School of Business Recognizes Students for Academic Achievement

The Fairmont State University School of Business honored students for their academic achievement at the Delta Mu Delta Induction Ceremony and Scholarship and Award Presentations at the end of the spring 2015 semester.

Dr. Richard Harvey is Dean of the School of Business, and Dr. Timothy Oxley is Associate Dean. Alumnus Gary LeDonne presented remarks during the event. Teresa Dalton was named Adjunct Instructor of the Year and Leisa Muto was named Professor of the Year.

Delta Mu Delta Honor Society, an international society in Business Administration, encourages higher scholarship and recognizes and rewards scholastic achievement in business administration programs. Invitation to membership in Kappa Omicron, the local chapter of Delta Mu Delta at Fairmont State, is an honor indicative of earnest, intelligent purpose and rewarding achievement. Faculty advisors are Dr. Rebecca Giorcelli and Robert Weaver. Students invited to membership include juniors, seniors and graduate students who are in the School of Business, in the top 20 percent of their college class in cumulative average grades with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (juniors and seniors) and 3.6 (graduate students). Dr. Greg Hinton and Gary LeDonne were inducted as honorary members. The following students were inducted: Deanne Bailey, Jodie Bennett, Samantha Brown, Jill Cable, Clara Carpenter, Jason Frazer, Lisa Hamrick, Shelby Harman, Erin Harwood, Clinton Jackson, Lesley Kuffour, Andrew Lyon, Bruno Martinez, R. Mitch Moore, Dominic Myhalsky, Nicholette Nelson, Alisha Pearcy, Sarah Pickett, Victoria Rohr, RaeAnn Secrist, Nicholas Shaffer, Ty Uphold, Kaitlyn Witsaman.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program of the IRS provides income tax assistance to low income and elderly taxpayers who cannot afford professional income tax help. The students who volunteer are required to pass an IRS certification exam. Once certified, the student volunteers complete at least 40 hours of community service at our various VITA site locations in Marion, Harrison, Upshur and Tucker counties. The faculty advisor for the program is Dr. Jean Engebretson. The following students who participated in the VITA program were recognized: Emily Barger, Michael Barnes, Samantha Brown, Kasie Buckley, Jill Cable, Jennifer Daniels, Danielle Guthrie, Angie Lane, Maggie Lawless, Justine Maxey, R. Mitch Moore, Kyle Noble, Jason Oldaker, Victoria Parr, Jordan Smith, Erica Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Haley Weaver.

The Peer Mentors facilitate group study sessions for traditionally difficult courses. Their purpose is to use active learning techniques to demonstrate student strategies that have proven to help students become successful independent learners. Students who attend a mentoring session each week for the entire semester tend to earn a full letter grade higher than students who do not attend. The Mentor program is part of the U.S. Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions grant awarded to FSU in 2012. The following students served as Peer Mentors: Kasie Buckley, Alex Campbell, Jason Frazer, Devin Freeman, Maggie Lawless and Ashley Lowe.

Emily Barger of Terra Alta was named Outstanding Senior in Accounting. A 2011 graduate of Preston High School, she is the daughter of Douglas Barger and Connie and Moose Loughry. A senior Accounting major, she is President of the Student Accounting Society, Vice President of the Student Accountant Society and a member of Delta Mu Delta.

Heather Blankenship of Ballard received the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship. The daughter of Roger “Jake” and Syndia Blankenship, she is a 2014 graduate of James Monroe High School. A freshman Accounting major, she is a member of the Honors Program, the Gay-Straight Alliance, the Prichard Reading Club and the Student Leadership Board for the School of Business.

Alexander Campbell received the ACBSP Outstanding Student Leadership Award.

Adrianna Constable of Fairmont received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, she is the daughter of Jackie Constable. A freshman General Business major, she is an active member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, has been on the Dean’s List and received the following scholarships: the Sharon Messmore Scholarship, the Dr. Bill Phillips Action Marion Scholarship, the Brogan Raddish Memorial Scholarship, the Jacob Bower Memorial Scholarship, the Joseph Closson Memorial Scholarship and the William Bridges Memorial Scholarship.

Bradley Cox of Mount Hope received the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, he is the son of Richard and Katrina Cox. A senior Accounting and Finance major, he is a member of the Honors Program, Student Government and Residence Life.

Trent Elliott of Culver, Ind., received the Robert (Buck) Thompson Family Scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Culver Community High School, he is the son of Kyle and Lori Elliott. He has a daughter, Kirsten Elliott. A freshman Marketing major, he is a member of the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons Men’s Basketball Team.

Devin Freeman of Fairmont received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, he is the son of Tracey Freeman. A sophomore Business Administration (Management and Marketing) major, he is the Peer Mentor program supervisor, a member of Chi Alpha, a member of the Student Leadership Board for the School of Business and has been on the Dean’s List.

Breanna Hafer of Fairmont was named Outstanding Senior in Business and received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Ritchie County High School, she is the daughter of Andrew and Melissa Gump. A senior Business Administration (Management) major, she is a member of Delta Mu Delta and the Student Leadership Board of the School of Business.

Shelby Harman received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship.

Seungha Kim of Michigan was named Outstanding Senior in Information Systems Management and received the Dustin Burdoff Scholarship. A 2011 graduate of Parkway Christian School, the senior Information Systems Management major is a Peer Mentor, a Peer Tutor, a member of the Student Leadership Board of the School of Business and has been on the President’s List.

Jordan Lacy of Fairmont received the Emily Leaf Nichols Alumni Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Braxton County High School, he is the son of Christopher and Kristina Lacy. A Finance and Management junior, he is a member of Delta Mu Delta, a past member of the FSU Fighting Falcons Football Team and has been on the President’s List.

Maggie Lawless of Bluefield received the Glenn A. Harman Accounting Excellence Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Bluefield High School, she is the daughter of Mark and Dawn Lawless. A sophomore Accounting and Information Systems Management major, she is the secretary of the Student Accountant Society, a member of the Student Leadership Board for the School of Business and a Peer Mentor.

Ashley Lowe of Fairmont received the WesBanco Bank Fairmont, Inc. Endowed Scholarship. A 2011 graduate of Liberty High School, she is the daughter of Phil and Cindy Cox. A junior Business Administration Finance and Management major, she is a Peer Mentor, vice president of the FSU Honors Program, a member of Delta Mu Delta and has been named to the Dean’s List.

Justine Maxey received the George E. Lambert Family Endowed Fund for Education. A 2012 graduate of Bridgeport High School, she is the daughter of James Scott and Bridget Maxey. She and her husband Justin Snyder reside in Bridgeport. She is a senior Accounting and Finance major.

R. Mitch Moore of Burton received the ACBSP Outstanding Student Leadership Award. A senior Accounting and Finance major, he is the son of Randy and Janet Moore and a 2012 graduate of Hundred High School. He is a founding member of the FSU College Republicans, a member of the Honors Program, the Student Accountant Society and Student Body President.

Dominic Myhalsky of Farmington received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of North Marion High School, he is the son of Chris and Misty Myhalsky. He is a sophomore Information Systems Management major.

Quintin Nicholson of Jane Lew received the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of South Harrison High School, he is the son of David and Cheryl Nicholson. The junior Information Systems Management major is a Resident Assistant for the Office of Residence Life.

Alisha Pearcy received the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship and the Dream, Succeed & Lead Scholarship. A 2008 graduate of Robert C. Byrd High School, she is a junior Business Administration Finance major. She and her husband Matthew Pearcy and their children, Landon and Melanie, reside in Fairmont. She is a member of the Student Leadership Board for the School of Business and has been on the Dean’s List and the President’s List.

Lacey Peterson of Waynesburg, Pa., received the Woodrow A. Potesta Scholarship of Accounting. A 2013 graduate of Waynesburg Central High School, she is the daughter of Phillip and Mary Peterson. A sophomore Accounting major, she is a member of the Acrobatics and Tumbling Team, the Student Accountant Society, the Student Leadership Board of the School of Business and has been on the President’s List.

Christian Reed of Clarksburg received the Woodrow A. Potesta Scholarship of Accounting. A 2014 graduate of Liberty High School, he is the son of Ron and Amy Reed. A freshman Accounting major, he is a member of the Marching Band and the Jazz Band and is a Resident Assistant for the Office of Residence Life.

Christine Ridenour received the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship.

Michael Shaw of Fairmont received the Frank and Florence Sansalone Scholarship. A 2015 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, he is the son of Dave and Tina Shaw. He is a freshman Business major.

Brooke Shockey of Moorefield received the Mary B. & Edgar N. Jaynes Endowed Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Moorefield High School, she is the daughter of Randy and Kelly Shockey. A sophomore Business Administration major, she is a member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority in which she has held the offices of director of academic success and vice president of finance. She has been on the President’s List.

Christopher Shreves of Fairmont received the WesBanco Business Graduate Degree Endowed Scholarship. A 2011 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, he is the son of Michael and Laura Shreves. He is a senior Business Administration major.

Erica Uselton, team leader, received the Bloomberg Businessweek Excellence in Writing Award.

Takawira Ushendibaba received the Conley CPA Group Accounting Excellence Award.

Kaitlyn Witsaman of Medina, Ohio, received the John & Nancy Raley School of Business Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of Medina High School, she is the daughter of Glen and Brenda Witsaman. A junior Marketing major, she is captain of the Volleyball Team, vice president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and was named to the Academic All District Team for volleyball.

Zack Yates of McMechen received the Stanley & Mary Beafore Scholarship. A 2012 graduate of John Marshall High School, he is the son of George and Jennifer Yates. A junior Accounting and Finance major, he has been on the Dean’s List.

School of Business