Fairmont State Dedicates EPICS Suite in Honor of Joshi Family Contributions

Fairmont State University and the Fairmont State Foundation honored emeritus faculty member and advocate for international students, Dr. Tulasi Joshi and his wife Marilyn, at a press conference on Monday.  

Dr. Joshi and Marilyn Joshi have committed significant funds to support the recruitment of international students at Fairmont State, and their gift was recognized by naming and dedicating the University’s international student office the Tulasi and Marilyn Joshi Office for Educational Pathways for International Centers & Students.  

“The gift from the Joshi family, intended to support the recruitment of international students, will have a profound impact. Fairmont State offers a transformative education to all who seek it. And now, because of their generosity, we can increase our efforts to make that promise to more international students,” said Mirta M. Martin, Fairmont State University President. “Tulasi and Marilyn understand how energizing and mutually beneficial having a robust international student presence on campus can be. International students coming to Fairmont State will benefit from our close-knit Falcon Family and caring faculty, and our community profits from the global perspectives these students provide.” 

Joshi said he is hopeful the gift to the University will allow for opportunities for international students to seek the dream of education while establishing a broader global perspective at the University.  

“We live in the global environment,” Joshi said. “International students help us to be competitive in the global economy and help to enrich Fairmont State University, the community and our world understanding.” 

Despite a number hardships, Joshi received a master’s degree in geography from the Tribhuvan University of Nepal in 1963, then traveled to the United States to earn a master’s degree in 1966 from the University of Hawaii under the East West Scholarship Program. In addition, Joshi completed his doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh in 1972. 

In 1972 a professor recommended Joshi for a faculty position at Fairmont State, where he would serve 42 years as a professor of geography. Throughout his tenure at the University, Joshi established programs for Nepali students to complete their undergraduate studies at Fairmont State.  

In addition, Joshi played a key role in the establishment of the International Scholarship Program and the ANA-Tulasi & Marilyn Joshi Scholarship Program at Fairmont State, in which nearly 50 students have already benefited from.  

“Dr. Joshi came from humble beginnings and has spent his life helping students from across the globe to have the same opportunities he had,” said Julie R. Cryser, Fairmont State Foundation President. “His commitment to helping international students receive an education and his efforts to recruit students to Fairmont State have been extraordinary, and we are honored he has chosen to continue to invest in international students at Fairmont State.” 

Joshi is a recipient of the 2003 Cyrus R. Vance Award for International Education in West Virginia, among several other awards and recognitions, including honors from the United States president, Nepal’s president and the Association of American Geographers for his dedication and contributions to the field of geography.  

To learn more about the Fairmont State Tulasi and Marilyn Joshi Office for Educational Pathways for International Centers & Students, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/EPICS.

Dr. Tulasi JoshiMarilyn JoshiTulasi and Marilyn Joshi Office for Educational Pathways for International Centers & StudentsMirta MartinJulie Cryser