News From Around UC

Enjoy this video by Brock Burwell, UC's videographer, which captures the sights and sounds from the Grand Opening of the H. Bernard Wehrle Sr. Athletic Arena last month. Crowds of people came out to tour the new facility, cheer on the Golden Eagles and celebrate the day. It was an activity-filled occasion, and one that will go down in UC history.

Southern Living magazine has named UC's Chief Innovation Executive, Fonda Holehouse, one of its "Southerners of the Year." She was profiled as one of 50 people "moving the South forward with groundbreaking nonprofits, impactful projects and innovative ideas." Congratulations, Fonda! See her  profile here .



In the most recent Maroon and Gold, Dennis McMillen was featured as one of the University's longest-serving faculty members. Last May, he was granted Faculty Emeritus status.

Recently, a few alumni have started an initiative to establish an Endowed Scholarship in Dennis McMillen's honor, and they are seeking additional alumni to serve on a committee to help lead this effort.

If you are one of the many students who count Dennis McMillen as influential in your college experience and would be willing to be part of this initiative, please contact Dr. Jerry Forster, '83, Chief of Staff and Regional President at (304) 352-0020 or j erryforster@ucwv.edu.   

"Dennis's impact reaches across many majors throughout the decades, and it's fitting that we honor his service to UC students with this scholarship,"  said Dr. Forster. Also, if you'd like to contribute, you can do so online, and in the drop-down box, select scholarships and make a note that it is for Dennis McMillen.

A live blog talk radio series hosted by Dr. Susan Gardner, UCSOP Assistant Dean for Professional and Student Affairs, was launched Wednesday, February 1st at 8:30 pm. The six week series, which features UCSOP faculty, students, staff, and community partners discussing topics relevant to medication adherence, takes place on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm until March 8th. For more information follow this  link .

During January, February and March 2017, an interdisciplinary student team from the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy, nursing, and physician assistant programs will kick off a series of community outreach activities throughout West Virginia and southern Ohio to raise awareness about the health consequences of not taking medication as directed. They will join with health professions students across the country in the 2017 Medication Adherence Team Challenge, a two month-long inter-collegiate competition among health profession student teams and faculty for creating solutions to raise awareness about medication adherence as a critical public health issue.

For a detailed look at everything going on during the Challenge, visit the UCSOP blog.

UC has created a partnership with the General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military Academy of Land Forces (MALF) in Poland. MALF, headquartered in Wroclaw, cooperates with more than 30 foreign institutions.

Brigadier General Dariusz Skorupka and his colleagues traveled to UC to ceremoniously sign a memorandum of understanding which promotes student, faculty, research and cadet exchanges beginning next academic year. While in Charleston, the MALF representatives also enjoyed other activities, including a tour of the capitol building, addressing students in UC's Doctor of Executive Leadership Program, a presentation on Developing Leaders in a Complex Environment and tours of UC. UC looks forward to a successful partnership with the General Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military Academy of Land Forces!

Please join us in welcoming the newest class of 30 students in the Physician Assistant Program!  These students, who began classes last month, were narrowed down from a group of 636 applicants. They represent 17 different states, range in age from 21-40, and are split 57% female and 43% male.  They enter the program with a wealth of experience: average number of direct patient care experience hours = 3198, average number of volunteer hours = 1593, and average number of shad owing hours = 129. Additionally, three of these students have already earned a Master's Degree.  Good luck, Physician Assistant Class of 2019!

Dr. Joseph Janisch, the director of the UC Concert Choir and the University Singers, traveled with the Opus Chorale of West Virginia to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Chorale, along with three other choirs from the United States and choirs from Norway, Ireland and Italy, performed Kim Andre Arnesen's Requiem. The performance took place January 16. 


Luke Yingling, a Political Science senior, wrote a brief on WV Drug Court policy that was recently published by the WV Center on Budget and Policy. This type of research and recognition is outstanding for an undergraduate student! Congratulations, Luke!

Dr. Michael Martin, Assistant Professor of Humanities and English, had his review of Dominic Mastroianni's book Politics and Skepticism in Antebellum American Literature (Cambridge University Press 2016) published in the fall 2016 issue of the peer-reviewed, academic journal the Nathaniel Hawthorne Review (42:2).  
Golden Eagle Athletic Updates

UC pitcher Alli Burdette was named to the Fastpitch News Division II Preseason All-America first team. Burdette was last season's Mountain East Conference Pitcher of the Year, and went 32-4 last season with a 1.63 earned run average and 203 strikeouts against 65 walks.

Following a record-breaking season in 2016, University of Charleston softball has been voted as the No. 8 team in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll. The team is set to start its season lead by new coach Kim Stiles on February 24 in Hartsville, SC, at the Coker College Spring Tournament.

UC men's volleyball is off to a great start under the direction of new head coach, Ken Murczek. The team has a 7-3 overall record and are currently (0-1) in EIVA play with their only conference loss being to last year's conference champion. 

UC men's basketball beat Notre Dame College on Saturday to earn a 13-9 record overall, and will travel to Buckhannon on Thursday to play West Virginia Wesleyan College at 7:30 pm. UC women's basketball (8-14 overall) will play Wesleyan at 5:30 pm. Both teams are back in action again at home on Saturday, February 11 when they will take on Glenville State College. Games are at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.

UC women's lacrosse, led by new head coach Elizabeth Gainer, begins its season on the road this Saturday against the University of Indiana.
The first home game for the team will be on Friday, February 17 at Schoenbaum Stadium. Game time is 4:00 pm. 

The UC baseball team is hosting its Inaugural Conference Kickoff Dinner on Friday, March 17, 2017, from 6 - 9 pm in the Ballroom (3rd fl of Geary Student Union). The evening will begin with a silent auction from 6 - 7 pm followed by dinner and a talk from local lawyer and UC baseball alumnus, Bernie Layne. For more information please see the event flyer.
Upcoming Events


Career Development Week
* Join us for the 2017 Career Development Week next week! All alumni are invited and encouraged to attend any of the career workshops/events listed below. Please note that all events will take place in the Appalachian Room (2nd floor, Geary Student Union), except for the talk by Carl Lee on Wednesday, February 15 which will take place in the Geary Auditorium (2nd floor, Riggleman Hall).

* In March, please join us for the 2017 UC Career Fair. Representatives from the companies listed below will be available to talk with you.


Events for Future Golden Eagles
Do you know any high school juniors or seniors interested in the University of Charleston? Please share with them the following important event dates for prospective students.

Innovation Days - Scholarship Competition  February 18, 8 am - 3:30 pm
School of Pharmacy ExRx Open House  February 18, 9 am - 1 pm
UC-Beckley Open House  March 4, 1 pm - 3 pm


Spring Alumni Travel Opportunity
Who: UC students, faculty, staff and alumni
When: March 11 - 18, 2017
Where: Paris, City of Light
Learn more about this travel opportunity  here

**Please contact  Dr. Joe Janisch if you are interested or if you would like more information.





Homecoming Weekend 2017

October 6 - 8, 2017

Friday, October 6
- King Adams Kovach Reunion Reception
- Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner

Saturday, October 7
- Pre-game Tailgate 
- Golden Eagles Football 
- Milestone Reunion Celebration Dinner
(celebrating class years ending in "7" & "2")
Class of 1967 - 50th Reunion

***Please contact  Stephanie Martin , Director of Alumni Relations, if you are interested in serving on the Class of 1967 Reunion Planning Committee.

Sunday, October 8
- Farewell Brunch

More information including a Save the Date postcard to follow.
Alumni Affairs

Make Your Mark on UC
Are you an alum looking for a way to make your mark on UC? 

Put your name on a seat or locker!

There are still seats and lockers in the Wehrle Innovation Center available for naming rights - $500 for a seat and $1,000 for a locker.

Please contact Travis Simmons  if you are interesting in making a lasting mark.

Maroon and Gold Magazine - Winter 2017
The newest issue of the Maroon and Gold Magazine is out! If you didn't receive your copy of this alumni magazine in the mail, please make sure that we have your most current mailing address by updating your contact information here. Additionally, you can enjoy an electronic version of the magazine here.

Wanted: Alumni Mentors for UC Business Students
The Center for Career Development is seeking alums who would be willing to serve as professional mentors for students majoring in business. The time commitment is low- we ask for 1 hour every two weeks, and the mentorship can be as short as one semester, but can be longer if mentors have a good experience and wish to continue. For more information and to express your interest, please contact  Travis Kahle, the Associate Director for Experiential Learning at UC. 

Share your BIG NEWS in the Maroon & Gold Magazine
If you have news you'd like to share -- a new job, a big move, a job promotion or retirement, or an addition to the family, for instance -- let us know by contacting  Stephanie Martin. We will include all updates in "Class Notes" in the next issue of the  Maroon & Gold

Update Your Contact Information
We want to make sure we have your most current information so we can keep in contact with you. Please take time to update your information here. It's easy to complete online and will only take a few minutes!

Job Searching? UC Can Help!
Don't forget that alumni have access to UC's online job portal, Eagle Link, and to resume writing help through  OptimalResume.com. Eagle Link features job opportunities for UC alumni. There are more than 1,400 registered employers and an average of 80 job postings on Eagle Link per month! Additionally, alumni can also set up a phone or Skype appointment with  Hannah Kennedy, the Director of the Center for Career Development, to discuss resume writing, interviewing, etc. Learn more about the career resources available to you at the  Center for Career Development.
University of Charleston | alumni@ucwv.edu | 1-800-995-ALUM | www.ucwv.edu
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