1st Leadership Fairmont State Class Graduates

The first class of graduates of Leadership Fairmont State will be honored during a graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 10, in the Falcon Center. During the ceremony, graduates will receive a certificate of completion and the title Leadership Fellow.

Dr. Frederick G. Fidura is the director of Leadership Fairmont State, and Mary Stewart is the assistant director. The following are the members of the Leadership Fairmont State Class of 2007-2008: Dale Bradley, Amy Cunningham, J.J. Davis, Jim Decker, Kimberly DeMeester, Carolyn Fletcher, Donna Long, Jim Matthews, Richard Pagan, John Piscitelli, Sharon Smith, Deborah Stiles, Jennifer Weist, Alissa Wilmoth and Robin Yeager.

Modeled after the Leadership West Virginia and Leadership Marion cohort programs, Leadership Fairmont State, established in 2007-2008, focuses on leadership in the higher education environment of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College. Leadership Fairmont State is committed to the development of a knowledgeable and dedicated corps of faculty, staff and administrators in service to the student body of the university and community college by providing leadership training and vision-broadening experiences to all participants and in doing so, providing a pool of present and future campus leaders.

Faculty or staff members who have been employed with Fairmont State for at least three years are selected to participate based on their willingness to work with colleagues in a team effort, demonstrated leadership or leadership potential, the willingness to assume the responsibility for seeing that things get done. Candidates are chosen by the Leadership Fairmont State Advisory Board from a pool of highly qualified applicants. Only 12 openings are available for each class.

Graduates of the program should develop a sense of team and community, understand the various areas of Fairmont State and how they contribute to the success of the institution, develop leadership skills and abilities, develop a network of contacts and experience self-discovery.

"The sense of community in this year's group and the chemistry was just as rewarding as anything I've done in my career," Fidura said. "They are really an energetic, fine group of people, and it was fun to work with them."

Fidura said he will encourage Leadership Fairmont State Class of 2007-2008 to form an alumni group called Leadership in Action that will adopt public service projects each year.