FSU and Pierpont Support Make a Difference Day

Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community & Technical College students, faculty and staff participated in a variety of community service projects as part of Make a Difference Day, celebrated Oct. 23-25.

"Make a Difference Day is the largest national day of helping others - a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. We wanted to take this opportunity to show that FSU and Pierpont really care about our community," said Donna Yergovich Nuzum, Director of Community Service Learning.

• During the week of Homecoming 2008, Oct. 20-25, students donated items for the Dunbar Boys and Girls Club wish lists, raised money for the club and volunteered their time to work with the children.
  
• Shana Barr, FSU's cheerleading coach, organized the participation of the cheerleaders in a project to volunteer their time to work with teachers and students at Jayenne Elementary School in Fairmont.
  
• Students from Dr. Angela Schwer's freshmen seminar class and others worked on the Habitat for Humanity house in Mannington, putting up siding and hanging drywall. Other students from Schwer's class helped with the Woodlawn Cemetery clean-up in Fairmont.
  
• Heather Somers, a student attending FSU at the Caperton Center in Clarksburg, organized and collected personal items for women staying at HOPE, Inc. domestic violence shelter.
  
• Members of the student biology honorary group Tri Beta, with advisor Sarah Dodson, hosted a "Kiss the Pig Contest." Professors were nominated as potential winners to receive the honor of kissing a pig. Votes were $1 each with the proceeds going to Toys for Tots. A total of $300 was collected. The "winning" faculty members were chemistry professor Matt Scanlon and biology professor Phil Yeager.
  
• Pierpont student Natalie Duffield coordinated collecting clothing items to begin the Professional Clothing Closet at the Union Mission in Fairmont. She will continue work with this on-going project.

FSU's and Pierpont's Office of Community Service Learning and Service to the Community is committed to providing beneficial, educational and memorable community outreach experiences for students, faculty and staff by assisting and coordinating individual and group service opportunities. The office offers support through service projects that enhance learning opportunities and improve community conditions while making a connection to the community a positive situation for all involved.

If your community agency or organization is in need of assistance from FSU and Pierpont students, faculty or staff, contact Nuzum at (304) 367-4830 or visit http://www.fairmontstate.edu/academics/communityservicelearning/default.asp. Nuzum can help make connections between community groups and campus volunteers. 

 

Members of the student biology honorary group Tri Beta, with advisor Sarah Dodson, hosted a "Kiss the Pig Contest." Professors were nominated as potential winners to receive the honor of kissing a pig. Votes were $1 each with the proceeds going to Toys for Tots. A total of $300 was collected. Pictured are the "winning" faculty members were biology professor Phil Yeager, left, and chemistry professor Matt Scanlon, right.

During the week of Homecoming 2008, Oct. 20-25, students donated items for the Dunbar Boys and Girls Club wish lists, raised money for the club and volunteered their time to work with the children. Kelley Bronson, Student Government President, and Nicki Stanley, Student Government Vice President, are shown working a fund-raising table in the Falcon Center.

 

Shana Barr, FSU's cheerleading coach, organized the participation of the cheerleaders in a project to volunteer their time to work with teachers and students at Jayenne Elementary School in Fairmont. Pictured in the first row from left to right are Nicole Tokarski, Kala Sanson, Alisha Aronhalt and Morgan Dulik. In the top row from left to right are Erica Altamare, Johnna Drelick and Sam Riffle.

Fairmont State and Pierpont C&TC students and staff also helped with Habitat for Humanity. Pictured from left to right are Gerad Gill; Community Service Learning Director Donna Yergovich Nuzum; Habitat Construction Supervisor John Metz; Zach Buchanan; Ephraim Harrell; and Tara Cheeseman (on ladder).