Latest news with #FairmontStateUniversity
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mine No. 9 documentary premiere moved to November
Fairmont State University has partnered with Brazilian movie producer Andreza Araújo to host the U.S. premiere of 'A Day to Remember,' a documentary about the Farmington No. 9 mining disaster that claimed the lives of 78 miners in 1968. Originally slated for June, the event has been moved to November 17 to coincide with the annual memorial that takes place at the No. 9 site in Farmington. The Farmington No. 9 Mine explosion happened at approximately 5:30 a.m. on November 20, 1968, at the Consol No. 9 coal mine north of Farmington and Mannington. Seventy-eight miners died in the disaster, when a series of explosions ripped through the Consolidation Coal Company's No. 9 mine. The disaster was a catalyst for the passage of major changes in U.S. mining safety law. As a result of the disaster, Congress passed the 1969 Coal Mine Safety and Health Act. This law strengthened safety standards, increased Federal mine inspections, and gave coal miners specific safety and health rights, among other changes. The disaster has been remembered yearly in an annual ceremony commemorating the miners and pushing for continued mine safety. The annual ceremony takes place on the Sunday in November that falls closest to the November 20 anniversary. The film will premiere on Monday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. in Colebank Hall on the campus of Fairmont State University. Following the film, a live question and answer session will be held, followed by a reception. The event is free to attend and is open to the public. Additional event details will be released this fall. The trailer for the English version can be viewed online at
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Tree of Knowledge: Fairmont State receives Division of Forestry grant for planting project
Jun. 11—FAIRMONT — Don't call it "landscaping." Fairmont State University last week received a grant from the West Virginia Division of Forestry, which it will use for a tree-planting project on its Locust Avenue campus — but the motivation, participants say, has roots going way deeper. "The trees themselves are a great project, " architecture major Ryan Williams said. They include the American Holly, Eastern Rosebud, Common Witch Hazel trees, all of which are native to north-central West Virginia, and all planted near the dormitories that line the Campus Drive East entrances, which are currently devoid of greenery. "But even more than that, I hope it will inspire more students to get involved, " continued Williams, who is on the school's Creative Sustainability Council and helped secure the Community EquiTree grant through the forestry division. "The more people are engaged with their community and campus, " the student said of the project expected to be completed at month's end, "the more we can better serve." And the best way to engage and serve, Williams continued, is by celebrating nature, which is perpetually blooming, growing and evolving. Such celebration, the student said, happens whether we realize it or not. For many, the academic family tree goes back 41 years to 1984, when celebrated biologist and naturalist Edmund O. Wilson wrote and published a slim book he titled, "Biophilia " — or literally, "love of life." "Life, " in the case of Fairmont State, being what happens on the other side of the classroom wall. Humans, inherently — and unconsciously, even — just "feel " better in the presence of greenery and trees in places they may not normally be found, the naturalist surmised. Especially, he said, in cities and other locales where concrete, neon and gray buildings prevail. College campuses, too. At the height of the pandemic five years ago, with its student population sequestered under quarantine, Fairmont State did a nod to Wilson. The university created Falcon Park, a walking trail which takes in 7.9 wooded acres at the top of campus and is a haven for native birds, turtles and butterflies. Falcon Park has since been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation. Meanwhile, the most recent tree project, said Devin Carpenter, an assistant construction manager at Fairmont State, will be enjoyed for future generations — aesthetically and environmentally. As the trees grow, he said, their root systems will stabilize hillsides, preventing soil erosion. Their canopies will shade asphalt during the hottest days of summer. And their fall foliage will add to the beauty of campus, Carpenter said. "And they offer back to nature a piece of what urban development once removed, " he said.
Dominion Post
11-06-2025
- Science
- Dominion Post
Tree of Knowledge: Fairmont State receives Division of Forestry grant for planting project
FAIRMONT – Don't call it 'landscaping.' Fairmont State University last week received a grant from the West Virginia Division of Forestry, which it will use for a tree-planting project on its Locust Avenue campus – but the motivation, participants say, has roots going way deeper. 'The trees themselves are a great project,' architecture major Ryan Williams said. They include the American Holly, Eastern Rosebud, Common Witch Hazel trees, all of which are native to north-central West Virginia, and all planted near the dormitories that line the Campus Drive East entrances, which are currently devoid of greenery. 'But even more than that, I hope it will inspire more students to get involved,' continued Williams, who is on the school's Creative Sustainability Council and helped secure the Community EquiTree grant through the forestry division. 'The more people are engaged with their community and campus,' the student said of the project expected to be completed at month's end, 'the more we can better serve.' And the best way to engage and serve, Williams continued, is by celebrating nature, which is perpetually blooming, growing and evolving. Such celebration, the student said, happens whether we realize it or not. For many, the academic family tree goes back 41 years to 1984, when celebrated biologist and naturalist Edmund O. Wilson wrote and published a slim book he titled, 'Biophilia' – or literally, 'love of life.' 'Life,' in the case of Fairmont State, being what happens on the other side of the classroom wall. Humans, inherently – and unconsciously, even – just 'feel' better in the presence of greenery and trees in places they may not normally be found, the naturalist surmised. Especially, he said, in cities and other locales where concrete, neon and gray buildings prevail. College campuses, too. At the height of the pandemic five years ago, with its student population sequestered under quarantine, Fairmont State did a nod to Wilson. The university created Falcon Park, a walking trail which takes in 7.9 wooded acres at the top of campus and is a haven for native birds, turtles and butterflies. Falcon Park has since been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation. Meanwhile, the most recent tree project, said Devin Carpenter, an assistant construction manager at Fairmont State, will be enjoyed for future generations – aesthetically and environmentally. As the trees grow, he said, their root systems will stabilize hillsides, preventing soil erosion. Their canopies will shade asphalt during the hottest days of summer. And their fall foliage will add to the beauty of campus, Carpenter said. 'And they offer back to nature a piece of what urban development once removed,' he said.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
State grants helps Fairmont State University plant more trees on campus
FAIRMONT — The number of native trees on the campus of Fairmont State University recently increased with help from a grant from the West Virginia Division of Forestry. In April, students and staff planted American holly, Blackhaw viburnum, common witch hazel and eastern redbud trees with the goal of boosting biodiversity on campus. Dubbed the Community EquiTree grant program, which originates on the federal level, helped plant alongside Campus Drive East, which is adjacent to Fairmont State's residence halls and outdoor recreation areas, which "will allow more students and local community members to experience the trees and their benefits," according to a press release. "As a public institution, Fairmont State University is committed to fostering a beautiful, welcoming campus where students, faculty, staff, and community members feel a true sense of belonging," the press release continued. Fairmont State's Creative Sustainability Council, a group of students, faculty and staff members, spearheaded the initiative. Assistant Construction Manager Devin Carpenter, Associate Professor of English Nathaniel Myers, and Councilmember and architecture major Ryan Williams collaborated on the grant. 'The trees themselves are a great project, helping to develop this underused space on campus into something that is both a beautiful showcase of West Virginia trees and helps to mitigate local issues like soil erosion or larger ones like global warming," Williams said. "But even more than that, I hope projects like this inspire more students to get involved. The more people are engaged with their community and campus, the more we can improve and better serve the present and the future.' The WVDOF Urban and Community Forestry program cooperates with communities to promote the long-term care of trees in cities and communities throughout the state. The program also establishes guidelines for planting, caring for and protecting trees throughout West Virginia. Fairmont State's project meets the goals of this program by providing an opportunity for students to get involved with community sustainability projects, for faculty to improve their instruction by helping others understand the importance of trees and nature, and for everyone to better understand and engage with their local environment during and after the planting. "As the trees grow, their benefits will as well. The canopies will help shade the area, especially nearby asphalt parking lots and roads, which can store heat. The roots of the trees will grow into the hillside, stabilizing the soil and preventing erosion. Additionally, their fall foliage will create a beautiful scene familiar to many West Virginians," states the press release. 'The planting of these native species not only aids in beautifying our campus but also offers back to nature a piece of what urban development once removed," Carpenter said. In the coming months, the Creative Sustainability Council will measure the success of the tree planting program using surveys to be administered in the local community and among students. A ceremonial tree planting was held on April 25, 2025 to mark the beginning of the project, which is expected to be completed this month. 'We are all very proud of Ryan and his hard work on this project,' Myers said. 'Hopefully this will inspire future projects that will contribute to sustainability on our beautiful campus.'
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Aerial Drone Competition Northeast Regional Championship begins at Fairmont State University
FAIRMONT, (WBOY) — The Aerial Drone Competition Northeast Regional Championship kicked off Thursday at Fairmont State University, bringing teams from several states to the Mountain State to compete. The event is hosted by the West Virginia Robotics Alliance, which is managed by the NASA IV&V Facility Education Resource Center. Program Manager Todd Ensign told 12 News that the education resource center at the NASA facility in Fairmont strives to prepare students for career paths oriented in the areas of STEM. Ensign added that this competition is one of the many ways that the center is able to engage the students and inspire them to consider careers in things like aerospace engineering, computer programming and engineering. According to Ensign, there were 56 teams at the event that represented schools from Vermont down to Kentucky as part of the northeast region. He added that similar events are taking place in different regions all over the United States, but this event is the largest. The middle school championship will take place Thursday through Friday and the high school regional championships will be held on Saturday and Sunday. Upon arrival, teams will be working with another one to participate in a teamwork challenge, where they must fly their drone through arches and hoops and also move wiffle balls down tracks. Morgantown to implement alternative sentencing program for camping ban The students must communicate cooperatively, and they will share whatever scores they receive. After completing this challenge, the students will move on to the skills field, which tasks them with flying their drones one at a time through a course autonomously. The awards are given out based on an interview that each team gives to the judges, as well as the teams' flight books. According to Ensign, these flight books are where the teams track all of their flights from the entire season, including wins and losses, strategies that they have, as well as data that they've collected about their drone. Every fall, around August, a new game challenge is released, which allows the students to begin preparing their drones for the challenges. Ensign told 12 News that this year's theme was called Gravity, focusing on moving, flying, knocking bean bags off of platforms and moving wiffle balls down tracks. However, Ensign stated that his team at the NASA IV&V Facility Education Resource Center has been preparing for this regional championship over the past year. They've worked with both Fairmont State University and NASA to ensure that they have the appropriate resources available, including the Falcon Center as a venue for the various events. 'We are so fortunate to have not only this venue and the cooperation from Fairmont State, but also to have the support of the president and the administration here at Fairmont State [University],' said Ensign. Ensign stated that NASA underrides a lot of costs to help make this program possible. The regional championship also relies heavily on numerous sponsors, with Aurora Flight Sciences being the key sponsor to present this year's event. 'They're right down the road in Bridgeport, they're building the next generation of aircraft,' Ensign said, regarding Aurora Flight Sciences. 'They have a vested interest in seeing kids learn about this field to prepare themselves for you know, work in the area of advanced air mobility.' All of the events that are taking place within the Aerial Drone Competition Northeast Regional Championship are being livestreamed online via Twitch. You can read more about the West Virginia Robotics Alliance and all of the different robotics programs it has available across the state on its website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
