Dr. James “Jay” Morgart says being included on Whitmore-Gates Wall has been a ‘surreal’ experience. For four years, while at WVU Potomac State College, Morgart served on the committee that helped select a student and a faculty recipient for the Whitmore-Gates award. The prestigious award is not just a student endowment but a chance to be immortalized on a wall of honor.
In May, Morgart learned he had been selected as the 2026 faculty recipient for the Whitmore-Gates award, perpetually enshrining his name and his legacy on the College campus. And making him, at age 46, one of the youngest people to receive the distinction for his teaching service to the College.
The Whitmore-Gates Wall of Fame sits outside the Administration Building – a three-sided structure with an ornate middle flanked on either side by a list of names. The right side contains names of exceptional students, and the left-hand side bears the inscriptions of faculty who, over the years, have contributed immeasurably to the success and mission statement of the College.
Former faculty may be nominated and chosen for this award. The recipient must have taught at Potomac State for at least one academic year in either a full-time or adjunct capacity and must have produced a scholarly work of outstanding quality. Scholarly works may include publication of books, articles in journals, presentations at academic conferences, public performances, works of art, and academic achievements.
The College interviewed Morgart to learn more:
What did you think when you were first notified that you were the recipient of the Whitmore Gates Faculty Award?
I thought it was a mistake at first. I got a phone call and saw the 304-area code come up, and figured it was a call from Keyser. Then I got a voicemail from Krista (Campbell, the Assistant to the College President). And again, I thought it had to be a mistake. And then I got the email.
I used to be on the committee that chose Whitmore-Gates students and scholars. I know what this award means. I also know they don’t give one out every year. It still feels surreal that it happened. I had a hard time processing this as real.
My wife and I put our kids to sleep one night, and it dawned on me. And my wife looked at me and said, “Do you realize our kids will be able to visit Keyser, West Virginia, and see your name engraved on a wall there long after we are both gone?”
Do you have fond memories of your time teaching at Potomac State College?
During my time at Potomac State College, I felt very valued. I think the students there appreciated my efforts. I think the College itself appreciated my efforts. How hard those kids work there blows my mind. Some of the students at Potomac State have faced great challenges in life, and they keep going, and it’s remarkable.
Potomac State College was my first tenure-track position. I had gone to Penn State for Grad School, and I moved to Los Angeles in 2012. Then I moved back to New Jersey, where I am from. Then I taught adjunct at three different schools and logged in 20 hours a week just in my commute and travel time. I did that until 2018, and then I applied at Potomac State. I saw they had an opening. And I didn’t get it. A couple of months later, they posted the job again, and this time, I changed my resume to make it education-specific. I had other stuff on my resume because I thought they might see that work, and they might have a need for me in other places. But this time, I changed my resume and made it all writing and composition-based. I finished my dissertation and was working on my book when I got called for an interview. I came down and met with the search committee. I got the job and wound up being at PSC for the next four years.
When I was at Potomac State, I pushed to create a creative writing and non-fiction writing scholarship and award. And then those awards were named for Catherine Whitmore, so to get my name put on the Whitmore and Gates wall almost doesn’t seem real.
Was it a culture shock coming from New Jersey to Keyser, West Virginia?
Once I was at Potomac State College, I got to know the College and the students and the culture. My Dad was from a small town. And when I went to Penn State, I lived in a small town. I came from a place where you can get anything you want around the clock, but in a small town, everything closes at five. It was actually a cool personal learning experience.
I tried to put together a bunch of initiatives. We built the Writing Center. It just didn’t exist until we created it. I was the Film Club advisor, and we did fundraisers. I remember the club sponsored a showing of Hocus Pocus at the Indie on Main and all the money raised went to kids’ cancer research. Shout out to West Virginia Kids Cancer Crusaders.
I understand there is an interesting story regarding how the film club came about.
The way the club came about was interesting. As an English teacher, I noticed a lot of freshmen were struggling with English. I thought, what if we established a writing club or a special writing class. And one of my colleagues said, “Yeah, good luck getting people to come to a special writing class,” and then I thought, what if we organized it around movies? The club could watch a film and then write about what they watched. Just write an organized paragraph. I figured they were writing about something and learning paragraph structure. We watched everything from old Westerns to Hitchcock movies, and then I asked the club members to write about it. And it worked. As a result, we wound up with a pretty successful club because of a course that was getting sold enrollment.
Did you start out in your career wanting to pursue education?
I used to be an accountant. I got an undergraduate degree in accounting. I realized early on I didn’t like it. I remember sitting in the parking lot on the day I was scheduled to take the CPA exam and seeing these other future CPAs walking into the exam who were all very well-dressed and put together, while I was wearing cargo pants and a t-shirt with a jelly stain on my calculator. I could only think, “Yeah, this isn’t me.” I have always loved literature, so I just decided to go back to school. I was able to teach business classes, but I wanted to teach English and literature. I have since bounced back and forth between writing and teaching. Now, I don’t know what I would be doing if I wasn’t teaching. I have no idea. When I am driving to work, I am thinking about the classes I get to teach that day, and when I am driving home, I am going over the next day’s lesson plans. It’s like being a writer. The words and the plans are always swirling around in your head. You can’t just turn it off.
Once you decided to become a teacher, did it feel like a calling?
It did. I love learning. I have always loved learning. My goal has always been to be a teacher. I have a different background than a lot of PhDs do. My dad was a first-generation college student, and I was a first-generation grad student. Learning is very important to me. We don’t have a huge number of academics in our family. I think that’s why I connected so much with the students at PSC. I worked my butt off to get to where I have been, and those kids there work just as hard.
I took to teaching like a fish to water. I am very student-centered. I like active learning. I like knowing that I am reaching the students. I don’t like to be the sage on the stage. I want to be the guide by their side.
Why did you leave your position at Potomac State?
I honestly left Potomac State to move back to New Jersey only because my parents are in New Jersey and they are getting older, and I wanted to be closer to them. I am at Rutgers Preparatory School now, teaching ninth through 12th grade. But when I left PSC, I wanted to make sure I did it right. I told (Dean of Academic Affairs) Phil (Douthitt) first. I didn’t want to leave anyone in a bind. I didn’t want to overload anyone. But I knew I had to get back to New Jersey. I put my resume online and got invited for an interview. I thought for a while I was going to move back without a full-time job.
As a teacher, what do you hope you have instilled in your students?
I hope I empowered the students to not be afraid of discourse and to have those discussions that can get heated and still be passionate. I think most people need to understand that you can have your own opinion and your own beliefs, but you can set boundaries.
Any advice for future educators?
The human brain can only stay engaged on one thing for 15 minutes. And that is based on a study even before cell phone use. So, teachers have to keep the students engaged. You have to change things up every 15 minutes in a class. Tell a joke. Do an activity.
When you came to campus to accept the Whitmore Gates award, was that the first time you had been back?
That was the first time I had been on campus since I left. I still have a strong affinity for that entire campus, my former colleagues, the administration, and of course, the students. My time there was an amazing experience. It was a very special time in my career, and there are some truly remarkable and special students who go there.
What three words best describe you?
Never stop learning.
From its inception in 1983, the “Scholars’ Wall,” as it was first called, was originally conceived to recognize the academic and scholarly activities of WVU Potomac State College faculty, alumni, and students. During the early deliberations, the College planned to name the wall in honor of Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who attended Potomac State and now serves as chair of Harvard’s Department of African American Studies.
When Dr. Gates entered Potomac State, he intended to become a physician. That ambition was short-lived, however, when he was introduced to the captivating world of language and literature by Professor Tony “Duke” Whitmore.
Dr. Gates credits Dr. Whitmore with forever changing his life and consequently helping to redefine the meaning of America through the research by Dr. Gates and his colleagues. Upon Dr. Whitmore’s death during the planning stages of the wall, Dr. Gates requested that the name of the wall be changed to include the name of Dr. Tony “Duke” Whitmore, so that Gates and his mentor could be honored together.
For more on the history of the wall itself or how to nominate faculty, staff, or a student, visit:
https://www.potomacstatecollege.edu/communities/alumni/alumni-awards-nomination-forms/scholar-s-achievement-wall