KEYSER, W.Va. — A non-traditional student who has faced the challenge of mid-life job loss and a pandemic that complicated his new college career, has earned one of West Virginia University Potomac State College’s top honors—the Catamounts Climb Higher Award.
“My biggest challenge was going back to college after the age of 40,” said Richard Long, who majored in computer information systems. “I had to prove to myself that I could get good grades while also balancing home life with college life.”
Long became unemployed after the Verso Paper Mill in Luke, Md, closed, but wasted no time enrolling in PSC the day after he learned of the closing; however, soon after returning to College the pandemic hit and like many others Long found himself and his children transitioning to virtual classrooms. Nonetheless, due to his strong work ethic and resiliency for bouncing back, he still managed to complete his bachelor’s degree in just two-and-a-half years, graduating this past December.
Climb Higher recipients are recognized for displaying the following traits: their ability to bounce back despite encountering obstacles, overcoming challenges and for staying the course. Recipients are also recognized for their outstanding work ethic, kindness and a positive attitude. Although this award is not based on GPA, the recipient must be in good academic standing.
Long embodied those traits, which resonated with his classmatesas he often reached out to them to give help when needed, setting a standard one professor said will be hard for others to match.
“Richard’s leadership abilities were well-recognized by instructors,” Mary Moore, a CIS professor at PSC, said.“Students still talk about one project where Richard went above and beyond what was expected of him. He was never afraid to meet a challenge head-on by applying himself to his studies and taking advantage of learning opportunities.”
While at PSC, Long served as president of the Japanese Club and vice-president of the Cyber Club. He volunteered with Girl Scouts of America and while serving as a World Thinking Day instructor, taught scouts about the Japanese language and culture. He also completed an internship as an information technology professional at Solar Mountain Records in Keyser.
“Richard was always enthusiastic and engaged in the learning process,” said Trina Runner, a visiting instructor at the College. “He has an entrepreneurial spirit and is currently creating a video game utilizing practical tools he learned at PSC.”
Long said he’s always been good with computers and really thrived in the cyber security aspect of the field, especially in ethical hacking.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences at Potomac State, mostly because of the great instructors I had,” Long said. “The one who really stands out is Professor Mary Moore because she truly cares about her students succeeding and went out of her way to help me graduate within my timeframe. I would encourage all incoming students to utilize everything that PSC has to offer. They have a great library staff, fun clubs to join and a lot of cool activities and events.”