August 19, 2022
Update from the President
Dear Cardinal Family,
The older I get, the more it amazes me just how quickly time passes. I find it hard to believe that next weekend all of our students will return, and the new academic year will begin on August 29th. Today our student leaders arrived and will spend several days in leadership training to better prepare them for their roles as resident assistants (RAs) and campus leaders, including Campus Activities Board, Student Government Association, and Senate.
Before the new semester begins, we will take time next Wednesday to honor all who work at Wheeling during our annual Employee Gratitude Lunch. The luncheon provides an opportunity to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and dedication to Wheeling University. It is always a great time for us to meet our new employees and honor those individuals who are celebrating service anniversaries. Most importantly, it is a time when we can come together in fellowship as a community. Please be sure to respond to Kelsi Chapman at kchapman@wheeling.edu if you plan to attend no later than Tuesday at 12. I look forward to seeing all our employees at noon on Wednesday, August 24th, at Munhall Library Plaza!
Since I arrived in the Fall of 2019, a personal goal of mine has been to build our relationships with the parishes throughout the Wheeling-Charleston Diocese. Between the departure of Fr. Hadi and Fr. McCouch and the arrival of Fr. Praveen, Fr. Carlos of St. Michael’s Parish graciously celebrated Mass at our Chapel of Mary and Joseph. In addition, he lovingly provided Sunday Donut Socials on the plaza following Mass. He will serve as Fr. Praveen’s mentor and has taken great interest in our university’s family. Fr. Carlos has offered for St. Michael’s Parish to host Wheeling University’s 1st Back to School Pig Roast on Saturday, August 27th, for our new students and students who are currently back on campus. The cookout will be held on campus after the new students finish Make a Difference Day – their first time experiencing what it means to live our mission to serve others. In addition to the cookout, Fr. Carlos has invited our students to attend author Jason Evert’s talks, “Purified” and “Theology of Your Body” in September. During these two talks, Evert will give answers to life’s tough questions about love, dating, and how to develop holy, life-long relationships. I am grateful to Fr. Carlos and his parishioners for the way they are taking such a special interest in our University – this partnership will be impactful to both our organizations.
Tom Breiding, the Immersion Coordinator for the Appalachian Institute, will be traveling to a convention in Brasov, Romania, in early October thanks to the Congregation of St. Joseph, the Wheeling Gift Committee, and an anonymous group donation. Tom will attend the Appalachian Carpathian International Mountain Convention to benefit his ministry with the Institute. He will be bringing a little bit of West Virginia with him as he performs his immersion group Appalachian musical presentation for the attendees. The anonymous gift is in honor of the hundreds of students Tom has inspired on the Appalachian Institute’s immersion trips over the past seven years. The Congregation of St. Joseph noted that their sponsorship will assist Tom’s “wonderful and needed ministry.” Thank you to these friends for their gifts and the impact they will have on Tom’s work here at the University.
The University would like to congratulate Class of 1978 Alumna Dr. Joan Doverspike Davison, who will be inducted into the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame in October. Dr. Davison served as the Faculty Athletics Representative at Rollins College for 31 years. She was president of the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative Association from 2019-20, a former political science professor, and the NCAA Division II SAAC 2020 Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award winner. While at Wheeling, Dr. Davison was a standout on the women’s basketball team and was the first woman inducted into our Athletic Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Dr. Davison, on your well-deserved induction into this prestigious society!
The Chapel Mass schedule will change with the start of the academic year. Starting Sunday, August 28th, Mass will be held at 11 am and 8 pm. Daily Masses in the Chapel will resume on Monday the 29th and will be held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 12:10 pm, and Wednesday at 8 pm.
As we make our final preparations for the start of this academic year, please pray that our students are successful in all their endeavors and continue to grow in knowledge, wisdom, and faith.
With deep gratitude,
Ginny R. Favede
President, Wheeling University