Mirta Martin

As a kid, Todd Ensign’s propensity and curiosity for science earned him the nickname “Space Cadet” from his classmates. 

“I would sit at my desk and draw pictures of rockets,” said Ensign. 

Fairmont State’s Aviation Center of Excellence is the first and only (CFR) part 141 established collegiate pilot training program in West Virginia, a designation enabling the program to offer students Federal Aviation Administration approved and structured training, syllabi, training aids and facilities, allowing for a reduction in required training hours.  

The Fairmont State Foundation is honored to welcome Gary K. Bennett’s return as president of the Fairmont State Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising arm of Fairmont State University. He brings with him decades of experience as a CPA and an outstanding educator, along with a passion for the Foundation’s mission to serve the University and the greater Fairmont community.

Members of the Fairmont State University student body have elected a group of their fellow Falcons to Student Government Association leadership positions for the upcoming year.  

Those individuals chosen to represent their peers are Zach Taylor, SGA President, Isaac Leech, SGA Vice President, Mackenzie Sorton, SGA Secretary and Clay Burrows, SGA Treasurer. The newly elected officers were officially sworn in to their positions during a virtual ceremony last month.  

Fairmont State University faculty member, Dr. Stephanie Jones, has been named the 2021 College/University Mathematics Teacher of the Year by the West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The WVCTM and Jones’ peers honored her achievements during a virtual meeting on Saturday, April 24.

When Jones learned she had received this recognition she was both shocked and grateful.

Throughout the month of April, Fairmont State University students, faculty and staff celebrated Earth Day through various programming that was focused on creating environmental awareness and promoting sustainability. Many of those efforts are also present on the University’s campus year-round, but Professor of Chemistry Dr. Erica Harvey says April 22 often serves as a reminder of our shared commitment and obligation to our planet.  

Nearly 400 students will participate in the six ceremonies taking place throughout the weekend during Fairmont State University’s 152nd Commencement in the Feaster Center. The University will honor graduates at a special student athlete Commencement on Friday, April 23, while each of the University’s schools and colleges will celebrate separately at ceremonies taking place Saturday, April 24 – Sunday, April 25. U.S.

Fairmont State University’s online RN to BSN program has been recognized as one of the best in the state by RegisteredNursing.org. The nursing advocacy organization ranked the program third based on the quality of its curriculum and flexibility of its coursework. 

On Sunday, April 18, a piece of history missing for more than 100 years was welcomed back home to Fairmont State University, the original portrait of first female normal school principal in the country, Ms. Elizabeth Dickey Fleming.

A key tenet of Fairmont State University’s mission is a commitment to transformational impact; not only is that commitment put into practice daily by members of the Falcon Family within lecture halls, labs and virtual classrooms, but it is also evident through their meaningful contributions to the greater community and beyond.