By: Alivia Evans

West Virginia Wesleyan College, the school of liberal arts, has been open since the 1890’s, and along with that, so have some of its students. 

There are long lines of legacy students who attend here right on Wesleyan’s campus. They come from all across the globe, from right here at “sweet home” West Virginia to “oh my sweet” North Carolina.

West Virginia Wesleyan College is not well known across the states. The school is in a beautiful, but small town called Buckhannon, on the Upper West Side

So what about Wesleyan makes the student family keep coming back? Is it the school’s history, culture, or something else? Well, that all remained to be seen until North Carolina student Heidi Keener’s interview on why she and her family keep finding themselves at Wesleyan

Heidi Keener is a junior here at West Virginia Wesleyan, coming from the state of North Carolina. She plans to earn her undergraduate degree in psychology and a minor in religious studies. She comes from a long line of “weslayns” stemming as far back as her grandfather, Richard Keener, who attended West Virginia Wesleyan as a student in 1972, along with her grandmother, Alice Keener, in 1973, where they both graduated in 1976. 

The proud family legacy here, Weslayns, began with Hedi’s grandfather and grandmother earning their degrees while married with 3 children, ages 4-10. A tough, but proud, feat of word and determination passed through their family. That began here at Weslayan.

“Though it was never pushed on her to attend Wesleyan, they were glad when she decided to go,” claimed Hedi. During her time at Wesleyan, she has learned the joys of her family, enjoyed the small classrooms, appreciated the one-on-one time she can have with professors, and grown to appreciate the sense of community here. On the contrary, she wishes the school would provide greater and better accessibility for people with ambulatory disabilities on campus. Such as having more wheelchair accessibility, consistent functional elevators, and better temper regulation.”

Despite this, she still believes the school is one worth attending. “If I had children, I would support their future kid(s) to decide, no matter what school they decide to attend, but I would hope that if they were to attend Wesleyan, they would enjoy it as much as I have,” Hedi stated.

In the quiet hills of Buckhannon, family traditions continue to take root at West Virginia Wesleyan. For students like Heidi Keener, the choice to attend is not simply about academics; it is about legacy, connection, and community. While the college still has room to grow, its small classrooms, personal relationships, and deep-rooted history keep families coming back. For some, Wesleyan is not just a school; it is a piece of family history passed down through generations.

Photo by: Alivia Evans