Three Honored at Women of Color Luncheon

Three outstanding community members were honored Tuesday, April 15, during the Fairmont State University Women of Color Luncheon.

The event, sponsored by the Fairmont State Office of Student Affairs, is intended to honor those who have shown a commitment to treating everyone equally and who celebrate diversity. Persis Bates, Director of Multicultural Affairs, planned and presided over the event, which had a record high attendance.

Jamal Womble, a member of the men's basketball team and a past recipient of the Horace and Geraldine Belmear Outstanding Academic Student Award, gave the welcome.

Speaker for the luncheon was Charity Kabaiku, who was born and raised in Kenya, Africa. She attended West Virginia University on an athletic scholarship and was a doctoral student at the university studying Community Development. Recently, she worked at Fairmont State as an instructor in the School of Education. Kabaiku told the inspiring story of her life, how she overcame poverty and domestic abuse in Kenya to create a new life for herself and her daughter.

James Griffin, Vice Chair of the Fairmont State Board of Governors, introduced honoree JoAnn James of Bridgeport.

Originally from southwestern Pennsylvania, James attended Hempfield Area Public Schools, Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Howard University in Washington, D.C. She earned a B.S. degree in Social Science and Home Economics from Seton Hill College, Greensburg, Pa., and an M.P.M. (Masters of Public Management) from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She is a certified trainer in Performance Management through Development Dimensions International, Pittsburgh, and a graduate of Dale Carnegie. James is also a graduate of Moody Bible School, Pittsburgh Branch, and previously served as Sunday school superintendent, church clerk, presenter of the weekly Children's Message and corresponding secretary for the Youghiogheny Baptist Association Congress of Christian Education. She retired from the position of Manager of Customer Service at Hope Gas/Dominion Resources in 1999 with 25 years service and from the Credit Manager position at Allegheny Power in 2003. James has always had a passion for sewing and working with fabrics and now enjoys creating various craft items, designer quilts, specialty clothing, monogramming and doing all types of alterations from a small home based business she calls J's Stitchery. J's Stitchery specializes in a variety of unique gift items and special order items. In addition to being a small business owner, she is also employed as a substitute teacher for Harrison County Schools and the Industrial School for Youth, Salem, and holds a part-time seamstress position at Buttons & Bows in the Meadowbrook Mall. She is an active member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Clarksburg, where she currently serves as new members coordinator and teacher/facilitator, and as corresponding/recording secretary for the AGAPE Missionary Society. Her current community involvement includes the following: Pierpont Community & Technical College Advisory Board, President of the Bridgeport Originals CEO Homemakers, Black Heritage Festival of WV Ways and Means Committee and Board member, Kelly Miller Association and volunteer for Hope, Inc. She is the mother of one daughter, Kristi James, who is a teacher at Morgantown High School and is an adjunct professor at FSU.

George Yanchak, Interim Director for Financial Aid and Scholarships, introduced the staff honoree, Antoinette Hines, who is a Financial Aid Counselor.

"Antoinette has been a valuable asset to the university community and has a passion for helping students find ways to maintain their college aspirations," Yanchak said. "She will spend all the time it takes to listen to students and help them come to a conclusion or guide them in a way that will lead to the best possible solution. She is possibly the nicest human being that I have ever met."

A Fairmont native, Hines graduated from Fairmont Senior High School in 1990 and earned her B.S. in Business from Fairmont State in 1994. After graduation she was employed at the Huntington Bank operation center; in November 2000 she returned to her alma mater Fairmont State. Hines is a gifted singer who also writes music. She serves on the praise and worship team at her church, Christian Love Ministries.

"I'm just doing my job," Hines said as she received the award. "To me, my job is my reward. I get rewarded every time I see students go across the stage and get their diplomas. Truly I just love students, and I'm just doing my job."

Michael Belmear, Vice President for Student Affairs, introduced and presented student Tiffany Jones with the Horace and Geraldine Belmear Outstanding Academic Student Award, named for his parents.

Jones, who attended Fairmont Senior High School, is the daughter of Timothy and Linda Jones. She participated in Black Culture Society, basketball and track and field. She is a senior at Fairmont State majoring in Early Childhood Education and plans to graduate in May. At Fairmont State, she has been on the Dean's List and has been President of the Black Student Union, a New Student Orientation Counselor and a counselor at the Diversity Scholar Outreach Summer Program.

"It has been a great opportunity for me to work, study and participate at Fairmont State," Jones said.