Mountaineer pride inspires alumna to put down roots in West Virginia
Molly Aderholt, a Wheeling area lawyer who graduated from the WVU College of Law, said Mountaineer pride is a beautiful thing to be a part of as an alumna and as a resident of the Mountain State. (Submitted Photo)
A “winding road” led Molly Aderholt, who was born and raised in Billings, Montana, and moved to the Washington, D.C. area as a teenager, to her husband’s native state of West Virginia in 2000 to attend the West Virginia University College of Law.
Aderholt, an attorney with Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC in Wheeling and a member of the Ohio County Board of Education, said her fondness for the Mountain State and University began to grow soon after meeting her classmates and law instructors nearly 25 years ago.
She credits her fellow students, hailing from various regions and in different stages of their lives, as the first to enlighten her about West Virginia’s rich history and culture.
“My classmates would refer to their hometown by the county it was in, or the interstate exit number, instead of a nearby city. And while this was new to me, it allowed me to learn more about the different parts of the state and its people,” she said.
To Aderholt, their Mountaineer pride was “evident and very endearing.”
“I place great value in loving the people in one’s community and cherishing the place where you live –– and giving back to both. I have found West Virginians to be good, down to earth people who love their small towns and want to give back,” Aderholt added.
She was also struck by the natural beauty and rolling hills of the Appalachian Mountains, and being from Montana, she shared a love of the outdoors with her fellow students, including the variety of outdoor recreation available year-round.
Wheeling area attorney Molly Aderholt, a native of Billings, Montana, credits her affinity for the Mountain State and it’s people to her classmates and time spent at the WVU College of Law. (Submitted Photo)
During her second year of law school, she and her husband, John, who was also a law student, moved to Bridgeport for a job he landed as the area director for Young Life, an interdenominational Christian ministry for high school students worldwide.
Soon after, in 2002, Aderholt took some time away from school to give birth to their first child, Annalese.
Equipped with a dual degree in Christian Thought and English from Grove City College, she joined her husband at Young Life as a volunteer. She also worked as an assistant volleyball coach at Bridgeport High School for a few years.
During this time, the couple didn’t have family nearby to help with their new baby, nor did they have the financial means to cover child care costs. However, after having several conversations with her instructors, she felt motivated to return to class part-time.
She recounted that her instructors were full of support and understanding of her needs as a new mother and student parent. They allowed her to bring her newborn to class if she was in a pinch, and when her friend, Beth, who often watched Annalese in the student lounge at the College of Law, wasn’t available.
Molly Aderholt presenting her oldest daughter, Annalese, her high school diploma in 2020 as a member of the Ohio County Board of Education while wearing her WVU College of Law regalia. (Submitted Photo)
During her law school journey, she and John decided that they wanted to stay and build their family in the place that captured their hearts.
In 2004, Aderholt graduated from law school and accepted a job as an attorney with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC in Morgantown.
In 2010, she transferred to the Wheeling office of Steptoe & Johnson, later working as in-house counsel for a company, before her current position with Spilman Thomas & Battle PLLC. After she had settled into her new city, she helped create Wyldlife, Young Life’s middle school-aged ministry.
“I am proud to have joined the ranks of the wonderful people who call West Virginia home, and my husband and I have enjoyed raising our three children as Mountaineers,” she said.
Annalese in now 22, and the couple’s other daughter, Lucy, is 19. They also have a son, Ike, who is 16.
One of Aderholt’s most cherished memories while living in Morgantown was Annalese smiling and sharing the story of her young classmates loudly chanting “Let’s go, Mountaineers” as it echoed throughout the lunchroom at North Elementary School.
This also cemented Annalese’s devotion to her state, and now, she makes it a point to display her hometown pride by wearing WVU or Wheeling gear wherever and whenever she travels.
“I have witnessed state pride emanate from every corner of the state while traveling with my kids’ sports and my job, and let me tell you, Mountaineer pride is a beautiful thing to see and be a part of,” Aderholt said.
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