This summer has been full of welcomes across the WVU community.
We recently welcomed six accomplished alumni to the WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors while also greeting thousands of incoming students and their families during New Student Orientation. Although they are at very different points in their Mountaineer journeys, both groups represent the future of our University.
The Alumni Association's newest Board members, Steve Britt, Kristin Emery, Undra Johnson, Dr. Ronald Pellegrino, Heather Richardson, and Angela Williams, each bring a wealth of professional experience and a strong commitment to giving back to WVU. As they begin their six-year terms, they will help guide the Association's work to engage alumni and strengthen connections across the Mountaineer network.
Their service reflects what it means to be an engaged WVU graduate. Long after earning their degrees, they continue to invest their time, expertise, and leadership in the University and its people. They understand that being a Mountaineer doesn't end at graduation. It is a lifelong commitment to supporting one another, strengthening our University, and ensuring future generations have the same opportunities they did. We are grateful for their willingness to give back and help shape the future of the WVU Alumni Association.
At the same time, New Student Orientation has introduced the next generation of Mountaineers to life at WVU. They are learning campus traditions, meeting classmates, and preparing for the start of the academic year. While graduation may seem a long way off, they are already becoming part of something much bigger than four years on campus. From the moment they arrive, they are joining a lifelong community of Mountaineers whose connections extend far beyond Morgantown.
The friendships students form, the mentors they meet, and the experiences they have at WVU become the foundation for a lifelong relationship with the University. Years from now, they'll return for Homecoming, reconnect with classmates, mentor future students, and discover firsthand the truth behind one of our most cherished traditions: Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer.
That perspective is what makes the WVU Alumni Association unique. We celebrate alumni who continue to lead and serve, but we also recognize that every student is a future alum and root for the success of every Mountaineer from day one. More than 260,000 living alumni stand ready to encourage and celebrate the next generation because that's what Mountaineers do.
To our newest Board members, thank you for your leadership and your commitment to WVU. And to our incoming students, welcome. Thank you for choosing WVU and becoming part of the Mountaineer family. We are excited to see all that you will accomplish during your time at the University and beyond.
Let’s Go!
Kevin Berry ('94, '95)
WVU Vice President of Alumni Relations
CEO of the WVU Alumni Association, Inc.