By: Nora Carroll

September 10, 2024, marks West Virginia Wesleyan College’s 134^th birthday. It was a lively day of festivities that united Bobcat Nation to celebrate the unique community that came from within this square mile campus. 

West Virginia Wesleyan College is a very special and unique campus. The Dean of Students, Alisa Lively, feels that a few of the reasons the college is so special is due to “the chapel in the middle of the campus, it’s a presence that makes Wesleyan special,” Lively states, along with “the caring and kind atmosphere that faculty and staff have for the place and for the students.” The staff and faculty make sure to make the students feel at home, even if they are far from their true home. Over the past 134 years at Wesleyan, Lively feels that “students are still genuine, and really care, and appreciate the fact that the faculty go the extra mile to make sure their experience here is great.” These are a huge part of why the school has been so successful for so long. 

To celebrate the big day, the school hosted the #1890 challenge, which was “to donate $18.90, $189, or whatever,” Lively explains, “also, I needed to make sure that the alumni I am connected with know to donate back to what made this place so special for them.” These donations will support many causes, including, but not limited to, scholarships for current students, Presidential Priorities, Wesleyan’s Greatest Needs, and Emergency Funds. The #1890 challenge also includes uploading a selfie to social media with an encouraging caption to cheer others on to donate as well, which is a wonderful way to unite the community from all across the globe. 

The college celebrated the momentous occasion with a delightful picnic birthday party put on by the Aladdin dining staff during dinner time. The dining experience was much more than a typical dinner on campus. The event included a variety of delicious food options and, of course, cake, suitable for the occasion. Students were given party hats and noisemakers. Even the options for seating and activities were brought to another level for the evening, there were options for outdoor seating and outdoor games were set up for anyone to enjoy. Sadly, some students did not take advantage of the outdoor seating and activities, but it created a bright and lively atmosphere that still allowed the community to properly celebrate the beloved West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Photo by Nora Carroll

Pictured Left to right: Sydney Workman, Alexis Moeschler, and Laci Armes