July 23, 2021

Update from the President

Dear Wheeling University Community,

We will welcome 120 students and family members to campus Monday for our final New Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration Event of the summer. Our Admissions and Student Life departments have a spectacular day planned for those taking part in the Orientation. As we have done at our previous sessions, students and families have a photo opportunity with Iggy the Mascot, attend a Q&A session with current students, tour the campus, enjoy lunch in the Benedum Room, and meet with faculty members regarding class schedules and academic programs. It should prove to be an inspiring day as we have students making their way to Wheeling from seven states, the District of Columbia, and Ethiopia.

We recently added new exciting features to our website to improve Wheeling’s communication with new students and parents. First, in an attempt to modernize admissions, when anyone logs onto the site, you’ll discover a ‘chat feature’ now appears. Today’s generation of students is even more technologically savvy and hyper-connected than previous generations – it’s all they’ve ever known. Wheeling’s Admissions department hopes to streamline and simplify the complex admissions process for students, and live chat plays a critical role in that mission. Students, parents, and visitors to the website can use this function to seek admissions, academic programs, and athletic teams. The chats are monitored from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern Time. Outside of those hours, students may leave a message and contact email so staff can respond. 

The second new feature results from a collaboration between Student Services and Admissions, who worked together to design a ‘New Student Checklist’ page.  As our new students prepare for their arrival on campus in August, this page for resources, information, and checklists will be essential to helping them to get everything ready. The New Student Checklist features specific lists for incoming first-year students, transfer, international, graduate students, and parents. Each section contains all the resources needed – in one easy-to-find place – to make an easy transition to life at Wheeling University. 

I am very happy to share the good news that Carrie Hanna ’96 has accepted the position of Athletic Director. Carrie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in athletic administration to the position, having spent the past five years as our Assistant Athletic Director and Director of Compliance. Her passion for and dedication to athletics are why she is well-respected by coaches, employees, student-athletes, alumni, and her peers in the athletic community. Most importantly, she not only lives our mission to be a person for life, leadership, and service, she strives every day to instill those virtues in our student-athletes and coaches.

Also, this week, Plexuss Global Rankings, an online service, selected two academic programs at Wheeling University – Education and Psychology – the best in West Virginia. In addition, the ranking service ranked the University’s Business Management programs second in the Mountain State. We have received numerous accolades by ranking services this year that show Wheeling University provides its students a quality, world-class Catholic education. But, more importantly, the rankings reaffirm our commitment to provide each student enrolled at Wheeling University a rigorous education grounded in the liberal arts.

As we prepare for the Fall semester, all faculty, staff, and students are reminded to complete this short COVID-19 Vaccine Survey. As a reminder, any unvaccinated students must provide a negative COVID test result when they return to campus in August. Andrew Lewis, Vice President of Student Service, is working with the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department to offer a vaccination clinic for members of our campus community. The clinic is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Troy Theatre.

We learned earlier today of the passing of Sr. Mona Farthing, S.S.J., a former member of our nursing department faculty. Her funeral Mass will be Wednesday, July 28, at St. Vincent Church in Elm Grove. Please keep Sr. Mona, her family, and the members of the Sisters of St. Joseph in your prayers.

As we begin the final week of July, the campus community continues preparations for the start of the new academic year. Students and athletes will start to arrive in a few weeks, and before we know it, the campus will be buzzing with activity once again – and of course, we can’t wait! 

With appreciation,