Fairmont State University welcomed faculty and staff back from summer break with its annual Opening Session and Welcome Back Breakfast, celebrating a year of significant accomplishments and setting a course for the flourishing year ahead. Most notably, the University is experiencing prominent growth in both overall enrollment and student retention for the Fall 2025 semester. Specifically, undergraduate enrollment is expected to increase by 9%, retention rates are projected to rise by 8%, and there is an anticipated 18% increase in graduate studies enrollment—bringing approximately 300 additional students to campus altogether.

The event included the introduction of new faculty and staff and the presentation of the Fairmont State University Presidential Service Award. This year’s award recognized Jon Dodds for his dedicated service to both the University and the local community. 

“Jon has served as a strong voice for our staff, advocating for numerous initiatives,” Davis said. “You will find Jon at dozens of community events each year, and in leadership roles with the Three Rivers Festival and Black Heritage Festival Boards of Directors. In these roles, he strives to bring communities together.” 

In his keynote address, Davis reflected on the completion of his West Virginia Tour, marking visits to all 55 counties in the Mountain State. The tour reinforced Fairmont State’s unique role as the only institution in the state serving students from every county. 

“The responsibility in front of us is truly humbling,” Davis said. “To serve these students, we need to approach our work with purpose and the belief that if they are willing to work hard, we can build a university that is ready for them.” 

Davis shared three key takeaways from his travels: a surprising sense of optimism in communities, a universal belief in the value of higher education, and a hunger for partnership with the University. 

“Many told me this was the first time they had seen anyone from one of our four-year institutions in their communities,” Davis said. “We cannot just go into communities to find students—we must find ways to use our expertise to serve them. They are hungry for partnership, and I believe with the talent we have here, we are going to answer the call.” 

The president also celebrated a year of other notable achievements, including: 

• Awarding 3% raises to all full-time employees, with ongoing work on a comprehensive compensation and classification study. 
• Earning an A2 issuer rating from Moody’s, the highest among regional institutions in the state, signifying strong financial stability. 
• Securing $13.2 million in external grant funding for fiscal year 2024, including nearly $2 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission. 
• Being selected to host the 2026 Civil Engineering Student Championships, the first time the international competition will be held in West Virginia. 
• Launching new programs, including the Outdoor Leadership major and achieving national accreditation for the M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and related certificates. 
• Recording athletic success with three conference championships, six national tournament bids, and 130 student-athletes earning academic honors. 
• Hosting a record-breaking Day of Giving, raising more than $700,000—double the amount raised just two years ago. 

Looking ahead, Davis outlined several initiatives for the upcoming year, including: the rollout of Fairmont State’s Strategic Vision implementation plans, the launch of Engage—an app to boost student involvement, opening the Soar Store as a University-operated spirit shop, expanding the Camps and Conferences Office, adopting a minimum salary of $40,212 for full-time employees, and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Falcon Center with a series of events. 

Davis closed with a reminder of the commitments he made during his first address to campus: “I would tell the truth, I would trust your expertise, and I would show up.” 

“We are a university on the rise, and I am excited about the year to come,” Davis said. “Don’t hold back. Just because it hasn’t been done that way before doesn’t mean we can’t try something new. We have the right size to be nimble, the financial footing to invest, and the people to make it happen. Our best days are ahead.”