When Dr. Jonathan Gore and Dr. Anna Hayton-Gore walked into their first class at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry, they were strangers. That quickly changed. What began as a shared passion for helping others and studying side by side grew into something deeper — a bond that carried them through dental school and into their wedding the day after Commencement.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When Zyiah and Zakiah Bailey walked into their first class at the West Virginia University School of Nursing, they didn’t just sit down as students. They sat down as sisters, best friends and future nurses. Now, the Fairmont natives are preparing to graduate together with their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
Lydia Ferrell, a Kingwood native and master’s degree student in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, chose the field to help create conditions where everyone can utilize preventative measures and healthy behaviors to increase their chances of living longer, healthier lives.