Interview with Mary Jo Thomas
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Mary Jo Thomas, Fairmont State University, Class of 1966
Current Profession: President of the Fairmont State Alumni Association
Spotlight Segment: 04/25/2023
Mary Jo Thomas is a 1966 graduate of Fairmont State and recipient of the FSU Outstanding Alumna Award. Currently, she serves as immediate past president of the Fairmont State Alumni Association after serving several terms as president.
The retired public administrator from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and the Virginia Department of Social Services served two terms as president of her national professional organization and two years as a loaned executive to the federal government. She served eight years on the Marion County Board of Education, two as Vice President and four as President. She was on the Executive Board of the West Virginia Association of School Boards. Mary Jo has chaired several School Board and Levy committees in Marion County.
She is active on all levels of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and is the Chair of the Supervisory Committee for Fairmont Federal Credit Union. She is a past board chairman of Health, Safety, and Wellness for the Marion County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Women’s Forum. She is on the EFHS Foundation Board and the Fairmont Council of Churches. Mary Jo also serves on the Rhododendron Girls State and Mon Health Foundation Boards and is President of Gamma Chi Chi Alumnae.
Mary Jo has been very involved with Rotary and United Way over the years. Her service to the community has been recognized by various organizations. She was recently named a pillar of the community by WV News NCWV Life Magazine. Her late husband, Ad was also an FSU alum. Their daughter Rosemary is the Executive Vice President of Davis and Elkins College. Mary Jo’s life lesson, “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall down as long as you get up” and “You can’t be a smart cookie if you have a crummy attitude.”