PSC Op-Ed with Dr. Jerry Wallace

| Wednesday, January 15, 2025

"Happy Holidays and Celebrations"

Dear Catamounts,

Closing out the fall semester while gearing up for the holidays brought excitement to campus. As a former procrastinating student, I fully relate to the cram studying at the end of the semester. Luckily, at WVU Potomac State College, our atmosphere encourages collaboration among students and faculty which cultivates a positive student learning environment. The past 45 days, which included the holiday break, have allowed me time to learn more about our institution and the state of West Virginia.

Monday, December 9

TGCC 2024 Greater Good Award & Holiday Celebration: The Tri-state Growth & Commerce Coalition Award and Holiday Celebration was hosted in good spirits with strong regional collaboration. It was my pleasure to represent Mineral County, WV, in this group, I am eager to explore collaborations with other educational entities in our region.

Quote of the Week – Phil Douthitt: “Earn your success based on service to others, not at their expense.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr. The quote of the week was submitted by Dean Phil Douthitt.

a photograph of Phil Douthitt sitting in a chair and holding a board which displays the quote "EARN YOUR SUCCESS BASED ON SERVICE TO OTHERS NOT AT THEIR EXPENSE"

Phil Douthitt with his Quote of the Week

Tuesday, December 10

I had a pleasant visit with Brenton Ebert (nephew of the late Douglas and Bonita Haines) regarding the Douglas E. & Bonita E. Haines Scholarship. We were also joined by PSC Director of Development Megan Webb. The generosity of PSC donors is very much appreciated. These type of scholarships and investments changes lives and student experiences at WVU Potomac State College.

a photograph of Jerry Wallace, Brenton Ebert, and Megan Webb smiling at the camera

Dr. Wallace, Brenton Ebert, and Megan Webb

Thursday, December 12

Late Night Breakfast & Karaoke: The PSC Student Late Night Breakfast included B-I-N-G-O, karaoke, and a delicious meal served by PSC employees! This event is always a great time to connect with students, reflect on the semester, and celebrate our students’ success. Thank you to all the staff who dedicated their time to support students and serve up food and fun!

a photograph of four people at a table with various WV items on it. They are smiling at the camera

Staff, students, and some super swag!

a photograph of three people standing in an industrial kitchen, looking at the camera

Making breakfast for a crowd!

Friday, December 13

Coffee & Conversations Meet & Greet: I started the day with the Coffee & Conversations Meet & Greet, a community event hosted at Queens Point Coffee. In the morning, I was welcomed by so many PSC alums, Keyser community members, local partners, and PSC students.

a photograph of two people smiling at the camera, standing in front of a wall with a piece of art on it

Brian Wilson, owner of Queen's Point Coffee, with Dr. Wallace

While downtown, I also snapped a photo with the PSC-decorated parking meter!

a photograph of Jerry Wallace smiling at the camera, posing with a parking meter decorated with crafted lollipops

Dr. Wallace and the PSC Christmas Main Street parking meter decked out for the holidays!

Ag Advisory Farm Tours: After an energizing morning, I joined a group of agriculture program stakeholders to tour the PSC farms. We are excited about new opportunities ahead and partnerships to improve the program!

a photograph of thirteen people posing on a rural road and field with bare trees indicating winter. They are smiling at the camera and wearing heavy clothes

Dr. Wallace (far left), with staff and students, taking a tour of the PSC farms.

Holiday Luncheon: The PSC Holiday Luncheon was a terrific opportunity to meet employees as the new PSC Campus President. We also had the opportunity to recognize Paul Kreider for his leadership as Interim PSC President over the past year.

a photograph of Jerry Wallace and Paul Kreider standing next to each other, smiling at the camera by a yellow wall with a mirror in the background

Dr. Wallace with Dr. Paul Kreider

Christmas Parade: The Wallace Family was completely blown away by the warm welcome and greeting atmosphere from the community during the 2024 Keyser Christmas Parade. We were excited to see familiar faces, including our own local photographer and PSC alum, Amy Sine. PSC student-athletes from all ten athletic programs participated and spread cheer. Ace, the Prez Pup, was definitely a parade favorite!

a photograph of three people riding in a truck bed during a parade. The truck bed is decorated with strings of lights and the people are looking at the camera, the sky is dark and there is a street light shining on them

PSC Homecoming Royalty in the Keyser Christmas Parade

a photograph of many people in heavy clothing walking down the road in the parade. They are walking away from the camera. The sky is dark blue and their are buildings in the background

Marching down Main Street in the Keyser Christmas Parade

Monday, December 16

Quote of the Week – Janelle Williams: Janelle Williams, PSC Strategic HR Partner inspired by Maya Angelou, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The quote motivated the question and reflection, “How do you make people feel at work?”

a photograph of Jerry Wallace sitting on a cushioned chair, holding a small sign board, displaying a quote: "HOW DO YOU MAKE PEOPLE FEEL AT WORK?"

Dr. Wallace is inspired by the Quote of the Day.

WVU Potomac State College/Potomac Valley Hospital Aspiring Nurse Signing Ceremony:
I gladly supported two PSC students who signed agreements to join the WVU Aspiring Nurse Program. PSC students Brooklyn Palmer and Alyson Smith were joined by family members, nursing faculty, and WVU Medicine staff to commemorate the signing of the agreement. The program will strengthen the relationship between our local nursing programs and hospital while providing financial support for WVU nursing students.

a photograph of six people behind a table, smiling at the camera. Two women are seated and have folders open in front of them. The background shows a presentation reading, in part, "WVUMedicine"

WVU Aspiring Nurse Program Signing Ceremony

Tuesday, December 17

Terrie Rogers Recognition: Terrie Rogers, PSC employee, will be receiving the West Virginia History Hero award from our Governor next month. We are proud of her contributions to our community and her dedication to preserving West Virginia history. I decided to stop by Terrie’s office with a small token of recognition.

a photograph of Jerry Wallace and Terrie Rogers posing, holding a display of flowers and smiling at the camera. They are standing on a rug in front of an open door. The walls are white

Dr. Wallace and Terrie Rogers

Wednesday, December 18

PSC Door Decorating Contest: The Inaugural President Holiday Door Decorating Competition was held from December 4 -18, encouraging both PSC employees and students to decorate their doors to spread the holiday joy.

Faculty & Staff Categories
Faculty and staff competed for cash prizes. The competition was great, but the winners were finally chosen.

1st Place $150.00: Health Services, Diana Niland and Cherise Southerly (Health Services Building, inside entry door – pictured)
2nd Place $100.00: Information Technology, Tricia Shultz, Mat Garrett, and Richard Long (Academy Hall Building, Data Center entry door)
3rd Place $50.00: Erin Cunningham (Science Hall Room 209)

a photograph of three women posing in front of a door decorated for the winter holidays. They are smiling and facing the camera. The door has a red covering with a christmas tree covering it, containing many tree ornaments

Faculty & Staff 1st Place Winner: Health Services Building (inside entry door)

Student Categories
Students also joined in and rocked the decorating competition! Students won gift cards to Queens Point Coffee, a town favorite for students — and me!

1st Place: Jack Swensson’s "The Potomac Express (pictured)
2nd Place: Jonah Caudle’s "Yes, He is Real"
3rd Place: Daija Wright’s "Candyland"

a photograph of a door decorated with a large crafted train engine sticking out into a hallway. The walls around the door are covered by a cinderblock design via a paper covering, and there is a design of train tracks exiting from the door

Student 1st Place Winner: Jack Swensson’s "The Potomac Express

Holiday Break

Family & Charleston Light Show: The Wallace Family celebrated our first Christmas in Keyser, WV. We visited Beckley to see family and went to Charleston to catch the festive light display. The 2024 holiday was also special as we learned we are having a B-O-Y in April!

a photograph of items for a baby boy and an ultrasound image of the boy

Little Brother

a photograph of a woman kneeling beside a baby in a baby stroller, wearing a pink coat and covered in a pink blanket. A lot of colorful lights are brightly illuminating town buildings in the background. The night sky is very dark

Big sister, Kennedy, with mom, Allyson

Monday, January 6

Quote of the Week – Larry Kruk: The first Quote of the Week for 2025 is from our own PSC alum, former student-athlete, current employee, and women’s basketball coach Larry Kruk. Drawing from the optimistic Ted Lasso, “Doin’ the right thing is never the wrong thing”!

a photograph of Larry Kruk sitting, smiling at the camera while holding a sign board that is displaying a quote: "DOIN THE RIGHT THING IS NEVER THE WRONG THING"

Larry Kruk with his Quote of the Week

Wednesday, January 8

Travel to Moorefield: I had the distinct pleasure of traveling to Moorefield to visit with West Virginia Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner Joesph Hatton. The WV Department of Agriculture had many recent and past PSC graduates working for the department, so we took selfies following our meeting! The PSC agriculture program has a rich history, and we are exploring partnerships and innovative ways to improve our program.

a photograph of Jerry Wallace standing with Joseph Hatton in front of a Department of Agriculture plaque

Dr. Wallace and Joseph Hatton

Thursday, January 9

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day: Facilities Director Micah Pears and I delivered donuts and muffins to the Keyser Police Department (KPD) and PSC Campus Police to celebrate National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Our college and community are safer due to the hard work of these law enforcement officers and their efforts are greatly appreciated!

a photograph of Micah Pears and Jerry Wallace posing for a photo with a keyser police officer. They are holding boxes of donuts and muffins and are standing in front of a glass door

Micah Pears, KPD Officer Barnett, and Dr. Wallace

Monday, January 13

Quote of the Week – Vicki Huffman: The winning quote of the week was submitted by Vicki Huffman, PSC Professor and Associate Dean. This wisdom is from Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who — “A person’s a person no matter how small!” Always remember — everyone in your organization is important regardless of their position!

a photograph of Vicki Huffman sitting in chair, holding a sign board that displays the quote: "A PERSON'S A PERSON NO MATTER HOW SMALL"

Vicki Huffman with her Quote of the Week

Upcoming events:

Saturday, January 25 – Catamount Basketball Games

Spend this Saturday afternoon enjoying free sporting events and cheering on the PSC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams at Lough gymnasium. The Catamounts are taking on rivals Allegany College of Maryland, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., respectively, in a classic Route 220 battle.

Monday, February 17 – Happy Birthday, PSC!

Next month, WVU Potomac State College will celebrate its 124th birthday and you are invited to join in the festivities! The fun begins at 5 p.m., and lasts until 7 p.m., at the North Branch Brewing Company, 101 Armstrong Street, in Keyser, at the corner of Main and Armstrong Streets.

Don’t miss out on this evening of connection, celebration, and giving! Enjoy birthday cake, meet Dr. Jerry Wallace, and discover how you can support our Day of Giving on Wednesday, March 26!

an icon representing the 124th birthday of potomac state college. There are balloons on the left with wv logos and catamount logos on them. It is yellow writing on a blue background

You are invited to the celebration! Mark your calendar!!