News Type: Faculty

BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – The West Virginia Wesleyan College Department of Theatre and Dance presents the classic Sam Shepard play, “True West.”

“True West” will run October 6, 7, and 8  at 8pm in the Atkinson Black Box Theater located in the Administration Building. Performances are free, but seating is limited. 

A 1983 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this American classic explores what might spring from the demented terrain of the California landscape when sons of a desert-dwelling alcoholic and a suburban wanderer clash over a film script. Set in the Western United States in the early 1980s, “True West” tells the story of two estranged brothers, Austin and Lee. With Mom taking a trip to Alaska, it’s up to Austin to take care of her house. However, not everything goes to plan when his older brother, Lee, makes a surprise appearance. The intimate intensity is met with frequent comedic moments that are sure to demonstrate Sam Shepard’s brilliance in his telling of this broken family dynamic.

“True West” is directed by Derek Hess, Jackson Johnson, and Timmy Walker, who will all also act in the production as part of their senior project, with advising by Thomas Schoffler. Additionally, fight choreography is by Millie Omps, with scenic and lighting design by Keith Saine, and costume design by Technical Theatre Major Elizabeth Tweel ’23. The show is also stage managed by Tweel, with Theatre Arts and Media Communication Double-Major Anthony Damcott ‘23 as assistant stage manager, who is also serving as assistant director and fight captain. 

The cast of “True West” includes Derek Hess ’23, Theatre Arts Major, as Austin and Lee; Theatre Arts Major, Jackson Johnson ‘23, as Austin; Timmy Walker ‘23, Musical Theatre and Media Communication Double-Major, as Lee; Ellery Brown, Theatre Arts Major, as Mom; and Thomas Schoffler, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, as Saul Kimmer.

“True West” contains themes including violence, alcohol use, drug use, as well as adult language.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 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 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – West Virginia Wesleyan College is ranked in the top 10 for Best Value in the South in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022-2023 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 seventh for Best Value amongst Regional Colleges in the South, and 12th 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. 

“West Virginia Wesleyan College’s latest rankings by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review demonstrate the strong tradition of excellence that our College has built over the past 132 years,” interim president Dr. James Moore said. 

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 “2023 Best Colleges: Region by Region” publication in August.

WVWC was also recognized in the recently released Washington Monthly Rankings in the Best Bang for the Buck Southeast Division, based on students attaining marketable degrees at affordable prices.

The College earned another mention as one of the top five higher education institutions in West Virginia producing the most high-earning female residents in the Mid-Atlantic and South regions. The data from Steppingblocks  analyzed post-graduate outcomes for high earning female students in those regions. 

West Virginia Wesleyan College will host Fall Open House Events Oct. 29, Nov. 12 and Dec. 5, giving prospective students a chance to explore all the College has to offer. For more information on these Visit Days and the College, log on to www.wvwc.edu.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 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 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – Together with partners from West Virginia University and Glenville State University, West Virginia Wesleyan College is hosting a program on Election Integrity in the Mountain State Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Social Hall, located on the third floor of the Benedum Campus Center.

Former Secretary of State Natalie Tennant  will address the attendees with a recorded message about the importance of civic engagement in our democracy. Tennant recently received a residential fellowship at Harvard University. Dr. Coty Martin, assistant professor of political science,  will speak on voting rights and the U.S. Constitution in honor of Constitution Day. Tennant served as West Virginia Secretary of State from 2009 to 2017.

Martin said, “Our goal with this series of events is to bring students and community members together across the Mountain State for a conversation not so much about partisan perspectives on the right to vote but instead what we as Americans value about democracy and our right to participate in the electoral process.”

This program is made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities special initiative, a More Perfect Union, through the West Virginia Humanities Council. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities. It also benefits from generous support by Glenville State University, West Virginia University and West Virginia Wesleyan College.” 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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  – Officials at West Virginia Wesleyan College have announced changes to the College’s Administration for the 2022-2023 year.  This week, the College announced the hiring of Dennis E. “Denny” McMaster to the position of Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer. McMaster brings decades of valuable higher education experience to the Wesleyan campus, having served in similar positions at Washington Jefferson College and, currently, as the VP for Finance at Bethany College.   

He will join the WVWC team in late September, accompanying Dr. Lynn Linder, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Alison Whitehair, Vice President for Student Development, John Waltz, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, and Dr. Dedriell Taylor, Vice President for Advancement, in new or expanded leadership roles at the College.

The Wesleyan Board of Trustees also announced that Dr. James Moore, serving as Interim President, has been extended a two-year contract.  Moore previously served the College as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Director of the School of Fine Arts and Humanities, and chair of the music department.  He has provided leadership to the College since February of 2022 and has overseen the positive advancement of the institution’s forward-looking strategic plan. 

“The Board of Trustees unanimously approved extending Dr. Moore’s appointment as Interim President of WVWC through June 30, 2024,”  said Caroline Rapking, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are pleased with how Dr. Moore and the team have come together and continue to move the College forward in a positive way.  The Board feels that it is important to keep that momentum going so that the College can focus on carrying out its mission of excellence in higher education.”

The College has also recently announced the hiring of other key roles, including the appointment of Kobe Vinegar as Director of Alumni Relations and Laurie Goux as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Information on these and other hires, as well as upcoming campus events, can be found at www.wvwc.edu. 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – West Virginia Wesleyan College welcomed new faculty members for Fall Semester 2022 in several academic areas across campus. 

The new faculty members are Crystal Brown, visiting assistant professor of art and gallery director of the Sleeth Art Gallery; Alexis de Coning, visiting assistant professor of communication; Erin DiStefano ‘08, writing center and ESL coordinator; Elizabeth Mearns ‘19, visiting assistant professor of accounting; Kellie Tatem (M.F.A ‘21), McKinney fellow; Vince Trimboli (M.F.A ‘13), visiting full time faculty in English; Craig Wiernik; assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice; and Meleesa Wohleber ‘00, athletic training program director and associate professor of exercise science and athletic training.

Brown is from Michigan and received her Master of Fine Arts from Ohio University, her Bachelor of Fine Arts, and minor of history from Kendal College of Art and Design. Her research focuses on interdisciplinary art, art history, and curatorial work. She will teach various classes in art and design, and would like to collaborate in the creation of new courses with other departments. After working adjunct for Wesleyan the last five years, she looks forward to her new position. 

De Coning is from South Africa but has lived in the United States for seven years. She received her Ph.D. in media studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Master and Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Rhodes University in South Africa. Her research focuses on communicative history and practices of the mens’ rights movement. She will teach classes in communication. De Coning also loves to hike and drink tea. 

DiStefano is from West Virginia but grew up in Virginia and North Carolina. She received her Master of Fine Arts in children’s literature from Hollins University, and Bachelor of Arts in graphic design and minor in English from WVWC. Her research was in female protagonists in middle grade STEM novels, and is interested in researching Appalachian folk and ghost tales, children and young adolescent graphic novels, and illustration in classic children’s literature. She is excited to return to Wesleyan. When she attended WVWC, she played tennis, was in Wesleyan Singers and also worked in the AV office.

Mearns is from Clarksburg, West Virginia and received her Master of Accountancy at West Virginia University, and Bachelor of Science in accounting and a minor in theatre from WVWC. She is excited to return to her alma mater as a professor and give current students the same education she had received.

Tatem is from Georgia and received her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from WVWC, and Bachelor of Science in media art and animation from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Her research focus lies in writing in narrative voice and she would consider pursuing her PhD in order to study this further. Tatem is the McKinney Scholar for 2022-2023 and this is awarded to a recent graduate of the program. The McKinney Fellowship is a teaching mentorship and she will be teaching six classes this year for the English Department. Tatem has two parrots and two dogs.

Trimboli is from Elkins, West Virginia and received his Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and Bachelor of Art in theatre arts at WVWC. He is a published poet who’s work focuses on the dichotomy of Queerness and Appalachia, but the majority of his research focuses on Queerness and Gender in modern poetry and fiction. He has also published three books of poetry, the most recent being “The Book of Rabbits” in 2019 with Moontide Press in Los Angeles, California. He also teaches college English and public speaking classes to inmates at a security prison.

Wiernik is from Yardley, Pennsylvania and received his Ph.D. in sociology and Master of Art in crime, law and justice from Penn State, and a Bachelor of Arts in political science. His research interests are prison education, the link between religiosity and attitudes, and recently examining social trust, families and incarceration. He will teach courses in sociology and criminal justice, but will also teach a class he hopes will be in the fall of 2023, where the same amount of students and prisoners will take a three credit course inside the prison. He also likes to play the guitar, video games, and he enjoys photography and cooking. 

Wohleber is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and received her Doctorate in health science at Nova Southeastern University, a Master of Science in kinesiology and athletic administration at James Madison University, and a Bachelor of Science in athletic training from WVWC. Her research interests include musculoskeletal injuries in military and tactical populations and athletic training services in the secondary school setting. She is excited to return to her original athletic training career here at Wesleyan and is to work with the students, staff, faculty and graduating a new generation of athletic trainers.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 –  West Virginia Wesleyan College recently appointed Beth Rogers ’97 as Director of Library Services.

Rogers was a double major in English Literature and Secondary Education during her time at West Virginia Wesleyan College as a student and later earned a Masters in Library Science from Drexel University.

Rogers returns to the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library after serving as assistant director at the Upshur County Public Library and says she is most excited to be working with students again.

“The library serves a key role on campus in supporting the work of teaching and learning for all members of the campus community,” Rogers said. “We provide access to resources, collections and services to support the work of our curriculum, and our staff is available to help our users effectively use the resources available to them.”

“Additionally, we provide a key campus gathering space to allow for both personal research and study and collaborative work among students, faculty and staff.”

The Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library underwent a $2 million renovation with input from students, reopening in fall 2019. The renovation included creating 24-hour access to the library for students, faculty and staff.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – Three West Virginia Wesleyan College athletic trainers have been awarded by the West Virginia Athletic Trainers’ Association this past spring.

There are five awards given out by the WVATA each year and WVWC is responsible for housing three of the five. The awards won are WVATA Hall of Fame, WVATA Service Award and WV AT of the Year. 

Dr. Dan Martin, director of the Masters in Athletic Training Program; Dr. Rae Emrick, then Director of the School of Exercise Science and Athletic Training, and Hideomi Masuda, athletic trainer, were those who received the awards. 

Martin was inducted into the 2022 WVATA Hall of Fame. He was a charter member of the WVATA when it was first established in 1983. Martin was uncertain of who nominated him but he found out a few days prior to the meeting because the WVATA contacted him to make sure he would be attending. 

“For the association to recognize me for years of service, it was quite an honor, and it was quite a surprise,” he said. 

And for WVATA to recognize three faculty/staff members from WVWC is “just fantastic,” Martin added. 

Emrick accepted the 2022 WVATA Service Award. This award recognizes athletic trainers who give service to an organization, and to the profession as a whole across the state of West Virginia. 

“It was a great honor and humbling to receive this,” she said. “It is nice to have others see and recognize your contributions that you have made throughout the year.”

She had been nominated by one of Wesleyan’s own in the AT staff, and believes she was nominated because of how she had handled COVID protocols when she was the head of the athletic department. Emrick retired this past spring. 

Masuda was awarded WV AT of the Year. He is responsible for the women’s soccer team, the men’s basketball team, and the baseball team here at WVWC. 

Masuda took the time to explain how the experiences here at Wesleyan and being a full time AT have helped him grow as a professional.

“I am very honored and humbled to receive this award along with Rae and Dr. Martin,” he remarked. “I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity given to me by the College.”

Faculty were not the only ones in the spotlight for Wesleyan at WVATA. Theresa Burgess ‘22, Grace Lee ‘22 and Easton Perry ‘23 were those who represented the WVATA and the State of WV at the District III – Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers’ Association Student Quiz Bowl in Charlotte, NC on May 13.  

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 –  West Virginia Wesleyan College has appointed Dr. Robert Palmer as Director of Athletic Bands.

Palmer earned his Doctorate of Music in Brass Performance from Florida State University and returned to the Mountain State last year. He also holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Western Illinois University where he served as a graduate assistant in the band program.

Prior to leaving to pursue his doctorate degree, Palmer spent 2 ½ years as Director of Athletic Bands at Alderson Broaddus University.

Now, Palmer will be overseeing West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Marching Band program, revived in 2014, while expanding the College’s Pep Band reach.

“I love the atmosphere on campus,” Palmer said of West Virginia Wesleyan College. “I am also familiar with the programs and the directors around West Virginia. I’m very excited to be back in this element and start reconnecting with those friends and colleagues I met while at AB.”

Palmer is an accomplished horn player, vocalist, pianist, trumpet player and composer and plans to continue building on the excellent tradition of the Bobcat Marching Band.

“Besides growing the program and establishing a presence in the region for the athletic band program, I am looking forward to expanding the Pep Band,” he said.

“The Pep Band will play at basketball games and expand to some volleyball games as we work to create a more exciting game day experience,” Palmer said.

With the Bobcat Marching Band already sporting new uniforms, Palmer hopes to outfit the Pep Band with new uniforms as well.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Low-Residency Masters of Fine Arts Program will host its 2022 Summer Reading Series July 2, 3, 5 and 6.

All readings will be held at 7 p.m. in Room 213 of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library on the WVWC campus and are free and open to the public. The readings will also be streamed live on the program’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/wvwcmfa.

Saturday, July 2 will feature Jessica Handler,  author of the novel The Magnetic Girl, winner of the 2020 Southern Book Prize and a nominee for the Townsend Prize for Fiction. The novel is one of the 2019 “Books All Georgians Should Read,” an Indie Next pick, Wall Street Journal Spring 2019 pick, Bitter Southerner Summer 2019 pick, and a SIBA Okra Pick. Her memoir, Invisible Sisters, was also named one of the “Books All Georgians Should Read,” and her craft guide Braving the Fire: A Guide to Writing About Grief and Loss was praised by Vanity Fair magazine. Her writing has appeared on NPR, in Tin House, Drunken Boat, The Bitter Southerner, Electric Literature, Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Newsweek, Full Grown People, Oldster, After the Art, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Magazine, and The Washington Post. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia and teaches creative writing. www.jessicahandler.com.

On Sunday, July 3, the audience will hear from Richard Schmitt, author of a novel, The Aerialist, and a collection of short stories, Living Among Strangers. His stories and essays have appeared in many places, including The Gettysburg Review, The Mississippi Review, Blackbird and others. His story “Leaving Venice, Florida” won 1st Prize in The Mississippi Review short story contest and was anthologized in New Stories of the South: The Year’s Best 1999. His essay “Sometimes a Romantic Notion” was published in The Gettysburg Review and selected for The Best American Essays 2013.

Randon Billings Noble  will restart the series on July 5 after a holiday break.  Her anthology of lyric essays, A Harp in the Stars, was published by the University of Nebraska Press in October 2021.    Her full-length collection Be with Me Always was published by Nebraska in 2019 and was a Finalist for the Foreword Indies Awards for Essays.  Individual essays have been published in the Modern Love column of The New York Times; The Massachusetts Review; Passages North; The Georgia Review; Shenandoah; The Rumpus; Brevity; Fourth Genre; The Los Angeles Review of Books; Creative Nonfiction, Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, and elsewhere.  Randon is also the founding editor of the online literary magazine After the Art. Her next book, Shade and Shadow, is a lyric meditation on shadows, forthcoming from Nebraska.  Her website is randonbillingsnoble.com.

Concluding the series on July 6 will be Larry D. Thacker, a Kentuckian writer, artist, educator and actor living in Johnson City, Tenn.  His poetry and fiction have been widely published, appearing in Still: The Journal, Poetry South, Valparaiso Poetry Review and Appalachian Review, among many others.  He is the author of four books of poetry, Drifting in Awe (2017), Grave Robber Confessional (2019), Feasts of Evasion (2019) and Gateless Menagerie (2021).  His debut short story collection, Working it off in Labor County was published by West Virginia University Press in 2021, and the follow-up volume, Labor Days, Labor Nights was published by Bottom Dog Press later the same year.

Larry is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a seventh-generation native of the Cumberland Gap area.  He holds an MFA from West Virginia Wesleyan College.  He is an occasional adjunct instructor at Northeast State Community College in Tennessee and is a regular on the Netflix reality show, Swap Shop.

West Virginia Wesleyan’s low-residency Master of Fine Arts Program offers writers the opportunity to study fiction, nonfiction or poetry with accomplished and dedicated mentors in an intimate student-centered environment. The MFA is a two-year, 49-credit hour program with two 10-day residencies that initiate an independent semester of apprenticeship

completed offsite through correspondence with a mentor. The next application deadline is Oct. 1. For more information, visit www.wvwc.edu/mfa.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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 – West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Low-Residency Masters of Fine Arts Program will host its 2022 Summer Reading Series July 2, 3, 5 and 6.

All readings will be held at 7 p.m. in Room 213 of the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library on the WVWC campus and are free and open to the public. The readings will also be streamed live on the program’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/wvwcmfa.

Saturday, July 2 will feature Jessica Handler,  author of the novel The Magnetic Girl, winner of the 2020 Southern Book Prize and a nominee for the Townsend Prize for Fiction. The novel is one of the 2019 “Books All Georgians Should Read,” an Indie Next pick, Wall Street Journal Spring 2019 pick, Bitter Southerner Summer 2019 pick, and a SIBA Okra Pick. Her memoir, Invisible Sisters, was also named one of the “Books All Georgians Should Read,” and her craft guide Braving the Fire: A Guide to Writing About Grief and Loss was praised by Vanity Fair magazine. Her writing has appeared on NPR, in Tin House, Drunken Boat, The Bitter Southerner, Electric Literature, Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Newsweek, Full Grown People, Oldster, After the Art, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Magazine, and The Washington Post. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia and teaches creative writing.

On Sunday, July 3, the audience will hear from Richard Schmitt, author of a novel, The Aerialist, and a collection of short stories, Living Among Strangers. His stories and essays have appeared in many places, including The Gettysburg Review, The Mississippi Review, Blackbird and others. His story “Leaving Venice, Florida” won 1st Prize in The Mississippi Review short story contest and was anthologized in New Stories of the South: The Year’s Best 1999. His essay “Sometimes a Romantic Notion” was published in The Gettysburg Review and selected for The Best American Essays 2013.

Randon Billings Noble will restart the series on July 5 after a holiday break.  Her anthology of lyric essays, A Harp in the Stars, was published by the University of Nebraska Press in October 2021.    Her full-length collection Be with Me Always was published by Nebraska in 2019 and was a Finalist for the Foreword Indies Awards for Essays.  Individual essays have been published in the Modern Love column of The New York Times; The Massachusetts Review; Passages North; The Georgia Review; Shenandoah; The Rumpus; Brevity; Fourth Genre; The Los Angeles Review of Books; Creative Nonfiction, Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction Studies, and elsewhere.  Randon is also the founding editor of the online literary magazine After the Art. Her next book, Shade and Shadow, is a lyric meditation on shadows, forthcoming from Nebraska.

Concluding the series on July 6 will be Larry D. Thacker, a Kentuckian writer, artist, educator and actor living in Johnson City, Tenn.  His poetry and fiction have been widely published, appearing in Still: The Journal, Poetry South, Valparaiso Poetry Review and Appalachian Review, among many others.  He is the author of four books of poetry, Drifting in Awe (2017), Grave Robber Confessional (2019), Feasts of Evasion (2019) and Gateless Menagerie (2021).  His debut short story collection, Working it off in Labor County was published by West Virginia University Press in 2021, and the follow-up volume, Labor Days, Labor Nights was published by Bottom Dog Press later the same year.

Larry is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a seventh-generation native of the Cumberland Gap area.  He holds an MFA from West Virginia Wesleyan College.  He is an occasional adjunct instructor at Northeast State Community College in Tennessee and is a regular on the Netflix reality show, Swap Shop.

West Virginia Wesleyan’s low-residency Master of Fine Arts Program offers writers the opportunity to study fiction, nonfiction or poetry with accomplished and dedicated mentors in an intimate student-centered environment. The MFA is a two-year, 49-credit hour program with two 10-day residencies that initiate an independent semester of apprenticeship completed offsite through correspondence with a mentor. The next application deadline is Oct. 1. For more information, visit www.wvwc.edu/mfa.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts 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 one of its 2022 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan a “Top 20” Best Value – Regional Universities (South) and one of the “Top 75” Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students more than 40 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, and nursing; 22 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.