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Paige Grove came to WVU partly because of how welcoming the campus felt on visits, and partly because her mother is an alumna. She found her direction in Youth and Family Sciences, with a focus on child life, a healthcare specialty centered on supporting children and families through serious medical experiences. Hands-on time at WVU Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital put that training into practice and pointed her toward a master's degree in child life at the University of Georgia this fall.

Ethan Waugh grew up in Morgantown, which made choosing WVU easy. What took more thought, though, was figuring out how to turn his passion for esports into a career. The Sport Leadership program gave him that framework, and he further molded his path with minors in Esports Management and Strategic Social Media. While completing his degree fully online, Waugh worked full-time at a sports complex and competed on the WVU Esports team, making multiple NACE playoff runs along the way. He graduates this spring with his sights set on a full-time role in esports operations.

Noah Miller grew up surrounded by the gold and blue. His father has worked for WVU Medicine since before Miller was born, so choosing WVU felt less like a decision and more like a given. What wasn't predetermined was his path once he arrived. Miller started in exercise physiology before finding his footing in physical education, ultimately earning both a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Kinesiology and a master's in Physical Education Teacher Education. Along the way, he logged more than 1,000 hours of hands-on teaching experience and was named the SHAPE America Major of the Year.

Kylie Dempsey arrived at WVU with a clear career goal in physical therapy and a passion she wasn't willing to give up on: dance. She spent most of her college career pursuing both at once, carrying more than 18 credits a semester while logging over 10 hours a week in the studio. A late switch to CAHS in her senior year brought everything into focus, connecting her to the Health and Well-Being program and a Performing Arts Medicine minor that tied her two interests together. She leaves this spring with degrees in both Dance and Health and Well-Being, on track for a doctorate in physical therapy.

Jordyn Lovett came to WVU knowing exactly what she wanted: a sport psychology program and a club gymnastics team. She found both, and then put the pedal to the metal. Lovett completed her degree in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology in three years, adding a sport coaching minor along the way, and building applied experience through peer advising and hands-on work with WVU Athletics youth camps. Later this fall, she heads to the University of Illinois-Chicago to pursue a master's degree in kinesiology and her certification as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant.

Madison Zink was a Navy veteran before she was a Mountaineer. After her service, she took stock of what she wanted to do next and landed on elementary education, drawn to WVU in part by her sister's experience there. The program delivered what she was looking for: real time in classrooms, practical preparation, and professors who stayed engaged. Off campus, Zink found her footing through the WVU Veterans Club, where she served as vice president and built the confidence she'd need heading into a teaching career.

Growing up 20 minutes from Morgantown, Dominic Viani always imagined himself as a Mountaineer. Now a senior in the Physical Education and Kinesiology program, he's preparing for a career in education inspired by a former coach and his grandfather, a longtime physical education teacher. At the same time, Viani is building his own reputation by logging up to seven nights a week as a basketball official while completing his student teaching residency at the very elementary school he once attended as a kid.

Shauna Riggs came to WVU seeking independence without losing the sense of community she values as a West Virginian. As an elementary education major, she has found both, building her confidence in the classroom while also performing as a member of the "Pride of West Virginia" marching band. Between full days at school and evenings on the practice field, Riggs has learned to manage the demands of teaching and music while becoming the educator she set out to be.

Ian Finegan had never been to West Virginia when he applied to WVU. From just north of Baltimore, he was looking for a college that felt like the right fit, both personally and academically. He found that in Morgantown at WVU, where an initial interest in one major eventually turned into two. With guidance from academic advisors, Finegan chose to pursue degrees in Mental Health and Addiction Studies and Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, a decision that still has him on track to graduate a semester early and continue on to graduate school.

In classrooms where instruction is increasingly structured, Courtney Shimek’s work makes a case for the value of play, conversation, and curiosity in how young children develop literacy. Shimek, the 2024-25 CAHS Research of the Year, studies early childhood literacy and teacher preparation that focuses on how children develop understanding through authentic classroom experiences and how teachers can be prepared to support that process. Through her research and teaching, she encourages educators to remain flexible and reflective as they respond to how students engage with language in the classroom.

Kimberly Manning always aspired to be the kind of teacher that would not just support the academic goals of children, but also their social and and emotional development. She came to WVU from Oakland, N.J., and has continued to nurture that aspiration along with balancing her fieldwork, classwork, and campus life. She also added a transformative study abroad experience in South Africa in the summer of 2025 that helped expand her understanding of teaching and learning.

Selasi Asamoah juggled plenty during her academic career at WVU with a nursing degree, a multidisciplinary studies degree from CAHS, and tossing in three minors. While it was a lot, the balance of all of that work leaves her well prepared to be the best nurse she can for her patients. Her academic path taught her resilience, discipline, and the value of real-world experience, all strengthened by her faith and her family’s encouragement.

It seems like Emma Hardway has known two things for about as long as she can remember: She's always wanted to be a Mountaineer, and she's always wanted to be a teacher. Her passion for the profession remains strong, and the sentiment that it's a prerequisite has been enforced by her residency experience and her mentor teachers. She's looking forward to a career where she will continue to educate the next generation, both in West Virginia, but also abroad as well. 

Emily Chittester, a sport management major from DuBois, Pa., came to WVU knowing that sport wasn't just a playground and determined to make a career out of her passion. Her internship experience started in baseball with the WV Black Bears, and then later in football with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Adding a minor in applied mathematics, Chittester will graduate in December before continuing to work with the Steelers.

For James Stamoulis, WVU's strong reputation in the world of sport management was a strong factor in him deciding to become a Mountaineer. Now, on the verge of graduating, he confidently says that the reputaiton was well-earned. Stamoulis built on the academic foundation with his own initiative to create strong relationships with faculty and alumni that allowed him to maximize his time in Morgantown. Those relationships not only expanded his network but also helped clarify his direction as he begins his career in the sport industry.