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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.

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.

Mary Lu Adams has always been someone who embraces challenges, but even she couldn’t have anticipated the obstacles she would face in her pursuit of a new career. Now a graduate student in counseling at West Virginia University, Adams’ journey is marked by resilience, courage, and a determination to finish what she started.

Adams, originally from Wheeling, studied psychology at Bethany College and earned her master’s degree from Pitt before beginning her professional life in higher education. She worked at several institutions, including Wheeling Jesuit University and Georgia Southern University, and also in the nonprofit sector, but ultimately found herself yearning for something different.

As Jess Phillips prepares to graduate from WVU in December with a degree in Mental Health and Addiction Studies and a minor in Child Development and Family Studies, she reflects on her journey of growth and resilience. Originally from Doylestown, Pa., Phillips discovered her passion for helping others after switching majors and receiving support from faculty, along with hands-on experiences that prepared her for a meaningful career. Overcoming personal challenges with the help of WVU’s supportive community, she now plans to work with children and adolescents before pursuing a master’s degree in early education or counseling. 

West Virginia University’s WELLWVU program offers comprehensive wellness education to students through workshops, outreach, and resources. Madison Ligan, a graduate student in counseling from the College of Applied Human Sciences, serves as a graduate assistant with WELLWVU, where she leads initiatives focused on resilience, coping skills, and connecting students to mental health resources.

Brooklyn Slade’s passion for dance brought her from Milton, Ontario, to West Virginia University, where she found the perfect balance between performing and pursuing her academic goals. As she prepares to graduate next May with a degree in elementary education, Brooklyn reflects on her time in WVU’s close-knit education program, where the support from classmates and professors has helped her thrive both in the classroom and on the dance team. Despite being from Canada, Brooklyn holds a deep pride in being a Mountaineer, a feeling she’ll carry with her long after graduation.

The West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences made a significant impact at this year’s ShapeWV Conference held over the weekend at Canaan Valley Resort State Park. CAHS was well represented through a combination of presentations, exhibits, and awards recognizing the college’s faculty, students, and alumni.

The ShapeWV Conference provided a platform for CAHS to showcase its leadership in health and education, underscoring the college’s commitment to advancing these fields through research, service, and education. 

In the spring of 2021, Shelby Crews found herself at a crossroads. Like many recent graduates, she was trying to navigate the uncertainty of life after college, compounded by the isolation and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentally, she was struggling, but thanks to her parents’ insurance, she was able to access counseling services to begin her healing process. Not everyone was as fortunate.

“I had a friend that was struggling very similarly to me,” she recalls. “We were walking almost identical paths, but while I had access to counseling, she didn’t. Her parents had let her go, and she couldn’t afford to pay for therapy on her own. That didn’t sit right with me.

Ryan Turek, a junior at West Virginia University majoring in sport management, is experiencing what most baseball fans only dream of – working during the Major League Baseball Playoffs. With the Cleveland Guardians hosting the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs, Turek, originally from Mayfield Heights, Ohio, was in the thick of it all as a ballpark runner, making sure operations behind the scenes run smoothly.

Turek’s path to this moment began in high school when he decided to pursue a summer job with the Cleveland Guardians.

When Alexander Neukam arrived at West Virginia University, he wasn’t entirely sure what path he would take. Like many students, he came in undecided, exploring his options and finding his footing. It wasn’t until a summer conversation after his freshman year with his grandparents, both nurses, that he realized his calling lay in health and well-being.