On Thursday, February 19, five West Virginia Wesleyan College students from the Department of Biology and Environmental Science joined 115 other undergraduate researchers to present their tick and Lyme disease research findings at the 23rd Annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia.  The students are Haden Fincham ‘26, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; E. Cadie Kittle ‘26, of Belington, West Virginia; Ashlyn Smith ‘27, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Kaylie “Kai” Toler ‘27, of Harts, West Virginia; and Taryn Veltri ‘28, of Tunnelton, West Virginia. The students are part of WVWC’s “Tick Team” led by Melanie Sal, PhD and Kim Bjorgo, PhD.  

“This was an amazing experience for me, to share my research with my delegate,” Toler said.

Fincham stated, “Having this opportunity to tell our legislators about the scientific research they fund is what makes our College and Undergraduate Research Day unique.”

The students’ research is supported by funding from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (SURE grant), the Maier Family Foundation, the McCuskey Family Fellowship, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

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 135 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2026 Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2026  Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan second in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and counseling; 22 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.