Education Professor Andrea Schafer, second from left, was named WVU Potomac State College’s 2019 Outstanding Professor of the Year. Making the presentation was (from left): Campus President Jennifer Orlikoff; Sheryl Chisholm, Faculty Assembly Chair and Biology Professor; Phillip Douthitt, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs; and Gregory Ochoa, Dean of Academic Affairs.
KEYSER, WV, MAY 17, 2019 – Education Professor Andrea Schafer was recently named West Virginia University Potomac State College’s 2019 Outstanding Professor of the Year.
Schafer started at WVU Potomac State College in 2014. In addition to teaching, Schafer serves as the first-year seminar coordinator, a required course that provides new students with information, tools and resources as well as covers a variety of academic components needed to help students achieve progress and success towards completion of a college degree.
Schafer also serves as the education unit coordinator making connections with WVU Morgantown as well as other regional institutions, such as Shepherd University and Frostburg State University, to ensure the successful transfer of Potomac State College students into their programs.
Additionally, Schafer serves as a co-chair and campus coordinator of the Mineral County STEM Network’s Annual STEM Festival involving approximately 50 presenters and attracting more than 1,000 visitors to the WVU Potomac State College campus each year.
Student comments regarding Professor Schafer’s nomination for the award included: passionate, caring, creative, professional, a mentor, and always puts the student first. Faculty peer comments included: energetic, passionate, a force to be reckoned with, persistent, and a true professional.
Schafer is an alumna of WVU Potomac State College earning an associate of arts degree in elementary education. She went onto WVU in Morgantown to complete a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education.
While in Morgantown, Schafer was named to the WVU Order of Augusta, WVU’s most prestigious student honor. Throughout college, she was the recipient of the Underwood Smith Teacher Scholarship, a scholarship program designed to fund educational opportunities for aspiring teachers while requiring their commitment to serve as teachers in the state of WV upon graduation.
Andrea resides in Keyser, W.Va., with her husband, Don, and daughter, Charlotte, and is the daughter of 32-year employee of WVU-PSC, Karen Peer.