SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Cassidy Raye Ponton of Buckhannon was among 622 students received baccalaureate degrees during Shepherd University’s 147th Commencement, which took place virtually on May 9.
Shepherd alumna Judee Ann Williams, Class of 2001, co-head of CAA Social Impact at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency, delivered the undergraduate commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctorate.
Relive March 22–28 in West Virginia history, from Mildred Mitchell-Bateman becoming the state’s first Black woman in a top administrative post to the overwhelming 1863 ratification of the first constitution.
West Virginia’s Department of Health launched a public listserv for updates on the Rural Health Transformation Program, including requests, events, and initiative news.
Buckhannon-Upshur powered to its first win of the season with a 15-3 rout of Wheeling Park, using balanced scoring from seven players despite a near 30-minute delay. Braylon Oldaker, Easton Rice and Tobias Marple netted three goals each as the Bucs improved to 1-1.
Former PE teacher Nate Whiting became a children’s author after his wife urged him to turn a poem into a book.
WV DMV urges drivers to slow down and stop for school buses after 325 motorists were caught failing to yield from 2021–2025, with 292 citations issued. Remember: yellow means caution, red means stop—leave early, stay distraction-free, and watch for buses on any road.
WVU has named Mark Paris the next dean of WVU Libraries and Press, starting April 27. Formerly at Brandeis, he led efforts to modernize research infrastructure, expand open-access publishing and guide collections with data-driven strategy, succeeding retiring Dean Karen Diaz.
