PHILIPPI, W.Va.— Alderson Broaddus University students are “Crafting for a Cause” to help those in need this holiday season. For the second year in a row, students worked throughout the fall semester on projects that will be enjoyed by foster children this Christmas.

Now in its second year and with a focus on special interests, the Alderson Broaddus First-Year Experience program provides students with experiential learning opportunities including seminar-structured courses and campus assimilation practices. Each course is designed expressly to acclimate new Battlers to the higher academic expectations while learning about various resources and services available on campus.

Students worked throughout the semester to create handcrafted items to be donated to a local youth advocacy program in Fairmont. Participants were able to display their work to the Battler community during a craft showcase in December.

“‘Crafting for a Cause’ allows our students to try something new and to learn and demonstrate skills and knowledge in a way they may never have thought possible,” said Amy Mason, director of AB’s Academic Center for Educational Success. “The course allows them to be creative and to take pride in the creative process.”

Hand-tied, quilted lap blankets, a variety of stuffed toys, and rolling wooden race cars will be delivered to the National Youth Advocacy Program in Fairmont ahead of Christmas.

“Because we give away what we make,” said Mason, “our students learn about genuinely serving the needs of others, and that supports our institution’s belief in the value of interacting with, and making a positive impact on, our local and regional community.”

About Alderson Broaddus University

Alderson Broaddus (AB) University is a private, four-year institution of higher education located on a historic hilltop in Barbour County in Philippi, West Virginia. Since its founding in 1871, AB has been a leader and innovator in higher education, with accolades in the health and natural sciences.

AB stands out as one of the most innovative health education providers in Appalachia, pioneering the nation’s first baccalaureate physician assistant program of its kind in 1968, the first post-baccalaureate physician assistant master’s degree program in 1990, and West Virginia’s first four-year nursing program in 1945.

For more information, visit www.ab.edu.