Class Notes

1928 Frances Berry (McNutt), BS, Orange City, FL, celebrated her 95th birthday.

1937 David K. Tucker, AB, Sebastian, FL, relocated from Harwinton, CT.

1947 Saul Viener, MA, Richmond, VA, is honorary VP of the Virginia Historical Society. 1948 Charlotte Thayer-Davis, BA, Keyser, WV, former public relations director at WVU Potomac State, is now a substitute teacher in Keyser. Welcomes e-mails at chawn@mail.wvnet.edu.

1949 Virgil Allison, MS, Millersburg, OH, was inducted into the Holmes County Sports Hall of Fame. . .the late Carl Richard Huss, BS, Houston, TX, was inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame.

1952 Clara V. Moore, MA, New Martinsville, WV, is a retired teacher and celebrated her 93rd birthday in April.

1957 Thomas H. Pendleton, BA, '59 BS, South Charleston, WV, retired after 40 years in education and government.

1960 Sheldon C. Downes, MS, Greenville, NC, is a fellow in the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association. . .Homer R. Pankey, MA, '67 EdD, Thomasville, GA, and his wife Patricia, '65 MA, retired after serving as president and first lady of Thomas University in Georgia for nine years.

1962 Marsha Sadowsky Stern, BS, Pittsburgh, PA, retired from the New York Times with 20 years of service.

1963 Edgar F. "Hike" Heiskell III, BA, Charlottesville, VA, is a member of the Political Science Alumni Advisory Board and is cited in the book Why Lawsuits are Good for America (NYU Press, 2001) for his work on cases involving SUV rollovers. . .Michael Evans Snyder, AB, '85 MA, Harman, WV, retired from teaching and operates Fastwater Flyfishing School.

1964 Carl D. Avers, BS, '65 MS, Reston, VA, has been awarded the 2001 IEEE Educational Activities Board Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities. . .Stephen Chapnick, BS, '66 MBA, Beachwood, OH, retired as business manager of East Cleveland City School District.

1965 Jerry N. Linger, BS, '69 DDS, Chester, WV, was named Doctor of the Year by Schuster Center for Professional Development. . .Judy Plymale Munchmeyer, BS, '84 MA, Hilton Head, SC, is a teacher specialist for the South Carolina Dept. of Education.

1967 Charlie Field, MS, Cockeysville, MD, retired from the American General Life Insurance Co. and now assists with basketball at Dulaney High in Baltimore. . .Ernest H. Smith, BS, '72 MBA, Missouri City, TX, retired as global product supply manager from the Dow Chemical Co.

1968 Donald Akers, BS, Bluefield, WV, retired after more than 30 years of service from state government. . .Susan Schroader Van Haren, BS, Prescott, AZ, is co-owner of Lucky Seven Transfer and Storage.

1970 George Preikszaitis, BS, Marmora, NJ, is director of benefits administration for Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City.

1973 George Federick, BS, Middletown, MD, is a federal mediator with the National Mediation Board in Washington, DC. . .Walt Huysman, BA, BA '75, Beaver Falls, PA, is general manager of the eastern region for CTC Analytical Services. He and his wife, Colleen, have three daughters. . .Jack B. Koehrsen, AB, '74 MA, after 28 years of community mental health service has begun a private counseling practice in Weirton, WV, and Steubenville, OH. . .Tony Jer-Fu Lee, PhD, Springfield, IL, is a professor of pharmacology and has been awarded an eighth year of funding from the National Institutes of Health for the study of diseases of brain blood vessels. . .Carl M. Patsche, MA, Weirton, WV, retired from teaching in the Hancock, WV, county system after 30 years and is a volunteer nature field trip leader.

1974 Ronald W. Hull, EdD, has written two novels. One, The Kaleidoscope Effect, was a finalist in the 2000-2001 eBook of the Year competition . . .Charlotte Fox Luttrell, BS, Ann Arbor, MI, captured two first-place awards in the regional Great Rivers Communications Contest for the United Way. . .Debbie O'Dell Seneca, BA, Washington, PA, is a judge in the Washington County Court of Common Pleas and has been elected to a second, eight-year term.

1975 Denise (Lewis) Antonucci, BS, Bethel Park, PA, is a team manager in the consumer direct department of Mutual Bank. . .John W. Hisiro, EdD, Charleroi, PA, retired as superintendent of schools in McKees Rocks, PA.

1976 Sandy Daubman, BS, '80 MS, South Charleston, WV, is the nutrition coordinator with the Office of Nutrition Services for the state of WV. . .Carlos Garcia, BS, Santee, CA, is a performance improvement consultant for the Veterans Health Administration and would like to hear from classmates. . .Kevin D. Taub, AB, '79 MA, Elyria, OH, is a computer specialist for Defense Finance and Accounting Services and was recently honored as employee of the month.

1977 Michael Krawic, BFA, Santa Monica, CA, appeared on the CBS series CSI last season, the film As Virgins Fall, and premiered in a new play, Ciara, in Los Angeles. . .Jonathan H. Maurer, BS, Pittsburgh, PA, is president of York Casket Division. . .Patrick A. Neal, BA, Essex Junction, VT, is an associate professor at the University of Vermont and presented "What Do Liberals Want?" in San Francisco, CA.

1978 Kenneth W. Oldfield, PhD, Springfield, IL, professor of public administration at the University of Illinois, Springfield, published "Professors, Social Class and Affirmative Action: A Pilot Study (July 2001)."

1979 Ernest P. Bartolo, BA, Morgantown, WV, is marketing director for Valiant Detective and Security Agency in Westover.

1980 Kay Michael Alexander, BS, Morgantown, WV, is chairman of the Commercial Roundtable Committee for the WV Assoc. of Realtors.

1981 Chris M. Font, BA, San Diego, is the ship's psychologist aboard the USS John C. Stennis deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and was voted Instructor of the Year by the 2000-2001 Psychology Intern Class at the Naval Medical Center. . .Michelle Hose, BA, Carrollton, TX, is VP of Via Link Co. . . Briane Keith Turley, BA, Morgantown, WV, was awarded a Fulbright lectureship in Hungary.

1983 Scott Fisher, BS, Somerset, PA, is VP and trust officer for Irwin Bank and Trust Co. . .Andreas Spanias, BS, '85 MS, '88 PhD, is an electrical engineering professor at Arizona State University and co-recipient of the 2002 IEEE Donald Fink Prize Paper Award.

1984 Jean Nettie Farkas, MS, Seattle, WA, co-authored a college-level textbook, Principles of Web Design. . .Frank Magnusson, BS, Wichita, KS, is a senior engineering test pilot for Bombardier Aerospace Corp. . .Matthew D. McConnell, BS, Waynesburg, PA, is the director of development and chief executive of the Pittsburgh Eye and Ear Foundation. . .Frank Sarver, BS, St. Thomas, VI, and his wife Wendy Snodgrass-Sarver, '88 BS, opened Bellavista Bed and Breakfast in the Virgin Islands. . .Rob Winston, BS, Akron, OH, was named Financial Plan Leader of the Year and the Financial Planner of the Year by Skylight Financial Services LLC.

1985 Paul B. Johnson, BS, High Point, NC, won second place in the NC Press Association business-writing contest for a series on a proposed cargo hub at a local airport. 1986 Ted Hanket, BS, '00 MA, Moundsville, WV, is a physics teacher at John Marshall HS, and serves in the navy at Camp Pendleton, CA. . . Daryl Rankin, BS, Carrollton, VA, is involved in alumni activities in Newport News and is a distributor for Starlight International.

1987 John Benner, BS, '91, MA, Santa Fe, NM, is lead engineer for a branch of warhead development at Los Alamos National Laboratory. . .Howard Kutzler, BA, Bethlehem, PA, is director of planning and economic development for Bethlehem Township.

1988 Tammy Maynard Jarrell, BS, '89 MBA, Winston-Salem, NC, is VP of BB&T Corp. . . Chris Monroe, BS, Parkersburg, WV, is VP of marketing for Simonton Windows.

1989 Karl E. Hall, MS, Indianapolis, IN, is safety administrator for CH2M-Hill/Facilities West, a United Airlines contractor. . .Thomas E. Johnston, BA, Wheeling, WV, was named by President George W. Bush as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of WV. . .Joseph Macios, BS, Blackwood, NJ, is design manager of Site-Blauvelt Engineers and was awarded the American Society of Highway Engineers Project. . .Lisa Thornton Weiss, BS, McLean, VA, is married to and a choreographer for Olympic figure skater Michael Weiss.

1990 Robert De Fazio, BS, '90 MS, Morgantown, WV, is a registered nurse and a medical rehabilitation consultant for Preferred Rehabilitation Options and Service.

1991 Lisa Cooper, BS, earned an MA from Rutgers University and teaches English at Eastern High School in Voorhees, NJ. . .Jeff Gray, BS, '91 MS, Nashville, TN, earned a PhD in computer science from Vanderbilt University and is a faculty member at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

1992 Mark Glover, BS, St. Clairsville, OH, is the market controller for Clear Channel Communications overseeing seven radio stations in Wheeling. . .Kevin P. O'Rouke, BS, Philadelphia, PA, is midwest regional sales director for Turner Investment Partners Inc. . . Ronald Ricci, BA, Wayne, NJ, earned a law degree from Quinnapiac University and practices in Bloomfield, NJ. . .David J. Thomas, PhD, Wheeling, WV, was awarded the 2001-2002 Excellence in Teaching Award at West Liberty State College where he has taught English for 17 years.

1993 Crystal Detamore, BS, Charlottesville, VA, launched a communications firm specializing in public relations and consulting to the financial industry. She is a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine. . .Christine Britton Haught, BS, Atlanta, GA, established her own interior design firm in Chicago, IL. Her work was featured in a recent edition of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. Her husband Michael Haught, BA, is director of human resources for AT&T Broadband. . . Calvin D. Peterson, BA, '95 MA, Arlington, VA, completed a PhD in political science at Ohio State University and presented "Predisposition to Presidential Greatness: Expert Evaluations of the Presidents," in Atlanta, GA. . .Lara Schmidt, MS, Colorado Springs, CO, received a PhD in statistics from American University. She is married to Jim Skinner, BS. . .Alyssa A. Sloan, BA, Charleston, WV, is an associate with Steptoe and Johnson, PLLC, and is a new member of the WVU Political Science Alumni Advisory Board. . .Amy Wellington-Fuller, BS, Meadville, PA, has three children with her husband, Michael.

1994 L. Mitchell Clendenin, BS, Morgantown, WV has returned to school to get a master's degree in chemical engineering. . .Sanae Hori McCann, BA, West Chester, PA, obtained a master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology from West Chester University and is a training consultant for Siemens Health Services.

1995 Anthony D. Eates II, BA, Charleston, WV was appointed by Governor Bob Wise as Director of the WV Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. . .Don Groves, BS, South Charleston, WV, and wife Natalie Wilson, BS, are parents of two-year-old Allison and newborn Olivia. . .Kimberly A. Martin, BA, is an associate editor of the West Virginia Law Review.

1996 Christopher R. Blevin, BS, Parker, CO, works for a large biotechnology company providing services to end-stage renal patients and various companies . . .Christopher Cross, BA, Kent, OH, is an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Summit County Prosecutor's Office. . .Teresa I. Jones Dunmire, BA, Manassas, VA, is VP of development and the executive director of the Loudoun Healthcare Foundation. . .Nicole Lyn Fogler, BA, Marietta, GA, is a chiropractor for Fogler Chiropractic and a certified personal trainer. . . Robin Markson, BS, Freehold, NJ, is the manager of corporate sales accounts at Peterson's Publishing and is a certified aerobics instructor. . .Brian A. Price, BA, Morgantown, WV, is a second-year medical student at the WVU School of Medicine and a member of the WVU Political Science Alumni Advisory Board.

1997 Kurt C. Holmes, MA, Wooster, OH, is dean of students at the College of Wooster. . .Alison A. Mason-Ganci, BA, Snyder, NY, is manager of the medicare unit of Univera Health Care. . . Myles D. Roberts, BA, Arlington, VA, is an Internet specialist with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, DC.

1998 Emil T. Bailey Jr., BA, Fairfax, VA, is a program manager and senior analyst at Corporate Risk International and is pursuing a master's degree in national security studies at Georgetown University. . .Rita J. Martin Dunaway, BS, BA, Lost City, WV, is an associate with the law firm of Clark and Bradshaw in Harrisonburg, VA.

1999 Rob Alsop, BA, Webster Springs, WV, is editor in chief of the West Virginia Law Review. . . Natalie E. Chapin, BA, Morgantown, WV, is executive editor of the West Virginia Law Review. . .Christopher O. Kopp, BA, Washington, DC, is a senior consultant with KPMG Consulting and Financial Services. . . Willard Oliver, MA, '00 PhD, Radford, VA, authored the book Community-Oriented Policing: A Systemic Approach to Policing, 2nd Edition.

2000 Stacey Lynn Daniel, JD, Charleston, WV, is an associate attorney with the law firm of McQueen, Harmon and Murphy LC. . .Jason M. Evans, BA, Denver, CO, is pursuing an MA in global finance trade and economic integration at the University of Denver. . .Denise M. Kiser, Harrisburg, PA, is pursuing a law degree at Windner University School of Law. . .Amy S. Moats, BA, Aurora, WV, is an associate editor of the West Virginia Law Review.

2001 Peter S. M. Love, BA, Toledo, OH, is a new member of the WVU Political Science Alumni Advisory Board. . .William Joseph McFadden, BS, East Brunswick, NJ, passed the state teacher's exam and is pursuing a career in physical education.

Marriages
Gwen Newell Ardinger, '86 BS, to Brian Ardinger, Glen Mills, PA. . .Denise Kulik Blossey, '98 BA, to Kevin Blossey, Waterford, PA, July 14, 2001. . .Timothy P. Brady, '96 BS, to Rosemarie Stengone, '94 BS, '97 MA, Raleigh, NC, August 2000. . .Jennifer Brown, '93 BS, to Cory Forrest, Cedar City, UT, June 21, 2002. . .Terry Helman, '93 BS to Sonja Griscom, Owings Mills, MD, May 19, 2000. . . Amy Hovatter, '92 BS, '94 MS, to John Hardee Jr., Mount Pleasant, SC, December 2, 2001. . . Christe Leidolf Leakan, '98 MA, to Paul Leakan, '88 BS, Maple Shade, NJ, August 17, 2001. . .Richard Lodgek, '96 BS, '97 MS, to Jaime Mazza, Virginia Beach, VA, April 28, 2001. . .Keith Mulvihill, '00 BS, to Nicole Belluscio, '00 BA, Walkersville, MD, May 4, 2002. . .Kristen Omps, '00 BS, to Joel Tuttle, '99 BS, '00 MS, Berkeley Springs, WV, June 17, 2000. . .Kerry Grayson Organ, '99 BS, to Sean P. Organ, '00 BA, Aberdeen, MD, June 23, 2001. . .Nicole Rhoads, '96 BS, to Nathaniel Redden, Ruckersville, VA, June 8, 2002. . .Alvin Townes, '96 BS, to Maureen M. Halligan, Charlotte, NC, February 2002. . . Carolyn Urso, '95 BS to Tadd Wolff, '96 BA, Kennett Square, PA, February 17, 2001. . . Aimee Lynne Wilkinson, '95 BS, '96 MA, to Sean Trenton Hays, Arlington, VA, October 20, 2001.

Births
Ryan to Jeff Bures, '94 BS, and Linda Bures, Salem, OR. . .Kenley Jenae to Teresa Shockey Campbell, '93 BS, and Steve Campbell, Bunker Hill, WV. . .Allison Grace to Susan Harman Confair, '89 BS, '93 JD, and Bill Confair, '87 BS, Camp Hill, PA. . .Ian Kenneth to J. Mona Davidson-Tisler, '94 BA, and Mark Tisler, Dale City, VA. . .Nina Catherine to Daniel Dillon, '79 BS, and Nicole Dillon, Cranberry Township, PA. . .McKinley R. Mayfield to Michelle R. Mayfield Frees, '94 BS, and Jamie Frees, '93 BS, Birdsboro, PA. . .Braedon Matthew to Sean Gould, '92 BA, and Kathleen Gould, Castle Rock, CO. . .Liam Hall to Kenneth Hall, '76 BA, Pittsburgh, PA. . . Lauren A. to George C. Kuhn, '93 BSIE, '95 BS, and Brenda L. Kuhn, '95 BS. . .Grason John Lord and Ava Jean Lord to Andrea Thomas Lord, '89 BSBA, and Glenn Lord, New Albany, OH. . .Grace Elizabeth to Suzanne C. Luikart, '98 BA, '00 BA, '01 MPT, and Chris Luikart, Hamilton, Ontario. . .Gillian Leigh to Wendi Silcott MacKay, '94 BS, and Graeme MacKay. . .Rachel Anne to Lora Rosenecker Ometz, '93 BS, and David Ometz, Manassas, VA. . .Logan Davis Robinson to Beth Davis Robinson, '88 BS, '00 MS, and John Robinson, Charlotte, NC. . .Jakob David to Joe Sogan, '93 BS and Marci Sogan, Bedford, TX. . .Roger E. III to Roger E. Thibaudeau Jr., '95 BS, and Madhu Chevuru Thibaudeau, '97 MA, Laurel, MD. . . Holly Kathryn to Lee-Ellen Walden Van Voorhis, '87 BS, '89 MS, and Gary Van Voorhis, '85 BS, North East, MD. . .David Andrew to Stephen Walker, '95 BA, and Eva Walker, Fairfax, VA.

Alumni Deaths
Nancy Robinson Adams, '55 BS, Kingsport, TN, December 26, 2001. A.E. Griffith Bates, '34 BS, Riverside, CA, March 3, 2002. Jennifer M. Baxter, '01, Greenville, NC, March 8, 2002. William Hale Bishoff, '90 BA, Westover, April 6, 2002. Michelle Brubaker, '94 BS, Morgantown, WV, April 19, 2002. Irene Ball Burdette, '65 MA, Indianapolis, IN, March 30, 2002. Richard H. Chapman, '49 BS, Boca Raton, FL, February 14, 2002. Larry S. Comstock, '54 BS, Logo Vista, TX, August 1, 2001. Carol Roy Dodge, '52 AB, Aurora, OH, February 17, 2002. Harold W. Felton, '52 BS, Deltaville, VA, February 2, 2002. Keith Vernon Garletts, '48 BS, '49 MS, Staunton, VA, March 30, 2002. Martin Stanley Goldman, '49 BA, Morgantown, WV, February 1, 2002. Charles Glenn Hackney, '44 BS, '49 MS, Princeton, TX, April 16, 2002. Ralph W. Haines, '34 AB, '38 JD, Romney, WV, May 3, 2002. Eugene J. Harner, '40 BS, Morgantown, WV, March 19, 2002. Ted L. Harriman, '83 BS, Flemington, WV, June 11, 2002. Elma G. Hartley, '31 BA, Morgantown, WV, May 15, 2002. Cecil Highland Jr., '40 AB, Bridgeport, WV, January 14, 2002. Evelyn Davies Horton, '40 BA, '42 MS, Morgantown, WV, March 23, 2002. Robert Kinder, '35 BS, Rochester, NY, February 9, 2002. Mary Alice Klein, '79 MA, '94 EdD, Parsons, WV, June 15, 2002. Bernard T. Korona, '60 BS, Hubertus, WI, January 22, 2002. Robert H. Layman, '49 BS, Ellicott City, MD, January 1, 2002. Howard Lee Lemon, '57 BS, Midland, TX. Leslie Levendosky, '68 BS, Morgantown, WV, April 20, 2002. R. Emmett Lynch Sr., '52 BS, Star City, WV, April 21, 2002. Ross Maruka, '58 JD, Fairmont, WV, May 15, 2002. Inez Ansel McGuire, '51 MA, Keyser, WV, April 5, 2002. Denver Milam, '42 BA, '43 BS, Morgantown, WV, May 10, 2002. Calvin D. Palmer, '49 BS, Sarasota, FL, March 1, 2002. Sandra Law Persing, '71 BS, '93 MS, Manassas, VA, May 2, 2002. Edward S. Pritchard, '66 BS, '67 MS, Charles Town, WV, May 2, 2002. Sally Jane Roderick, '79 MA, St. Albans, WV, March 23, 2002. D.J. Romino II, '69 BA, Fairmont, April 5, 2002. Frederick J. Seiler, '46 BS, Bethel Park, PA, August 8, 2001. John T. Schimmel, '48 BS, Kingston, PA, July 3, 2001. Clement Carroll Smith, '49 BS, December 19, 2001. Harold H. Smith, '39 BS, Concord, WV, February 17, 2002. Nelson Stuart Smith Jr., '56 BS, '58 MS, Morgantown, WV, March 29, 2002. Curtis Stallard, '73 MS, Red Jacket, WV, March 15, 2002. Martha G.S. Summers, '44 BS, Laguna Woods, CA, April 22, 2002. Brentz F. Thompson, '47 BS, Dunedin, FL, June 25, 2002. Bruce A. Weiser, '76 BS, Aurora, IL, December 17, 2001. Lloyd Wise, '51 BS, Muncie, IN, February 11, 2002.

Faculty and Staff Deaths
Wesley M. Bagby III, Morgantown, WV, professor of history, June 7, 2002. Frank W. McKee, former dean of the School of Medicine, April 25, 2002. Paul Selby Jr., Morgantown, WV, former dean of the law school and professor emeritus, October 6, 1999. Jack Tennant, Morgantown, WV, former sports announcer for WVU athletics, May 6, 2002. Jon Vilasuso, Morgantown, WV, assistant professor of economics, April 27, 2002.

Professor "P.J." Stout Never Stops Marching
By Dan Shrensky

It may surprise many of the 350-plus members of the WVU Mountaineer Marching Band to know that one of their coaches, Paula Jo Stout, holds a Ph.D. and is an associate professor in the School of Pharmacy.

Around the band, the former Paula Jo Meyer is simply "P.J.," a former band member who has served on the band's staff for the past 12 years. A Weirton native who was a clarinet player and twirler in the WVU band from 1973 to 1980, Stout helps coordinate the twirlers and flag corps for "The Pride of West Virginia," which celebrated its 100th anniversary in the fall of 2001.

"The twirlers' reaction to her borders on idolization or worship. She's a legend around here," says Don Wilcox, WVU's band director from 1971 to 1997.

Stout's status doesn't come without a price. Along with meeting the demands of being a full-time faculty member, she is also an integral part of an organization that requires an exhaustive time commitment because of its daily practices and meticulous pre-game preparation.

During the football season, band practice is from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. each day at the Coliseum. Most days, Stout rushes from her office at 5:00 p.m. to arrive for the second half. On game days, she is on the field at 6:45 a.m. and is often still there 10 or 12 hours later. As bewildering as that sounds, Stout says her most hectic time is during preseason camp in August, when the squad has morning, afternoon, and evening practices and routines need the most work.

"I love music and the whole sense of choreographed movement in a group," Stout says. "It's nice to be able to use my artistic side in some fashion on campus."

Along with the artistic, Stout has added some of her healthcare expertise to the group. She helped develop a health and wellness plan for band members along with John Spiker, president of Healthworks Rehabilitation and Fitness Center, and presents it to band members each preseason.

"We put on a very physical show," Stout says. "We're marching for 15 straight minutes. Marching and running while carrying instruments or flags can lead to lower back, shoulder, or knee problems, so we give them a series of warm-ups to perform and other health tips to prevent injury."

Stout says it's not hard to maintain her pace when she considers the importance of the band to the University and the state. "It's a labor of love," she says.

Honored for Work at Ground Zero

Lt. J.G. Hollandsworth, a U.S. Public Health Service officer and a registered nurse, was awarded for her work at Ground Zero. Stationed in Manhattan around Sept. 11, Hollandsworth spent days bandaging wounds and inserting IVs near the crumbled Twin Towers from mid-September through October 2001. She was honored with the Crisis Response Service Award and a pair of distinguished service awards from the secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Human Resources Service Administration, respectively.

"We had clinics set up around the debris pile to give care to the emergency workers," she said. She also helped with anthrax response teams. "I've had the opportunity to do just about everything," said Hollandsworth, who graduated from WVU in 1999 with a B.S. in nursing.

Currently, Hollandsworth is assigned to an Immigration and Naturalization Services facility in Long Beach, CA, where she is a senior staff nurse who ministers to undocumented migrants.

She wants to switch to a different division of the PHS in the future-the Food and Drug Administration. "I want to get more experience," she said. "It would promote my career." But before that, she'd like to get a master's degree in public health.

CCA Alumnus Wins National Metropolitan Opera Competition

Tenor James Valenti, a former student of WVU Music Professor and Artist-in-Residence Augusto Paglialunga, won the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National grand finals concert in New York City.

Valenti, a Clinton, NJ, native, earned his bachelor's degree in music from WVU in 2000. He was one of nine vocalists chosen from a pool of 2,000 nationally to compete in the finals held on April 21. The award includes a substantial monetary prize and performing and studying opportunities as a participant in the Met's apprenticeship program.

For the competition, Valenti performed two arias: Verdi's "La Mia Letizia in Fondere" and Gounod's "Sault! Demeure" from Faust.

"This award allows James Valenti the opportunity to enhance his possibilities of performing leading roles nationwide and in Europe," Paglialunga said.

"I definitely expect that he will become a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera in the not-too-distant future," he added. "He's incredibly talented and a very hard worker."

Considered to be the Olympics of the opera world, the competition was held at Lincoln Center's Metropolitan Opera House and broadcast nationally on Metropolitan Opera Radio Network, as well as National Public Radio in some areas of the country.

After graduating from WVU, Valenti entered the Minnesota Opera apprenticeship program where he performed major roles and polished his knowledge of languages, including Italian, French, and German. He also returned to Morgantown every few months to continue his study with Paglialunga.

Valenti most recently won a Sergio Franchi Vocal Scholarship in Voice Performance, established through the National Italian American Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Fall 2002 Contents

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