Fairmont State University President Mirta Martin has been selected for the seventh annual class of West Virginia Wonder Women by WV Living Magazine. The award is presented each year to 50 women serving as inspirations within their industries and communities.

“I know so many of the other women selected this year, and they inspire me every day,” Mirta M. Martin, president of Fairmont State University, said. “This state is filled with talented women – intelligent, creative thinkers who are leading West Virginia into a prosperous future. I am thrilled beyond words and humbled to my core to have been selected for this honor.”

Each year WV Wonder Women alumni submit nominations for the next class, which are then reviewed by an editorial board to make final selections. Nominations often total more than 250 candidates.

“President Martin, and her 49 classmates, rose above many, many exemplary women,” said Holly Thubron, Managing Editor for New South Media, Inc. “The decision is always an incredibly difficult one, but the honor is always well-deserved.”

President Martin’s work ethic and determination can be credited to her upbringing. At a young age, she left Cuba with her grandmother and sister, living in a convent in Spain until coming to America at the age of 14.

“This class of Wonder Women inspires me and gives me great hope for the future of our

state,” says WV Living Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Nikki Bowman Mills. “All stand tall and proud—and they have made us healthier, smarter, more educated and better informed. I was moved to tears after reading Fairmont State University President Mirta Martin’s story of fleeing Cuba as a child. She says, ‘I will never forget my roots, nor where I came from, because the challenges of the journey have given me strength.’ We may long for pre-pandemic days right now but, as President Martin so poignantly says, the challenges of the journey will give us strength.” All honorees will gather with previous classes of Wonder Women for a virtual event on Tuesday, October 20 at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are available on the WV Living Magazine website.