The mission of Fairmont State University is: “Fairmont State University educates engaged citizens in a community distinguished by opportunity, growth, and achievement, delivering transformational impact for West Virginia and beyond.” The Educator Preparation Program's (EPP) mission statement, "to prepare reflective and responsive educators who possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to help all students learn," is supportive of the institution's commitment to excellence and transformational impact, but extends the meaning, specifically addressing the success of EPP candidates.
Fairmont State University's vision statement is “A Great Place to Learn, to Work, and to Call Home” The EPP values the institution's vision statement by implementing innovative pedagogical practices and programs. The EPP seeks to provide teacher candidates with a transformative educational experience as a first-choice institution renowned for its teacher preparation history. The EPP continually strives to improve all program aspects related to innovations in teaching excellence, conducive learning environments, and supportive services.
Furthermore, the EPP develops candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be reflective, responsive, and successful educators. The Journey Student Success Program, the EPP's student support system, is student-centered and focuses on providing an environment that facilitates the education of global citizen leaders.
The acronym SOAR represents the institution's core values: Scholarship (to celebrate the joy and wonder of discovery), Opportunity (to grow, learn, engage, and contribute), Achievement (to reach personal and community goals), and Responsibility (to fulfill obligations to the learning community, our society, the future, and ourselves). The EPP embraces Fairmont State's core values.
The EPP's goals include, but are not limited to:
- Recruiting candidates who successfully meet all the requirements for program admission and providing scaffolded and sequenced opportunities to support candidates' success.
- Retention of candidates by providing effective advising and support mechanisms as well as programmatic resources from candidate admission through candidate exit and beyond.
- Graduating highly qualified teacher candidates who meet or exceed all requirements for program completion, certification, and licensure.
- Recruiting and retaining exemplary faculty from a broad range of diverse backgrounds who positively impact candidates' learning.
The EPP's Recruitment and Retention Plan describes the recruitment and retention strategies geared toward all undergraduate students, but also specifically addresses the EPP's effort to increase the number of teacher candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and diverse populations.
The EPP's mission mirrors Fairmont State's mission/vision with its shared goal of a commitment to excellence and student success.