From Down the Hall

Our alumni and friends seem to raise the bar higher and higher each year, whether through academic achievements, professional development or representing Mountaineer values in their communities. Last month, the spirit of Mountaineer Nation was on full display during the WVU Day of Giving! Thanks to the incredible generosity of alumni and friends like you, we surpassed previous records by raising an outstanding $274,444 from a record-breaking 831 gifts. This remarkable achievement is a testament to our community's collective power and our support for our beloved West Virginia University.

The impact of these funds will be substantial, touching the lives of current and future Mountaineers and alumni across the globe. Your contributions will provide vital scholarship support, enrich innovative alumni programming, and ensure future generations have the necessary resources to thrive at WVU and beyond. We extend our gratitude to all who contributed their time and treasure on the WVU Day of Giving; your generosity embodies the mission of our organization. 

With the arrival of March comes not only the promise of blooming flowers and rejuvenated landscapes but also an important day for the continued future of our great University: the WVU Day of Giving. As alumni, faculty, staff, and students eagerly anticipate the vibrant spirit of spring, we also prepare to come together in celebration of our university's enduring legacy and shared commitment to excellence. The WVU Day of Giving stands as a testament to our Mountaineer spirit, igniting a wave of generosity that propels our alma mater forward into the future. 

As WVU alumni, we believe in the life-changing impact of a WVU education. We have personally experienced the opportunities it provides, the challenges it helps us to overcome, and the lasting connections it continues to foster. Even after receiving our diplomas, our shared experiences and memories as Mountaineers continue to be a part of our lives, no matter where we live. Those moments were made possible by the generations of alumni who came before us.

Last month, the journey through West Virginia University history was met with enthusiasm, nostalgia, and pride for our alma mater. If you missed January’s edition, take a trip down memory lane with me here. Sharing our story is not just a duty, but a joy that binds us together, emphasizing the importance of each chapter in shaping our vibrant community. As we stand at the threshold of a new chapter, embarking on the next 150 years of the WVU Alumni Association, let’s delve deeper into the organization's most memorable moments. 

In the pursuit of our historical narrative, kudos to our dedicated Alumni team members, Catie and Will, for combing through decades of meeting minutes, captivating stories and cherished traditions that were hidden gems, even for someone deeply connected to our alma mater. It's astonishing how, after 150 years, we find ourselves linked to those visionaries who laid the groundwork for our enduring legacy.

Happy New Year, Mountaineers! I hope that each of you had a joyous time with friends and family as we bid farewell to 2023. As we stand on the threshold of a new year, we find ourselves reflecting with immense pride on a remarkable milestone - 150 years of the WVU Alumni Association. Last month, I gave a sneak peek into what we had planned for 2024 as we continue to celebrate 150 years of the WVU Alumni Association. 

The consistent theme interwoven in our history of West Virginia University and the WVU Alumni Association is that of moments, big and small. Today, as we enter the second half of our 150th-year milestone, I want to reflect on those shared moments while expressing our continued interest in hearing about your personal ones. More on that later. 

The end of another calendar year marks a busy time of making holiday plans, enjoying Mountaineer sports as they enter into championship season, traveling to a football bowl game (this year we’re off to Charlotte for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl!), setting goals for the following year, and, of course, Spotify Wrapped. As we approach the end of 2023, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve shared as a community. We’ve had a year filled with exciting events, meaningful connections and countless reasons to express our gratitude. 

As we close out the year, we almost always look ahead to what’s next: creating new moments for our alumni, curating events and connections for Mountaineers near and far, and providing pathways for alumni to find their way home to Morgantown for events like Homecoming and many others. 

As we are entering the final weeks of the fall semester and the 2023 WVU Football season, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude, appreciation, and humility when reflecting on the extraordinary success of our recent Homecoming week celebration. Our beloved alma mater has always held a special place in our hearts, and this year's Homecoming festivities served as a poignant reminder of the unique connections and cherished memories that continue to bind us together. 

I’ve had the honor and privilege to have experienced WVU Homecoming celebrations throughout the years, and I must say, Homecoming 2023 was unparalleled. In this recap, I’ll delve into all of the reasons why this year stood out, and if you’re an alum who’s considering a trip back to Morgantown for Homecoming, I wholeheartedly urge you to come back home and join us next year. While the Homecoming football game is always a highlight, the week was filled with events and activities that brought together the alumni community to celebrate our Mountaineer traditions. I extend my sincere gratitude to all of our University partners and friends who contributed to making Homecoming 2023 special. For those of you who couldn’t make it back to campus, I’d love to share several highlights of the week.

As the leaves are starting to show hints of the fall foliage season to come here in West Virginia, I am thrilled to welcome you all back to campus in a few short weeks for Homecoming 2023. This year is incredibly special as we celebrate not only our cherished Mountaineer traditions, but also the 150th anniversary of our beloved Alumni Association. It's a time for us to reconnect, reminisce, and revel in the enduring spirit of West Virginia University.

Throughout the decades, the WVU Alumni Association has played a pivotal role in fostering a sense of belonging and pride among graduates. It's a legacy that has endured the test of time, growing stronger with each passing year. For a century and a half, the Alumni Association has been a steadfast advocate for our alumni and their alma mater, supporting the University in countless ways.

As summer winds down and the sunsets in Morgantown once again paint the sky in golden yellows, pinks and purples, letting us know that fall is not far away, a familiar buzz of excitement envelops our campus once again. The time-honored tradition of college students returning to campus has arrived, and with it comes a palpable energy. The smiles on the faces of students walking across the Downtown Campus to class, the earnest conversations that flow in the Evansdale Crossing, and the reunion of friends on the Mountainlair green are the sights and sounds that make this time of year very special. For us alumni, the return of students is a poignant reminder of our own journeys as college students. We see ourselves in their excitement, aspirations, and wonder. It's heartening to witness their curiosity, as they carry forward the traditions that have been passed on by others, and for those of us on campus and beyond, it is a season filled with opportunities to share the experiences that define all of us as Mountaineers.

One of the best introductions for our new students to some of our favorite traditions is through Monday Night Lights, an event that began in 2015. Held annually at Milan Puskar Stadium during Welcome Week, it has become a symbolic moment of transition into the WVU community. The event brings out special guests that share their passion for WVU, and includes appearances by the Mountaineer Mascot, Pride of West Virginia, and the WVU Cheer team to kickoff the Mountaineer journeys of the newest members of our campus community. I’m sure you remember the first time you heard  “Let’s Go”, followed by someone responding “Mountaineers,” watched the Pride of West Virginia’s pre-game performance, sang Country Roads locked arm in arm swaying with others, or joined in the call of first down at the stadium.  It’s a special moment to witness when others experience these traditions for the first time themselves. To cap off the evening, first-year students make their way onto the field to participate in one of our newer traditions, taking a class picture inside the Marching Band’s outline of the State of West Virginia, forever memorializing their initial days as Mountaineers. 

I absolutely love the beginning of classes. Don’t get me wrong, you never want to wish your summer away, but as the calendar turns to the month of August, you can’t help but feel the level of energy and excitement rise in Morgantown as we begin welcoming our students back for the fall semester. For our returning students, it means reuniting with friends and classmates as they continue their journey to becoming WVU alumni. For first-year students, it is the beginning of a new and important chapter in their lives. It starts with move-in weekend and continues through Welcome Week and the first days of navigating the buildings and conquering the many steps of the Downtown and Evansdale campuses. Don’t worry, I promise you’ll eventually get used to it!

To this day, when I recall the moments I experienced during move-in weekend and the first few weeks of classes, the feeling of excitement and anticipation I felt as an eighteen-year-old freshman, return. I’m sure many of our alumni can relate. There’s something about that first week on campus that you’ll never forget or experience again during your college days and beyond. The energy and the feeling of adventure forever influences our fond recollections of the first days as a college student. 

As I mentioned in last month’s entry, summer session has begun on campus and while things are quieter and traffic is thinner on the streets of Morgantown, our WVU Alumni Association team has entered our busy months supporting alumni chapters and interest groups in communities near you. Last month, we had the pleasure of hosting volunteer leaders from around the country at the Alumni Leaders Institute (ALI). We were more than excited to welcome them back to campus for this three-day event, packed with information about campus happenings, best practices for connecting with Mountaineers in their areas, and getting to know each other better in an in-person capacity. Due to the pandemic, the program had been postponed and moved to a virtual setting the last several years. We valued that virtual engagement, but there is nothing like having our leaders on campus reconnecting with our campus and each other.

It is inspiring to meet with dedicated longtime leaders continuing their mission of connecting Mountaineers and energetic new ones that have ambitious plans for their communities. They do such an incredible job representing our University by providing opportunities for engagement, supporting current students and spreading the word about world-changing initiatives taking place at their alma mater.