Fairmont State Soars at 2025 WVCTM Conference, Celebrating Faculty and Student Excellence
The outstanding achievements of Fairmont State University faculty and students were recognized at the 2025 West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (WVCTM) Conference. Several distinguished members of the Fairmont State community were honored for their dedication, innovation, and contributions to mathematics education across West Virginia.
During the annual conference, Dr. Stephanie Jones, Associate Professor of Mathematics, was re-elected as Vice President for College/University for WVCTM. She will continue serving on the organization’s Board of Directors for another two-year term, representing college and university mathematics educators throughout the state. At Fairmont State, Dr. Jones teaches mathematics education courses and leads a local math enrichment program that provides teacher candidates with valuable hands-on classroom experience.
“Mathematics educators and teacher candidates—and by extension, students—benefit greatly from opportunities to learn alongside one another,” said Dr. Jones. “In addition to providing such opportunities, WVCTM also recognizes outstanding mathematics teaching with several awards. I am grateful to continue serving on the WVCTM Board of Directors to help support and recognize excellent mathematics education in West Virginia.”
In addition, Fairmont State senior Raegan Knotts, an Elementary Education major, was named a recipient of the Walter Regula Mathematics Teacher-in-Training Grant. The $750 award is given annually to an exceptional student pursuing a career in mathematics education with plans to teach in West Virginia. Knotts also received a Student Travel Grant from the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium to support her professional development at the conference.
“It is my goal to inspire future students, especially those who may struggle with mathematics,” Knotts shared in her application. “Because math anxiety is a very real thing, my goal is to make mathematics accessible, engaging, and relevant to real life. I want to create a balance between student-led and teacher-led activities to ensure that students feel in control of their learning.”
Also honored at this year’s event was Fairmont State student Gwendolyn Jacenkiw (Pennsboro, WV), who earned first place in the college-level poster contest. Her creative and insightful poster, which visualized how math is an integral part of all aspects of life, earned her a $20 gift card and recognition among her peers. Her achievement reflects the innovation and academic excellence fostered at Fairmont State.
In addition to awards and honors, Fairmont State was well represented through a number of academic presentations. Student Keirsten Stout (Kingwood, WV) co-presented with Josh Revels, a NASA IV & V educator and Fairmont State instructor, in a session titled “Space is the Place, for Place Value!” The presentation demonstrated a space-themed, cross-curricular activity for teaching place value to 4th and 5th grade students using resources from the NASA IV & V Education Resource Center.
Dr. Bishnu Sedai, a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, also presented at the conference. His session, “Exploring Newton’s Method Using Problem-Based Learning,” explored ways to enhance students’ understanding of calculus and numerical methods through real-world application. His contribution highlights Fairmont State’s ongoing commitment to academic research and instructional excellence.
Fairmont State University celebrates these incredible achievements and applauds its faculty and students for their remarkable contributions to mathematics education. Their work continues to make a meaningful impact on classrooms, educators, and future generations of learners across West Virginia.
Student Attendees:
- David Desmuke (Fairmont, WV)
- Raegan Knotts (Kingwood, WV)
- Hailee Linn (Bridgeport, WV)
- Hailea Livesay (Mount Clare, WV)
- Madison Louk (Lost Creek, WV)
- Olivia Rupe (Pinch, WV)
- Keirsten Stout (West Milford, WV)
Faculty Attendees:
- Dr. Brian Blackwood
- Dr. Jesse Cook
- Dr. Stephanie Jones
- Dr. Bishnu Sedai
- Professor Amanda Smith
