Strategic Planning Impact

Strategic Planning

Strategic Vision 2025-2035

Aspirational Goal 1:

Provide grounded educational experiences, fueled by personal relationships and holistic support, which contribute to all students’ successful careers and lives.

Aspirational Goal 2:

Become the premier higher education employer in West Virginia for full-time, part-time, and student employees.

Aspirational Goal 3:

Create a vibrant campus, where everybody is welcomed, valued, and wants to spend time, which serves as a bedrock institution for North-Central West Virginia.

Mission:

Fairmont State University educates engaged citizens in a community distinguished by opportunity, growth, and achievement, delivering transformational impact for West Virginia and beyond.

What Comes Next: Implementation of the Strategic Vision

The Strategic Vision will be operationalized through a series of interconnected three-year Implementation Plans, which collectively will form the Strategic Plan.  

All Implementation Plans will contain SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) Objectives that will be used to measure progress toward the Strategic Vision.  

Implementation Plan Lead No Later Than
Enrollment Management George Wolf
Vice President of Enrollment Management
August 2025
Student Affairs Dr. Janna Bredeson
Vice President of Student Affairs
August 2025
Information Technology Paul Steinhaus
Chief Information Officer
January 2026
Institutional Research & Effectiveness Dr. Lindsey Graham Guinn
Executive Director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness
January 2026
Academics Dr. Allen Bedford
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
August 2026
Athletics Greg Bamberger
Director of Athletics
August 2026
Finance & Budget John Nisbet
Interim Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO
August 2026
Campus Facilities Lenora Montgomery
Assistant Vice President of Facilities
January 2027
Community Engagement Dr. Brian Selmeski
Chief of Staff
January 2027
Alumni & Advancement Dr. Brian Selmeski
Chief of Staff
August 2027
Human Capital Ashley Maxey
Director of Human Resources
August 2027

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How We Got Here

Strategic Vision discussions began in December 2023, with the formation of the University Strategic Planning Process Committee (SPPC).

Over the next several months, in collaboration with numerous internal and external constituencies, the SPPC: 

  • conducted multiple surveys, 
  • defined capabilities and competencies, 
  • held dozens of division-level discussions and discovery sessions, and 
  • held robust University-wide discussions. 

Those months of deep discussion and discovery led to the creation of the Strategic Vision. 

This pursuit of this vision will guide University operations for the next decade, and Fairmont State University will demonstrate that it truly is a Great Place to Learn, to Work, and to Call Home.  

Here are more details about how the Strategic Vision was developed, including a timeline of major milestones.