Five men and five women, all West Virginia University seniors, are competing for the titles of Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer during 57 th annual Mountaineer Week activities Nov. 11-21.
Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer epitomize the gold-and-blue spirit of a true WVU Mountaineer. The winners will be named at halftime of the Saturday, Nov. 13, WVU -Boston College game at Milan Puskar Stadium. Kickoff is at noon.
The contest has been a part of Mountaineer Week since 1962. Along with the announcement of Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer is the naming of the Most Loyal Alumni Mountaineer, Most Loyal West Virginian, Most Loyal Faculty and Staff Mountaineers, and the Spirit Award.
Ms. Mountaineer Candidates:
Natalie Allen, a music and biology major, is the daughter of Marty and Kleta Allen of Logan. She is sponsored by the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Allen is the vice president of NSCS . She also participates in the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and Mountaineer Maniacs. In 2003-04, she was a member of the womens rowing team. Her volunteer work includes coordinating the NSCS and PSP Ronald McDonald House and Bartlett House dinners. Allen is a 2000 Bucklew Scholar and an Honors student. She has made the WVU Presidents List four semesters and was chosen to represent WVU in the 2004 Rhodes Scholar competition.
Rebecca M. Fint , a physical education teacher education major, is the daughter of Joseph and Stacy Fint of Aurora. Sponsored by the Collegiate 4-H Club, Fint has held many leadership positions in 4-H including 2002-03 secretary and 2001-02 social chair, and she currently serves as a committee chair on the National Collegiate 4-H Conference Planning Committee. Besides 4-H, she is involved with the Physical Education Majors Club and was selected as a WVU Extension Service Representative to Romania this past summer. She has also been involved with the WVU Presidents Committee for Nutrition and Wellness. Among her honors are the Anna Shuman Physical Education Scholarship, which she received three consecutive years, and the 2000-01 WVU Leadership Scholarship. She also made the School of Physical Education Deans List in 2002 and 2004. In 2001, she was honored as a Mountain State Forest Festival Princess.
Emily Moffatt, a pharmacy major, is the daughter of Kevin and Elena Moffatt of Charleston and Doug and Carri Tate of Scott Depot. She is sponsored by the Mountaineer Maniacs. A proud WVU fan, Moffatt is an executive assistant for the Mountaineer Maniacs, WVU s student booster organization. Last year, she served as director of daily operations. Moffatt also keeps busy as the president-elect of WVU s Academy of Student Pharmacists and vice president of the WVU chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association. In 2001-02, she served on the Arnold Hall Council, reporting to the Residence Hall Association, and in fall 2002, she taught a freshman Honors orientation course. Aside from her many activities at WVU , Moffatt has completed 100-plus community service hours through organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society and Special Olympics. Her honors include being named to the Mortar Board Senior and Chimes Junior honoraries. She also received the WVU Presidential Scholarship and has earned spots on the WVU Presidents and Deans Lists.
Rina Shah, a political science major, is the daughter of Dr. R.C. and Hina Shah of Beckley. Active in WVU s Greek system, Shah is the president of the Panhellenic Council and technology chair of Pi Beta Phi sorority. In addition, she chairs the Mountaineer Week committee and serves on the Student Health Advisory Board, WVU Committee on Student Organizations and WVU Greek Programming Committee. She is also a member of the Indian Students Association. Shahs list of community activities is extensive, including volunteer work with Ruby Memorial Hospital and the American Cancer Society. In 2004, she was named first runner-up in the WVU Alpha Phi Alpha Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant and top five finalist in the Ms. India D.C. Pageant. Last spring, her sorority honored her with the Pi Beta Phi Best Active Sister Award.
Jessica Lauren Wiant , a news editorial major, is the daughter of Karen and David Rogers of Craigsville. Sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, she is the vice president of SPJ and a past secretary of the Diversity in Media Association. Wiant, a veteran student journalist, is a staff writer for The Daily Athenaeum, the Universitys student-run campus newspaper; a former intern with the American Banker newspaper (summer 2004); a former writer for The Compass, a grant-funded community newspaper; and a freelance writer for The Dominion Post. During all four years of her WVU career, she has been listed on the Deans and Presidents lists. She has also been honored as a Mountaineer Scholar and was inducted into the journalism honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha.
Mr. Mountaineer Candidates:
Brian Anderson , a law student, is the son of Mary Sue Anderson of Bluefield. He is the senior managing editor of the West Virginia Law Review, his sponsor and the nations fourth oldest student-run legal journal. In this role, he is responsible for managing and directing the publication process from start to finish. At the College of Law, he also performs legal research for law review publication submissions as a research assistant, and last summer, he did research and drafted legal documents for Kirkpatrick&Lockhart LLP in Pittsburgh. Andersons resume also includes president of the West Virginia Defense Trial Counsel student chapter, 2004 chair of the Mountaineer Mascot Selection Committee, 2003-04 judicial board chair of the WVU Student Government Association and 2001-02 student body vice president.
Jamie Bosley , a childrens theater major, is the son of Jim and Mary Lynn Bosley of Oakland, Md. He is a member of the WVU Division of Theatre and Dance Student Advisory Board, the African Drum and Dance Ensemble and Taiko Drum Ensemble. Bosley is a director of the WVU Community Theatre Prep Program and has been involved in more than 10 main stage shows at the Creative Arts Center. This spring, he will spend three weeks as an assistant director at Peking University in Beijing, China.
Aside from his participation in theater, he enjoys playing intramural soccer. Bosley is also a member of the Gamma Beta Phi Society, Helvetia sophomore honorary and National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He has been listed on both the Deans and Presidents lists.
Cody C. Ford , an English and multidisciplinary studies major, is the son of Tony R. and Linda E. Ford of Poca. He is sponsored by the University Honors Program and the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Mountaineers. During his career at WVU , he has been very active in the Honors Program, serving as a student academic ambassador and a 2002 Honors orientation co-mentor. He is the treasurer of BiGLM and a previous member of the Newman Club. Along with these activities, he completed more than 150 hours of community service through Alpha Phi Omega. He was also inducted into the Helvetia sophomore and Chimes junior honoraries, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Sigma Tau Delta English honorary. Ford is also a member of the executive board of Virginias Collegiate Honors Council.
Christopher Williams , a graphic design and art education major, is the son of Donald and Patricia Williams of Spencer. Sponsored by Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, he has served as second vice president of membership and fellowship chair, among other leadership roles. He is currently APO s first vice president of service. In addition, Williams is the team captain of the WVU cheerleading squad, and he is also involved with the WVU student chapter of the National Art Education Association, Mountaineer Week Board of Managers and Mortar Board national senior honorary. Williams has made the College of Creative Arts Deans List seven semesters and Athletic Directors Honor Roll four semesters. Other honors include the APO Presidents Award (spring 2004) and the National Presidential Service Award (spring 2002).
Jordan Workman , an economics and political science major, is the son of Jerry and Cheryl Workman of Madison. Sponsored by Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, Workman is the student body president at WVU . Last year, he was the vice president. Through his work with student government, Workman helped found Students for Higher Education. He also chairs the State Advisory Council of Students and Social Justice Committee. His other activities include the Mountaineer Maniacs, Mountainlair Advisory Board, WVU Entrepreneurship Club and Southern and Rural West Virginia Organization. Additionally, he was a previous member of the WVU mens crew team (fall 2001 and spring 2002). Since being at WVU , Workmans community involvement has included the Vision 20/20 Chamber of Commerce Steering Committee, SHOP (Students Helping Other People), Toy Mountain and Special Olympics West Virginia. His many honors include the Student Safety Achievement Award, WVU Leadership Scholarship and Phi Sigma Kappa leadership and academic scholarships.