• Home
  • Areas of Support
    • Academics >
      • Business & Aviation
      • Education, Health & Human Performance
      • Liberal Arts
      • Nursing
      • Science & Technology
    • Athletics >
      • $1000 Club
      • Varsity Club
      • Give to Athletics
      • Feaster Center Pool Naming Initiative
    • Falcon Fund
    • Scholarships
    • Academy for the Arts
    • Community Arts
    • Folklife Center
    • Sponsor a Praxis Test
    • Falcon Day of Giving
  • Ways to Give
    • Annual Giving
    • Create a Scholarship
    • Give Online
    • Planned Giving
  • Upcoming Events
    • Homecoming
    • Emeritus Luncheon
    • Hall of Fame Dinner
  • Update Contact Info
  • News
  • About
    • Contact
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Campus History and Memories >
      • Wendell Hardway
      • Ruth Ann Musick
      • Lawrence Wallman
      • Squibb Wilson
    • Donor Recognition
    • Fees & Assessments
    • Forms & Resources
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Scholarship Recipients
  • Give Now
Fairmont State Foundation, Inc
  • Home
  • Areas of Support
    • Academics >
      • Business & Aviation
      • Education, Health & Human Performance
      • Liberal Arts
      • Nursing
      • Science & Technology
    • Athletics >
      • $1000 Club
      • Varsity Club
      • Give to Athletics
      • Feaster Center Pool Naming Initiative
    • Falcon Fund
    • Scholarships
    • Academy for the Arts
    • Community Arts
    • Folklife Center
    • Sponsor a Praxis Test
    • Falcon Day of Giving
  • Ways to Give
    • Annual Giving
    • Create a Scholarship
    • Give Online
    • Planned Giving
  • Upcoming Events
    • Homecoming
    • Emeritus Luncheon
    • Hall of Fame Dinner
  • Update Contact Info
  • News
  • About
    • Contact
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Campus History and Memories >
      • Wendell Hardway
      • Ruth Ann Musick
      • Lawrence Wallman
      • Squibb Wilson
    • Donor Recognition
    • Fees & Assessments
    • Forms & Resources
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Scholarship Recipients
  • Give Now

News and Notes

Fairmont State Alumnus Bus Jaco addressed new grads at 154th Commencement

6/13/2023

 
Fairmont State University honored graduates during the University’s 154th Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 6 in the Feaster Center.
​
“Commencement is always an uplifting and exciting event on our campus,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Tim Oxley. “Not only does it represent centuries of higher education tradition, it marks a significant milestone in the lives of our graduates that will serve them well throughout their lives. Commencement also reminds the University’s faculty and staff members of the importance of what we do, and why we do it; focused on a culmination of teaching, learning, and student engagement.”

This year’s commencement speaker was Fairmont State alumnus William “Bus” Jaco, Ph.D. The Grafton, WV native is Regents Professor Emeritus, Oklahoma State University, and Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at Rice University. He holds degrees from Fairmont State University (B.A. Cum Laude), Penn State University (M.A.), and University of Wisconsin-Madison (Ph.D.). He held faculty positions at University of Michigan and Rice University before joining the faculty at Oklahoma State University as Head of the Department of Mathematics in 1982 and was appointed Grayce B. Kerr Chair in 1993, an endowed position that he held until his retirement in 2021.

During his time at Fairmont State, Jaco was heavily involved in Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity when not in the classroom. During his speech, he fondly remembered his previous Professor in Mathematics, Dr. James La Rue who he referred to as an “advisor, mentor and friend.” La Rue had encouraged Jaco to continue on to higher education with his studies in math. When Dr. Jaco graduated from the College on the Hill in 1962, his son had attended with him donning a miniature cap and gown. Dr. Jaco returned to campus as commencement speaker and his wife, Linda, and eldest son were again with him for the occasion.

Jaco spoke briefly about his many accomplishments, achievements, and experiences that followed graduation from Fairmont State. He had enrolled in classes as a first-generation college student, hoping to make a living as a math teacher. He graduated with the determination and confidence to turn his dream into an incredible career. “Over the 61 years following my graduation from Fairmont State, I have held either a research, a teaching and research, or an administrative position in nine different states, through appointments at twenty different research institutions, and I have travelled the world to collaborate on research and work with colleagues spread across nine countries.”

Before ending his speech, Jaco left the graduates with some words of advice, emphasizing the importance of hard work and the inevitability of change. He reminded the class of 2023 to take chances, stating “I would rather be sorry for something I did, than to be sorry for something I never did do.” Finally, he encouraged them to view their time at Fairmont State as only the beginning of a lifetime of learning.

When asked about his experience returning to campus as the commencement speaker, he explained that learning of the wide array of programs offered at Fairmont State and seeing the graduates made him “impressed and proud to be there

Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All
    Academics
    Athletics
    Community
    Day Of Giving
    Donor Recognition
    Foundation Board
    Foundation Staff
    Grants
    Planned Gifts
    Spotlights

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    June 2018

Picture

1300 Locust Avenue
Fairmont, WV 26554

304-534-8786
Home
Give Online
Update Contact Info
About
​Contact Us
Fairmont State University
Fairmont State Alumni Association
Fairmont State Athletics
© 2023 - All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Areas of Support
    • Academics >
      • Business & Aviation
      • Education, Health & Human Performance
      • Liberal Arts
      • Nursing
      • Science & Technology
    • Athletics >
      • $1000 Club
      • Varsity Club
      • Give to Athletics
      • Feaster Center Pool Naming Initiative
    • Falcon Fund
    • Scholarships
    • Academy for the Arts
    • Community Arts
    • Folklife Center
    • Sponsor a Praxis Test
    • Falcon Day of Giving
  • Ways to Give
    • Annual Giving
    • Create a Scholarship
    • Give Online
    • Planned Giving
  • Upcoming Events
    • Homecoming
    • Emeritus Luncheon
    • Hall of Fame Dinner
  • Update Contact Info
  • News
  • About
    • Contact
    • Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Campus History and Memories >
      • Wendell Hardway
      • Ruth Ann Musick
      • Lawrence Wallman
      • Squibb Wilson
    • Donor Recognition
    • Fees & Assessments
    • Forms & Resources
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Scholarship Recipients
  • Give Now