Mentoring
Welcome to the Honors Mentoring Page. If you are an Honors student
looking for an alumni mentor, you have come to the right place! On the
pages below are profiles of people who have graduated from the Honors
Program. We have tried to organize them by area, but be sure to at least
glance at all of them. The Honors alums have had a wealth of experience
inside and outside their disciplines, so it's not easy to categorize what
they do.
Once you determine who you would like your mentor(s) to be, feel free
to email that person(s) directly. If you have any problems or questions,
please contact us at hnsalum@wvu.edu or talk to Dr. Garbutt or Joann Evans in the Honors Office. As the
student, it is your responsibility to choose and make initial contact with
your mentor. As alumni, we are excited to have the chance to talk with you
about what we have experienced and give any advice that we can. Ideally,
we will be able to keep the relationships that we foster through this
mentoring experience through the months till you graduate and once you are
alumni, too.
So, best wishes in your career. We hope you find this program a
valuable resource for your work and your life.
(Note: If you are an alumnus who would like to submit
a profile, please send it to hnsalum@wvu.edu. Do NOT reply to the
listserv email. Thanks!)
Mentor Profiles
Law
Medicine and Veterinary
Education
Engineering and Science
Business and Accounting
Other
Law
I graduated in 1999 with a degree in English and am now two weeks from
completing my J.D. at New York University. I am also working on an M.A.
in philosophy at NYU, specializing in the areas of legal and political
philosophy and ethical theory, which will take one more semester to
complete. I will be working over the summer of 2003 in New York and
L.A. with the firm of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, LLP, and after completing
my philosophy degree and taking the New York bar exam next year, I hope
to clerk for a federal court of appeals judge and then return to New
York to start a career in litigation.
I would be happy to talk to any Honors students who are considering
applying to law school or relocating to the New York City area after
graduation.
I graduated from WVU in 1999 with a bachelor's of social work. My minor
was sociology. Currently, I am enrolled in my second year here at WVU's
College of Law. I have interned with a law firm specializing in defense
litigation. I work for the Morgantown Ronald McDonald House. If I can
be of service to any Honors Program member, feel free to email me.
Kimberly Kisner
I am an attorney in Tucker Arensberg's litigation group, concentrating
my practice in the area of labor and employment law. I have trial experience
in state and federal courts and practice before administrative law judges.
I provide defense of claims alleging wrongful discharge, sexual harassment
and discrimination based on age, race, sex and disability. I regularly
counsel clients on issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities
Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. I also provide defense of unemployment
and workers' compensation claims.
I am licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the
State of West Virginia and am also admitted to practice in the Western
District of Pennsylvania and before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
I am a member of the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
Bar Associations.
I received my B.A., Summa Cum Laude, from West Virginia University in
1992, where I was an Honors Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. I
am a 1996 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where
I served as Lead Topics Editor of the Law Review.
While attending WVU, I majored in political science (pre-law) and sharpened
my writing skills by working as a reporter for The Daily Athenaeum. Although
I followed the "traditional" path from law school to a law firm,
I encourage would-be lawyers to consider the many non-traditional careers
that are available to individuals with law degrees.
If you are considering law school, feel free to contact me. I will
give you an honest appraisal of life as a lawyer and, depending upon
your perspective, may talk you into or out of law school. I may be reached
at 412/594-5574 or via e-mail at kkisner@tuckerlaw.com.
Psychology 1991
I am currently a third year law student in Richmond, Virginia. I would
be happy to talk to anyone who's considering law school and may have special
insight for those who would be returning to academia as a "non-traditional
student."
I am originally from Beckley, West Virginia and I am currently living
in Washington, DC. In May 2001, I graduated from WVU in three years with
a B.A. in English and Political Science. The decision of where to attend
law school was a challenging one for me. I can offer my perspective on
the difference between WVU and a higher ranked but more expensive school.
I begin my first year of law school at The George Washington University
in Washington, DC in August, and I am currently working at a DC firm prior
to the start of classes. Anyone with questions about the English or Political
Science departments at WVU, GW Law School, or DC in general - feel free
to email!
I graduated, summa cum laude, from WVU in 1993, with a B.A. in Political
Science and minors in history and sociology. I also received a J.D. from
WVU in 1996. After graduating from law school, I worked for the Charleston
law firm of Bowles, Rice, McDavid, Graff & Love in the litigation
department for about two years. My work at Bowles was varied - insurance
defense, environmental litigation and commerical litigation. I decided,
however, that I was not sure working for a law firm was for me, so I left
and went to work for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. I was
a law clerk for Justice Margaret Workman for about a year and a half before
moving to Bridgeport, West Virginia, with my husband. Currently, I am
a law clerk for the 19th Judicial District, Circuit Judge, Alan D. Moats.
I love being a law clerk, but, alas, this job is just temporary (a year
more at the most) and soon I will be back in the job market. The good
news is that it is easy to find a job in the legal field. The trick is
finding the right one for you!
Medicine (Vet,
Nursing, Etc.)
Melissa Blair (Simmons)
E-mail>: blairmm@musc.edu
Hometown: Cross Lanes, WV
Current Location: Charleston, SC
I received my bachelor's degree in pharmacy in 1993 and worked as a hospital
pharmacist for 2 years before figuring out I didn't know anything. I returned
to WVU and received my Pharm.D. degree in 1997. I then ventured for warmer
waters and completed a Family Medicine pharmacy residency in 1998 at the
Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. I
have been at MUSC since then as an Assistant Professor in Pharmacy Practice
and Family Medicine. I spend my time at work caring for patients in the
Family Medicine clinic and on our inpatient service in an interdisciplinary
care approach with physicians and other health care providers. I teach
didactically, but the majority of the time I spend with students is precepting
them on rotation. I also coordinate the Family Medicine residency and
co-coordinate the Pharmacy Practice residency at MUSC. Finally, I am married
to an Internal Medicine physician who is completing his residency. Feel
free to contact me if you would like information about post-graduate pharmacy
experiences, what life is like as a pharmacy educator, or how to stay
married through a medical residency. My e-mail address is: blairmm@musc.edu.
Hi! I'm Laine Hall, a first year medical student here at WVU. I graduated
from WVU with my undergraduate degree in Biology and English. I didn't
know what I was doing when I pursued these two subjects; they were (and
are!) simply what I love. I took a long time deciding whether or not to
pursue medicine. I think I could be helpful to anyone uncertain (or certain)
about this career path. Also, I love to field questions on profs for english,
bio, and honors courses. Hope to be of some help, Laine :)
Pamela (Melton) Irvine
Educ: B.S Animal Science 1990. DVM from Ohio State University 1993
E- mail: PJIDVM@aol.com
I spent two years working in a rural mixed animal practice following graduation
and am currently an associate at a small animal clinic in Hurricane, West
Virginia where I have been practicing for the past six years. With my
experience with both farm and companion animals, I have stories that would
match those of James Herriot. If veterinary medicine sounds appealing
because you "love animals", that is a start. However, having the ability
to successfully interact with a wide variety of people is a must. I have
the unique opportunity to practice preventative medicine, internal medicine,
surgery, radiology, and pharmacology while helping to promote the human
animal bond.
Hi! I graduated from WVU in 1999 with a degree in Biology and Chemistry.
I am currently a medical student at WVU and will be graduating in 2003.
If you're interested in medicine I'd love to help answer any of your questions
or give you a tour of health sciences. So don't be shy, I can't wait to
hear from you.
A Preston County native, I attended WVU from 1991 through 1994. I was
accepted to the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University
as a junior, so I actually graduated from the College of Agriculture and
Forestry in 1995 with a B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Upon receiving
my DVM degree in 1998, I practiced in a mixed animal veterinary clinic
in Holmes County, Ohio, which is home to the largest community of Amish
families in the United States.
I have since returned to OSU to pursue a PhD in Veterinary Epidemiology.
I am in the second year of this program. My graduate research focuses
on diagnostic testing and the epidemiology of Johne's Disease in dairy
cattle. This is a chronic, infectious disease of ruminants that has significant
economic consequences to the dairy industry. After completing my PhD,
I plan to sit for boards in the College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
with an Epidemiology specialty. I am interested in pursing careers at
academic institutions or with the USDA.
I feel I bring a unique perspective to veterinary medicine and would
be interested in mentoring anyone with an interest in this career. My
association with the Veterinary College at Ohio State would also allow
me to introduce interested students to faculty and provide tours of the
facilities at OSU.
Hello, I am a first year medical student at WVU. I graduated with a degree
in biology within 3 years after high school. This was a difficult task,
but certainly manageable. If you have questions about the admission process
or what classes to take to prep for medical school, then I may be able
to help.
If you have no interest in enjoying an exciting career in international
law or business, then please skip this bio. But if you are interested,
read on. I received my B.A. in Economics and International Studies from
WVU in 1990, my M.A. in Economics from the University of Exeter(England)
in 1991, and my J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 1994.
I have always had a great deal of interest in things international, and
after I graduated from law school I decided to focus my practice on U.S.
export law and customs law. I have never been sorry I did. I practice
in a law firm in Washington D.C., and I deal on a daily basis with many
types of international clients and other lawyers, both in private practice
and in the government. I can tell you that there are many, many great
opportunities out there for careers in international law and international
business, both in the U.S. and abroad. I would be happy to provide free
career advice(remember, you get what you pay for), and perhaps even more
importantly advice on balancing a challenging career with your personal
life.
Jennifer (Melton) Pinard
E-mail: jenpinard@aol.com
B.S. Nursing, WVU May 1994
M.S. Nursing, WVU May 2000
I worked as a registered nurse on the labor and delivery unit of Ruby
Memorial Hospital from July 1994 to October 2000. After completing my
Master's Degree, I received certification from the American Nurse's Credentialing
Center as a Family Nurse Practitioner. I currently work as a FNP at a
grant-funded school-based health center in rural WV. I also "dabble" in
several other projects by serving as the OB Nurse Educator at a community
hospital, working as the camp nurse for the 2000 National Youth Science
Camp, and guest lecturing for the nursing department at the College of
West Virginia.
I am passionate about and proud of my profession. Few honor students
enter the nursing field, and those who do face the stigma that nursing
is a profession that is "beneath" them. My mentoring message: "Nothing
in life has made me think harder, move faster, and care more than being
a nurse. The question isn't whether it's beneath your abilities, but instead,
how much you can grow from the challenge."
Education
I graduated from WVU as a member of the honors program in 1997, with
a 4.0 gpa. My degree is in elementary education. I worked as a substitute
teacher until last year, when my daughter was born. At that time, I chose
to put my career on hold, to focus my energies on giving this new person
the best start I possibly could in life. Of course, our society does not
encourage women (or men for that matter) to stay home and raise children
full-time. If there are any other women who are interested in this course
of life, who struggle with finding meaning in a lifestyle that does not
procure any financial gains, but offers greater, immeasurable rewards,
I would be glad to speak with them. I, too, had doubts that this was the
right course for me. It is not an easy choice, but I think it was the
right one for my family.
I graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia University's Honors Program
in 1992 with a BS in Secondary Education. My fields of specialty included
English/language arts(5-12) and journalism (9-12). While an undergraduate,
I marched with the Pride of West Virginia for four years and was a member
of several honoraries including Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi
Kappa Phi, and Mortar Board. I completed my student teaching experience
at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School in Waynesburg, PA and at Grafton
High School in Grafton, WV. After graduation, I continued in graduate
studies, earning a Master of Arts degree in Reading in 1995.
This is my eighth year teaching in public schools. I have the most experience
in high school English (grades 9 and 10), and am currently teaching 9th
grade English and Critical Thinking in Berkeley Springs, WV. I also advised
our high school newspaper for three years. Two of my years of experience
were near Seattle, Washington, where I taught sixth and seventh grade
reading, language arts, and social studies. I have also substituted in
all grade levels K-12.
My husband Jim and I live just outside of Berkeley Springs where we are
building our own home. We just had our first child, Stephanie Renee, in
May. I am working very hard to balance being a good teacher with being
a good mom.
Engineering and Science
Hometown: Keyser, WV
Current Location: Morgantown, WV
I received bachelors degrees in Civil Engineering and Math from WVU in
1995; a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon
University in 1997; and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering in 2000.
I had a brief (ten month) stint at NASA-Goddard between WVU and CMU. I
am currently working at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (a part
of the Department of Energy) doing research in environmental modeling.
My professional interests are in environmental, science, and technology
policy, environmental modeling, numerical and computer modeling, statistics,
and education. Personally, I enjoy reading Tolkien, playing tennis, playing
my clarinet (and I'm learning the piano), and talking with good friends
about everything from presidential politics (don't get me started) to
pea soup. Like all PhDs, I love to give advice on just about anything,
including grad school, living in Pittsburgh, or working as an engineer,
so please feel free to contact me.
I currently work as a Project Assistant for the National Fish and
Wildlife Foundation. NFWF is a non-profit dedicated to preserving and
protecting our nation's resources, by awarding challenge grants to
projects benefiting conservation education, habitat protection and
restoration, and natural resource management. I review and process
proposals for several grant programs, which helps me keep a finger on
the pulse of many pressing conservation issues. This is obvioulsly not
a field job, though we did get to visit a grantee on Maryland's Eastern
Shore not too long ago, and spent the entire day planting seagrass on
the beach... heaven!
I graduated from WVU with a BA in Biology in May of 1997. Following
graduation, I did a volunteer stint in the Dominican Republic, worked
for a microbiology lab for two years in Wisconsin, briefly returned
to Morgantown for a year and then landed my job in DC. If any of this
strikes a chord in you, drop me a line!
I graduated from WVU in 1999 with a B.S. in Biology. In September
2001. I graduated with a M.A. in Biology/Marine Biology from the Boston
University Marine Program in Woods Hole, MA. Unlike most who want to pursue
Marine biology, I was not interested in marine mammals. My thesis research
focused on the ontogeny of reproductive behavior, sound production and
hearing in a specific species of fish. I have worked on several projects
including such diverse topics as benthic invertebrate ecology, killer
whale acoustics, invertebrate zoology, deep sea diversity and quatic diversity.
Currently I am the course and financial coordinator for the BU Marine
Program. I am in the process of applying for jobs and/or PhD programs.
I am happy to talk with all those "biologists" who are not interested
in medicine. I have many experiences on attending conferences, presenting
research and surviving graduate school to share. Ask me about "Graduate
School Barbie."
I graduated from WVU in spring of 2000 with a B.A. in biology. I am currently
a PhD student in the department of entomology at Penn State. At WVU, I
was in the minority as a biology student with no inclination toward medical
school. While I'm enrolled in a graduate science program, my career goals
are not academic in nature and I'd like very much to pursue a job with
a federal or state agency relating to my field. While many academic faculty
advisors steer science students toward an academic career after graduate
school, you should know that there are many other opportunities in public
and private agencies for students with a scientific background. I am myself
investigating these opportunities and have some insight on the "ins
and outs" of graduate study Regardless of your career goals, I can
be of assistance to most any student that is considering graduate study
in the life sciences.
I am originally from Johnstown, PA and was enrolled at WVU from 1989-1994.
When I arrived at WVU, I was a pre-pharmacy major. After two years of
those painful biology classes, I decided I was in the wrong place. So
after a lot of consideration, I switched majors to Chemical Engineering.
I spent the next three years in the WONDERFUL Chem E department, where
I learned an enormous amount and got some great hands-on experience in
addition to becoming good friends with my classmates and my professors.
I graduated with my BSChE in May 1994, and headed to the warmer state
of NC to pursue a graduate degree. I graduated from North Carolina State
University with a MSChE in 1997.
Since then, I have worked for Procter and Gamble in Greensboro, NC. (incidentally,
my husband followed me both to NC for grad school and then to Greensboro
with this job). My first assignment was Quality Assurance Manager for
a $25MM relocation of the Pepto Bismol business to our plant. I was responsible
for managing degreed chemists in our lab, reviewing all manufacturing
equipment to ensure it met clean design standards, and cGMP validation
of the entire system.
I then spent some time in production operations as manager of the making
area for Pepto's active ingredient. I managed the daily production, including
staffing, budget, process troubleshooting, and project management for
process improvements and new equipment.
Upon returning from maternity leave, I am now the QA Department Manager
for non-aerosol Styling products, including Vidal Sassoon and Pantene.
I take great pride in my work and also enjoy my family time with my husband
David and my daughter Abagail.
If you are interested in chatting about Chem E at WVU, grad school in
Engineering, being a woman engineer in a 90+% male production plant, or
being a dual career family while raising a child, please contact me by
E-mail.
Business and Accounting
I graduated in 1999 with a BSBA in Accounting. I am currently working
for a big 5 accounting firm (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) in Pittsburgh. I
deal with a number of different sized clients with my main client beinga
Fortune 100 company. I can definitely provide useful insight to anyone
intested in a business career, whether it be a small company or a large
one. Having seen so many different clients, I can educate them on the
positives and negatives with many different kinds of businesses.
Other
Post-secondary education: I received a BS in Agriculture with a major
in Environmental Protection in 1996; I received a MS degree in Agricultural
and Resource Economics from WVU in 1999.
Professional experience: Since graduating last spring, I have been working
in Washington, DC at Resources for the Future, a non-profit organization
that conducts economics and policy research on environmental and natural
resource issues.
I would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of graduate school as well
as what I know about employment opportunities in the environmental policy
area with those that are interested.
Carolyn Hersman Hall
I graduated with my B.S. in Agriculture in 1991, and have also finished
a Masters in Secondary Education (1999) at WVU. I have been focusing the
majority of my energies on my 3 children. It was not a great struggle
to make the initial decision to be a full-time mom, but remaining one
in today's society is extremely hard. So many people are telling me that
I am wasting my education by not putting my precious babies in daycare
so that I can teach other people's children. I would like to add my name
to the list of those willing to mentor others in the exciting field of
motherhood. It is never dull, always changing, and many times too surprising
for words. And, when the time comes that I return to the outside-of-my-home
workforce, I have gained (and continue to gain) valuable skills in conflict
resolution, crisis counselling, and mediation. Not to mention the lessons
in nutrition, health and fitness, and disease prevention, just to name
a few.
BA Political Science, May 1999
I am currently a second year graduate student at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. My research/course workis in the political science
subfields of American politics and public policy analysis (specifically
interest groups, health policy). I would behappy to offer advice or share
my experiences regarding:
1. choosing between law school and grad school
2. selecting a grad school
3. making the move away from WV
4. finding fellowships and other funding opportunities
5. adjusting to grad school life, course work, and research
I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1997 with a BA in Political Science and
Economics. My plans were to go into public service.
My career goals were vague upon graduation. State politics interested
me most, having served as president of Young Democrats at WVU during the
1996 election. Had the election been different, I would have pursued a
job in the Capitol, continuing my work during two summers as an intern
in the Governor's Office. Despite having some contacts, nothing seemed
to promise the beginning of an appealing career in public service immediately
after graduation.
While I waited for opportunities to arise, I took a temp job at a small
long distance company near my parents' home. After two weeks, they offered
to hire me outright. I took the job and learned that the corporate world
isn't a bunch of whores in suits, but normal people offering products
and services, kept honest by competition. After two years in marketing,
I reached the point of diminishing returns in my on-the-job education,
and sought a move within our fast-growing company.
Completely changing career tracks, I took an entry-level position in
a new business segment, internet hosting centers. My company appeared
to consider this its most important business. I took advantage of technical
training: a full week of classes after three months there, and another
full week after another four months. Using the training, I earned two
technical certifications. Unfortunately, my company wasn't able to immediately
challenge me and my new skills.
With my two certifications and ten months experience in the field, I
found another job with another company. Today I design, deploy, and manage
all internet services for the Federal Aviation Administration from their
headquarters in Washington, DC. I play with UNIX and NT servers all day,
making sure that the FAA maintains its connections to internet. My position
is advertised as requiring a BA in Computer Science, but in reality requires
no college degree, and very little of the official curriculum of a computer
science program. I believe, however, that I was hired in no small part
because of my degree, my performance as a University Honors Scholar, and
grades that graduated me Magna Cum Laude.
My intention is to pursue a graduate degree such as an MBA or Masters
of Public Policy once my opportunities for advancement reach a plateau.
For the time being, my job continues to challenge me daily, and I enjoy
it. Until the economy crashes next week, the companies in my region are
rewarding my technical skills, discouraging me from seeking an advanced
degree for the time being.
If you're concerned about not having a plan after graduation, I assure
you that starvation is unlikely. If you're reconsidering that decision
you made as an eighteen-year-old to be a lawyer or pharmacist [no offense,
Dr. Melanga], there is no shame or danger in pursuing something unrelated
after graduation.
I graduated from WVU in May 1999 with a B.A. in Political Science and
a minor in History. I was in Army ROTC during my time at WVU and now I
am serving on Active Duty as a First Lieutenant. I'm currently stationed
in Korea. If anyone is interested in knowing more about possible military
service after college or if you knew me in college and just want to catch
up, feel free to email me.
I graduated from WVU in 1993 with B.A. degrees in political science
and foreign languages (French and Russian). I attended graduate school
at the Elliott School of International Relations at The George Washington
University in Washington, DC but left in June 1994 to become a Foreign
Service Officer for the Department of State. I have served in the Former
Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia (1994-96), Colombia (1997-99), and at
the Department of State in Washington DC (1999-2001). I am currently
studying the Slovak language here in DC in preparation for a tour as consul
in Bratislava, Slovakia. I would be pleased to talk about the Foreign
Service, the Department of State, or life overseas.
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