Thousands of graduates will cross the Commencement stage through Sunday (May 18) receiving degrees from all West Virginia University schools and colleges across nine ceremonies. Meet some of the newest University alumni.
To mark the end of another successful academic year, the West Virginia University Division of Student Life is celebrating excellence across campus with spring awards honoring students, faculty and staff who have helped improve the University.
West Virginia University is part of a global effort to spark curiosity and inspire creativity in young learners and their families during the Remake Learning Days festival which runs from May 17-25.
There is no “right” path to take to get to college, and this rings true for West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources senior Jay Rossell who is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries resources.
West Virginia Institute of Technology grad Sam Miller started out in chemical engineering, but segued to forensic investigation after realizing he could apply his love for chemistry in a practical setting. Then, in his junior year, a few criminal justice classes and an internship with the Public Defender’s Office helped him find his purpose. Miller will be attending the WVU College of Law this fall.
Dr. Ali Rezai, executive chair of the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, has received the 2025 Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In selecting Dr. Rezai, the Ellis Island Honors Society cited his pioneering work in neuroscience using technologies such as focused ultrasound and deep brain stimulation to unlock new potential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, addiction and other conditions.
Tim South, a student in the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, has swam all the Class V rapids and most of the Class IV rapids, on the Lower Gauley River. That kind of courage and determination helped him in his pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Sharing their knowledge with global audiences, West Virginia University experts have reached more than 10 million news readers through a partnership with The Conversation U.S., a nonprofit, independent publisher of explanatory journalism.
Education has taken Sandra Ayivor, a West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences higher education administration doctoral student, a long way from her home in Ghana. But hard work and commitment to her personal mantra — “victory starts in the mind” — have paid off as Ayivor sets her sights on Commencement.
When Carson Cochran was 8 years old, his art teacher asked the class to set a long-term goal and paint one eye of a Daruma doll — a traditional Japanese figure symbolizing perseverance. The other eye is painted once the goal is achieved. That day, Cochran decided his goal was to become a dentist.