Fairmont State to Honor 10 Alumni Award Winners During Homecoming Celebration

Fairmont State University will honor the 2020 – 2021 Alumni Award Winners during the Fairmont State Alumni Celebration to take place during Homecoming. The celebration will be held on Friday, October 8 in Falcon Center Gym 1, with the doors opening at 3:30 p.m. and the program slated to begin at 4 p.m.

“The Fairmont State Alumni Association nominating committee worked tirelessly to select the best representatives of Fairmont State University from countless nominations,” said Fairmont State Alumni Association President, Mary Jo Thomas. “We are thrilled to recognize these individuals and induct members of the classes of 1970 and 1971 into the Emeritus Club.”

All award winners will also be recognized on Saturday, October 9 during the Homecoming Parade at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Duvall Rosier Field before the Homecoming game kicks off against Alderson Broaddus University at 2 p.m.

“Homecoming is always a wonderful and exciting time on campus, but this year our celebration will be all the more special,” said Fairmont State University President, Mirta M. Martin. “We look forward to honoring our well-deserving award winners and, once again, celebrating all of their successes together as one Falcon Family.”

 

The 2020 – 2021 Fairmont State Alumni Award Winners include:

Outstanding Alumni

• Devanna Corley
• Rocco Fucillo
• Porter Stiles

Alumni of Achievement

• Randy Farley
• Kathy Hypes
• Robert Vincent

Outstanding Young Alumni

• Stacey Bowers
• Eric Moffa
• Frankie Wilson

Lifetime Achievement

• Charlie Reese

 

Outstanding Alumna – Devanna Corley, Class of 1997

Devanna was born and raised in Marion County, a native of Monongah and is a first-generation college student. She graduated from Fairmont State with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management in 1997 and a Master’s of Business Administration in 2010. After moving to Charleston, WV, Devanna returned to Fairmont in 2001 as the Director of Alumni Relations and Vice President of Institutional Advancement. Following her time at Fairmont State, she worked as the Vice President of West Virginia University Alumni Affairs. Devanna departed higher education in 2012 to join the private sector, and currently serves as a principal and owner of Civil & Environmental Consultant’s Inc. (CEC) and works out of the Bridgeport, WV office. 

 

Outstanding Alumnus – Rocco Fucillo, Class of 1984

Fairmont native, Rocco Fucillo, is a graduate of Fairmont State, West Virginia University Law School and has an L.L.M. in Trial Advocacy from Temple Law School. He works as a Senior Advisor/Director of State Government Relations at WVU where he advocates for higher education before the legislature, state and local governments. Fucillo has held the positions of WV Assistant Attorney General, Assistant Prosecutor Attorney of Marion County and Adjunct Professor for 12 years at Fairmont State and seven years at WVU Law School. He is a former President of the Fairmont State Alumni Association Board of Directors. He serves on the boards of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce, MRDC and the Leadership Academy Programs. He is the Vice President of the Monongalia County Child Advocacy Center, Chair of Marion Remote and a member of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce Board Executive Committee.

 

Outstanding Alumnus – Porter Stiles, Class of 1981

Porter Stiles graduated from Fairmont State after serving in the U.S. Air Force. He is a retired teacher, having taught art, social studies and physical education in Berkeley and Preston Counties and art at Fairmont State. During his time as a student at Fairmont State, he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and marching band, and lettered in Bowling, Track and Cheerleading. Porter currently is a member of the Fairmont State Alumni Board of Directors, Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity Board of Advisors, owner and operator of Mt. State Enterprises, as well as a Civil War Historian, Reenactor and Collector of classic cars, baseball cards and Civil War and Fairmont State memorabilia.

 

Alumnus of Achievement – Randy Farley, Class of 1978

Randall D. Farley, a native of Mannington, graduated from Fairmont State in 1978 with a degree in Elementary Education and minors in Media and Special Education. During his college years he worked for Disability Action at Downs and Mannington providing scouting programs and activities for students in special education. He was the treasurer of the National Student Education Association, member of the Fairmont State Community Chorus and a member of Kappa Delta Pi. After graduating from college, he went to work in Marion County Schools, where he was a media specialist, teacher and principle. Randy retired as Marion County Superintendent of Schools in June 2021. 

 

Alumna of Achievement – Kathy Hypes, Class of 1986

Kathy was born and raised in Fairmont, graduating from East Fairmont High School and Fairmont State. She began her education career with the Nicholas County School System where she served children as a teacher, principal and district-level administrator. After leaving Nicholas County, she worked at the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE), served as the Executive Director for Regional Education Service Agency 7 (RESA 7) in Clarksburg and is currently the Superintendent of Schools in Braxton County. 

 

Alumnus of Achievement – Robert Vincent, Class of 1969

Robert W. Vincent, a native of Fairmont, graduated from Fairmont State in 1969 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in psychology. While at Fairmont State, he was a member of the Tau Beta Iota Fraternity, the junior class president, played in the Falcon Band and worked as a student programmer in the new computer center. After graduation, he entered the Air Force and went to Officer Training School and then pilot training. In 1972, he served in Vietnam as a Pilot Forward Air Controller completing 156 combat missions. Colonel Vincent retired from the Air Force in September 1994. Bob started a second career in retail management working for Toys R Us from 1995-2013. His district was selected twice as the top district in the company. In 2013, Bob took on a managerial role at Party City, where he completed the set up and grand opening for a new store location. He retired again in November 2016.

 

Outstanding Young Alumna – Stacey Bowers, Class of 2007

Stacey Bowers is a 2007 graduate of Fairmont State University, and a graduate of University of Illinois at Chicago where she received a Master of Architecture. While attending Fairmont State, she was a member of the Honors Program, Treasurer for the Fairmont State chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students and played on the Women’s Golf Team where she was recognized as Female Student Athlete of the Year her senior year. Stacey is a registered architect with a portfolio that includes commercial, municipal, healthcare, K-12 educational projects and historic renovations. 

 

Outstanding Young Alumnus – Eric Moffa, Class of 2005

Fairmont native, Eric Moffa, holds two degrees from Fairmont State, a B.A. in Social Studies Education (2005) and an M.Ed. in Professional Studies (2009). He earned his Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from West Virginia University in 2016. Eric Moffa is in his sixth year as an Assistant Professor of Education at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. Prior to this position, Eric taught public school for ten years in Marion County, including eight years as a social studies teacher at Fairmont Senior High School.

 

Outstanding Young Alumnus – Frankie Wilson, Class of 2015

After receiving his Associates Degree at Potomac State College, Frankie graduated from Fairmont State University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, while being a member of the baseball team. Frankie also represented Fairmont State for two years as Vice-Captain for the “Love Your Melon” crew, a non-profit apparel organization to help raise money for pediatric cancer research. Upon graduating, he acted as the Assistant Coach for the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons baseball team from 2015 – 2021, while taking on the Interim Head Coach position in Spring 2021. He currently acts as the Director of Marketing and Development for Advantage Occupational Medicine in Bridgeport, West Virginia.

 

Lifetime Achievement – Charlie Reese, Class of 1966

Charlie Reese graduated from Fairmont State in 1966 with a degree in teaching. He played football for Coach Deacon Duvall and was a member of the Tau Beta Iota fraternity. Charlie taught school in both Marion County and Ohio before changing career paths to become a salesman. He spent time working in the coal mines before being hired as the President of the Marion County Chamber of Commerce and Marion Regional Development Council (MRDC) in the late 1980s. Charlie served as President of the Marion County Chamber and MRDC for more than 25 years before retiring, after three attempts. He was instrumental in the development of the I-79 Technology Park, both VIP Parks in Pleasant Valley and Marion County Industrial Park. In addition, Charlie was part of the development team for the new Palatine Park. He served on the Marion County School Board for six years and has been instrumental in endowing numerous scholarships.

 

For a full schedule of Homecoming events, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/homecoming.

2021 HomecomingAlumni AwardsAlumni CelebrationMary Jo ThomasMirta Martin