Retirees Honored at Annual Reception

Eight Fairmont State employees were honored during the annual Retiree Reception on Wednesday, May 4.

This year's honorees were the following:

Dave Cooper, Director of Athletics
Cooper, who finished seven and a half years as the institution's sixth Athletic Director, is participating in phased retirement, which means that although he is retiring he will continue to work part-time at Fairmont State for a few years.
As a high school graduate, he enrolled at FS and lettered four years under Coach Joe Retton. He was the chief driving force in the Falcon' four-year record of 108-15 during his career. He was selected All-WVIAC his junior and senior years, was selected first-team NAIA All-American, second-team Associated Press Small College All-American, first-team NAIA All-Tournament and first-team 5'10' and Under All-American. He was the West Virginia State Amateur Athlete of the Year in 1971.
He graduated from Fairmont State in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education and social studies and became a successful basketball coach at Petersburg High School. He obtained a master's degree in physical education from West Virginia University in 1978 and then returned to FS as men's assistant basketball coach and instructor in the health, physical education, recreation and safety division. He served as Joe Retton's assistant for four years and became head coach in 1982. During his three-year stint as head coach, he posted a 53-39 record. His 1983-84 team won the WVIAC Tournament. Following the 1985 season, he took on the job of principal at Petersburg High School. He served in that capacity for 12 years until his return to FS as Athletic Director.

Martha French, Professor of Academic Studies, Fairmont State Community & Technical College
French earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Arkansas College and her Master of Arts degree and Ed.D. from West Virginia University. She began teaching at FS as an adjunct in the English department in 1973 and was a great student and teacher of American literature. She became a member of the full-time faculty of Fairmont State in 1984 and served her tenure as a full professor of learning skills.
Her doctoral research has helped to shape the design of developmental writing programs across the state, and internationally, when she researched the effects of using word processing to alleviate writing anxiety. Her consulting work has taken her from West Virginia state colleges to prestigious women's universities in Egypt. She has created and supervised the revision of the developmental writing program at FS, created and designed a popular vocabulary-building course, and supervised the establishment of the college-wide tutoring program.
French is known throughout the state as the "Mother of Developmental Education," having formed the state chapter of the National Association of Developmental Education. She went on to serve as the first president of the West Virginia Association for Developmental Education, as well as secretary for the national organization.
She is a native of Bluefield, W.Va., and is the daughter of Edmund and Sallie Stone; the wife of Dr. William French; and the mother of three: Thomas, Elizabeth and Edward.

Jack Hussey, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Language & Literature
John P. (better known as "Jack") Hussey joined the FS English faculty in 1971.
Hussey has a record of leadership on campus. He served two terms as president of the Faculty Senate; he has chaired many campus-wide committees; and in 1989-90, he received the Boram Award for Teaching Excellence. Hussey is participating in phased retirement.
He and his wife Nancy have three daughters 'Ann, Jennifer and Elizabeth' and three granddaughters.

Matthew Love, Landscape Worker
Love began working at FS in 1991 on the roads and grounds crew. While here, he performed many duties such as maintaining the grounds, operating maintenance equipment, setting up for special events and sometimes supervising painting crews.

John Mainella, Trades Specialist I
John Mainella started at Fairmont State in 1994 as an electrician working for the Physical Plant. He was later assigned to a maintenance crew that worked for the auxiliary groups, such as student housing, the Student Activity Center and dining services.

Aletta Moffett, School of Nursing and Allied Health Administration
Moffett began her employment with FS in August of 1983 as a Full-Time Temporary Instructor of Nursing. She is a 1971 graduate of West Virginia Wesleyan College who went on to complete a Master of Science degree in Nursing from WVU in 1986. She earned national certification as a Clinical Specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1988.
She is active in the community and has worked as a volunteer at the Soup Opera. She has been very active in her church serving in many roles including nurse. She participated in Lions Club vision clinics and fund-raisers, has served on the Wesley Foundation Board of Directors and served on the Advisory Board for the United Technical Center LPN program.
Moffett has also been active in the campus community by serving on many committees. She also has advised the 400-750 provisional nursing students and has developed a recruitment CD and maintained the Nursing Department web page.

Regina Myers, Supervisor/Accounts Payable
Myers has served FS delivering financial aid, collecting Perkins Loans and collecting student accounts for 24 years. Besides her normal work duties, she has supported FS by selling tickets for football and basketball games, raising funds for the Relay for Life and working for ACT testing and training others to be supervisors for the ACT.
She has four children: Bernard, Jeff, Terry and Susie. She also has one stepson, Donnie, and nine grandchildren. Myers is participating in phased retirement.

Nancy Parker, Administrative Secretary -- Senior
Parker was hired at FS in August of 1981 as an Accounting Clerk I in the Business Office. In 1984, she was promoted to Computer Aide II in the Computer Center. She was reclassified to Secretary II in 1987. A couple of transfers followed: first, to Academic Advising in 1990 and then to the Education Division in 1991.
She received her associate degree in 1997 and her Regents Bachelor of Arts degree in 2000 from FS.
In 2001, she became an Administrative Secretary -- Senior in the alumni/public relations area.

Deborah Thomas, Campus Service Worker
Thomas started her employment at FS in 1986 as a building service worker. She worked in most of the buildings on campus, performing custodial services under the direction of Eugene Gallucci. She finished at FS working at the Feaster Center.