Parkersburg, W.Va. (Feb. 28, 2023) – The WVU Parkersburg Professional Studies Division hosted a ceremony Feb. 27 to honor students being admitted into the education program, as well as induct new members into the honor society Kappa Delta Pi.

Students Chloe Blatt, Rebecca Burdette, Elizabeth Collie, Scott Gorby, Kensley Hager, Quentin Kennedy, Madeline Kitts, Kelsie Means, Kathryn Offenberger, Ariana Pagan, Mariah Parks, Kaeleigh Parsons, and Harley Saxton were admitted into the education program.

“The signing ceremony is a pivotal point for our education majors. Teacher candidates being accepted into the program must have a 3.0 GPA, pass three PRAXIS Core exams, successfully complete 60 hours of field placement and complete 50 hours of service learning,” said Dr. Bobbi Marshall, Dean of the Professional Studies Division.

“Teacher candidates have worked hard to get to this point in the program. We are very proud of their accomplishments and look forward to seeing great things from them as they move into the next phase of their education.”

Olivia Birkhimer, Rebecca Burdette, Lindsey Cross, Abigail Lathem, Kathryn Offenberger, Hannah Parsons, Vanessa Patton, Harley Saxton, and Elizabeth Weaver were all inducted into Kappa Delta Pi.

“Seeing new faces joining the education program and Kappa Delta Pi brings me joy. In today’s society, this profession is much needed. I can’t wait to see how these future teachers positively impact the lives of their students,” said KDP President Maggy Criser.

For more information on the WVU Parkersburg education program, please visit wvup.edu/education.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Feb. 27, 2023) – WVU Parkersburg will host an Adult Mental Health First Aid course on Friday, March 3, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in support of the West Virginia Green Bandana Initiative.

The Green Bandana Initiative, an effort spearheaded by members of the 2021-2022 State Advisory Council of Students, is a mental health awareness and training campaign aimed at encouraging students at West Virginia’s colleges and universities to receive peer-level mental health training and at increasing awareness of the importance of mental health. The Green Bandana Initiative is intended to be a student-led effort, calling on SGA members and other student leaders on campus to help spread the word about mental health trainings, such as Mental Health First Aid, QPR, SafeTALK or other evidence-based mental health/gatekeeper trainings to their fellow students.

Students who complete training will receive a green bandana to wear or tie to their book bag to signify to other students that they have been trained and can offer peer-level assistance. The green bandanas worn by the trained students also serve to raise awareness of the importance of mental health.

Mental Health First Aid is a skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use issues. The course gives tools for reaching out and providing help and support to someone experiencing a crisis or who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem.

The training is open to students, staff, and faculty. Registration is first come, first serve, with a limit of 30 people for the training session. This is a blended training with online coursework that must be completed prior to the in-person training session on March 3.

To register for the training, contact Andrew Walker at wwalker1@wvup.edu by Wednesday, March 1.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (February 23, 2023) – Want to be a part of something big, really big? Then come to the Parkersburg Art Center Friday, 4-7 p.m., or Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., to attend the first of several painting parties for a new mural that will surround the entrance to Point Park.

The Arts of the MOV and the Parkersburg Art Center have commissioned West Virginia Muralist Nichole Westfall to create a mural to adorn the floodwall on both sides and across the top of the entrance to Point Park. Westfall’s design creates an open feeling to the entrance, that can feel narrow for drivers and pedestrians. The design reflects the community gardens of the Greater Parkersburg CVB Welcome Center, opening this spring, native birds and other elements of the river and city.

Like the mural that now adorns the Parkersburg Art Center wall, this mural starts with five by five foot pieces of polytab material that have been marked with color codes. The community is invited to help paint this color-coded base layer. The mural will be completed and applied to floodwall in early June. Westfall and her assistant artists were trained in the polytab process by Muralist Greta McClain when they assisted her in 2021 with the Good Space mural.

The work is funded in part with a grant from the City of Parkersburg. For information about the painting parties and how you can get involved, please contact the Parkersburg Art Center, 304-485-3859.

The Arts of the MOV is a collaboration of 12 local arts organizations that is coordinated by WVU at Parkersburg Foundation. http:/artsofthemov.wvup.edu

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Feb. 14, 2023) – WVU Parkersburg’s Criminal Justice Organization (CJO) is collecting donations to help support the Carry On Campaign, now until Feb. 17.

“Our students learned about the processes of Child Protective Services and the foster care system and were shocked to find that, in many instances, young people in an emergency situation or in foster care are forced to carry their possessions in a garbage bag,” said Assistant Professor Andrew Walker. “They chose to support the Carry On Campaign to help address this critical need in our area.”

The Carry On Campaign aims to help children in the West Virginia foster care system by collecting donated luggage and other supplies. Donations primarily include new and gently used luggage, backpacks, and duffle bags, but can be filled with other supplies, such as hygiene products, cosmetic products, school supplies, coloring books, blankets and card games.

The campaign started in October 2010 as part of a collaborative, multi-agency partnership that includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Mission West Virginia, Inc., the West Virginia Prosecuting Attorney’s Institute and the West Virginia Drug Endangered Children Task Force.

Donations can be dropped off at The Success Epicenter in Room 1332 from now until Feb. 17. For more information, contact Andrew Walker at wwalker1@wvup.edu or Criminal Justice Instructor Amy Strong at astrong2@wvup.edu.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (February 13, 2023) – Careers in health care are exciting, rewarding, and offer a lifetime of fulfillment. The Nursing and Health Sciences Division prides itself on the quality of education we offer with new simulation labs, clinical rotations, concept-based learning and much more!

The Nursing and Health Sciences will be having an Open House event Tuesday, Feb. 21, from 5:30 – 7 p.m., in the Nursing and Health Sciences classrooms located on the second floor of the main campus, to showcase the state-of-the-art equipment WVU Parkersburg has to offer. Prospective students and their families can connect with faculty and staff.

Hands-on activities during the Open House include:

• In the Simulation Lab, prospective students can participate in live simulation features like mother and baby and a CPR demonstration.
• In the Campus Lab, prospective students can work with our robotic mannequins, take vital signs, practice removing staples, and learn about wound care.
• In one of the classrooms, participants will be able to wear our new HoloLens (virtual reality) goggles and experience different types of patient situations.
• The Surgical Technology Lab will also provide live demonstrations.

“This event is an excellent opportunity to experience hands-on activities that will provide knowledge of what our program can offer before becoming a healthcare professional,” said Katie Finnerty, Nursing and Health Science’s Student Success Advisor.

Visit wvup.edu/nursing to learn more about the Nursing Program. For more information contact Katie Finnerty at kfinnert@wvup.edu.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (February 10, 2023) – With a focus on creating new technology companies in the Mid-Ohio Valley, Professor Charles Almond will serve as WVU Parkersburg’s first C.O. and Charles F. Erickson Distinguished Faculty Chair in Entrepreneurship.

“Professor Almond’s proposal embodied what The Erickson Foundation envisioned when the C.O and Charles F. Erickson Distinguished Faculty Chair in Entrepreneurship was established,” said Kathy Eddy, Trustee, The Erickson Foundation. “He intends to challenge students to develop entrepreneurial ideas that can lead to a business, including assisting them to develop a business, marketing plan and hopefully attract investors. In addition, his vision includes the intent for the businesses developed to remain in the local area. I see that as a win for WVUP and a win for our community.”

Almond’s proposal for the distinguished faculty chair is based in his discipline of computer science/software engineering program, as well as the information technology program. His proposal includes recruiting students to come up with innovative ideas for their own potential software businesses, mentoring students as they start developing their products, and working with students through classes to create the software for their business. The proposal also includes helping students to incorporate their businesses and become connected with resources for advertising and marketing, as well as accounting and financial management. The project culminates with helping students create a “pitch” for their business to potential investors.

“These engagement goals should foster an entrepreneurial spirit of creativity, opportunity, and innovation among students,” Almond said. “Students who take advantage of this will also benefit from applying what they are learning in a much more significant and meaningful way.”

Funded by The Erickson Foundation, this distinguished, endowed faculty chair position is designed to enhance faculty/student partnerships to promote faculty and undergraduate research to engage students in advanced experiential learning opportunities, and to promote faculty and student academic endeavor.

“We appreciate The Erickson Foundation for recognizing the value of the faculty at WVU Parkersburg and understanding their significance to our community’s success,” Interim President Dr. Torie Jackson said. “We challenge the faculty member to apply and test academic knowledge and strategies in field-based, hands-on situations and to infuse that real-world experience into teaching, mentoring, and research strategies to enhance experiential learning. In this proposal, we hope to see new technology companies emerge and operate in the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

Selection for the distinguished chair was open to faculty members teaching in all academic and technical disciplines currently offered by WVUP. This will be a rotating appointment. The initial appointment will begin with the spring 2023 academic term and will be for a two-year period with the possibility, but not the guarantee, of renewal for one additional two-year period for a maximum total of four years.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Feb. 8, 2023) – WVU Parkersburg’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is hosting a presentation by Adjunct Economics Instructor Terry Tamburini that will focus on diversity and how diversifying the Mid-Ohio Valley can lead to maintaining a consistent level of economic and social progress.

“I am proud that we can share unique programming with our campus community. Tamburini’s presentation will undoubtedly give many of us a new perspective when it comes to diversity, especially in the Mid-Ohio Valley,” said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair Nancy Harris.

Tamburini has been an adjunct instructor of economics at WVU Parkersburg since 1990. He is a native of Parkersburg and received his post-secondary education at Xavier University and a master’s degree at Miami University.

Upon completing of his academic responsibilities, he began his professional career as an economic development specialist for the West Central Community Action Association. He followed this experience with the directorship of the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council and served as development director with the City of Parkersburg, a development faculty position with the Ohio State University, and the directorship of the Southeastern Ohio Port Authority.

The event will take place on Monday, Feb. 20 at 12:15 p.m. in the College Theater with no entry cost. For more information, contact Nancy Harris at nharris2@wvup.edu.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Feb. 7, 2023) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Board of Governors will meet Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. The meeting will take place, at 4 p.m., via Zoom. For further details and instructions on how to attend the meeting, please contact lauriel.rader@wvup.edu.

Visit http://www.wvup.edu/about/board-of-governors/agendas/ to view the complete agenda.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Jan. 25, 2023) – West Virginia University at Parkersburg is proud to announce its Spring 2023 clinical teacher candidates.

The WVU Parkersburg Elementary Education program provides field experience in the classroom as early as the freshman year. With the traditional student teaching model, teacher candidates spend a semester in two classrooms and quickly assume teaching responsibilities under the mentorship of an experienced teacher until they are teaching full-time. The new residency model places teacher candidates in one classroom for their entire senior year, and they assume responsibilities more gradually.

“We are extremely proud of our student teacher and Residency I and II candidates. Our teacher candidates have spent countless hours preparing for this semester,” stated Dr. Bobbi Marshall, Dean of Professional Studies. “Coursework is completed, national exams have been passed, numerous lesson plans have been written—They are now prepared to take on the responsibility of educating our state’s most important resource – our children.”

The Spring 2023 class of students in Residency 1 includes:

Kailey Elliott

Jordan Flinn

Mikayla Gessel

Amanda Gist

Abigail Homan

Cody Moore

Anthony Perry

Jonathan Zuniga

Student Teacher not pictured: Abby Anderson

The Spring 2023 class of students in Residency 2 and student teacher includes:

Emily Hatfield

Sierra Backus

Madi Ball

Olivia Dailey

Megan Dennis (Student Teacher)

Lexis Hill

Heather Lawson

Sierra Runner

Ashley Ward

Staclyn White

Not pictured: Jessica Perkins

To learn more about the Elementary Education program, please visit wvup.edu/education.

Contact Roberta Marshall at rmarsha7@wvup.edu or 304-424-8000 ext. 442 to start a career in Elementary Education or Child Development.

Parkersburg, W.Va. (Jan. 20, 2023) – WVU Parkersburg begins their intramural basketball spring league. They plan to continue playing throughout January and February.

The games will be played off-campus at the Elite Sports Center at 2000 1st Ave, Parkersburg, W.Va. The upcoming schedule is as follows:

Sunday, Jan 22, at 2:40 p.m..: Headbandz Make Her Dance (Red) v. WVU Parkersburg Riverhawks 

Sunday, Jan. 29, at 4:20 p.m.: WVU Parkersburg Riverhawks v. OTF

Sunday, Feb. 5, at 2:40 p.m.: The Bums (Green) v. WVU Parkersburg Riverhawks

Sunday, Feb. 19, at 1:50 p.m.: Grey Squad (Grey) v WVU Parkersburg Riverhawks

Sunday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m.: Price the Revolution (Pink) v. WVU Parkersburg Riverhawks

Intramural sports are recreational competitions played between teams comprised of college students. Intramurals allow students to continue their love of sports after high school and provide an experience to build friendships.

“When you are on the court, it is teamwork. It is fun for us to rely on one another on and off the court,” said Hunter Coull, WVU Parkersburg Business Administration student.

To learn more about intramural sports at WVU Parkersburg, contact JB Skidmore, Student Activities coordinator, at jbskidmore@wvup.edu.