News Type: Faculty

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College honored a professor who fosters a learning environment where students are empowered to beyond what they believe they are capable of and who mentors students in ways that go beyond the four walls of a classroom.

Dr. Jessica Scott ‘04, associate professor of gender studies, was presented with the 2023 Award for Exemplary Teaching by Dr. Lynn M. Linder, Dean of Faculty and Vice President of Academic Affairs, during the Founders Day Convocation recently.

Scott said, “I was overwhelmed to receive this honor from Dean Linder and West Virginia Wesleyan College. The award is a profoundly gratifying affirmation of the investment in intellectual, emotional, and political energy I have poured into students on this campus since I began teaching at Wesleyan.”

Scott is well known for collaborating with other faculty to provide students with transformative educational experiences, according to Linder. One colleague shared, “This professor cares about students in ways that go far beyond delivering content in the classroom. She applauds their successes, encourages their dreams, sees them through their struggles. Her students love her back. They know they have been truly seen by her, and that she wants them to thrive.”

A student also shared: “She is a treasure we do not deserve. Not only did she take a class full of folks who were a little scared and unsure of each other and make us all trust, but she also gave us the space to be vulnerable and be honest with ourselves and each other. Her ability to facilitate class discussion goes beyond compare of any professor, I have ever had. She is truly amazing, and this class was raw and it hurt, but for the first time, I felt heard.”

Linder said, “I’ve rarely known a professor to give more of their time, resources, care and compassion to nurturing students in all aspects of their lives than this year’s awardee.”

Scott added, “I teach because I want to learn, and I learn from students every day. Any recognition of my teaching is also a recognition of Cynthia Brissey and the Center for Teaching and Learning at WVWC, which has been profoundly influential to my development as an educator.  Because state legislatures across the country are determined to attempt to censor critical areas of study, it is more important now than ever to have solid pedagogical tools that we can continue to rely on in teaching our students. I’m grateful to the Center for Teaching and Learning for helping us cultivate those tools.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2024 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan eighth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia –   Eight individuals who continually find ways to serve their campus, community and beyond were officially sworn in as West Virginia Wesleyan College Trustees during Founders Day 2023.

Arria Hines ‘95, born and raised in rural West Virginia, is an accomplished and energetic business leader and entrepreneur. In 2009, Hines founded Allegheny Science & Technology, a woman-owned West Virginia-based energy services company. From two employees, to nearly 240, AST is a leader in alternative energy technologies and renewable energies. Hines is a member of WVU’s Visiting Committee, TechConnect Board of Directors, West Virginia Governor’s STEM Council, Upshur County Development Authority Board and an advocate for the West Virginia Public Speaker’s Bureau. She is an executive member of the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub Board.

Rev. Martha Ognibene ‘79, is senior pastor of Wesley UMC in Morgantown. Ognibene is an elder in The United Methodist Church and has served churches in Parkersburg, Huntington, Colliers and Short Gap as well as superintendent of the Northern District. Ognibene also earned degrees from Virginia Tech and the Methodist Theological School in Ohio.

Angel (Williamson) Riley ’99 earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from WVWC and obtained a Master of Public Administration in Government Management from Southeastern University. She is senior manager, political affairs, for the North America subsidiary of the leading medical technology corporation Royal Philips. In 2005, she co-founded the Black Alumni Network, an unofficial alumni networking group for WVWC. She also previously served on the Alumni Council from 2009-2015 and headed a capital campaign to renovate the BSU House and chaired the Alumni Council’s silent auction. A four-time Amazon Bestselling author, podcast host, global speaker and certified life coach, Riley continually demonstrates Wesleyan’s objective for alumni to be leaders throughout their lives.

Curtis Wilkerson ’99 majored in history and political science at WVWC and went on to found Orion Strategies, a firm providing strategic communication, public relations and state and federal government affairs. Offices can now be found in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Washington, D.C., as well as West Virginia. He is married to Kristi Wilkerson ’99, who recently accepted the position of Vice President of Advancement at WVWC.

Michael Bush ’10 is an attorney and entrepreneur in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, owning and operating various real estate companies, including 1st Management Group, LLC and Real Property Solutions, LLC.  Mike graduated with Honors from WVWC in 2010 and from West Virginia University College of Law in 2013 as a member of Order of the Coif.  He is active with the Berkeley County Planning Commission and Gerrardstown Presbyterian Church. Mike and his wife, Liz, have the honor of raising a rambunctious toddler, Abby. Since graduating from Wesleyan, Mike and a core group of Bobcat friends gather every year for a Thanksgiving cabin weekend – and their spouses and children have quickly become part of the Wesleyan family.

David Young ’87 is the founder and chief consultant of Young & Associates, a specialized consultancy based in London that focuses on developing global product positioning and branding for pharmaceuticals and other medical products. David holds an MBA in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management (now a unit of Arizona State University), a BS degree in marketing and biology from West Virginia Wesleyan College, and a certificate in Japanese studies from Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. He is a guest lecturer at the Karachi School of Business (with ties to Cambridge University). He is in the process of being certified as a board director from the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). David has been an advisor to the Board of Trustees of Hackney Empire Theatre in London, where he helped shape their equity story to support fundraising efforts. He is a long-standing member and former chairman of the senior advisory board to the Dean of Thunderbird, where he also acts as counsel to the school on marketing and branding related issues. David is part of the original founding team for the ‘Thunderbird SHARE Fellowship’, a prestigious alumni-driven scholarship/mentorship programme for exceptional students from developing countries wishing to attend Thunderbird.  David speaks German, is a certified Master SCUBA Diver, an Emergency SCUBA Medic, enjoys skiing and riding horses, and in his spare time volunteers as a surgical assistant for medical mission work in remote locations around the world.

Joanna McQuaid Webb ’07 is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She graduated from Wesleyan with a BS in Chemistry in 2007. She obtained her PhD in organometallic chemistry in 2012 from the University of Virginia, synthesizing novel transition metal complexes for catalytic small molecule transformations related to the energy sector. She began teaching at Wesleyan in 2012 and received the Exemplary Teaching Award in 2018. Joanna currently serves as a Career Consultant for the American Chemical Society and as Chair of Faculty Senate.  She also owns and operates Three Little Buds in Buckhannon.

Bill Pastorius earned both of his degrees from West Virginia University – he completed his Bachelor of Science in Education (Secondary English specialization) in 1996 and Master of Arts in Reading in 2003. He taught English at Frankfort High School for five years before moving to Johnson City while his wife did research at East Tennessee State University.  After the birth of his daughter in 2009, Bill moved back home to WV and began working as a reading clinician at Wesleyan’s Learning Center in May of 2010.  He has been the Coordinator of Lindamood-Bell®* Methods program since August 2011.  Bill was elected to Staff Council in 2020, served as Vice Chair in 2022-2023, and currently serves as Chair.

Sadie Nichols ’25, current president of the Student Senate, is an ex-officio member of the board of trustees, along with Webb and Pastorious.

The trustees recently elected new officers: Kevin Spear ’76 as chair, Dr. Ellis Conley ’73 as secretary, Bill Fahrner ’96, MBA ’02 as chair of finance and David A. Young ‘87 as chair of governance and trusteeship.  Other trustees returning are John Allevato ’76, Brian Brouillette ’82; Jason Fiegel ‘00; Dr. Alan Letton; Justin Raber ’08; Rev. Dr. Vance Ross ’79; Rev. Amy Shanholtzer ’87; Dr. Joanne Soliday ’69, Hon. ’16; Craig Welsh ’93; and Jamion Wolford ’08.

 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2024 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan eighth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia –   The West Virginia Wesleyan College Department of Theatre & Dance presents “Proof” by David Auburn, Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 5-7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at the door one hour prior to curtain and are $10 for general admission, $5 for seniors, students or anyone with a WVWC ID.

Winner of the 2001 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Proof” is the story of an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, her calculating older sister, their genius father, and an unexpected suitor, all pieces of the puzzle in the search for evidence about the origins of a mysterious mathematical proof. This poignant drama unfolds on the back porch of an older suburban Chicago home, near a university where the father taught. David Auburn’s characters are brilliant and instantly recognizable as those members of our own families.

The cast includes junior musical theater majors Sydney Stewart of Barboursville, West Virginia as Claire and Ben Long of Buckhannon, West Virginia as Hal, as well as Buckhannon resident Alan Stephens as Robert. As part of the requirements for their senior capstone, senior acting and directing major Ellery Brown of Bay City, Michigan is featured as Catherine. Crew for the show includes costume designs by freshman psychology major Kostadena Matina Hartley of Buckhannon, West Virginia, properties design by freshman education major Tina Green of Huntington, West Virginia, house and box office management by senior psychology major Colby Wamsley of Clarksburg, West Virginia, sound design by senior biochemistry major Owen Hess of Bridgeport, West Virginia and stage management by criminal justice and technical theater double-major Jay Coping-Smith of Charleston, West Virginia, graphic designs by Associate Professor Jon Benjamin, with scenic and lighting designs by David Hartley, new Director of Technical Theater. The play is directed by Associate Professor and Department Chair, Thomas Schoffler.

This play runs just under two hours with a 10-minute intermission and contains adult language, physical intimacy and frank depictions of mental illness. If you have questions, please contact schoffler_t@wvwc.edu

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2024 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan eighth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College is once again ranked in the top 10 for Best Value in the South in U.S. News and World Report’s 2023-2024 Best Colleges and is one of the Best Regional Colleges by The Princeton Review.

Under the U.S. News and World Report’s rankings, the College was ranked eighth for Best Value amongst Regional Colleges in the South, and 24th overall in the same category.  West Virginia Wesleyan is also listed as one of the Top Performers on Social Mobility which measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants. 

 Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing John Waltz ‘01 said, “Growth in our new student and overall enrollment numbers this fall shows that students and families value a Wesleyan education and the unique campus experience and true personal attention our residential setting offers.  We have seen tremendous growth this year in West Virginia Promise Scholars, Creative and Performing Artists, Community Service Scholars, and Student Athletes—along with our largest freshman international population in over 20 years.”

In determining Best Value Schools, U.S. News & World Report considered academic quality and cost after accounting for total expenses and financial aid. 

More than 95 percent of WVWC students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships. WVWC awards academic scholarships up to $18,000 per year, which can be combined with co-curricular scholarships (athletics, creative arts, community service), the West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship, and all outside scholarships obtained by incoming students.

 The U.S. News & World Report rankings follow the College’s listing in the ‘Best in the Southeast’ section of The Princeton Review’s “2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region” publication in August.

 WVWC was also ranked number one in Safest College Campuses in West Virginia, according to the 2024 NICHE Best College Rankings.

West Virginia Wesleyan College will host Fall Open Houses Oct. 21 and Nov. 11, giving prospective students the opportunity to explore all the College has to offer. For more information, visit www.wvwc.edu.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2024 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan eighth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

 BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College is holding an Oktoberfest Dinner Party on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the Benedum Campus Center plaza. The event will kick off a slate of celebrations in honor of the inauguration of the College’s 20^th president, Dr. James H. Moore.

The dinner party will feature German food prepared by Aladdin Food Services and traditional music by the Edelweiss Band, sponsored by Arts Alive!  The menu includes: Wiener Schnitzel (breaded pork cutlet), Brats, German Potato Pancakes, green beans, sautéed cabbage, Spaetzle, salad, pretzels with cheese, hot rolls, apple strudel, German chocolate cake, and more.

West Virginia Wesleyan invites the community to join in the inauguration festivities and attend Oktoberfest.  Dinner is $12 per person and open to the public (cash only, please, and exact change is appreciated).  In the event of rain, Oktoberfest will be held in the French A. See Dining Center of the Benedum Campus Center.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College welcomed nine new faculty members at the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, including two for the new Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

Dr. Yi Charlie Chen is a Visiting Associate Professor of Biology and will be teaching Principles of Molecular Biology and lab, Ecology and lab, Research, Principles of Organismal Biology and labs, and Senior Seminar. He holds a Ph.D. in Entomology and Molecular Biology from Washington State University. He previously taught at Alderson Broaddus University for 23 years and has worked in a USDA lab. Chen’s recent research is focused on studying the regulation of bioactive natural compounds on human health and cancer. The research found that theaflavins in tea reduced ovarian cancer cell growth therefore drinking tea reduces the chance of cancer in humans. Chen serves on the Steering Committee of the West Virginia IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (WV-INBRE). Chen has published 94 scientific papers and book chapters, has been invited as a plenary speaker on several occasions, and serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Nutritional Medicine and Diet Care. Chen is also serving as editor for four more scientific journals: Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Nutrition, Oncology Letters, and Cancers.

Dr. Paul Landen is a professor of Psychology at WVWC and will be teaching Introductory Psychology, Human Development, Counseling, and Abnormal Psychology this academic year along with supervising the psychology practicum students.  and professor emeritus of psychology at Kenai Peninsula College of the University of Alaska Anchorage. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology and religious studies from Michigan State University and completed post-doctoral work in clinical-community psychology with a rural, indigenous focus from the University of Alaska; three master’s degrees in counseling from Michigan State University, pastoral ministry from Marygrove College and Curriculum and Instruction from Ferris State University. He also completed two bachelor’s degrees in psychology and religious studies from Michigan State.  While at Kenai Peninsula College, Landen received the Outstanding Faculty Member award four times.

Dr. Jacob Hill is an assistant professor of Exercise Science and Athletic Training. He is also a strength and conditioning specialist/athletic trainer at Gorilla Strength & Fitness and an athletic trainer at Bridgeport High School. He will be teaching Principles of Athletic Training, Orthopedic Support and Immobilization Techniques, and Advanced Emergency Care for the Athletic Trainer. Hill was previously a professor of Athletic Training and Exercise Science at Alderson Broaddus University. He holds a Doctorate in Athletic Training from A.T. Still University, a master’s in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from AB. Hill’s research interest is in the use of periodization in athletic training and strength and conditioning programs.

The Clinical Mental Health Master’s Program is accepting applications now with the first cohort to begin in January 2024.

Dr. Jen Randall Reyes, ALPS, LPC,  is the program’s first director and will also teach Orientation to Professional Counseling for Spring 2024. She holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University, a Master of Arts in Community Counseling from WVU, a Master of Arts in Mediation and Conflict from The George Washington University, and a Bachelor of Arts from WVU in International Studies and German.  Randall Reyes has co-authored a book chapter currently in press for the bestselling Counseling Children and Adolescents textbook early next year. She has also accepted an invitation to participate in a round table presentation in October for the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference in Denver, Colorado. Randall Reyes was recently elected a board member of the Harrison County Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Dr. Ariel Williams, LPC, will be an assistant professor in the Masters of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. She earned her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of Montana and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. Williams has provided clinical counseling since 2012 and recently pivoted to a telehealth platform with a holistic model of healing. Her research interests relate to the experience and process of counseling supervision, creativity in teaching and counseling, and counselor wellness.

Kimberly Baughman is an assistant professor in the School of Nursing where she will teach Mental Health Nursing 320, Community Health 440, and Mental Health Clinicals. Baughman brings 18 years of teaching experience in career and technical education. Baughman earned her ASN and BSN from Fairmont State University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Capella University. For the last two years, Baughman taught at Fairmont State and was a clinical adjunct instructor there. She also has experience working in behavioral health and med surge. Baughman’s research interests revolve around mental health issues, substance abuse, and the care of these patients.

Ann Whitehair ’24 is a Clinical Instructor of Nursing for this academic year while she is enrolled in the Doctorate of Nursing Practice program. Whitehair will be clinical instructing for the nursing program BSN, critical care, and pediatrics. She is working as an FNP in Community Care family medicine. Whitehair earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Fairmont State University in 2020.

Also joining the faculty this year are Director of Technical Theatre David Hartley and Emily Ziebarth, Irene McKinney Teaching Fellow.

 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing, and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia –The Center for Restorative Justice at West Virginia Wesleyan College has been selected as one of five members of a new cohort of evidence-based granting-making by the One Foundation. The model for funding involves developing an intentional program design that will be researched in Phase 1 and implemented in Phase 2.

The $50,000 research and development grant will be used to conduct research into the need for a Day Center to provide services for unsheltered, housing- and food-insecure individuals and families in Clarksburg, WV. The funds will encourage and compensate student participation in the research conducted by the Center for Restorative Justice. Not only will collaboration between students and unsheltered stakeholders be an opportunity to build relationships between people from different backgrounds, this collaboration will allow students to actively engage in the research process, informing their approach to scholarship. Building relationships that allow students to understand barriers facing our unsheltered friends works toward cultivating the responsible citizenship promoted in the college’s Mission Statement.

For the past two years, Dr. Debra Dean Murphy ‘84, Dr. Jessica Scott, and Heather Schneider (founder of Free Meals Appalachia in Upshur County) have been serving meals and guiding circle conversations with socioeconomically marginalized members of the Clarksburg community. This work has taken place in close partnership with First United Methodist Church of Clarksburg, the United Way of Harrison and Doddridge Counties, and the Resilience Collaborative, all focused on preventing and responding to homelessness and the needs of those who are unsheltered. The One Foundation expressed excitement at supporting the work of Murphy and Scott in Clarksburg because the work on bridging divides between different stakeholders is part of what restorative justice can do. Working to bring the community together around problems that are in need of solutions embraces the values at the heart of the One Foundation’s funding model: peace, partnership, justice, wisdom, regeneration, and leadership.

On being awarded the funds, Dr. Scott said, “We see this incorporation into a program of funding as an opportunity to build collaboratively with other stakeholders in Harrison County and to gather insight into approaches that could be valuable in other counties as well.”

Murphy and Scott call the program they have implemented in Clarksburg, The Circle of Friends, a name generated by participants in the program themselves. The conversations, which are always accompanied by a meal, range in topics from “joy” and “community” to “boundaries” and “loss.” Through the exploration of those topics, individuals open up to the possibility of becoming a community through the relationships cultivated in the Circle.

Learning about their friends’ lives and volunteering occasionally with the winter warming shelter convinced Murphy and Scott that a space that people could regularly access is a pressing need for their friends in Clarksburg. Developing a day center project in conjunction with the launch of the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) Program on Wesleyan’s campus has enormous generative potential for both students and folks seeking services in Clarksburg. Murphy and Scott hope to collaborate closely with the Counseling Program to address therapeutic needs amongst the community in Clarksburg. The new Program Director of the CMHC Program, Dr. Jen Randall Reyes stated, “Community-based efforts such as this project from Drs. Murphy and Scott are one of the aspects I am most excited about aligning our counseling program with here at Wesleyan.”

In regard to bringing Wesleyan students into these efforts, Dr. Murphy noted, “It’s important to explore restorative justice in the classroom. But when students are actively engaged in the work, putting its convictions into practice, it is transformative for them and for the vulnerable persons they get to know as real human beings with struggles and joys not unlike their own.”

 ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – On April 2, 2023, the Epsilon Delta-at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) held an induction ceremony at the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts (PAC). The induction ceremony recognized and celebrated the accomplishments of 15 individuals who received and accepted an invitation to join the Epsilon Delta-at-Large Chapter of Sigma. These individuals were students enrolled in the academic programs of three institutions of higher education (Davis and Elkins College, Fairmont University, and West Virginia Wesleyan College) and nurse leaders from the community.

The individuals inducted during the ceremony include Stormie Cawthorn, Karen Seel, Nikita Collins, Katelyn Zirkle, Annette Arnett, Taylor Shannon, Kacie Barnett, Lauren Williams, Chelsea Difilippo, Mary Lacy, Jennifer Woods, Hillary Cahall, Makenzi Lewellyn, Lauren Posey, and Ann Whitehair. Nurses and nursing students who choose to become a member of the Epsilon Delta-at-Large Chapter will have opportunities to experience and grow in leadership, access to free nursing continuing professional development courses, access to scholarly journals, career connections, and networking opportunities (Sigma, 2023)

Sigma is an organization of over 100,000 active members and 600 chapters. These chapters are supported by institutes of higher education and partners in healthcare from Armenia, Australia,  Botswana to Thailand, the United States, and Wales. The membership includes bedside nurses as well as nurse educators, administrations, researchers, policy makers, and others. The purpose of this organization is to transform health care through the organization’s vision to connect and empower nurse leaders which is an organization that evolved from the efforts of six nursing students in 1922. The Global Value Statement of Sigma.

Eligibility to become a member of the Epsilon Delta-at-Large Chapter and the Sigma International program are determined by the achievements of the undergraduates, graduates, and nurse leaders. For more information, visit https://www.sigmanursing.org/why-sigma/sigma-membership/membership-faqs

 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

 

 

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – The Higher Learning Commission has granted approval for West Virginia Wesleyan College to begin its newest graduate-level program, a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

Applications are now being accepted for the two-year, 60-credit hour program with the first cohort to start in January 2024. Prior to the start of each academic term, students will connect with their peers and instructors during in-person residencies on WVWC’s campus. Students will then complete their coursework through online learning with weekly opportunities for synchronous instruction. 

Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Lynn M. Linder said, “We are pleased to have received formal approval from HLC and are very much looking forward to welcoming our first counseling graduate students in January.”

This new program is a collaborative effort made possible through a $1.2 million investment by Aetna Better Health of West Virginia and Community Care of West Virginia, with graduates eligible to receive employment opportunities through CCWV. This direct investment into our communities of trained counselors in West Virginia will help address the shortage of mental health providers statewide.

Since the Spring 2023 announcement, WVWC has hired program director Dr. Jen Randall Reyes, ALPS, LPC, who has worked in the field of mental health counseling for 20 years, and assistant professor Dr. Ariel Williams, LPC.

Randall Reyes said, “Having the capacity to officially launch this program is truly a testament to the power of community. Through our partnership with Aetna and Community Care, alongside the dedicated Wesleyan staff; we are really excited to share that we are ready to review applications for our first cohort.”

Full and part-time cohort models are available, along with the opportunity to earn a 15-credit Addictions Certificate.

Priority admission deadline is Nov. 1 for the Spring 2024 cohort. For more information, visit www.wvwc.edu/cmhc

 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 50 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing, and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 70 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – Wesleyan Department of Theatre & Dance announces auditions for our fall semester theater productions. Any member of the Wesleyan and Buckhannon community is welcome to audition. All shows for the fall semester audition Wednesday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for Performing Arts. Those interested should submit an electronic audition form found at https://forms.gle/NseNLgY8kM4kMzHY6 before Tuesday, August 22 at midnight. Be sure to list your potential conflicts and check the details below about the individual shows and their requirements. 

Actors are asked to prepare by memorizing a brief (30-60 second) comedic monologue with or without a hillbilly twang. “PIG” is heavily reliant on improvisation, so be prepared for improv exercises as well as cold readings from either script. If necessary, callbacks will be held on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m.

If you have questions about auditions, please contact Thomas Schoffler, Chair of the Theater & Dance Department, at schoffler_t@wvwc.edu. 

“Proof, by David Auburn, and directed by Thomas Schoffler, chair of the WVWC Theatre Department, will run Thursday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 7 in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts.

Winner of the 2001 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Play as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Proof is the story of an enigmatic young woman, Catherine, her manipulative sister, their brilliant father, and an unexpected suitor, all pieces of the puzzle in the search for the truth behind a mysterious mathematical proof. This poignant drama about love and reconciliation unfolds on the back porch of a house settled in a suburban university town, that is, like David Auburn’s writing, both simple and elegant.

This play contains adult language, physical intimacy and frank depictions of mental illness.

CHARACTERS:

Robert: 50s, father, genius, struggles with mental health

Catherine: 25, daughter, brilliant, sarcastic and haunted

Claire: 29, big sister, big city, organized and together 

Hal: 28, graduate student, self-proclaimed nerd, kind and goofy

Rehearsals run Sunday – Thursday nights 6:30 – 9:30 p.m,. beginning Sunday, Aug 27 until longer technical rehearsals begin Sunday Oct 1 through opening performance on October 5.

 

The Case of the Sleepwalking Pig,” written and directed by Greg Mach, professor, will be performed Friday, Nov. 3 at the Buckhannon Opera House, Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Randolph County Arts Center and Sunday, Nov. 12 at The Lodge in Alpena (two shows). 

Two mountain families feuding may sound familiar, and these wacky hillbilly families have definitely got it in for each other, so there’s sure to be murder-most-ridiculous before it’s all over! The play starts with a meeting to announce that Curly Boy, the 977 pound MacRoy family pig, has been kidnapped, and the MacRoy’s know it was one of the Flatfields that did it and they want the pig back before things get out of hand like back in the feuding days. The pastor tries to keep the peace as accusations and old  animosities fly, stirring up the feud again. Many hilarious insults are thrown back and forth, and the Pastor gets pretty loopy when his water is replaced with moonshine, and we’ll even shoot some guns off for excitement. The murder victim turns out to be the pig, so it’s barbecue pork for dinner at this dinner theatre show!

 CHARACTERS:

 Pastor Hiram- a very upright leader of the Cass/upscale Whittaker Heights community, who tries to keep peace between the two clans. Drinks lots of water because he talks and sweats so much.

 Mamaw Minnie Flatfield is the matriarch of the Flatfields and is old-fashioned in her ways, disgusted by the new-fangled world she has to live in.

Ruby Flatfield is Minnie’s daughter, a college-educated brainiac business woman with no fashion sense and a daunting vocabulary.

 Leland Flatfield is Minnie’s son, the security officer for Whittaker Heights and takes his job very seriously.

 Uncle Parrot, tied to both clans, tries to keep things hopping by playing music throughout.

 Vernon MacRoy is the gruff patriarch of the MacRoys and owner of a 977 lb. prize pig named Curly Boy.

 Little Bobby MacRoy is a local crime boss involved in lots of illegal activities, primarily drugs and moonshine.

 Eloise (eh- LOW- iss)  MacRoy is a flashy, flirty actress that made a couple of unmemorable B-movies in Hollywood before returning home to live off daddy’s money.

 Rehearsals start in September around “Proof” rehearsals, and then daily Sundays through Thursdays, 8-11 p.m., October 8-31, with an on-campus performance November 1, and dress rehearsals at each of the venues the evenings or afternoons before each performance. Additional performances may be added at each of the venues, depending on ticket sales.