West Virginia University has announced the finalists for the prestigious honor of Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer 2015. The award recognizes students’ exemplary academic achievement and extracurricular involvement.

Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer are part of Mountaineer Week, which takes place Oct. 30 – Nov. 8. After an interview in front of the Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer selection committee, one male and female finalist will be named Mr. and Ms. Mountaineer at the Saturday, Nov. 7 WVU football game vs. Texas Tech at Milan Puskar Stadium.

All applicants must be eligible for graduation by May 2015 to be considered.

Mr. Mountaineer finalists are: Reed Andrews, Morgantown; Jared Ballard, Weston; Dylan Johnson, Flatwoods; Brady Nolan, Reader; Kevin Noreen, Minneapolis, MN.

Ms. Mountaineer finalists are: Emma Dolan, Wheeling; Whitney Oliverio, Harman; Rebecca Speer, Shippensburg, PA; Joy Wang, Charleston; Ruth Williams, Summersville.

Mr. Mountaineer

Reed Andrews from Morgantown is a senior chemical engineering major. Andrews is the treasurer of the Society of Biological Engineers and serves as the fundraising chair of Omega Chi Epsilon, the chemical engineering honor society. He also serves as the service chair for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He is the 2015-2016 alternate Mountaineer Mascot and was recently accepted to the WVU School of Medicine class of 2020. Andrews is sponsored by the Society of Biological Engineers.

Jared Ballard from Weston is a senior communication sciences and disorders major. Ballard is a three-year member of the Mountaineer Marching Band and a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association. He is an academic tutor for the MindFit Academic Enhancement Program. He is also a campus representative for The Princeton Review. Ballard is sponsored by the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and the MindFit Academic Enhancement Program.

Dylan Johnson from Flatwoods is a second-year graduate student studying agriculture and extension education. Johnson is a member of the Alpha Tau Alpha Agricultural Education Honorary and the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. He is also a member of the Mountaineer Collegiate Future Farmers of America chapter. Johnson is a former member of the Mountaineer Marching Band. He is sponsored by the WVU Block and Bride Club and the WVU Agriculture and Extension Education Department.

Brady Nolan from Reader is a senior athletic coaching education major and a member of the Honors College. Nolan served as a New Student Orientation leader and a member of the Mountaineer Marching Band for three years. He was named as the alternate Mountaineer Mascot for 2014-2015. Nolan is sponsored by the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences.

Kevin Noreen from Minneapolis, MN is a graduate student studying industrial relations. Noreen is a five-year scholarship player on the WVU Men’s Basketball Team, where he has served as captain for two years. He has been recognized as a WVU Athletics male community service athlete of the year and as a three-time Big XII all-academic first team. He is also a student leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization. Noreen is sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Ms. Mountaineer

Emma Dolan from Wheeling is a senior biochemistry major and member of the Honors College. Dolan is a 2012 Neil S. Bucklew scholar who has dedicated three years of her college career to undergraduate research. During the course of her studies, she established a new Honors College course titled ‘Life Science Literacy’ and has volunteered 250 hours as a chemistry tutor. Dolan has served as a WVU ambassador in recruitment and promotion, representing various academic departments. She is sponsored by the Department of Biochemistry.

Whitney Oliverio from Harman is a second-year graduate student studying counseling. Oliverio is a member of the Chi Sigma Iota service fraternity. She worked to promote graduate student life through her service on the Graduate Student Advisory Board and as a Graduate Student Ambassador for the College of Education and Human Services. Harman works as a graduate assistant in the division of Student Life and is a life-long 4-H member. She is sponsored by Campus and Community Life.

Rebecca Speer from Shippensburg, PA is a senior psychology major and Honors College student. She currently serves as vice president of the Sierra Student Coalition. She is an undergraduate research assistant in the Behavioral Neurosciences Laboratory and has been published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. She is the founder and president of the UNICEF campus initiative at WVU. Speer is sponsored by the UNICEF campus initiative at WVU.

Joy Wang from Charleston is a senior dual major in biochemistry and chemistry and Honors College student. Wang is a Foundation Scholar and a trumpet section member of the Mountaineer Marching Band. She has been a member of Student Government Association for three years, serving two terms as a governor and currently serving as an executive on the Bureau of Finance. She is the fundraising chair of the Mortar Board student honorary. She is the president of the WVU Global Medical Brigades, leading a medical mission trip to Panama. Wang is sponsored by the WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades.

Ruth Williams from Summersville is a senior dual major in aerospace and mechanical engineering and Honors College student. During her time at WVU, Williams has been active in the Mountaineer Marching Band and the Society of Women Engineers. She is also involved in the Space Public Outreach Team and serves as a Statler College ambassador. Williams was recently a finalist in the Xploration Station student astronaut finalist. She is sponsored by the Society of Women Engineers.

-WVU-

hr/10/15/15

CONTACT: Sonja Wilson, Mountainlair
304.293.2702, Sonja.wilson@mail.wvu.edu

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