for the alumni association to recognize any person, faculty, staff or friend of the College who is not an alumnus for furthering the cause of West Virginia Wesleyan College through publicity, fund raising, recruitment of students, or other services to assist the College. Robert began his association with the College in 1959 and taught for over 20 years. He was an associate professor of business at the time of his retirement. In addition to his teaching duties, he was instrumental in his involvement in various Wesleyan financial campaigns. He and his wife, Sarah, reside in Buckhannon and are the parents two adult children.

During Homecoming 2005 many alumni from the classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, and 2000 returned to their "Home Among the Hills." Members of each class returned to attend special reunion gatherings which were planned immediately after Homecoming 2004.

Beginning in November 2004, each class chair began contacting classmates to promote attendance at the reunion event as well as class giving. Encouragement came in the form of raising funds for special projects to offering incentives to attend the reunion celebrations. Examples include:

Recognition of class giving takes place at the reunion celebrations but formal recognition of the class gift to the College occurs at the Alumni Banquet. The class of '70 was recognized with the highest total class gift. For the first time, an annual award was presented to the reunion class with the highest percentage of class members giving to the college during their fundraising effort. The award was named in honor of James H. Bowen '52, who gave financially to the college prior to his graduation and virtually every year after until his death in 2003. His wife, Clara, continues to give today because of their belief in the Wesleyan education and experience. This year the percentage of class giving ranged from 11% to a high of 39%. The class of 1960 received the award with a 39% participation rate.

Totals for class giving and participation were:

To view the pictures of the check presentations to President William R. Haden, click here.

Class Notes: November 2005
E-mail your Class Notes to alumni@wvwc.edu

1943
LOIS SCHOOLCRAFT VICE, Baltimore, MD, would like for her classmates to know that she is 83 years old and doing fine.

1947
MARY JUDSON FORBES, Bethpage, NY, has returned to work at the age of 80. She is employed at the Bethpage High School pool as a custodian, and plays the piano for the Bethpage Methodist Church every Sunday.

1955
MARILYN WICKERHAM MORRIS, Brooksville, FL, and her husband, Rev. Jim Morris, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 27, 2005. Marilyn is vice-president of her local United Methodist Women and sings in the church choir. Jim is president of the Mobile Patrol Unit, a security organization, in their housing development. They are planning a trip to Hawaii.

1963
JACK R. GEORGE, Cumberland, MD, has retired from serving three churches.

1965
KAREN JENNINGS LLOYD, Fallston, MD, has retired from Harford County school system as vocal music teacher. She has taught 39 years in New York, Georgia, and Maryland. * GLENNA STOKES DEWEY, Dover, DE, retired in June 2005 from Caesar Rodney School District after 40 years of service.

1968
HEATHER CLOUD WOLFE, Centerville, MA, is Director of Christian Education and Administration at the United Methodist Church in Osterville, MA with 25 years of service.

1970
A. C. "CHUCK" MOYER, II, Tucson, AZ, was presented the "Bishops Torch Award" for outstanding service in promoting Scouting Ministries (BSA, Girl Scouts, USA, 4-H, Campfire) throughout the South District of the Conference at the 2005 session of the Desert Southwest Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

1974
RICHARD E. WAGONER, Denville, NJ, and CANDACE LEATHERBERRY WAGONER, would like their fellow classmates to know their daughter, Diana, just purchased her first home in Mt. Tabor, NJ. Diana is a Special Education teacher in Wayne, NJ. * RICHARD J. DEHAAS, Hopwood, PA, Executive Vice President for First Commonwealth Bank has been assigned to handle the bank's asset quality division. Richard has worked for First Commonwealth for six years, during which time he has been responsible for the credit support and management of credit risk. Prior to First Commonwealth, he was President and CEO of Huntingdon Bank of Pennsylvania. * REV. EDWARD A. TRIMMER, Asheboro, NC, has had his latest book published titled "Main Event Youth Ministry and the Side Shows," which details the common and not so common traits between successful youth ministry programs around the country. Ed is Head of the School of Religion at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina.

1976
MARGARET (PEGGY) ARBOGAST SMITH, Long Beach, MS, recently lost her home and belongings on the Gulf of Mexico in Long Beach during Hurricane Katrina. She retired from the University of Southern Mississippi in May 2005. Peggy and her husband, Michael are currently living and practicing law in Weston, WV.

1979
AMY CARTER WOLFE, Marianna, PA, was united in marriage to Michael C. Bozick on August 13, 2005. Amy is employed as a band director/music teacher by the South Park School District. * KAREN LACH, Elkins, WV, was united in marriage to Philip Tomblyn on April 23, 2005 at the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church in Buckhannon. Alumni in attendance were DIANA HENSLEY PATELLA '77, bridesmaid; SHARON STARTZELL WALTON '89, organist and REV. DR. ELLIS CONLEY '73, who officiated with Rev. Gary Stackpole.

1983
BETHANY LIPSCOMB STAATS, South Charleston, WV, is employed as Nurse Supervisor for the West Virginia Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

1988
KIMBERLY ANN GEPHART, Elizabeth, PA, graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1999 with a Masters in Bioengineering.

1989
RODNEY D. MAUSSHARDT, Duvall, WA, would like his classmates to know that he enjoys sailing and horse back riding in the Pacific Northwest. * DEBBIE D. MARKS, Dublin, OH, is proud to announce the adoption of Marrena Lin on September 22, 2005.

1990
SUSAN OLOFSON BRANDOLINO, Dunlap, IL, is a substitute teacher for the Dunlap School area. Her daughter, Cary, is in first grade and daughter, Lizzy, is in preschool.

1991
PAULA R. TUCKER, Morgantown, WV, is currently enrolled in flight school for the US Army located at Ft. Rucker, AL. She is learning how to fly helicopters. Upon completion of flight school, Paula will return to her National Guard unit in Parkersburg, WV.

1992
JEFFREY K. BAILEY, Lexington, VA, teaches sixth grade in Buena Vista City School System, and his wife, Carole is an instructional technology administrator for Washington and Lee University. They have two sons, Nathan and Wesley.

1994
CAROLYN C. KING, Newtown Square, PA, will serve as the Philadelphia Area Alumni Pan-Hellenic Secretary for 2005-2006. She represents Alpha XI Delta.

1996
AMY JOHNSTON HERNE, Wexford, PA, and her husband, Gene, announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Grace, on March 23, 2005. * KAREN MORRIS GRIMMETT, Edmond, OK, and her husband, Shawn, announce the birth of their daughter, Hannah Marie, on September 2, 2005. Big sister, Hailey, was especially excited about the new addition to the family.
*EMILY BIAS BECK, Clarksburg, WV, and her husband, Garth, announce the birth of their daughter, Susannah Eileen, on July 21, 2005. * VALERIE KEEFER OLDAKER, Leon, WV, and her husband, Jeff, announce the birth of their daughter, Nicole Lynn, on June 21, 2005. * WILLIAM B. ALEXANDER, Westerville, OH, was united in marriage to Kristin A. Talarico on July 23, 2005, at the Whetstone Park of Roses, Columbus, OH. William is the Director of Outreach Education at COSI in Columbus.

1997
KRISTAN KLANCHAR JAKUBOWSKI, Amherst, NY, and her husband, Jason, announce the birth of their daughter, Juliann Elizabeth, on March 15, 2005.

1998
ELIZABETH (BUFFY) STOLL, Brooklyn, NY, completed her second master's degree from New York University in May 2005. She teaches English at the College of New Rochelle's division for adult students in the Bronx, NY and is an administrator at NYU (New York University).

1999
LINDSAY SILCOTT FOWKES, Morgantown, WV, has completed her master's degree in nursing and is currently employed at Morgantown Surgical Associates as a nurse practitioner.

2001
SHANA L. GREEN, Sewickley, PA, is the Director of Operations for University of Pittsburgh Women's Basketball.

2002
KELLY M. HOWE, Mishawka, IN, has been named Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Columbia University in New York.

2004
LINDSEY R. GRAHAM, Evanston, IL, is in her second year of study at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary of Northwestern University. Currently she is serving her field education placement at the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women of the United Methodist Church. * MEAGHAN B. COX, Columbus, OH, completed her masters in communication at West Virginia University and is currently employed as adjunct professor at Capital University in Columbus.

2005
KELLY G. ENGLEKA, Marietta, GA, is in training to run a half marathon for the American Heart Association on January 7, 2006. * KRISTIN M. CANTRELL, Danville, VA, was united in marriage to JAMES T. CANIPE '05 on October 2, 2005. Both Kristin and James are working as ICU registered nurses for Duke University Hospital in NC.