Abraham Toothman admits he had many hurdles to overcome if he was going to succeed in College. “Working on my time management and sitting in the front row of classes, allowed me to absorb information better,” he said. “Setting a schedule of when to do my homework and making myself do it also helped me tremendously.”
Toothman, a resident of Augusta, W.Va., was presented with the Catamounts Climb Higher award at West Virginia University Potomac State College earlier this spring.
“Being in a small-class setting has helped me succeed because my professors know me and have helped me with my courses as well as sharing advice with me, which has been beneficial during college and with preparing for my future goals,” Toothman said.
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.
Toothman credits Dave Miller, program coordinator of the SAGE Innovation Lab, with havingan impact on his college journey. “Dave has been a huge mentor to me. He has gone out of his way to help me with various projects for my business. I can’t thank him enough for all the helpand advice I’ve received from him over these past few years,” Toothman said.
“Teaching Abraham to use various tools, build produce displays from blueprints, and create labels for honey jars are all components of the SAGE Innovation Lab’s mission. Abraham was a great student and I’m proud of his work,” Miller said.
Toothman, who also served as a residence hall assistant this past year, initially planned to attend Potomac State for two years before heading to the Morgantown campus, but decided to complete his bachelor’s degree in Keyser because he likes the campus and his professors.
He often stresses to friends and other students the importance of thinking about their future, setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them.
“After making those goals – know that the first step in getting to where you want to be is right here at Potomac State College.” Toothman added.