More than 60 students and faculty were recognized by WVU Potomac State College for academic excellence and outstanding contributions to higher education during the 86th annual PSC Recognition Day and Induction into the National Sigma Phi Omega Honor Society on Sunday, April 26.
The event was held in the Church-McKee Performing Arts Center at the College’s campus in Keyser, WV.
The following students were recognized and awarded with honor distinctions:
William Boddy (Gary Seldomridge Award for Outstanding Student in Classic Calculus Sequence)
Telina Boyles (Keyser Rotary Service Above Self Award)
Trenton Brock (Outstanding Psychology Student)
Kellei Christian (Whitmore-Gates Student Scholar Award)
Skyla Compton (Emmy Noether Award for Achievement in Mathematics)
John Diehl (John Philip Spoerl Scholarship)
Levi Ferster (Outstanding Student Award. Part of Ferster’s award designates that he will represent the student body and the Class of 2026 with a Commencement speech)
Leah Files (General Biology Award)
Carissa Heavener (John Philip Spoerl Scholarship)
Marissa House (Outstanding Business Management Student Award)
Sarah Iman (Mauzy-Harris History Award)
Trey Kitzmiller (Jasper Morris Organix Chemistry Award and W. E. Michael Biology Award)
Sydney Lannon (Outstanding Business Technology Student Award)
Alexis Orndorff (Outstanding Nursing Student)
Justin Poling (Anthony Duke Whitmore Award for Best Creative Essay)
Addison Rexrode (Dr. Henry Falkowski Survey of Chemistry Award and Outstanding Agriculture Sophomore Student Award)
Grace Reckley (The Willa Louise Cather Award for Best Noncreative Essay)
Joshua Shoemaker (John Philip Spoerl Scholarship)
Carson Suesse (Maurice Powell General Chemistry Award)
Anna Westrom (Outstanding Spanish Student Award)
Olivia Winston (Human Anatomy and Physiology Award)
Faculty member Dr. James Morgart was presented with the Whitmore-Gates Faculty Scholar Award, and Admiral Thomas Joseph Lopez was awarded the Whitmore-Gates Alumni Scholar Award. Admiral Lopez is also slated to be the Keynote Speaker at Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9.
The Honors Foundation students have completed at least five honor courses and 13 honor credits while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The following students were recognized for that achievement in the 2025-2026 school year:
Eleanor Higgins
Emily Kuykendall
Olivia Winston
Sigma Phi Omega was founded in the spring of 1923 by the faculty of Potomac State College. Their desire was to create an organization that would serve as a medium for social contact between themselves and outstanding students. The name “Sigma Phi Omega” was chosen by using the initial letters of the Greek words which mean “student-faculty organization.”
The following were inducted into Sigma Phi Omega for outstanding contributions and accomplishments as students at Potomac State College:
Andrea Alderman
Trenton Brock
Kellei Christian
Charisma Crouse
Ashlynn Crowe
Amanda Cutlip
Sarah Dudley
Levi Ferster
Emerson Haddix
Coraymalis Martinez
Mya Monroy
McKennize Moore
Jesse Moore
Jensen Moreland
Delaney Randolph
Laney Rodeheaver
Sasha Rohr
Emily Rosenberger
Ava Shaffer
Kylie Troutman
Jeremy Tustin
Adyn Weaver
Anna Westrom
Daija Wright
The nursing honor society, today known as Sigma, was founded as Sigma Theta Tau in 1922 by six nursing students here in the United States, at Indiana University. From those six founding members, the organization has grown to more than 135,000 active members, in over 500 chapters, in over 90 countries around the world. Sigma members are leaders at all levels of the healthcare industry. The society only extends membership to students in baccalaureate or graduate level programs who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, academic integrity, and professional leadership potential, and to nurse leader candidates exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing. The following Potomac State College students were inducted into Sigma Alpha Rho this year:
Dominic Amtower
Olivia Barnes
Abigail Cadigan
Caitlyn Cooper
Chayse Evans
Eleanor Higgins
Heather Leatherman
Kelly Pratt
Elizabeth Pryor
Morgan Pyles
As an integrated division of West Virginia University, Potomac State College provides accessible, high-quality associate and baccalaureate degree programs at a reasonable cost. The institution emphasizes a student-centered teaching approach, fostering a diverse community, and preparing graduates for both further education and employment. Commencement activities are scheduled for May 9.