PSC Op-Ed with Dr. Jerry Wallace, March 2026

Last month, mid- February, Potomac State College reached the milestone of 125 years of service. Under the guidance of Kara Hotchkiss and Dr. Megan Webb, our PSC students organized an uplifting and engaging birthday celebration! Besides the delicious cake and ice cream, there were reflection stations to record attendees' favorite memories. The spring semester at PSC also includes some of the Catamounts annual events like Quad Fest, CESPY awards, PSC Student Recognition, and Graduation.

Updates

Feb.  10 – I had such a great day on campus shooting videos and interviewing PSC students for our upcoming Day of Giving campaign on March 25. I’m usually the person answering questions, so I always take the opportunity to be the interviewer instead. The PSC Strategic Communications team did a wonderful job supporting everyone on camera and keeping us comfortable.  

Dr. Wallace interviewing student for DOG  videos, 

Feb.  13 – I attended the high-energy ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking event at Potomac Valley Hospital Medical Arts Pavilion. Attendees toured the new Workforce Development Center and celebrated the groundbreaking for the Emergency Department renovation and expansion. Mark Boucot’s leadership has been amazing , taking Potomac Valley Hospital services and training to the next level.   

Potomac Valley Hospital ribbon cutting  

Feb. 17 – Happy 125th Birthday WVU Potomac State College. 

Feb. 18 - Started the morning early, traveling to Morgantown and taking the monthly selfie with WVU President Benson. In the evening, I was the guest speaker for the Taste of Black History Soul Food dinner hosted by Black Student Alliance at WVU Potomac State College. Here is the  article link  and  video link  to my speech.  

Dr. Wallace and President Benson   

Telina and Dr. Wallace

Feb. 19 – Keyser High School requested student-athletes to serve on a panel for a black history month celebration hosted by Keyser High Club X. It was very uplifting to hear some of the answers from our Catamounts and the high emotional intelligence displayed by all students in attendance.   

PSC student athletes at Keyser High School (Pictured L-R, Daija Wright, Peter Quaye, Stephanie Briscoe, JoJo Young, Elliana Mosby)   Keyser High Club X with PSC panel  participants 

Feb . 20 – Recognizing Dr. Henry Louis Gates: I hope you had the opportunity to read  the excellent article honoring Dr. Henry Louis Gates as our notable alumnus.

Feb. 21 - Saturday afternoon, I stopped by Lough Gymnasium to watch the WVU Potomac State College men’s basketball team. There were a handful of acrobatic dunks, and I even caught one on camera. Our men’s team had a great season.   

Men's basketball game  photos. 

Baseball also started its season, and thanks to seasonably warm temps, they were able to start at home vs Garrett College. The Catamounts won 6-1 over Garrett, with Keyser native Evan Jenkins getting the win from the mound. 

Feb. 23 – Joined by PSC faculty Farren Smith, we celebrated WVU Potomac State College Catamount Climb Higher student Laney Rodeheaver. Laney is a general studies sophomore from Huntington, WV.  

Dr. Wallace, Laney Rodeheaver, and Farren Smith  

Feb. 24 - PSC administrators presented to the Alpha Delta Cappa chapter of women educators. The attendees received college updates and an opportunity for a Q&A about PSC traditions and changes over the years.   

Feb. 25 – Women's Basketball wrapped up their regular season with 20 wins, marking the highest win total for the Potomac State Women in 12 seasons! They also secured the #2 seed for the NJCAA Region 20 Tournament. Men’s Basketball also had a historic year, finishing 21-7 for their best regular season record since the 2018-2019 season. They locked in the #5 seed for the NJCAA Region 20 Tournament.

Feb. 26 - Happy National Small Dog Day! Ace is an eight-year-old Yorkie Poo.  
Ace loves playing with his dog sister Pippa, challenging big dogs, and serving as the Prez Pup. Most recently, he made a visit to Burlington Primary School and made a bunch of new friends. In his spare time, Ace enjoys sleeping, earning treats, and walking around campus! 

Feb. 27 – Thank You Lois Miltenberger - PSC is grateful for Lois Miltenberger’s generosity and vision in empowering future generations of agricultural and forestry leaders. Her powerful gift leaves a legacy to her alma mater that inspires others and reflects her own love of learning. You can  learn more about this gift and story.  

Feb. 28 – Softball had opening day on the road vs Anne Arundel CC.  Their 24-1 and 20-3 dominating wins provided a solid start to the season. 

Mar. 3 – Women's Basketball hosted the first round of NJCAA Region 20 Playoffs with a contest vs CCBC Catonsville.  They secured an 85-55 win and advanced. Men’s Basketball traveled to the College of Southern Maryland, where they beat the #4 seed 86-76 to also advance. 

Mar. 4 - Thank you, Cindy Pyles, for taking a group of PSC leaders on an engaging and informative tour of your homes. Burlington United Methodist Family Services provides very important support to families in our community. We look forward to finding more ways to partner in service! 

Mar.  5 – Courtney Barrack received the March Catamount Climb Higher recognition. Courtney plans to graduate with her degree in Business Administration in May. Read the  full story.     

Dr. Wallace and Courtney  Barrack

March  6 – Read Across America: Ace and I shared his story with students at Burlington Primary School. Ace the Mighty Conquers Knight School is a richly illustrated hardcover book that tells the tale of a humble dog named Ace who dreams of being a knight, but first he must overcome his fears in order to seize his potential. Potomac State College had volunteer readers sharing stories throughout the county all week.  

Burlington Primary  School

Mar.  6 – In the NJCAA Region 20 Semifinals, the Men’s Basketball Team fell to the #1 seed, CCBC Dundalk, finishing their season 22-8 overall. Rodney Vilsaint was named to the All-Tournament Team. The women’s team bested the CC Beaver County Titans 91-68 to advance to the NJCAA Region 20 Championship. 

Mar. 7 – The Women’s Basketball Team fell in the championship game to CCBC Essex 69-96.  Mya Glisan and Miya Harris were named to the NJCAA Region 20 All-Tournament Team, finishing 22-6 overall on the season. “We are incredibly proud of all our teams and the success we have seen this year from the Catamounts.  Potomac State was the only college in Region 20 to have both its men’s and women’s teams make it to the semifinals this year!” stated Athletic Director Mandi Larkin. 

Mar. 12 -The 2026 Mineral County FFA Ham, Bacon, and Egg auction was filled with hefty bids to support students. I had the opportunity to connect with future PSC Catamounts and bid on some of their products. Shane Riggs did an excellent job  writing a story about the auction  and PSC.   

Mar. 13 – PSC had a  special visit from Dr. Scott Bowdridge at the Gustafson Farm on campus. Natasha and Levi introduced Dr. Bowdridge to Kevin the Goat, and we learned some great goat facts. PSC continues to work with local farmers and partners to improve our farm capabilities and students' hands-on learning experiences.    

Dr. Wallace and Dr.  Bowdridge

Mar.  13 – Friday evening, I drove to Moorefield High School to participate in the Hardy County Ham, Bacon, and Egg auction. I met many new students, parents, and even PSC alumni during the auction. Student Brylee Reel recognized me from some of my TikTok videos. I’m sure Kevin the Goat videos are some of her favorites.   

Upcoming Events

• Mar. 27 Spring Formal
• Apr. 3 Spring Holiday, College Closed
• Apr. 6 Spring Blood Drive, 10:30 am-3:30 pm, DCC
• Apr. 8  Jazz Concert, 6:30 pm, Church McKee
• Apr. 11 Rural Health Day
• Apr. 15 Student Scholarship & Donor Luncheon