Once a year, the red carpet turns gold and blue as WVU Potomac State College welcomes new freshmen and greets returning sophomores and other upperclassmen at the beginning of the school year.
It’s “Welcome Week” at PSC – featuring a full calendar of activities and events, and providing first-time and returning students with access to campus.
Sunday, August 16, kicked off the start of the week with more than 200 freshmen arrivals for Move-In Day. Parents, grandparents, boyfriends, girlfriends, family members, and friends helped students living on campus unpack and decorate the dorms and residence halls of University Place and Memorial Hall. The day also included a family lunch inside Davis Conference Center and an evening presentation inside Church-McKee Arts Center presented by Student Life in which campus rules and regulations were discussed.
“We go through all of our campus community guidelines. We learn how to have a great experience, be a good roommate, and be a good neighbor,” said Kara Hotchkiss, Director of Residence Life and Coordinator of Student Engagement at WVU PSC. “It’s the least fun presentation of the week for students and for me, but we need a night to go over what is expected of you when you become a Catamount. My least favorite part of my job is when I have to have a student in my office because they have made a poor choice.”
To see more photos of Move-In day, visit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/potomacstateweb/albums/72177720335167483/
Monday morning, August 17, started early with interested new and returning students meeting on the Quad with student life representatives and resident assistants. During this informal event, students were able to ask questions about the location of classes, where parking on campus is available for students, and how to access their meal tickets for lunches. Campus tours were available at that time for late arrivals, and commuter students met inside the student union to meet with staff.
Convocation Day then followed – an event designed for new students to become acquainted with the campus, with staff, faculty, and with one another. The morning started with a tradition unique to Potomac State College – a “reverse” graduation.
More than 300 students attended the event, which began with a receiving line outside the Church-McKee Arts Center. As the state song of West Virginia – “Take Me Home, Country Roads”– played, students filed by welcoming staff and faculty, continuously applauding the arrival of new faces to campus.
“Just as students hear Take Me Home, Country Roads played at their graduation in two years, we want to welcome them to that song as well and let them know that during their time here at PSC, the people they see in that line greeting them as that song plays are the same people who are here to help them succeed,” said PSC President Dr. Jerry Wallace. “I encourage each new student to get involved and to get to know the faculty and staff on campus. They are here to help you and make sure you are successful on your journey.”
During the Monday morning event, students in attendance also heard from convocation speaker, Carita Mills. Mills is PSC’s athletic trainer and in March was tapped as the Best Athletic Trainer in the nation.
Mills shared her personal account about being a student at PSC and being “one of those students” who did not adapt easily in the transition from high school to college life.
“Do you think I was the first student these professors came across who had attendance issues? Or that used procrastination more than my laptop? I wasn’t the first to use my grandma as an excuse for not turning in an assignment, and I wasn’t the last,” she said. “I was just a kid who was scared of where I might end up with average grades and a bad attitude.”
Mills said she wasn’t invited to speak at convocation because she is the best orator or speech giver. She said she was invited to speak at the event because her success story started out like so many of the students seated in the theater seats Monday morning.
“I wasn't up here because I had it all figured out — I was up here because this place did. That's still true. The girl who walked in here in 2007 with average grades and a bad attitude had no idea that the seat she was sitting in, steps from where you are right now, was actually the beginning of everything.”
Read all of Carita’s remarks from her convocation address here.
During the convocation event, enrollment and admissions conducted a drawing for a free laptop. During the New Student Orientation events between April and August, each student who registered at one of those was automatically registered in the drawing. Out of the 386 students who attended one of the six NSOs, the 2026 drawing was won by incoming freshman Kaleyah Rushing.
Following that, members of the PSC Alumni Association held drawings for gift cards and gift certificates to area businesses like Queen’s Point Coffee, Fat Bottom Grille, Starbucks, Burger King, Sheetz, and Domino's. The alumni association also conducted its own drawing for a laptop. The winner of that item was new student, Chloie Moorehead.
To see more photos of Convocation, visit:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/potomacstateweb/albums/72177720335183793/
At the conclusion of the convocation event, students and faculty were invited to an outdoor barbecue picnic mixer on the Quad, allowing for staff and scholars to mingle and network. The lunch was provided by the staff of PSC Dining Services.
Following lunch, students were invited to participate in “Exploration Day” activities.
A group of outdoor and adventurous students boarded a charter bus for an afternoon of sun and sand at Shaw Beach at nearby Jennings Randolph Lake. Here, students lounged in the sand, hiked the trails, played beach volleyball, and swam. For those more arts and crafts inclined, a paint and sip activity with mocktails and an arts and crafts project was held inside the Student Union.
For more photos, visit
https://www.flickr.com/photos/potomacstateweb/albums/72177720335195013/
The day wrapped up with an Esports Open House inside University Place. Here, players and future gamers were able to meet the Esports coach and discover the different options Esports have to offer.
Welcome Week continued Tuesday, August 18. While it was also the first day of class, it was also another opportunity for students to be guided by staff, faculty, and volunteers. “Human Information and Welcome Stations” were set up at six focal points on campus. Each station was manned with knowledgeable staff members who provided directions, advice, and even a snack to students as they sojourned from building to building on their first day.
“I remember what it was like on my first day of college to be handed a map and be told ‘Good luck,”” said Krista Campbell, assistant to the PSC president’s office. Campbell organized the event and the stations and recruited the volunteers to assist. “We had staff at six places outside on campus to help guide students in the right direction and to let them know we are here for them to help them find their way, not only on their first day but throughout their education here at PSC.”
Early in the evening on Tuesday, behavioral health therapist Michelle House offered a workshop on breathwork, teaching participants how to deep breathe to reduce stress and anxiety.
On Wednesday, August 19, Welcome Week entered its fourth official day with a Board Game Night in the Mary F. Shipper Library, with Library staff and volunteers overseeing board game competitions to help new students meet one another in a friendly competition.
Welcome Week activities continue through Wednesday, August 26 with the following events:
* Catamount Trivia in the Student Union, Thursday August 20, 6 pm: Teams of four players can put their knowledge to the test!
* Outdoor Movie Night on the Quad, Friday, August 21, 8 pm: In case of bad weather, the location will move to the Davis Conference Center.
* Campus and Community Involvement Fair, Wednesday, August 26, from 11 am-2 pm: PSC student organizations, along with local businesses and resources from the Keyser community, will be on display.