Fairmont State Foundation's July 2026 newsletter celebrates a milestone birthday and considerable momentum across campus. Longtime chemistry professor Dr. Elizabeth Swiger turns 100, and the foundation is collecting memories from alumni and colleagues in her honor. Inside, readers will meet Datha & Gene Smith Fellow Amy Freeland, learn how the Jarrett-Reaser family's scholarships are opening doors for first-generation students, and go behind the scenes at the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center, where donor support is fueling a major archive digitization project.

The issue also spotlights Fairmont State athletics and academics, from new equipment powering hands-on discovery in the biology program to Gennaro Bonaventura's four years rebuilding wrestling. Readers will find features on the Acrobatics & Tumbling team's conference title run, new women's soccer coach Alex Zaroyan, and student success stories from computer science graduate Emilio Maset and future educator Molli Taylor. Throughout, one theme holds steady: donor generosity, turning opportunity into outcomes for Fairmont State students.

Celebrating a Century: Dr. Elizabeth Swiger Turns 100​​

Dr. Elizabeth Swiger, a beloved Fairmont State chemistry professor, turned 100 this summer. For more than 30 years, Swiger shaped the minds and careers of countless students in the chemistry department alongside her late husband, James Coleman, who also dedicated his career to Fairmont State. Their commitment to education lives on through the scholarships they established, continuing to open doors for the next generation of chemistry students.
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In honor of the milestone, the Fairmont State Foundation is inviting alumni, colleagues and friends to share memories or reflections of Swiger - whether she challenged them in the classroom, encouraged them, or left a lasting impression. Those interested in submitting a story or arranging a brief interview can contact Jen Thomas, director of communications and donor engagement, at [email protected] or 304-534-8786.

Amy Freeland Charts Her Own Path as a Datha & Gene Smith Fellow​

Amy Freeland arrived at Fairmont State determined to get her whole college paid for - and she has. A Datha & Gene Smith Fellow and first-generation college student from Preston County, Amy balances a nursing pathway with running track, working for the athletic department and making the Dean's List, all while crediting the Fellows Program's Bridge experience for giving her an instant community. From a nerve-wracking whitewater rafting trip to a packed weekly schedule, her first year has been proof that commitment pays off.

The Jarrett-Reaser Family’s Continued Commitment to Fairmont State

Beth Jarrett-Reaser and Mark Reaser are turning their own Fairmont State story into a lasting legacy for first-generation students. Read on to see how their generosity, paired with a planned gift, is designed to support Fairmont State students for generations to come.

Inside Fairmont State’s Folklife Center​

Inside a repurposed century-old dairy barn, Fairmont State's Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center is keeping West Virginia's traditions alive rather than locking them behind glass. Under Dr. Lydia Warren, students earn rare undergraduate credentials in folklore and museum studies, doing hands-on archival work - like fully inventorying boxes of the Ruth Ann Musick folklore collection - that most schools reserve for graduate students. The center also hosts free, all-ages community events, and is preparing to launch a fully searchable cloud-based archive by the end of 2026.

In the Biology Program, Donors Are Helping Make Every Experiment Count​

In Fairmont State's biology program, hands-on research isn't reserved for grad school - students design original experiments as juniors and present findings at national conferences before they even graduate. From tracking crayfish reflexes to studying gecko metabolism, the program's breadth reflects a deliberate philosophy: produce well-rounded biologists, not narrow specialists. Assistant professor Dr. Glenna Pirner credits donor support for new microscopes that are already changing what students can see and discover.

Gennaro Bonaventura’s Four Years Leading Fairmont State Wrestling​

Four years ago, Gennaro Bonaventura took over a Fairmont State wrestling program with fewer than 20 athletes. Since then, he's built a roster nearing 40, a record eight Academic All-Americans this season, and a culture that sent star wrestler Colton Stoneking out as a four-time Academic All-American and two-time conference champion. Now stepping into an expanded role as director of wrestling, Bonaventura is applying that same blueprint to launch a brand-new women's program - already halfway to its fall roster goal.

​The Datha & Gene Smith Fellows Program Opens Doors to Education

Datha and Gene Smith didn't go to college themselves, but all three of their children did - and in 2021, the family honored that legacy by establishing the Datha & Gene Smith Fellows Program at Fairmont State. The comprehensive fellowship wraps first-generation students in four years of financial support, mentoring and belonging, starting with an immersive Bridge Program days before their first semester even begins.

Acrobatics & Tumbling is Building a Program and a Path Forward

Fairmont State's Acrobatics and Tumbling program just claimed its second consecutive Mountain East Conference Championship, finishing an unbeaten 11-0 regular season under head coach Danielle Cutri. The team advanced to the national semifinals for the first time in over a decade, finishing 12-1 and picking up a haul of individual honors, including Cutri's Coach of the Year award. Behind the scenes, donor support raised through Day of Giving is covering everything from national championship travel to equipment that rivals Division I programs.

How Fairmont State Helped One Student Turn Potential into a Career

Emilio Maset knew within days that his first college wasn't the right fit - so he trusted his instincts and transferred to Fairmont State, eventually graduating in December 2025 with two degrees: computer science and mathematics. Along the way, he traveled to Japan for an international drone programming workshop, conducted machine learning research that opened the door to an internship at a federal research facility, and built the kind of close professor relationships that made pivoting into a career "very manageable." Thanks to scholarship support, Maset graduated without student loan debt.

Future Educator Molli Taylor Finds Her Calling

Molli Taylor once imagined a future in medicine or law, but a scholarship for future educators changed everything - "this is my calling," she realized. Now finishing her first year in Fairmont State's education program, she's pursuing a K-12 Special Education certification while leading a campus ministry, traveling to Rome through the Honors Program, and already planning a master's degree. Scholarship support has let her focus on her studies and campus involvement without the financial weight so many students carry.

​Meet Alex Zaroyan, Fairmont State’s New Soccer Coach

Alex Zaroyan brings a career built on data and hard-won coaching experience to his new role as Fairmont State's fifth head women's soccer coach, and he's inheriting a program on the rise. He takes over a squad that just captured the 2025 Mountain East Conference Championship with a program-best 17 wins, and notably, not a single player transferred out afterward. From tracking hundreds of hours of professional match footage early in his career to coaching stints at George Washington and Syracuse, Zaroyan is bringing a relationships-first philosophy focused on daily improvement over trophies.