January 21, 2022
Update from the President
Dear Cardinals,
With the second week of the semester in the books, I can report our students are settling into their classes and the new year. Monday’s snowfall allowed for some fun times around campus with sled riding behind Sara Tracy and on the hill near Ignatius. The old tradition of using cafeteria trays lives on and a group of students decided to ‘soften’ their ride by using a mattress – which I hope does not happen in the future! From my office, I had a bird’s eye view of the students sledding behind Sara Tracy. It was fun to watch them having some fun in the snow. And the snow did not keep our athletes from practicing outside. Tuesday the lacrosse team could be seen shoveling the snow off Bishop Schmitt Field so they could conduct drills.
Last week, we released the Fall 2021 Dean List, which included the names of 200 undergraduate students. For a student to qualify, he or she must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher in those courses. Through their hard work and the faculty’s commitment to their success, I am so pleased with how well many of our students have excelled in their coursework. Congratulations students and I wish you continued success in your studies this semester!
Cold weather and snow couldn’t stop more than 100 members of the greater Wheeling community from participating in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March and Interfaith Service last Sunday. Wheeling University has been a part of this annual celebration for more than 20 years, helping to plan and execute the events. It was my pleasure to participate in the March and witness the Prayer Service. As I walked down Martin Luther King Drive, it was wonderful to see leaders from various religious communities join together to carry on Dr. King’s vision. Bishop Mark Brennan of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and members of our Jesuit Community, Fr. Jim Conroy, Fr. Richard McCouch, and Fr. Hadi Sasmita were among those who participated. Wheeling alumna Rosemary Ketchum was honored during the Service with the Rosa Parks Award, for her efforts to help Wheeling’s most vulnerable residents and showing leadership within the community. It was an honor to join with the community to celebrate the extraordinary life of Dr. King.
Two members of the Cardinals’ swim team were honored by the Mountain East Conference following their outstanding performances last week at West Virginia Wesleyan. Nathan Yost was chosen the Men’s Swimmer of the Week, while Jade Miller earned the conference Women’s Swimmer of the Week honor. Nathan captured wins in three events – the 100 and 200-yard freestyle races and the 200 Individual Medley. On the women’s squad, Jade caught the eye of the MEC after taking home first-place finishes in the 200-yard Breaststroke, 200-yard Individual Medley, and was part of the winning 200-yard Medley Relay team. Congratulations to Nathan and Jade on their recognition, and I wish them good luck at their next meet on January 29th.
As a reminder, the University uses an online reservation system, MIDAS. MIDAS allows all faculty, coaches, and staff to reserve rooms and other facilities around campus right from their computers. It is an easy four-step process that will ask you for the room/facility you wish to book, the time you need to reserve, and the date of the activity. You can also reserve items such as specific technology or catering services with Aladdin. To see if a room is available, please check here. Once a reservation has been made, you will receive a confirmation email. I kindly ask that all employees use MIDAS when making a room reservation in an effort to streamline the booking process.
It has been a busy week here on campus and we are happy the weekend is upon us. I hope you are able to rest, relax, and recharge.
With deep appreciation,
Ginny R. Favede, President
Wheeling University