WVU Potomac State College Alumni Newsletter | Spring 2023

When I enrolled at East Central Junior College in Decatur, Mississippi, 40 years ago, I received a Pell Grant and several scholarships based on a strong high school academic record.

Dear Fellow Catamounts,

As I look back at 2022 there were many memorable moments and highlights for both the WVU Potomac State College (PSC) and the PSC Alumni Association. PSC welcomed Dr. Chris Gilmer as the new campus president. Dr. Gilmer has been an ardent supporter of the PSC Alumni Association from the beginning. We look forward to continuing to build upon our most important partnership between the PSC Alumni Association and the College.

Pam Wilkinson was elected to a third term as president of the WVU Potomac State College Alumni Association Board of Directors. A 1979 graduate, Pam majored in Agriculture, and later earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education at WVU, followed by a Master’s Degree in Safety Sciences at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Pam retired in 2018, after almost 30 years of experience in safety management and system safety design engineering. This included designing safety features for military vehicles, satellite systems, and undersea warfare control systems.

Nicholas Gardner, Class of 2008, is the recipient of the Young Alumni Award for 2022. He was recognized at the PSC Alumni Association Awards Banquet during homecoming on Saturday, October 15.

Nicholas began his employment with PSC as a work study student assigned to the library. Then in 2015 he became a temporary employee and served in several different roles while working his way up to his current position as the director of the Mary F. Shipper Library.

Dr. Graydon Edward Richards was born in rural Gilmer County, WV, in 1933. He is a graduate of WVU Potomac State College (Class of ’53), West Virginia University, and Ohio State University where he received his Ph.D. in Agronomy in 1961.

Dr. Richards served as a research and technical service agronomist for 22 years with the International Minerals and Chemical Co., Continental Oil Co., Olin Corp., Smith-Douglass Division Borden, Inc., and Sohio Chemical Co. He then became Director of the Southeast Research and Extension Center at the University of Arkansas and Head of the Department of Agriculture at the Monticello campus. Dr. Richards was one of the first 20 individuals to be certified as a Professional Soil Scientist and Agronomist. He was later appointed to the certifying board, serving twice as chairman.

The WVU Potomac State College Alumni Association recently awarded two $500 scholarships based on the generous bequest by John Philip Spoerl, Class of 1963. John created a perpetual trust, as part of his estate, which funds scholarships for students enrolled in business administration at PSC. The most recent recipients are Chase Staggers and Isabella Hill.

Chase is a junior in the four-year business management program and has earned a place on the President’s List for all semesters that he’s attended Potomac State College. He interned at Timothy D. Rollins, CPA; is currently employed at Polish Pines Golf Course; serves as treasurer for the PSC Circle K Club; and is a member of the Keyser Presbyterian Church where he also volunteers his time.

Wow! A total of $63,760 was raised in one day for WVU Potomac State College during the 2023 Annual Day of Giving on Wednesday, March 22. This exceeded last year’s total by 1,100 percent. Finishing 17th out of all 44 units participating system-wide, PSC was also the highest among the regional campuses.

A shout-out goes to Alumnus Logan Scott, an on-air radio personality who is always willing to give back to his alma mater. Logan spent the afternoon live on the radio on location at PSC to promote the 2023 Annual Day of Giving. PSC Student Ambassadors Alaissa Martinez, Kamron Dawson, and Katelyn Thornton joined the live radio broadcast. Faculty members Dr. Heidi Samuels, Andrea Schafer, JoAnn Burnett, and Molly Alvaro also did live radio remotes.