spotlight

For Joseph Watkins, working in a lab and pursuing a career in the field of pathology have been goals since high school. The West Virginia University School of Medicine provides a path into the in-demand profession of histotechnology with one of only 11 programs offered in the United States. After graduation, Watkins said he hopes to earn his histotechnologist certification before beginning the WVU Pathologists’ Assistant program.

Mannon Gallegly died Jan. 7 at the age of 101, but not before making a huge impact on the Mountain State. Read about the legacy he left behind, including improvements to tomato crops for generations of farmers and growers. A memorial service for Gallegly will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 18) at Wesley United Methodist Church in Morgantown.

Despite having big plans and a clear vision, college hasn’t always been easy for Faith Marino, a senior in the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. But after she graduates in May, she now has her sights set on law school and pursuing a career in intellectual property law.

Mary Lu Adams has always been someone who embraces challenges, but even she couldn’t have anticipated the obstacles she would face in her pursuit of a new career. Now a graduate student in the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences counseling program, Adams’ journey is marked by resilience, courage and a determination to finish what she started.

This year, West Virginia University Strategic Communications and Marketing teams traveled West Virginia with “Let's go” flags in hand to celebrate the beauty of the state and the people who proudly wave the Flying WV. The ends of trails, the tops of mountains, the streams and the scenes that make this state special — those were the destinations around the state we wanted to highlight with West Virginians in the middle of them.

A series of events helped shape the journey to graduation for Robin Anderson, a program coordinator for the Office of Communications, Marketing and Technology in the West Virginia University Division for Land-Grant Engagement. On Saturday (Dec. 21), Anderson will receive a Regents Bachelor of Arts, a degree program that is designed to allow working people to juggle professional and personal commitments.

When it comes to the student learning experience, the small things matter. Amid classes, examinations, rotations and extensive studying, a friendly face and words of encouragement can significantly affect a busy student. These small interactions and affirmations drive Heather Hanks, program specialist with the West Virginia University Rural Track in the School of Medicine.

Over the last half century, few Mountaineers can say they’ve left their mark on West Virginia University like James “Jim” Gardill. Now in his late 70s, Gardill looks back on his relationship with the University as one of appreciation and mutual commitment to what makes the state’s flagship institution so special.

A native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, Jim Bittner, the new emergency management coordinator for West Virginia University, always had a passion for emergency response, and after spending 26 years working in his hometown, he joined the WVU Police Department this fall.

More than a decade after graduating from West Virginia University, Pocahontas County native Valerie Pritt, a public relations professional and member of Lewisburg City Council, says she tries to live by a motto she learned while she was a student.