Bates Named Coordinator of Multicultural Affairs
Fairmont State has announced that Persis Bates has been named Coordinator of Multicultural
Affairs.
Her duties include community outreach, recruitment, advocacy, training and educational
programming. Bates was a guiding force behind the development and implementation of
the Diversity Scholar Outreach Camp and Pay It Forward Mentoring Program. Both programs
are directed toward under-represented and at-risk student populations.
"She's enthusiastic and she cares about everyone," said Michael Belmear, Vice President
for Student Affairs. "I'm happy to have her and I know she'll do a great job. One
of the biggest focuses she'll be taking is working with the middle school students
in Marion County. We've found out that high school is too late to talk to students
about attending college. We need to reach them in the seventh and eighth grades."
A native of Fairmont, Bates is a 1998 graduate of Fairmont Senior High School and
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Fairmont State University in 2004.
She is the daughter of Pervis and Natalie Bates of Bunker Hill, W.Va. She has one
brother, Rahsaan.
