Eberly News
Senior dual data science and mechanical engineering major named the 2026–27 Mountaineer mascot
Driven by a love for his home state and gratitude for the opportunities West Virginia University has provided him, Reese Allen will don the buckskins and coonskin cap as the next Mountaineer mascot.
The senior dual mechanical engineering and data science major from Bridgeport was named the 2026-27 Mountaineer mascot Saturday (Feb. 28) during the men’s basketball game in the Hope Coliseum.
Finalist Amelia Bolden, a communication sciences and disorders junior in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, will serve as the alternate Mountaineer mascot.
Brainiac: A WVU neuroscience student finds her head space
Isabella Linton, a senior in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is a Mountaineer from way back. Her family has deep roots in West Virginia, and she grew up in the house her grandparents built. Linton has turned a lifelong curiosity about the brain into meaningful, hands-on research. Through lab work and faculty mentorship, she has explored how maternal stress impacts development while building a strong foundation in scientific inquiry.
WVHEPC grant expands mentorship for first-generation students
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.
Street, Jones reelected WVU Student Government Association leaders
For a second consecutive year, the West Virginia University student body will be led by Collin Street, triple majoring in political science, environmental and energy resources management and multidisciplinary studies, and Rozaireo Jones, majoring in journalism with minors in history and political science.
Eberly Writing Studio and SpeakWrite share fall newsletter
Discover how the Eberly Writing Studio and Speakwrite support students in becoming stronger writers and communicators, learn about the Appalachian Scholars Contest and more.
Stronger than a locomotive, mentorship powers WVU student’s krypton research
WVU undergraduate student Sam Stalnaker and faculty member Thomas Steinberger use lasers to study gases and predict how they’ll behave in outer space. Mentoring relationships like this one help students graduate and thrive. Stalnaker reflects, “Watching everything happening in the lab and having that guidance from the grad students and postdocs is really cool. I’m helping them with their work, but I’m also asking questions and learning about the science behind what they’re doing. They’ve helped me understand how our experiments work and to develop the skills I’ll need in grad school.”
Student access to ArcGIS Pro expands opportunities for mapping, analysis
WVU maintains a site license for ArcGIS software, managed by the Department of Geology and Geography and the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. “This is a phenomenal step forward in giving our students access to the same technology used by leading researchers and industry professionals,” said Aaron Maxwell, director of the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. “Students can now build critical geospatial skills that will give them a competitive edge in their future careers.”
WVU student entrepreneurs breathe new life into thrifted threads at Old School
West Virginia University undergraduates Shelby Cavender and Tyler Jeffries started small, collaborating to sell fashion finds on social media — WVU gear, graphic tees, sneakers and more. Then their resale operations grew. And grew. And grew.
Changing lives: Couple’s scholarship gifts to WVU open doors for students
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.
WVU partnership with MARS named finalist for national community engagement award
“MARS was created because there was a lack of STEM opportunities for youth in West Virginia. It started out locally and now has grown statewide, so the focus is to provide, through competitive robotics, hands-on learning for K-12 students throughout the state,” said Earl Scime, Oleg D. Jefimenko professor of physics and astronomy in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, and MARS director. “We are able to reach these students because of the strong support of our partners, including WVU, K-12 schools, private foundations, companies like Boeing and EQT, and others who want technically trained employees. MARS is preparing our kids to meet those needs.”