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 2016 semester.

Dr. Richard Harvey is Dean of the School of Business. Dr. Gina Fantasia and Dr. Rebecca Giorcelli are Associate Deans. RJ Gimbl, President of the Fairmont State Foundation, presented remarks during the event. Ashley Tasker was named Adjunct Instructor of the Year and Dr. Joseph Kremer 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). The following students were inducted: Marissa Abe, Alicia Anderson, Chadrick Barker, Jessica Barr, Harley Boyd, Brodie Currence, Bethany Eskridge, Abigail Griffith, Grant Holbert, Shirley Holland, Jennifer Jozwick, Taylor Killian, Angie Lane, Hannah Lenhart, Brandi Linger, Sara Park, Lacey Peterson, Joshua Rexroad, Asim a Shaar, Brooke Shockey, Breanna Sines, William Soles, Takawira Ushendibaba, Mary Frances Yankie. Kenny Martin and Gina Fantasia were inducted as honorary members.

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: Clint Atkins, Cole Ballard, Samantha Brown, Stephanie Bushman, Tingting (Emily) Chen, Mackenzie Cox, Colbi Dick, Billy Elko, Leo Fleming, Kimberly Gerath, Jennifer Jozwick, Travis Kirtner, Sam Lacaria, Angie Lane, Ashley McManaway, Randy (Mitch) Moore, Olivia Ooten, Lacey Peterson, Christine Ridenour, Kristyn Riddle, Justine Snyder, Samantha Tate, Erica Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Tatenda Ushendibaba, Josh Wine, Joseph Williams and Zack Yates.

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: Michael Barnes, Heather Blankenship, Kasie Buckley, Jason Frazer, Devin Freeman, Grant Holbert, Maggie Lawless and Ashley Lowe.

Jill Cable of Buckhannon was named Outstanding Senior in Accounting. A 1977 graduate of Buckhannon-Upshur High School, she is married to Robert Joseph Cable. A senior Accounting major, she is a member of Delta Mu Delta.

Deanna Bailey of Fairmont was named Outstanding Senior in Business. A 1983 graduate of North Marion High School, she is the daughter of Ralph and Ellen Martin and has one daughter, Samantha Hubbard. A senior Business Administration: Management major, she is a member of the Student Veterans Organization and Delta Mu Delta.

Lesley Kuffour of Connecticut was named the Outstanding Senior in Information Systems Management. He is the son of Theresa Dei-Asare and his family is originally from Kumasi, Ghana. A senior Information Systems Management and Marketing major, he is the Student Government Association Multi-cultural Representative, a member of the International Students Organization and Delta Mu Delta.

Ashley Lowe of Fairmont received the ACBSP Outstanding Student Leadership Award. A 2011 graduate of Liberty High School, she is the daughter of Phillip and Cindy Cox. A Finance and Management major and a Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) minor, she is the Vice President of Honors, a member of Delta Mu Delta, a member of the School of Business Student Leadership Board and a Peer Mentor. She received the Share the Love Award in 2015 and was Outstanding Student in French in 2015-2016.

Megan Clerico received the Stanley and Mary Beafore Scholarship.

Patrick Ellis of Bridgeport received the Frank and Florence Sansalone Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Notre Dame High School, he is the son of Jim and Pat Ellis. A junior Marketing major, he is a member of the Debate Team and has been on the Dean’s List.

Hillary Martinez of Stonewood received the Emily Leaf Nichols Alumni Scholarship and the Dream, Succeed and Lead award. A 2005 graduate of Bridgeport High School, she is married to Bruno Martinez and they have two children, Mya and Isabella Martinez. A senior Business Administration major, she has been on the President’s List.

Maggie Lawless received the Conley CPA Group Accounting Excellence Award.

Takawira T. Ushendibaba received the Conley CPA Group Accounting Excellence Award and the George E. Lambert Family Endowed Fund for Education. A 2013 graduate of Lomagundi College in Zimbabwe, he is the son of Adonis and Gertrude Ushendibaba. A sophomore Accounting major, he is a Resident Assistant, a member of the Student Accounting Society and a member of the Resident Assistant Advisory Committee.

Breanna Hafer received the WesBanco Business Graduate Degree Endowed Scholarship.

Brandi Nicole Linger of Jane Lew received the WesBanco Bank Fairmont, Inc. Endowed Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Lewis County High School, she is the daughter of Mark and Kim Linger. A junior Business Administration: Marketing major, she is a member of Delta Mu Delta and raised more than $2,000 for the local community and volunteers with the United Way.

Harley Ann Boyd received the John and Nancy Raley School of Business Scholarship.

Christopher Orinick received the Dustin M. Burdoff Foundation award.

Mary Frances Yankie of Barrackville received the Glenn A. Harman Accounting Excellence Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of East Fairmont High School, she is the daughter of Terry and Holly Yankie. A junior Accounting and Business Administration: Management major, she is a member of Delta Mu Delta and has been on the President’s List and Dean’s List.

Silvia DeAnda Reyes of Weston received the Mary B. and Edgar N. Jaynes Endowed Scholarship. A native of Mexico, she earned her GED in Weston in 2011. The daughter of Victor De Anda Olivarez and Guillermina M. Reyes Arana, she is a General Business major. She has one child, Vania M. De Anda.

Travis Kirtner of Bridgeport received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Bridgeport High School, he is the son of Joseph Kirtner and Heidi Thorne. A sophomore Accounting and Business Management major, he is the Student Government Association Faculty Senate Representative and a VITA greeter.

Brooke Shockey of Moorefield received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Moorefield High School, she is the daughter of Randy and Kelly Shockey. A senior Business Administration major, she is Vice President of Finance for the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority, a member of Delta Mu Delta and has been on the Dean’s List or President’s List every semester.

Olivia Ooten of Lenore received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship. A 2015 graduate of Tug Valley High School, she is the daughter of Randall and Cynthia Ooten. A freshman Accounting major, she is a Resident Assistant for Bryant Place, a member of the women’s rugby team, a member of the Honors program and has been on the President’s List.

Shelby Harman received the Donald L. Hoylman Impact Scholarship.

Harold Gene Fair III of Chesapeake received the Woodrow A. Potesta Scholarship of Accounting and the Bloomberg Businessweek Excellence in Writing Award. A 2015 graduate of Riverside High School, he is the son of Sheila M. Fair. He is a freshman Management major.

Jason Jolly received the Robert (Buck) Thompson Family Scholarship. A 2015 graduate of Stone Bridge High School, he is the son of Jason and Tammy Jolly. A freshman Business Management major, he is a member of the men’s basketball team.

Devin Freeman received the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, he is the son of Tracey Freeman. A junior Business Administration: Marketing major, he is a supervisor for the Peer Mentor Program, a Life group leader for Chi Alpha Student Ministries, a member of the Student Leadership Board and has been on the Dean’s List.

Emily Chen received the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship.

Dominic Myhalsky of Farmington received the LeDonne Family Accounting Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of North Marion High School, he is the son of Chris and Misty Myhalsky. A senior Information Systems Management major, he is on the President’s List and is a member of Delta Mu Delta.

Derek Barnett received the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship.

Zachery Hatfield received the Louis Schoolnic Endowed Scholarship. A 2013 graduate of Logan High School, he is a junior Finance and Marketing major. He is a member of the men’s tennis team and is a Resident Assistant.

Adrianna Constable of Fairmont received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship and is a past recipient of that scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School, she is the daughter of Jacqueline Constable. A sophomore Business Administration and Accounting double major, she is a member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, for which she has served as ritual chairman and is Vice President of Community Relations. She has received the following scholarships: the Sharon Messmore Foundation Scholarship, the Brogan Raddish Memorial Scholarship, the Jacob Bower Memorial Scholarship and the William Bridges Memorial Scholarship.

Yen Nhu (May) Dang received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Bridgeport High School, she is the daughter of Dan Dang and April Tran. A sophomore Business Administration: Marketing and Accounting double major, she is a PROMISE Scholar and a volunteer at the Clarksburg, Marion and Harrison County Humane Society. She received the DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award and has been on the President’s List every semester.

Christine Ridenour of Moatsville received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2014 graduate of Preston High School, she is the daughter of William and Mary Ridenour. She is a sophomore Accounting major.

Samantha Tate of Weirton received the Anthony J. and Josephine Pitrolo Endowed Scholarship. A 2015 graduate of Weir High School, she is the daughter of Scott Tate and Gwen Tate. A freshman Business major with a minor in Psychology, she is a member of the Honors program, the Student Accountant Society and Delta Zeta sorority. She is a VITA volunteer and has been on the Dean’s List and President’s List.

School of BusinessDelta Mu DeltaVITA Tax PreparationDr. Joseph KremerAshley TaskerPeer Mentors