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The College of Applied Human Sciences (CAHS) continues to strengthen its student-centered initiatives with the addition of two staff members to its Office of Student Success: Courtney Pletcher, Career Development Specialist, and Rachael Conrad, Student Experience Coordinator.

Pletcher brings extensive experience in career counseling, student engagement, and professional development to her new role as Career Development Specialist. A native of San Antonio, Texas, she is a first-generation college student whose journey includes service in the U.S. Navy. Her professional experience spans 17 years across multiple industries, with a focus on career counseling and student engagement in higher education.

Canyon Lohnas, a Ph.D. student at West Virginia University, has been named to the International Literacy Association’s 2025 30 Under 30 list, which highlights emerging leaders who are transforming literacy education and promoting equity in classrooms, communities and beyond.

This global cohort features changemakers from 12 countries, all under the age of 30, who are driving innovations and advocating for accessible, inclusive learning experiences. Lohnas, 28, was honored for his work in health literacy.

Adam McNeill’s path to West Virginia University was shaped by his family’s ties to WVU and his own passion for sports. A sport management major from Charlotte, N.C., McNeill has already built an impressive résumé, including an extensive internship with Learfield. With his sights set on a career in corporate partnerships, McNeill is consistently working to expand his network and opportunities that are provided to him by WVU.

The WVU College of Applied Human Sciences will celebrate December Commencement on Saturday, December 21, at 9 a.m. at the WVU Coliseum. Among the graduates are Makayla Brooks and Jess Phillips, two students who overcame challenges, discovered their passions, and are now ready to make an impact in their fields.

Makayla Brooks once thought school was not for her, but with family support and determination, she earned her GED, transferred to WVU, and found her calling in Child Development and Family Studies. Jess Phillips discovered her purpose at WVU through the Mental Health and Addiction Studies program where she gained resilience, support, and hands-on experience to prepare for a meaningful career helping others.

Dr. Arreta Jaranko was not one to loudly challenge convention, but her life spoke volumes. Born in 1922 in Clarksburg, W.Va., during the Great Depression, she faced formidable challenges. Yet, she quietly but firmly pursued a path of learning, innovation, and service that defied the limitations of her time.

As a teenager, she dreamed of becoming a doctor, inspired by her grandfather, a horse-and-buggy physician. But when she shared her ambitions with her father, he dismissed her aspirations outright. “Girls don’t need an education,” he told her. “They get married and have babies.”

West Virginia University's literacy education master’s degree program has once again earned “National Recognition” status from the International Literacy Association. This achievement demonstrates the program’s alignment with ILA’s rigorous standards for preparing literacy professionals to excel as K-12 classrooms as reading specialists, literacy coaches, and classroom leaders.

This recognition is the first step in a two-phase process. WVU is now preparing to pursue “ILA National Recognition With Distinction,” the highest honor for literacy education programs. WVU earned this recognition in the inaugural year of the award in 2019 and maintained it through 2024.

Phillip Elias Howard’s life has been defined by an insatiable desire to learn and a steadfast commitment to justice. Raised in Uniontown, Pa., a town shaped by coal mining, coke production, and union struggles, Howard grew up with a deep awareness of the systemic forces that shape communities. These influences, coupled with the dedication of his parents—both educators in their own ways—instilled in him a profound respect for education and the power it holds to transform lives.

Uniontown, like many industrial towns in Pennsylvania, bore the scars of deindustrialization. The town and its surrounding “patch” company towns were integral to supplying the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh-area steel mills with the coal and coke essential for steel production. Uniontown’s sole steel mill closed in the 1880s, but coal and coke industries remained dominant for decades, shaping the local economy and culture. The decline brought high rates of unemployment, government assistance, and rising crime.

Holly Rogers navigated her fair share of challenges in her journey to West Virginia University. A lifelong athlete, she devoted over a decade to competitive softball, spending countless hours on fields and in training. A series of injuries ultimately lead her not to one, but four, reconstructive ankle surgeries.

Out of high school, Rogers headed to Montgomery College, a junior college located in her hometown of Rockville, Md. After writing a paper on the psychology of injury recovery, her professor urged her to look into the field of sports psychology and encouraged her to consider it as a potential career.

The College of Applied Human Sciences continues to enhance its online education capabilities with the addition of Lyndsay Burneisen as an instructional designer.

Burneisen will work closely with faculty and staff to create engaging, innovative, accessible, and effective instructional materials for online courses.

Makayla Brooks dropped out of high school convinced that school was not for her. Later, though, with the support of her family, she earned her GED and was still looking for more. While attending a community college in Pittsburgh she realized that she wanted to work with children and families. Her father-in-law was a WVU grad and her classes were transferrable, so she became a Mountaineer. She'll now graduate in December with her degree in Child Development and Family Studies with her sights set on becoming a social worker.