Eberly News

Each year, at the direction of the Office of the Provost, the Academic Advising Council selects honorees for the Nicholas Evans Awards for Advising Excellence in recognition of outstanding advising and mentoring provided by faculty and professional advisers at WVU. The 2026 recipients from Eberly College include Carolyn Kitchens, teaching associate professor from the C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biology; and Mikel “Micky” Holcomb, associate professor from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Nearly 70 years ago,  West Virginia University welcomed Ruey Yuan Lin and prepared him for a successful career as a research scientist. His son is now showing his gratitude with a generous gift to aid education, outreach and life-changing experiences for future students in his father’s honor.

First-generation faculty from West Virginia University’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences and FirstGen Initiatives, housed within REACH Student Success, are playing a central role in expanding mentorship and support systems for first-generation students, contributing their expertise to a statewide initiative funded by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

“Biochemistry gives me such a broad overview of science. It leaves the door open, so I don’t feel locked into one path after college. Now I feel like I can choose from a wide range of options.” Through the WVU Research Apprenticeship Program, Jaczynska joined a project studying sustainability in textiles, specifically the environmental impact of cotton versus hemp.

In all, McKown and Meuser have contributed nearly $100,000 to WVU, providing scholarship support for nearly 30 students within the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences and the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. They have also committed to generous planned gifts that will provide additional support for scholarship and research upon their passing.

Political science, engineering, biology, health sciences, chemistry, physics and astronomy are some of the disciplines uniting to support 13 future WVU doctoral students who will collaborate with K-12 schools and regional industry to enhance West Virginia’s economic development in evolving energy.

Fifty-five graduates were inducted as lifelong members into the WVU Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national honor society that recognizes outstanding achievement in the liberal arts and sciences, and champions freedom of thought.

Four faculty members in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences have recently been awarded endowed professorial positions.

Every year, students from across Eberly College are selected as  Outstanding Seniors and  Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistants.  Eberly Scholars are also chosen annually for a monetary award to help offset the cost of their education as they work to achieve their academic goals. Read about all three groups below.

The Department of Chemistry recently hosted “Medicinal Chemistry in Action: A STEM Experience for High School Women,” an outreach program organized by Olaosebikan Ibukunoluwa Abigail, a second-year graduate student passionate about expanding access to STEM education in West Virginia.