eBulletin

GENERAL NOTICES

• If you have not received an emergency desktop guide, please contact campus security at ext. 235 or 304-834-7383. The guides should be kept on your desktop or workstation for quick access. For additional information, contact J.B. Skidmore at ext. 386.

• The Academic Calendar for the 2023-24 school year is now available here.

•  Every home in the United States is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. These tests are rapid anti-gen at-home tests that give results within 30 minutes and require no lab drop-off. Orders usually ship in 7-12 days. Visit COVIDtests.gov for more information and to order your 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests.

• Need institutional data for a project or report? Visit https://helpdesk.wvup.edu/open.php?topicId=54 to submit a request.

• The Riverhawk Food Pantry is continuing to provide supplemental food assistance each week. Arrangements will be made for pick-up at the main campus or Jackson County Center. Case-by-case delivery options for those lacking transportation will be evaluated. Contact 304.588.0142 or kurt.klettner@wvup.edu if you need assistance.

• Help304 is an online crisis counseling resource available to individuals who want social, emotional, and supportive counseling via call, text, and chat. Visit help304.com/contact to receive immediate help. Crisis counselors are available seven days a week.

• The Ebscohost username and password has recently changed. Please contact wvuplibrary@wvup.edu for the updated credentials.

• Kurzweil Education is offering a text-to-speech for web content tool for students who need reading support. This tool will help students who use systems like Blackboard, Moodle and Canvas. Add the Read the Web extension (available for Chrome or Firefox) to your browser to have web content such as tweets or articles read aloud in 30 natural text-to-speech voices that read aloud in 17 languages and dialects. To download this extension, go to https://www.kurzweiledu.com/products/software-updates.html and look for the Chrome or Firefox Extension for Read the Web. For questions or help with accessing this tool, please contact the Center for Student Support Services at 304.424.8378 or deborah.berg@wvup.edu.

• Do you want Ricky the Riverhawk to make an appearance for your special event or meeting? If so, please email communications@wvup.edu or call ext. 291.

• Did you know that xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that is appearing in illicit drugs along with fentanyl? Its suspected involvement in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the United States has skyrocketed over the past few years. To learn more about xylazine and the recent surge in overdose cases connected to the drug, go to www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov or www.cdc.gov.

• Did you know that First Choice Services is a non-profit organization based in Charleston that can connect you to a wide-range of help and support resources? Visit firstchoiceservices.org to see all the support and resources available to you today.

• Did you know that September is National Recovery Month? Students in or interested in recovery can contact the Collegiate Recovery Program at crp@wvup.edu. For more information, visit the Center for Student Support Services in room 1019 or contact Kurt Klettner at kurt.klettner@wvup.edu or 304.424.8388. 

•Did you know? The federal government is again offering free Covid-19 at-home tests for all U.S. households. The government-provided, free at-home test kit program, which expired on June 1 of this year, is being implemented again this fall as reported cases of the virus are increasing. The revitalized at-home test program will offer four free at-home test kits monthly, to be delivered via the United States Postal Service. No personal identification information, credit card information or insurance is needed to order your test kits. An official government test kit site will never ask you for this kind of information. Any site that does is not legitimate. Further information and instructions on how to order your kits can be found online at:www.COVIDTests.gov . Those without reliable internet access can order kits at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY: 1-888-720-7489).

The Center for Student Support Services would like to remind our campus community that the fall season signals the start of flu season. Getting your flu shot sooner rather than later is recommended. Practicing good hygiene (washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes) can help to keep everyone healthy. If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, consider staying at home. If you absolutely cannot stay at home, wear a N95 or similar mask. Your colleagues and classmates will thank you for it!

• WVU Parkersburg is recruiting for a part-time College Ambassador position. In this position, you can earn a living allowance of $6,353 over the time period of Sept. – Apr. if you work 675 (20 hours per week). Once you successfully complete your term, you are also eligible for an education away of $2,474 that will go into a trust that can be used to pay educational expenses. Send in your resume to jforster@wvup.edu or stop by the Success Epicenter

Will you be eligible to graduate with your certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree? If so, you must complete the graduation application through your OLSIS account before Friday, March 15, 2024.

The 2024-2025 Scholarship Application is now open! The deadline for applications is March 13, 2024, so get them in while you can!

• There has been a correction for the dates of the HESI A2 entrance exams. Students can take the exam on campus from 9:00am-1:00pm on the following dates: February 6th, 9th, 13th, 16th; April 2nd, 5th, 9th, and 12th.

•WVU Parkersburg now offers an Automotive Technician Program and a Nail Technician Program. Call 304.424.8258 or email abby.campbell@wvup.edu for more information

The Veterans Resource Center has been moved to room 2210A. From the entrance opposite Miller Plaza, take the third door on your right. Follow the staircase up, and the VRC will be the fifth door on the right

• WVU Parkersburg will be offering a beginner’s bee keeping class on May 28, June 4, 11, and 18, 6 – 8 p.m. in the WED Building! The minimum to run the class is six, the maximum is fifteen. This course serves as a practical introduction to Beginner Beekeeping, by discussing the colony and its organization, beekeeping equipment, starting the bees, colony management, managing maladies, honey production and processing, pollination, handling beeswax and pollen trapping.

• West Virginia University at Parkersburg is in the process of developing a student-led and counseling supported Collegiate Recovery Program for our WVUP campus community. The Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) is a program for students in recovery from substance use disorder and addictive behaviors seeking a degree in higher education. Our college’s CRP aims to help students stay substance-free through peer-to-peer support (individual support and group support) and through connection to the recovering community, both on campus as well as within our local communities. Our mission is to provide a supportive community where students in recovery can achieve academic success while enjoying a genuine college experience, free from alcohol and other drugs. If you are a student in recovery or are curious about recovery, or if you just want to know more about WVUP’s Collegiate Recovery Program, you may contact:– CollegiateRecovery@wvup.edu or Peer/Student: Lloyd Frazier lfrazier1@wvup.edu., Peer/Student: Aly Bryant abryant4@wvup.edu, or Campus Counselor: Kurt A. Klettner ** Kurt.Klettner@wvup.edu ** 304-424-8388 ** Room 2210B. Students not yet in recovery yet wanting to talk about or get treatment for a substance use disorder, or concerned family members and friends, can have a confidential chat with Kurt (our campus Counselor). Peer Led Support Meetings:Every other Friday at 1 – 2 p.m. in Room 0113.

EVENTS

WVU Parkersburg students who are parents or guardians are invited to bring their lunch to meet in room 1330 every Tuesday & Wednesday 12:15 – 12:45 pm. This is a student-led peer support group.

•Ever had an idea and thought, “I wonder if I could make a business out of that?” or watched Shark Tank and thought “that could be me”? Here’s your chance! The WVU-Parkersburg Pitch Competition will be held in December and will give you a chance to showcase your idea to a panel of judges, and the chance to win a cash prize. Additional information about the second stage competition, for creating a business canvas plan and a much bigger cash prize will also be covered

•Join us on Monday nights this semester for student-led group bible study! Students can gather in the student lounge at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 – May 6. Snacks will be provided! For more information, contact Adam Hoschar at ahoscha1@wvup.edu

•WVUP will be hosting HESI A2 test prep course in anticipation for the exam. Math and English will be reviewed February 26 and 28, and March 11 and 13 from 4 – 6 p.m. Anatomy and Biology will be reviewed from 4 – 6 p.m. The prep course is only WVUP students. For more information, contact the nursing office at 304.424.8300.

•Applications for the Teen Medical Explorer’s Academy are open! At this three day academy, students 13-17 will make use of WVU Parkersburg’s medical labs and learn from experienced medical professionals. Topics of discussion include use of personal protection equipment, taking vitals, patient care, CPR certification, and more! The program has a minimum requirement of eight students and a maximum of 20, so get your applications in now! For more information, reach out to wed@wvup.edu or 304-424-8383.

WVUP will be hosting a Banking Career Day on March 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Interested students can learn about different careers in the banking industry and to see if their skills and career path might be a good fit. Multiple local banking institutions will be participating and students can expect to learn about being a bank teller, financial clerk, investment banking associate, auditor, accountant, commercial banking officer, credit analyst, and more!

WVUP is happy to celebrate the accomplishments of women in STEM, and will be having a celebration on March 27! Those interested can attend a Panel Discussion and STEM Faculty and Staff recognition at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. During the event, panelists will share their journey about what got them into the STEM field followed by a Q&A. Following them, they will honor the men and women in STEM at WVU Parkersburg and a reception will follow.

STUDENT CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS

• The WVU Parkersburg Student Government Association is in full swing with its new members. The SGA will be meeting in the Community Room while renovations occur in the SGA office. The meetings will take place at 12:15 p.m. at the following dates: Sept. 13, & 27, October 11 & 25, Nov. 8, Dec. 6, Jan. 17 & 31, Feb. 14 & 28, March 13 & 27, Apr. 10 & 24.

• The Art Club is a creative, welcoming, and service oriented club. They are one of WVUP’s most active student organizations and are extremely dedicated to the promotion of art at WVUP and surrounding areas. A couple service projects that the Art Club participates in multiple times a year are collecting dog food for the local Humane Society, cleaning up the Parkersburg Poorhouse Cemetery, replacing crosses on the cemetery’s veteran graves for Veterans Day, and participated in Marietta’s First Friday. The Art Club is an inclusive place for all students. Their meeting time time is every Thursday in the Art Room from 12:15 to 1:00. If you have additional questions, please contact their advisor, Dr. Reidmiller at Lreidmil@wvup.edu.

• With Spring just around the corner, WVU Parkersburg’s Outdoors Club is blooming once again. The first meeting will take place on February 5 from 12:15 – 1 p.m in room 0113. Additional meetings will be held on February 20, March 4 and 12, April 1 and April 16.

•The WVUP Earth Day celebration is coming up! Students, faculty, and staff can meet in the Multi-Purpose Room on April 22 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. to appreciate our planet. For more information, contact vkeinath@wvup.edu

•The Success Epicenter Group for Parenting Students and the TANF program are hosting a St. Patrick’s Day and Easter themed family night! WVU Parkersburg Students who are parents or guardians are invited to bring their partners and children to enjoy fellowship, food, and fun! Students can meet in the Multi-Purpose Room on March 14 from 5 – 7 p.m. for crafts, games, and group discussion. For more information, contact Mary Casto at mary.casto@wvup.edu

FACULTY & STAFF NEWS

Please join us in welcoming:

Majeda Al Waked, Instructor

Kaylyn Blevins, Assistant Professor

Norma DePriest, Assistant Professor

Jamie Hughes, Instructor

Tyler Villers, Farm Operations Manager

Sarah Stephens, Human Resources Representative

Kaitlyn Kennard, Shipping & Receiving Assistant

Matthew Raese, Academic Advisor

Gregory Hill, Instructor

Lesli Testa, Retention Councilor

Alison Gates, Maketing Assistant

Evan Bain, Marketing Assistant

Amy Yeater, Instructor

Mary Hunt, Instructor

Jim Wise, Maintenance Worker

Alison Crabtree

Mary Goe

Michelle Maxson

Elisabeth Eye-Rohr

 

Please join us in congratulating these WVUP employees to their new roles:

Torie Jackson, President

Douglas Rhodes, Associate Professor

Kaylee Stewart, Academic Advisor

Autumn Bender, Assistant Manager

Lee Brown, Assistant Professor

Andrew Carpenter, Assistant Professor

Kyle Lancaster, Assistant Professor

Melanie Matheny, Assistant Professor

Alicia Matheny Benson, Associate Professor

Lauri Reidmiller, Professor

Amy Strong, Assistant Professor

Leslie Tingler, Assistant Professor

Andrew Walker, Associate Professor

Melissa Graham, Program Specialist

Sean Conger, Manager

Rebecca Duckworth, Director

Darren Pettus, Trades Specialist Lead

Megan McKnight, Director of Professional Studies

 

Employee of the Month

Bob Cooper

Bob Cooper

Executive Director

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