The WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences celebrated the achievements of a group of outstanding graduates during its 2025 Eberly College Alumni Awards Banquet on October 3.
The awards highlight the many ways an Eberly education continues to shape leaders, innovators, and changemakers.
“These awards celebrate the great achievements of our alumni which affirm the power of an Eberly education,” said Greg Dunaway, dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. “Across fields, our graduates are making a difference in classrooms, laboratories, boardrooms, and communities around the world.”
The College recognized alumni in three award categories: Distinguished Alumni, Rising Star, and Outstanding Alumni.
The Distinguished Alumni Award honors graduates of 20 or more years whose professional and civic contributions have had a lasting impact. The Rising Star Award recognizes alumni who earned their degrees within the past decade and are already making their mark through innovation, leadership, and service. The Outstanding Alumni Awards allow each department and program in the College to recognize graduates who have excelled in their fields and advanced their disciplines.
“Tonight’s honorees remind us that the influence of Eberly reaches far beyond Morgantown,” Dunaway said during the event. “Their success is our success, and their stories continue to inspire the next generation of Eberly students.”
2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients:
Joshua O. Mali (Biology, ’05): A board-certified ophthalmologist and nationally recognized retinal specialist at Paul Phillips Eye & Surgery Center in New Jersey who also volunteers his medical expertise on international mission trips.
Nikki Bowman Mills (International and Slavic Studies, ’92): Founder, president, and editor-in-chief of New South Media, Inc., publisher of WV Living, WV Weddings, and Morgantown magazines, who has reshaped perceptions of West Virginia through storytelling and entrepreneurship.
Brian R. Raber (Geography, ’80): A retired vice president of Merrick & Company who built the firm’s geomatics division into a $30 million international enterprise and remains active in geospatial industry leadership and community service.
Transient Taylor: Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Upbound Group who has led transformational human capital strategies at the regional and national levels.
2025 Rising Star Award recipient:
Jennifer Wells (Master of Social Work, ’15): Director of Community Change’s Power Building in the Care Economy initiative, where she leads national strategies for health equity and childcare and has been recognized as a 2024 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow and 2020 TEDx Speaker.
2025 Outstanding Alumni Award recipients:
Annelee Boyle (Biology): Associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, specializing in maternal-fetal medicine and advancing perinatal health research.
William E. Bucy (Chemistry): Retired senior engineer and technology leader at IBM, where he guided innovation in optical communication and microprocessor development.
Charles Hannon (English): Professor and founding chair of the Computing and Information Studies program at Washington & Jefferson College, whose work bridges literature, technology, and design.
Joel C. Christenson (History): Associate professor and director of the John A. Adams ’71 Center for Military History and Strategic Analysis, with a background in defense research and military history.
Allison Lastinger (Philosophy): Chief of Infectious Diseases at the WVU School of Medicine and nationally recognized expert on prosthetic joint and musculoskeletal infections.
Andy Richardson (Political Science): Founder of the Andy Richardson Group, a consulting and legal services firm, and longtime community leader in public service and youth engagement.
John P. Elder (Psychology): Distinguished professor emeritus of public health at San Diego State University and international leader in health promotion and disease prevention.
James Hasten Merrill (Regents Bachelor of Arts): Retired captain from the West Virginia State Police, Marine Corps veteran, and CEO of Hasten Services, recognized as SBA Small Veteran-Owned Business of the Year.
Shelly A. Wiechelt (Social Work): Associate dean and chair at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, whose research focuses on trauma, substance use, and mental health.
Todd Sergi (Sociology): Founder and principal of Capital Development Partners and co-founder of Single Tenant Retail, managing large-scale commercial real estate projects nationwide.
