Alternative energy made an appearance at Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College on Friday.

Asolar panel array was installed next to the library on the shared campus.

The solar panels are a result of a $10,000 grant from the Dominion Foundation. The FSU College of Science and Technology applied for a grant with the help of Dr. Don Trisel, dean of the college; Dr. Erica Harvey, a chemistry professor at FSU; andAmantha Cole, Title III project director for FSU. The grant was awarded in October of 2015, Trisel said.

“We are thankful for this funding opportunity from the Dominion Foundation and for their ongoing support of Fairmont State,” Amy Baker, director of marketing and branding for FSU, said about the grant.

The grant was awarded to benefit the SolarArmy, a group exploring more efficient ways to harvest solar energy. It was also awarded to install solar panels on campus, Trisel said.

The College of Science and Technology wanted to install solar panels on campus “to create more awareness for alternative energies on campus,” Trisel said.

There has recently been unrest in the coal and oil and gas industry, he said.

“Sunshine is free,” Trisel said. “I don’t want to see other industries get put out of work, but I think we need to diversify to protect ourselves.”

If solar energy were expanded, the displaced workers from the coal and oil and gas industry could be retrained to work in the solar industry,! he said.

The Dominion Foundation is not the only organization that helped get the solar panels installed on campus.

Mountain View Solar from Berkeley Springs installed the solar panels. Mountain View Solar is aWest Virginia company, and the solar panels that were installed were made in the United States, Trisel said.

The total cost of the solar panel project was $21,000. The grant from the Dominion Foundation provided $7,500 of that money and the College of Science and Technology contributed $7,500. Mountain View Solar installed the solar panels for free and included some extra solar panels for free, helping to make the installation larger, Trisel said.

The solar panels are located on a hill next to the library in a very visible! spot so that people will see them and start thinking about alternative energy, Trisel said.

The solar panel array was turned on Friday. It is connected to the grid. While the solar panels do not generate enough electricity to power the whole library, the library still gets to immediately use the energy that is produced by the solar panels, Trisel said.

The solar panels require little maintenance. They just occasionally need to be cleaned and have snow removed from them. They are guaranteed to be working at 80 percent of their original capacity after 25 years. They are supposed to last for a total of 40 years, he said.

While the project did cost a total of $21,000, the solar panels will have generated enough energy to pay for themselves in eight years, he said.

Right now Trisel is working on getting the solar p! anels set up to provide data about their energy production. He hopes to have that done by the end of this week, he said.

He will put the data on the College of Science and Technology’s Facebook page. He also plans in the future to have a TV monitor put in the third-floor lobby of the Science and Engineering Building that will periodically show the data fromthe solar panels.

“I’m excited to see the data we’ll collect,” Trisel said.

Students can use the data for projects. Students can also use the solar panels for future projects. The architecture and the electronics engineering technology professors have already expressed interest in their students doing projects using the solar panels, Trisel said.

Trisel would love to see the project expand, to see solar panels insta! lled on the roofs of buildings on campus, he said.

Alumni and community members that would like to donate to help expand the project are welcome to., he said.

“The outreach is probably the most valuable part of all this,” Trisel said. “We want this solar panel array to be educational and to get people thinking about alternative energies.”

This story by Michelle Dillon originally appeared on page 1A of the Times West Virginian on Aug. 4, 2016 and is posted here with permission. Contact Dillon at mdillon@ timeswv.com.

Fairmont State University’s Science Education programs received recent recognition from two national organizations giving the programs continuing accreditation.

The programs were recognized by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), formerly known as NCATE. With the recognition, all eight initial preparation undergraduate and the graduate science teacher preparation programs in Biology (9-Adult), Chemistry (9-Adult), Physics (9-Adult) and General Science (5-Adult) are now fully accredited until the year 2020.

In order to receive the accreditation, Dr. Deb Hemler, Geoscience Program Coordinator at Fairmont State, said the programs had to demonstrate that students were competent in several aspects from teaching professionalism as a scientist and teacher to showing their ability to measure and respond to student learning.

Hemler said the recognition and continuing accreditation will hopefully give students and the program confidence.

“When I indicate to the students the assignments they submit are reported for accreditation, they no longer feel like the work they produce is busy work but that it means something,” Hemler said. “It makes their assignments more relevant.”

The Science Education programs have been accredited under Hemler since 2003 and also received the recognition several years prior. Hemler said FSU’s College of Science and Technology will be pursuing a certification program in Earth and Space Science during the 2016-2017 academic year.

“I am proud of our faculty in Fairmont State’s College of Science and Technology and our students for their accomplishments,” said Dr. Don Trisel, Dean of the College of Science and Technology. “Congratulations to Dr. Hemler for her outstanding work to further the accreditation process.”

Fairmont State’s Science Education program prepares students to meet current expectations for classroom teachers. The learning cycle, collaborative learning and project-based learning are integral parts of the Science Education programs. Science Education majors should also expect hands-on learning opportunities early in their Fairmont State careers.

For more information about Science Education programs at FSU, visit http://www.fairmontstate.edu/collegeofscitech/academics/science-education.

“Women’s Voices: Memory in Motion,” an evening of stories about love, injustice, tenacity and survival, opens in September at Fairmont State University. Created by students working under the direction of Dr. Francene Kirk, the original theatre piece is based on interviews with women who are age 55 and older.

The performance opens Friday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, Room 314, in Wallman Hall. It runs Sept. 17, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m.; and there are matinee performances Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and are available by calling the box office at (304) 367-4240. Seating is limited.

Kirk is the Abelina Suarez Professor of Communication and Theatre at FSU. She has been interviewing women who were educated before Title IX, the law that protects people from gender discrimination in schools, was enacted. 

“Title IX is sort of a watershed moment for women, and yet many people only associate it with sports. It opened up opportunities for women in all kinds of educational programs including medical and law school. Some of the stories in the show illustrate the limited options women had. The show isn’t about Title IX; it’s about women’s lives,” Kirk said.

Kirk was awarded the Abelina Suarez Professorship in 2013, and this performance is made possible through research conducted as part of the professorship.

The performance will include scenes, monologues and movement. “The process is labor-intensive, but extremely rewarding,” Kirk said. “I have been meeting with the students in the evening for three weeks. They look for stories in the transcripts of interviews I have conducted over the past couple of years as a part of my Suarez Professorship project. Then, they improvise dialogue and movement for the stories.  The process takes a great deal of negotiation because the students have so many creative ideas, but at the end of each rehearsal it is so rewarding to watch these women’s stories come to life.” 

The students involved in the project are Tristian Burns, Morgan Carder, Sabrina Cheuvront, Kelli Cooper, Colleen Dorsey, Gary Hayes, Jacqueline Jelacic, Devinn Moore, Paige Shircliff-Bowser, Abigail VanScoy, Dino Vergura, Travis Wilson and Samantha Young. Tate Thompson is the stage manager. 

“My favorite story is the one about school integration,” said junior Theatre major Morgan Carder. “It was collected from a woman who had grown up in a coal camp. Her father convinced their neighbors to accept the integration of the local school in 1964.”

Carder transcribed the interviews from recordings and is serving as the script supervisor for the project. Since the students started with nothing but the interview transcripts, Carder is responsible for keeping track of all the revisions made to the text during the rehearsal process.

“It’s a challenge,” Carder said. “Sometimes people are talking over each other. It’s hard to know what to write down when everyone has so many ideas.”

Kirk noted that her favorite interview was with a woman who was her mother’s best friend in high school.

“My mother had often said she didn’t have the options I had,” Kirk said. “I never really fully understood that until I started these interviews. Working with the interview text has been a real eye-opener for me and for the students.”

A bequest by the estate of Abelina Suarez established FSU’s first named professorship, which carries her name and that of the discipline of the honoree. Honorees carry the title in perpetuity, but a new award will be made every five years. The presentation of this professorship is intended to recognize extended and continued excellence by a member of the University faculty.

“The performance of ‘Women’s Voices’ is a way to share my Suarez Professorship research with people who would not otherwise hear these stories,” Kirk said. “Interestingly, Abelina Suarez faced discrimination. Her degree was in chemistry, and she could not find a job as a chemist. She even started using her initial instead of her first name on her resume to hide her gender. Not being able to find a job is what spurred her to become a teacher, a job deemed suitable for young women during her lifetime.”

Abelina Suarez, who was born in 1910 in Spain but grew up in Anmoore, W.Va., was the first woman to graduate from Ohio University in a field called German chemistry. She was a math and science teacher in Harrison County for more than 30 years. She attended Fairmont State Teachers College in the 1940s and also earned a master’s degree in education from West Virginia University. Through her generosity and foresight, Suarez designated a portion of her estate to support educational opportunities at Fairmont State.

Kirk of Morgantown teaches communication, puppetry, children’s theatre, creative drama and theatre education. Since coming to FSU in 2000, Kirk has directed numerous plays and musicals for the Masquers season and for Town & Gown. Kirk has mentored undergraduate research projects and facilitated the creation of student-devised theatre pieces. She was honored for her work in Theatre Education by the City of Fairmont Arts and Humanities Commission. In 2008, she received the William A. Boram Award for Teaching Excellence. A former public school teacher, Kirk served as the Coordinator for Fine Arts at the West Virginia Department of Education for two years. Kirk earned her B.A. from Glenville State College and her master’s degree from West Virginia University. She received her Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with content emphases in Theatre and English in 1998 from WVU.

Fairmont State University is seeking comments from the public about the University in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency. The University will host a visit October 10-11, 2016 with a team representing the Higher Learning Commission.  Fairmont State has been accredited by HLC since 1928. The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation.

The public is invited to submit comments regarding the university to the following address:

Public Comment on Fairmont State University

Higher Learning Commission

230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500

Chicago, IL  60604-1411

The public may also submit comments on HLC’s website at www.hlcommission.org/comment

Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs.  Comments must be in writing

All comments must be received by October 10, 2016.

The Fairmont State University College of Liberal Arts and the Faculty Welfare Committee are hosting a community panel to discuss the issue of individuals possessing and concealing firearms on college campuses on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

The event will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, in Multimedia Room A of the Ruth Ann Musick Library on the FSU main campus. The panel will consist of gun right activists, local politicians, FSU faculty, FSU students and local law enforcement and will consist of lively discussion pertaining to both sides of the issues. Light refreshments will be provided, and the event is open to the public.

The event was live streamed. The video recording of the stream is available below.

For more information, contact Committee Chair Travis Zimmerman at tzimmerman@fairmontstate.edu. For technical event questions, contact Marshal Sherry at msherry1@fairmontstate.edu.

Kestrel: A Journal of Literature and Art, the Fairmont State University Department of Language and Literature and the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center will host a two-day Celebration of Issue 35.

Ten Kestrel contributors will be on campus to participate in a panel discussion, as well as give readings from their own work.

On Friday, Sept. 23, from 1 to 1:50 p.m. in Jaynes Hall 304, Dr. Elizabeth Savage will moderate a panel discussion on the topic, “Accessibility,” featuring visiting writers. Admission to the event is free and open to the public.

On Friday evening, Kestrel will host a reception and readings at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Featured writers include Cathy Barber, Rick Campbell, Jørn Earl Otte, Jane Varley and Lesley Wheeler. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, from 2 to 4 p.m., readings and book signings will take place at the Joe N’ Throw Co-Op, located at 323 ½ Adams St. in downtown Fairmont. Featured writers will be William Brown, Bob Kunzinger, Ethel Rackin, David Salner and Matt Zambito. Light fare will be served; beverages will be available for sale. Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

A limited number of individual manuscript (10 pages or 10 poems) consultations with a visiting writer are available on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Consultations are $25 and include detailed feedback during a 30-minute meeting. Student scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Manuscripts must be provided at least 48 hours in advance of the consultation.

For more information about events or to register for a consultation, contact Dr. Donna Long at donna.long@fairmontstate.edu.

Visiting writers for the Kestrel 35 Celebration include the following:

 William Brown lives and attends graduate university in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He enjoys English football and music, sometimes simultaneously. His aging mutts, Hillman and Patsy, help maintain sanity in an otherwise frenetic existence. Recent publications include JAB, Agave and One Throne.

Cathy Barber’s poetry has been published in Pinyon, Tule Review, SLAB and in Kestrel. Her work has been anthologized many times, including in The Cancer Poetry Project 2, which won Midwest Book Awards’ Best Poetry Book of 2013, and Changing Harm to Harmony, an anthology about bullying. Her poem “Three Short Love Poems” was nominated for a Best of the Net award in 2015. She is a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing Program.

Rick Campbell’s most recent book is The History of Steel: A Selected Works (2014), from All Nations Press. His other books include Dixmont, Autumn House (2008); The Traveler’s Companion, Black Bay Books (2004); Setting The World In Order, Texas Tech (2001); and A Day’s Work, State Street Press (2000). He’s won a Pushcart Prize, an NEA Fellowship in Poetry, and two poetry fellowships from the Florida Arts Council. Poems and essays have appeared in The Georgia Review, The Florida Review, Prairie Schooner, Fourth River, Kestrel, Puerto Del Sol, New Madrid and other journals. Campbell was the director of Anhinga Press for 20 years and is a founder and the Director of the Florida Literary Arts Coalition and its Other Words Conference. He teaches in the Sierra Nevada College Low Residency MFA Program and also teaches English at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla.

Bob Kunzinger is a professor of humanities and writing in Virginia. His work has appeared in many regional and national publications, including Southern Humanities Review, Chronicle of Higher Education and Best American Essays. Kunzinger is the author of five volumes of essays, and the forthcoming collection of flash non-fiction, “Fragments,” from Bang Press in Wisconsin.

Jørn Earl Otte is a Scandinavian-Appalachian author. His father was from Denmark and his mother from West Virginia, and these two unique, distinctly different cultures have informed his world view as well as his writing. Otte studied creative writing with Kentucky Poet Laureate James Baker Hall at the University of Kentucky in the 1990s. He has a BFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., and is currently studying for his MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. Otte is the former managing editor of the literary journal Duende, and his work has been published or is forthcoming in Shake the Tree, Brightly Press, What Muse?, Small Braveries and other journals. He is married with two children and lives in West Virginia.

Ethel Rackin is the author of the poetry collections Go On (forthcoming, 2016) and The Forever Notes (2013), both from Parlor Press. Her poems, book reviews, and collaborations have appeared in journals such as Colorado Review, Hotel Amerika, Jacket2, Kenyon Review, Verse Daily and Volt. She has taught at Penn State Brandywine, Haverford College and Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania, where she is currently an associate professor.

David Salner’s writing has appeared in Kestrel,Threepenny Review, Iowa Review, Prairie Schooner, Salmagundi, River Styx and many other magazines. His third book, Blue Morning Light, was published in January 2016 by Pond Road Press and features poems on the paintings of American artist George Bellows. Salner worked for 25 years at manual trades, as an iron ore miner, steelworker and laborer.

Jane Varley is the author of a book of creative nonfiction and a chapbook of poetry. She is an associate professor, coordinator of creative writing and chair of the English Department at Muskingum University in Ohio.

Lesley Wheeler is the author of four poetry collections, most recently Radioland from Barrow Street Press. Her poetry and essays appear in Ecotone, Crazyhorse, Poet Lore and other journals. She teaches at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va., and blogs about poetry at lesleywheeler.org.

Matt Zambito is the author of The Fantastic Congress of Oddities (Cherry Grove Collections), and two chapbooks, Guy Talk and Checks & Balances. His poems appear in North American Review, West Branch, Arts & Letters, Little Star and elsewhere. He writes from Spokane, Wash.

Fairmont State University alumna Rebecca Goydel hopes to leave her mark in cancer research by continuing her education at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida.

Her vision for her future started while attending Wheeling Park High School. She wanted a degree in chemistry but also wanted to teach.

“When I spoke to my teacher, Ms. Adams, she said a simple sentence that changed my life goals, ‘Why don’t you pursue a Ph.D. so you can teach any level in the sciences?’ This moment was when I decided I was going to attend graduate school,” Goydel said.

But Goydel would have to earn her undergraduate degree first. After receiving the Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship from Fairmont State, the University’s most prestigious academic scholarship, she decided to become a Fighting Falcon.

While earning her bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a minor in biology with a biotechnology emphasis at Fairmont State, Goydel, a 2016 graduate, applied to the Scripps Research Institute. She had her mind set on the institute since watching the institute grow as a kid.

“When I was younger, my dad lived in Florida and I would visit each summer,” she said. “Part of my childhood was watching Scripps become a reality in Jupiter. Once I was older and applying to summer research programs, I knew that I wanted to go there, even if it was to experience it for only one summer.”

As a junior at Fairmont State, Goydel applied for a visitation weekend at Scripps and was accepted. She flew down to Florida for the weekend and was greeted with welcoming faces of students and professors.

During her time there, Goydel found a group of students focusing on using the immune system to treat cancer. She said Dr. Christoph Rader talked to her more about the research. She applied for the summer program and interned in Rader’s lab.

“The rest is history,” she said. “Once it came time to apply to graduate school, Dr. Rader and his graduate students helped me through the process. I felt I was a part of the Scripps family before I even applied for graduate school.”

Goydel said if it wasn’t for the help of those at Fairmont State prior to pursuing her graduate degree, achieving her goals in life wouldn’t have been possible. She added that times during her undergraduate career were stressful, but that her professors were there to answer any questions she asked.

“Pursuing a chemistry degree is difficult and extremely time consuming,” she said. “I feel that Fairmont State’s program prepared me very well for my next step. Many thanks to Dr. Steven Roof, Dr. Andreas Baur, Dr. Matt Scanlon and Dr. Erica Harvey for answering all of my questions (even when they were not related to topics in class), pushing me and encouraging me.”

Goydel said the hands-on experiences she had through Fairmont State have also benefited her.

“The hands-on experience in lab (at Fairmont State) was beyond useful for what I am doing now,” she said. “Techniques that I learned in lab and learning the reasoning behind the instruments is fundamental for what I am doing now.”

Having graduated from Fairmont State in 2016 and now enrolled at Scripps Research Institute, Goydel said she has changed her life goals a bit and plans to pursue a career in industry after obtaining her Ph.D. As for her specific focus in graduate school, Goydel said it will not be defined until later in her career but she is focusing on immunology, immunotherapy and cancer biology. Her ultimate goal is to leave her mark in cancer research and to work on innovative cancer treatments using the immune system.

“I enjoy being active in research,” she said. “In industry, I could work on a project in a lab and eventually move up to being more of the ‘brains.’ Later in life, I will still have the option to go into academia if I choose so.”

The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts and the Office of Counseling & Disability Services are coming together to sponsor a program observing National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Staged reading performances of Sarah Kane’s “4.48 Psychosis” will be presented on Monday, Sept. 12, and Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in Multi-media Room A of the Ruth Ann Musick Library on the Fairmont State campus. The program is free and open to the public. The play contains objectionable language and includes a frank and personal exploration of mental illness, including suicidal ideations. Each performance will be followed by a panel discussion focused on the play’s issues, moderated by Andrea Pammer, Director of Counseling & Disability Services at Fairmont State.

Described by Telegraph theatre critic Charles Spencer as “a deeply personal howl of pain,” “4.48 Psychosis” is an extraordinary work about the playwright’s experience of depression, an embodied depiction of a young woman’s descent into despair. Experiences depicted include the decisions surrounding the chemical treatment of depression and the efficacy of these treatments; the desires of the depressed mind, including self-harm and suicide; and the possible causes of depression. In addition to depression, the play also explores isolation, dependency, relationships and love.

Dr. John O’Connor, Senior Level Professor of Theatre, taught the play last spring in his 20^th Century Women Playwrights course.

“When we discussed the play in class, one of the students expressed an interest in seeing the play performed,” O’Connor said. “It occurred to me that a staged reading of the play could be combined with a panel discussion about depression and suicide, so I contacted Andrea Pammer, our Director of Counseling & Disability Services.”

Pammer read the play, which she describes as “a very impressive and realistic piece,” and volunteered to put a panel together and to moderate the post-performance discussion.

“One of the things that really struck me is Kane’s depiction of the failure of the mental health industry and the relative lack of accountability in our profession,” Pammer said. “She shows how easy it is to blame the client for being non-compliant, instead of working harder and differently to really facilitate understanding and healing. In addition, I find the role of pharmaceuticals fascinating, how easy it is to turn these human issues into solely biochemical problems.”

The performances coincide with National Arts in Education Week, designated by Congress in 2010 to begin with the second Sunday in September. During this week, the field of arts education and its supporters join together in communities across the country to tell the story of the transformative power of the arts in education.

“This program exemplifies theatre’s potential to not only entertain, but to educate and edify,” O’Connor said. “Andrea and I hope that anyone who has experienced the pain and anguish of depression or suicide will come to the performance and panel discussion and be transformed in a positive way.”

Three Fairmont State students comprise the cast of the play: English majors Dominic Langdon-Arthur and Theresa Mattatall and History major Juliana Spradling. The director is Dr. John O’Connor. The panelists are Dr. Ann Shaver, Professor of Psychology at Fairmont State; Barry Faucet and Hope Silver, mental health professionals and trainers for Prevent Suicide West Virginia; and two Fairmont State students who have overcome suicidal crises in the past.

Amateur and professional stargazers alike are invited to watch the nighttime sky during an event in Calhoun County, W.Va., from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2.

A partnership that includes the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will present the third annual Calhoun Stargaze at Calhoun County Park, 380 Park Place, Grantsville, West Virginia. The park boasts one of the darkest night skies in the eastern United States. Regardless of season, the Milky Way can easily be followed from one horizon to the next.

The stargazing party, which will include amateur astronomers from six states, is part of an effort to spur economic development in distressed Appalachian communities. It is supported by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the West Virginia Development Office. In addition to UT, other project partners include Calhoun County, the City of Grantsville, Fairmont State University and West Virginia University Extension.

"This project is about preserving a resource, creating opportunities and expanding science in a rural area," said Tim Ezzell, a UT political scientist and one of the project partners. "It is also about changing perceptions about places like Calhoun County and showing that these areas are positive, important and necessary. This is a great way for us to apply our skills and get our students and faculty involved in an important project with many dimensions."

Ezzell added that the event will give local residents an opportunity to interact with astronomers and see planets and stars through world-class telescopes, meet people from NASA and chat with astronomer Jeff Bary, a native West Virginian who now teaches at Colgate University.

"A lot of people want to take in the night sky and experience the magnitude of pristine darkness. It's very beautiful and, in a way, very humbling," Ezzell said. "We generally say that history has existed for 6,000 years. This is the night sky people saw for over 90 percent of that time. It is important that people see and appreciate that sky."

The three-day, two-night event will feature various programs in the morning, afternoon and evening. They include a planetarium show, night sky green laser tour, and atmospheric extinction and stargazing.

The project's economic development emphasis includes development of the park to accommodate tourists drawn to the increasingly rare dark night sky. Community Design Assistance Center students in Fairmont State University's architecture program designed accessible restrooms and showers for the Smith Barn at the park. During Saturday events the FSU team, led by Philip Freeman, associate professor of architecture, will present a revised concept for a Dark Sky Park master plan.

Participants may attend just one day or all three days. Those wishing to stay the entire time may use one of seven campsites at the park for a fee of $30 per family, which covers dinner on Friday, three meals on Saturday and a farewell breakfast on Sunday. For Saturday overnight, the cost is $20. Those interested in attending only the day program on Saturday are asked to make an on-site $10 donation. Visitors who come after dark will be expected to follow star party etiquette, including no white lights, no headlights and no dogs.

For more information, visit the Calhoun Stargaze Eventbrite website.

The Fairmont State University Career Development Center officially will be named the BrickStreet Career Development Center during a ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 29, to honor the BrickStreet Foundation for its commitment to funding scholarships for FSU students.

“BrickStreet is a great partner with Fairmont State University, and BrickStreet’s generous donation of a million dollars will provide scholarship dollars for a number of West Virginia students for many years to come,” said FSU President Maria Rose. “We are honored to name the Fairmont State University Career Development Center in honor of BrickStreet to acknowledge BrickStreet’s commitment to the success of our students.”

Greg Burton, Chief Executive Officer of BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Company, and H. Skip Tarasuk Jr., Special Projects Consultant for BrickStreet, will be honored by FSU President Maria Rose and Fairmont State Foundation President RJ Gimbl during a recognition ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in the Career Development Center, which is located in Room 222 of the Turley Student Services Center.

“We launched the BrickStreet Foundation in 2012, and since then it has been instrumental in donating to many worthwhile causes,” said Burton. “We’re proud to support the Fairmont State University Career Development Center with their efforts to provide opportunities for students for many years to come.”

Representatives from BrickStreet and the Fairmont State Foundation, Career Development Center staff and other members of the campus community are invited to attend the event.

“The Fairmont State Foundation is excited that BrickStreet, because of its transformational gift, can be recognized on campus through the renaming of the Career Development Center,” Gimbl said. “Students from all across campus participate in opportunities provided by the center, and it is fitting that BrickStreet be honored in this way because of BrickStreet’s commitment to student scholarships.”

The Career Development Center’s mission is to increase career readiness among FSU students. The center includes Career Services, Civic Engagement and Student Employment. Career Development Center staff members are Amy Drvar, Director; Miwa Edwards, Student Employment Advisor; Meagan Gibson, Career Counselor; and Brenda Cain, Administrative Secretary Senior. Staff members meet with students individually or in a group setting to address their career counseling needs. The staff coordinate civic engagement and service learning for the campus, offering professional development opportunities that are mutually beneficial to students, the community and the University. Staff also assist students in gaining part-time work on campus or in community service jobs off campus. One-on-one assistance is available in job searching and applying to jobs. For more information, visit http://www.fairmontstate.edu/studentservices/career-development-center.

The BrickStreet Foundation exists to invest in and realize BrickStreet’s corporate responsibility to support the well-being of local and regional communities where BrickStreet and its subsidiaries conduct business. For more information, visit www.brickstreetfoundation.com.

The mission of the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., is to support, through ethical stewardship, the mission of Fairmont State University. The Foundation will identify, establish and cultivate meaningful relationships with FSU alumni, as well as potentials and existing funding constituencies to meet contributor needs while securing funds and supporters for priority objectives identified by the FSU Board of Governors. For more information, visit www.fsufoundation.org.

Coming one day after the annual opening of the U.S. Supreme Court, a roundtable is planned to address why the United States Supreme Court and the justices who serve on it matter. It will be one of the activities planned to complement this year’s common reader selection, Justice Sonia Sotomayor's autobiography “My Beloved World.”

The event is being coordinated by Dr. Deborah Nestor of the Department of Language and Literature. It will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Multi-media Room B of the Ruth Ann Musick Library. During the program, three Fairmont State professors, Dr. Gregory Hinton (Business Law), Dr. Ingrid Bircann-Barkey (Spanish) and Dr. Nenad Radulovich (History) will give their perspectives on the court and its justices.

In her book, Sotomayor, the first Latina justice on the court, tells the story of her childhood in New York as the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, through her career as a first generation college student and into her early years in the legal profession.

Fairmont State University’s Honors Program will host its annual Quiz Bowl at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8.  Eight teams from West Virginia high schools will be competing for first place. The schools participating in this year’s competition are East Fairmont High School, Liberty High School, South Harrison High School, University High School and Woodrow Wilson High School.

The faculty advisors for each school are Miriam Straka (EFHS), Stephen Howard (LHS), David McQuain (UHS), Lisa Stout (SHHS) and Mary Jo Snow (WWHS).

"This event is an interesting one not only to attend but also to be a part of organizing. It is amazing to see the amount of knowledge these high school students have acquired in each of the subjects," said Faith Stout, a member of the Honor students organizing Quiz Bowl 2016.

The Honors Quiz Bowl has four categories: History, Pop Culture, English and Math and Science. Each team of four players will compete in four rounds, answering questions by a moderator from Fairmont State’s Honors Program. Each round lasts 10 minutes, and students attempt to answer as many questions as possible within that time frame.

"Quiz Bowl provides a unique experience for high school students to interact with college students to show their knowledge in a trivial style competition,” said Miranda Oliverio, a member of the Honors students organizing Quiz Bowl 2016.

The Fairmont State University Architecture Program will present the Mayfield Lecture 2016, featuring Julie Beckman, who with her partner designed the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va.

The event will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. following with the lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in Room 305 of the Engineering Technology Building on the main campus. The lecture topic will be “Architecture and Community.” The event is presented in partnership with American Institute of Architects West Virginia and is generously supported by the West Virginia Foundation for Architecture.

The Mayfield Lecture, named for Jeffrey Mayfield, Fairmont State alumnus and architecture professor, honors the “spirit and dedication” that Mayfield exhibited toward the exploration, craft and profession of architecture. The mission of the Mayfield Lecture is to encourage a sense of community between architectural education, the profession and the public by influencing the educational, economic and cultural well-being of our region through the dissemination of architectural knowledge.

Julie Beckman is the Director of Student Development and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the College of Architecture + Design at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Born and raised in Northern New Jersey, she has always been fascinated by buildings and the cities they fill. She has lived throughout the Northeast Corridor and studied abroad in Florence, Italy. Beckman earned a Bachelor of Arts in the Growth and Structure of Cities from Bryn Mawr College in 1995 and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University’s GSAPP in 2001. Previously, Beckman served as a full-time lecturer, graduate-studio critic and coordinator of undergraduate design studios as well as Director of Student Services for the Architecture Department at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Design (2006–2013). Additionally at PennDesign, she co-led a seminar-studio research sequence Design for Impact, which has focused on long-term disaster recovery in Haiti’s Port au Prince as well as new strategic uses for Philadelphia’s vast inventory of vacant properties. She worked for over three years in retail design and development with clients such as Calvin Klein Jeans, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren Polo. 

In practice, she and her partner, Keith Kaseman launched their design firm, KBAS in 2002 following the unanimous selection of their design proposal for the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Va., which opened to the public in on the seventh anniversary of the attacks. In addition, KBAS was commissioned to design a memorial to the Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew in Nacogdoches, Texas, which is still in schematics. Compact and agile, KBAS flexes its robust capacity for research and development, spatial exploration, advanced production, geometric resolution and material experimentation through all of its work.

For more information about the Pentagon Memorial and KBAS, visit http://kbas.co/home-3/uncategorized/pentagon-memorial.

The Fairmont State University Department of Art will host the solo sculpture exhibition by Glenn Zweygardt.

The JD Brooks Gallery, located on the fourth floor of Wallman Hall on the main FSU campus, is open Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The exhibition will run from Oct. 10 through Nov. 9. An opening reception and gallery talk will take place at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call (304) 367-4147.

Born and raised in northwest Kansas, Zweygardt received his B.F.A. from Wichita State University in sculpture and painting. He then earned his M.F.A. from the Rinehart School of Sculpture at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Md. For more than 40 years, he has been an active sculptor and educator. With more than 50 solo exhibitions and multiple purchase awards to his name, he shows works both nationally and internationally. His sculptures are included in many university, museum, outdoor and private collections.

Now an Emeritus Professor of Sculpture at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Zweygardt continues to make signature sculptures in his Alfred Station studio. His creations of steel, ductile iron, stainless steel, cast glass, cast bronze and aluminum are often combined with stone from around the world. These sculptures range from monumental outdoor works to small, intimate pieces. Zweygardt will have work on pedestals in the JD Brooks Gallery, as well as three large outdoor pieces installed on extended loan in our FSU Sculpture Park located in the Education Building quad on campus.

“The theme of my sculpture is the placement of myself in relation to nature. While working in materials such as metal, stone and glass, I am telling three-dimensional stories that capture my life experiences immersed in my perception of a collective consciousness. It is my intention that these stories, spoken through an expression of form, texture and color, will enter into human consciousness and the fourth dimension,” Zweygardt said.

Community Health Education students at Fairmont State University will spend the 2016-2017 academic year identifying health and safety needs in Richwood, W.Va., one of the communities affected by the historic flooding in June 2016.

“When we heard about the flooding in Nicholas County this summer, we felt strongly we wanted to do something to help,” said Dr. Amy Sidwell, Assistant Professor of Health Education and Physical Education in the FSU School of Education, Health and Human Performance.

The project titled “A transdisciplinary approach to community needs assessment following a natural disaster” is a research-based project initiated by students to determine Richwood’s ongoing recovery needs. Students are collecting data from a number of sources. They are analyzing government data, developing an electronic survey and completing interviews with residents and key stakeholders.       

“For our future health educators, being able to assess needs and resources are critical skills. This project allows students the opportunity to work within the community to address real issues,” said Dr. Janie Leary, Assistant Professor of Community Health Education.

Students are participating in service activities with Rebuild Richwood on Oct. 13, Dec. 1, and in April 2017. This fall, students will be involved in winterizing homes and collecting donations. In December, students will share the findings of their data collection at a community forum. In April, students will visit Richwood to help implement a health promotion program.

Students enrolled in the course include: Ahmed Alsheri, Brianna Blake, Sabrina Buhagiar, Chelsie Dunn, Spencer Flanagan, Madeline Hamilton, Gerlie Jenkins, Claire Shook, Candice Travis, Amber Trickett and Richwood native Tesla White.

“It’s always very sad to hear of disasters such as this, but one never thinks that it will happen to them or to people they love and care about. This flood was very devastating to my hometown. But to see all of the support and love that was shown from people everywhere, it really restores your faith in humanity, White said.

For more information on the FSU Community Health Education program, visit http://www.fairmontstate.edu/schoolofeducation/community-health-education.

The Fairmont State campus and the community are invited to contribute donations in support of Richwood including the following requested items:

• Non-perishable food items
• Canned meats (tuna, Spam, pork and beans)
• Cleaning supplies (no bleach)
• Comet
• Laundry Detergent
• Bread
• Safety glasses
• Hammers
• Nail aprons
• Work gloves
• N-95 Masks

All donations can be dropped off to Dr. Amy Sidwell (Education Building Room 348) Dr. Janie Leary (Education Building Room 340) or to the School of Education, Health and Human Performance Main Office on the third floor of the Education Building on the FSU main campus by Oct. 12.

Three Honors students have been selected as presenters during the 51st annual conference to be held by the National Collegiate Honors Council in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 12-16.

The conference highlights student and faculty research presentations from across the nation and provides training and development for honors program administrators. Sherman Alexie, poet, filmmaker and best-selling author, will provide the plenary session on Friday.

FSU students Janalee N. Poe, Carl J. Wahler and James N. Jesmer have been selected to present their session titled, “Mentoring - A Relationship.” Their presentation will focus on the Honors mentoring program at Fairmont State, which they have helped to develop in the last two years. Poe is a senior majoring in Math and Math Education. Wahler is a junior majoring in Computer Science and Math.  Jesmer is a senior Architecture major.

Since 2002, the Honors Mentoring Program at FSU has aimed to aid first-year Honors students in their transition from high school to university life, to provide them with useful information and resources concerning the Honors Program and to foster relationships that promote mutual growth as well as the esprit de corps. The students will discuss their strategies and programming to evolve Honors mentoring and their evaluations to document the effectiveness of the mentoring relationships.            

The national submission process for the NCHC annual conference is highly selective, with hundreds of students and faculty submitting proposals each year.

“We are so pleased to provide an opportunity for honors students and NCHC members to experience the city of Seattle, all while celebrating the successes and presentations that are unique to honors education,” said Dr. Hallie Savage, NCHC Executive Director.

Also attending are two of the FSU Honors officers. Lindsey A. Shingleton, who serves as president, is a senior Architecture major. Amber Bassnet is a junior majoring in Political Science.

While in Seattle, Fairmont State students will have the opportunity to explore the city of Seattle through NCHC’s City as TextTM Program, network with other honors students and faculty from across the country and around the world and celebrate the unique community created by honors education. NCHC anticipates nearly 2,000 students and faculty hailing from all 50 states to be in attendance at the Seattle event, as well as visitors from Mexico, Greece, the Netherlands, Japan, Qatar, Great Britain and China.

The National Collegiate Honors Council is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support and enhance the community of educational institutions, professionals and students who participate in collegiate honors education around the world. NCHC members total nearly 900 institutions from the United States and around the world. Professional and student memberships are available. More information is available at nchchonors.org.

The Fairmont State Foundation is hosting a speaker at Fairmont State University on Wednesday, Oct. 19, to share with students about his experiences in business and life. The event is co-sponsored by the FSU School of Business and the FSU College of Science and Technology.

A Fairmont State alumnus with a more than 38-year career in the energy industry, Dr. William Mark Hart is chairman of the Austin Oil and Gas Company with locations in Colorado, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky and Australia. Hart is also CEO and president of MATH Energy Oil, Gas & Drilling with a focus in coal, oil, gas, gasification, coal-to-power, coal-to-liquids and coal-to-gas, minerals mining coal bed methane, oil/gas production and renewables.

“I am a great believer in the relationship between education and career advancement and believe that it leads to improving the standard of living for all involved – one’s self, family, co-workers and many other associates. I thought it would be great to return to FSU to speak about my journey in life as it relates to my education and career in that it might inspire and help some of the up and coming young FSU students in their journey in life,” Hart said.

Hart will speak at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Falcon Center third floor conference rooms.

“When Mark offered his time to return to campus and tell his story, I felt it would be a great opportunity for current students and young alumni. Mark, a Fairmont native, has had a tremendous career that should resonate well with the current generation of students,” said RJ Gimbl, President of the Fairmont State Foundation.

Hart earned four degrees from Fairmont State: an Associate in Science degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology in 1974, a Regents Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979, a Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree in Mining Engineering Technology in 1986 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology in 1988.

He also holds an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix (1991), a Master of Science degree in Mining Engineering from West Virginia University (1994) and a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering and Environmental Management from the Colorado School of Mines (1997). Hart is an adjunct professor at the Colorado School of Mines and an MSHA Certified Electrical Instructor. He holds two patents for stress distribution in rock lithology and CMLADS.

Hart served as the Chief Executive Officer of Austin Exploration Limited from January 2010 to July 2015 and as its President and Managing Director until July 2015. He served as Senior Vice President at NRG Energy from 2001 to 2006. At NRG, he oversaw the international business operations as president of 34 power plants in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sardegna Energy LTD. Prior to joining NRG, he served as the Vice President and Managing Director of Newmont Mining’s Canadian operations, as well as Vice President of Business Processes and Operations worldwide for the $12 billion mining giant. He also worked for Cyprus Amax Minerals Corporation in various engineering and operations as Vice President and Senior Vice President.

Hart’s career in the industry began with Consol Energy. Hart has also been the chairman of four boards in various countries. He has been Chairman of the Board at AusTex Exploration Inc. since October 2010. He served as the Non Executive Chairman of Austin Exploration Limited from July 2015 until July 2016, serving as its Executive Chairman from August 2011 to February 2012. Hart was Director of Austin Exploration Limited from September 2010 until July 2016.

Dr. Maria C. Rose, President of Fairmont State University, has notified the Fairmont State University Board of Governors that she plans to retire when her contract ends on June 30, 2017.

“As a faculty member, provost and president, I have worked to ensure that Fairmont State University is a place that provides the best educational experience for all students. I remain proud to be part of the Falcon family and thankful for Fairmont State’s many dedicated faculty and staff members who share my passion for teaching and learning. I believe our student-centered focus sets this University apart and creates a unique environment for students to find themselves and meet their personal goals,” Rose said

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission will approve the procedures for the presidential search at their next meeting and the search will begin in the next few weeks. The Board of Governors has expressed that it is the board’s intention to serve as the search committee. The next FSU Board of Governors meeting is 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016.

Dixie Yann, current Chair of the Board of Governors, stated: “As a lifelong Marion County resident, Dr. Maria Rose has been deeply committed to strengthening relationships between the University and the greater Fairmont community during her career as an alumna, faculty member, administrator and president. Her love for Fairmont State and the people of Fairmont is evident in all she undertakes. Dr. Rose has served on the board of directors for the United Way of Marion County and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce. Working with the FSU School of Education’s Professional Development Schools initiative, she was the liaison for White Hall Elementary School for years. With all these demands on her time, she and her husband Tom still make time to cheer on the Fighting Falcons at as many athletic events as possible. Dr. Maria Rose will always be one of our own, a cherished member of the Falcon family.”

H. Skip Tarasuk, Jr., former Board of Governors member, commented: “I have had the honor of watching Dr. Rose excel in many roles as she has built her career at Fairmont State.  She has steered the University well during her time as president–her energy, enthusiasm and love of FSU has been a shining example of what I hope we will see in everyone who sits in that office. I wish her all the best in her retirement, and I believe we can face the future of Fairmont State University with confidence.”

After being part of the Fairmont State family for more than 25 years, Dr. Maria C. Bennett Rose became the University’s president on May 3, 2012. Prior to her appointment, she served as Interim President, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and as a faculty member. 

Dr. Rose taught developmental writing, developmental reading and study skills and has coordinated the campus-wide peer tutoring program. She served as Director of Retention and Vice President of Academic Services. Working with the FSU School of Education’s Professional Development Schools initiative, she has served as the liaison for White Hall Elementary School.

She was a member of the Governor’s Council on Literacy during the administrations of Gaston Caperton, Cecil Underwood and Bob Wise. As a member of the Council, she served as Chair of Public Outreach and worked on many family literacy projects. Rose authored and served as the Principal Investigator for the Fairmont State Title III Strengthening Institutions grant. She received national recognition as Outstanding First Year Student Advocate, which was presented by the National Resource Center for First Year Experience and Students in Transition. Dr. Rose served on a task force for the Higher Education Policy Commission Adult Learner initiative and is currently serving on the Commission’s College Completion Task Force.

Chancellor Paul Hill of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission named Dr. Rose to the Compensation, Planning and Review Committee maintained in SB439 as part of the human resources directive (Old 330). Also during her tenure as president, she has served as chair of the Conduct Committee for the Mountain East Conference and Presidential Coordinator for the West Virginia Association of Regional Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Rose has remained active in the Fairmont community, serving on the boards of directors for the United Way of Marion County and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Rose received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Fairmont State College and a Master of Arts degree in Reading from West Virginia University. From WVU, she also earned an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on family and community literacy issues as they relate to higher education. In addition, she earned a Developmental Educator Certification through the Kellogg Institute of Appalachian State University.

“I am grateful for the relationships built and lives changed by this University, which has made a great impact on my life.  My role in the story of Fairmont State is changing but not ending. Tom, our family and I will always be proud to be part of the Falcon family,” Dr. Rose said.

On Monday, Oct. 24, the Fairmont State University Department of Communication and Theatre Arts and Department of Language and Literature will host a free public reading of the new stage adaptation of “It Can’t Happen Here,” based on the 1935 novel written by Sinclair Lewis.

The new adaptation of Lewis’ classic had its world premiere performance at Berkeley Rep on Sept. 30, 2016. It will be performed on Monday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Wallman Hall Studio Theatre on the Fairmont State campus. The event is free and open to the public. Information about the national initiative is available at http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1617/10650.asp#tabbed-nav=reading.

In 1936 the novel was adapted into a play, and theatres across the country opened productions on the same night. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of those productions, 43 regional theatres, universities and community organizations from 22 states will read the new adaptation by Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Artistic Director Tony Taccone and screenwriter Bennett S. Cohen. Fairmont State is proud to be the sole representative for the state of West Virginia.

Written during the rise of fascism in Europe, Lewis’ darkly satirical “It Can’t Happen Here” follows the ascent of a demagogue who becomes president of the United States by promising to return the country to greatness. Witnessing the new president’s authoritarian tyranny from the sidelines is a liberal, middle-class newspaper editor from Vermont who is caught in the chaos of social upheaval.

“Lewis’ novel reads like it was ripped out of today’s headlines,” says Theatre professor John O'Connor, who is coordinating the event. “Whether he’s describing Buzz Windrip, the demagogue who wins the presidency based on the promise of making our country great again, or Doremus Jessup, a liberal newspaper editor who simply waits too long to take Windrip seriously, Lewis’ understanding of our political system was precise and far reaching.”

The reading features FSU Language and Literature faculty members Donna Long, Jim Matthews and Angela Schwer, and administrative assistant Zack Curry; Librarian Kathleen Kennedy; School of Fine Arts faculty members Susan Cato-Chapman, Joni Gray, John O'Connor, Anne Patterson and Troy Snyder; and Theatre majors Justin Allan, Morgan Carder, Gary Hayes, Bailey Kershner and Travis Wilson.