Folklife Center

The Transylvania University of Braşov, Faculty of Letters, hosted the Appalachians/Carpathians International Conference on Oct. 6-9. The conference, a biennial event, brought more than 24 U.S. scholars, including two Fairmont State University graduates, to the city Braşov over a three-day period.

Twelve students from Fairmont State University traveled to Jonesborough, Tenn., for the National Storytelling Festival the first weekend of October. These students are enrolled in “The Art of Storytelling,” a class that is cross-listed as a course in theatre, communication and folklore. 

Fairmont State University’s roots reach back to the formation of public education in the state of West Virginia. In 2015, students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community are celebrating Fairmont State’s 150^th birthday with special remembrances and events.

The Fairmont State University College of Liberal Arts honored its high achieving students during the fifth annual Academic Awards Ceremony at the end of the spring 2015 semester.

Dr. Deanna Shields, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Maria Rose, FSU President; and Bill Holmes of the Fairmont State Foundation Inc. presented greetings and congratulations to the students for their academic achievements.

Department of Behavioral Sciences

In celebration of Fairmont State University’s Sesquicentennial, the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center has created an exhibit titled “On a Hill by a Dream,” which features FSU history, traditions and lore.

The title for the exhibition was taken from a poem by Louise McNeill, West Virginia’s former Poet Laureate who taught history at Fairmont State. The following quote is from her “Chestnut Orchard” (“Paradox Hill: From Appalachia to Lunar Shore”):

The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center at Fairmont State University will host “A Salute to Old-Time Music: Presenting Two Legendary Fiddlers in Concert” at 7 p.m. Friday, May 8.

The West Virginia Storytelling Guild will present a free concert, “Stories A-Bloom!,” at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 24, at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center on the campus of Fairmont State University.

Six storytellers from the West Virginia Storytelling Guild will entertain with a variety of stories from their repertoires. There also will be books and CDs from various tellers available for purchase.

A special presentation at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center on Sunday, March 22, will provide information on protecting and preserving our material culture. The event also will celebrate the closing of the exhibit, “Hanging by a Beautiful Thread: Celebrating the Fiber Arts,” which highlights the beauty in traditional fiber arts created in the home.

A collection of books on Irish folklore has been donated to the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center in memory of Fairmont State University alumna Holly White.

In celebration of Fairmont State University’s Sesquicentennial, the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center plans to create an exhibit featuring FSU history and traditions this spring.