WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Oct. 1, 2015 — West Liberty University’s Homecoming 2015 includes a new Harvest Festival Theme along with the tradition of welcoming alumni, families and friends to the Hilltop. Alumni events take place on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10.
Student activities get started even earlier with candidates campaigning for Homecoming King and Queen and the annual talent-based Student Serenades take place.
Three special alumni will be honored at Friday’s 6 p.m. Benefactors Gala as they enter the Alumni Wall of Honor for professional accomplishments. The Gala and Wall of Honor induction takes place in the College Union. Honorees include: Thomas A. “TC” Cervone, Michael F. Pockl and Kristina K. “Kris” Williams.
As a high school student, Cervone took part in a program for talented fine arts students, working with WLU icons Stanley Harrison and Dr. Helen Kelly. He enjoyed it so much that he returned the following January of 1972 to earn his degree and begin his professional journey in theatre.
Cervone now serves as executive director for Dogwood Arts, a non-profit that promotes eastern Tennessee’s art, cultural and natural beauty. He has dedicated his career to the advancement of the arts and culture industry, as well as the nonprofit sector. He previously served as the first executive director of the Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, a nonprofit established to preserve the historic Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville.
Prior to that, Cervone spent 23 years managing University of Tennessee’s Clarence Brown Theatre and received the Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Service to UT in 2010.
Cervone serves on the board of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Greater Knoxville, the advisory board for the College of Business at Maryville College, the board of the WordPlayers and River and Rail Theatre companies and the board for Leadership Knoxville. He also is a graduate of Leadership Knoxville 2011
A longtime member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Cervone earned his undergraduate degree in speech and English with an emphasis in theatre from WLU and a master’s of fine arts and MBA from UT. In 2014, WLU honored Cervone for his significant gift to the Kelly Theatre Encore Campaign by giving its Green Room his name.
He is married to Susan Creswell and they reside in Knoxville.
Pockl earned a bachelor’s degree at West Liberty in 1967, then went on to earn a master’s degree and a certificate of advanced study at West Virginia University. He also completed advanced work at Marshall University and the University of Akron.
A 40-year veteran in the field of education, he has been a teacher, coach, principal of a National School of Excellence in Ohio County, effective schools coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Education, residential director of the West Virginia Principal’s Academy, executive assistant of Akron City Schools and superintendent of Zanesville City Schools.
Pockl is a former member of Cadre of Fellows for the National Center for Effective Schools Research and Development, National Network of Principal Centers at Harvard, National On-Site Visitor for the U.S. Department of Education Secondary Schools Recognition Program and WVU’s Benedum Team.
He is a recipient of the West Virginia Principals Commission Principal of the Year Award, National Association of Secondary Schools Principals Honor of Excellence Award, WVU College of Human Resources and Education Alumni Association Award and the WV Department of Education Leader of Learning Award.
He is married to the former Patricia Paluch and they reside in Wheeling.
Williams is a distinguished 1986 graduate of West Liberty and practically grew up on campus where her father, Roland “Rollie” Williams, was a life-long professor and her mother, Vera Williams, worked in the Elbin Library.
After completing her undergraduate work at WLU, she went on to earn her Master’s of Professional Accountancy degree from West Virginia University. Also a Certified Public Accountant, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from WLU at Commencement 2015, when she served as the keynote speaker.
Currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Federal Home Loan (FHL) Bank of Pittsburgh, she leads the departments of membership and technology. She has been with FHLBank since 2004 and is an integral part of the executive management team. During her tenure, she has held the positions of chief accounting officer, chief financial officer and acting chief credit officer.
Prior to working for FHLBank, Williams spent 12 years with PNC Financial Services in its wholesale bank and also spent seven years in public accounting.
She currently serves as vice chair of the West Liberty University Foundation Board, where she has been a member since 2003. She previously served as chair of the Foundation’s Audit Committee.
A resident of the northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, she is married to James Taibi, also a 1986 graduate of West Liberty.
Other Homecoming festivities include:
At 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, the Homecoming Parade, featuring the Marching Hilltoppers begins in the town of West Liberty and ends at the West Family Stadium.
Students and alumni are invited to Tailgate before and during the homecoming game when the Hilltoppers take on the University of Charleston, with game time at 1 p.m.
New this year is the Hilltop Harvest Homecoming Festival from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. that includes food, fun and entertainment, including an inflatable games area for children, a photobooth for alumni, cornhole and great food from local vendors like Grow Ohio Valley and WLU alumnus Vagabond Chef.
The 2015 West Liberty University Homecoming King and Queen will be announced during the halftime show and students end their homecoming festivities with a dance at WesBanco Arena, Wheeling.
Also new this year for Alumni Post-game Party at Hess Shelter, Oglebay Resort, catered by Generations Restaurant. The fee for this event is $20 and reservations are encouraged however walk-ups are welcome.
Please call Institutional Advancement at 304.336.8888 to make a reservation for the Benefactors Gala or the alumni post-game party or for more information, or visit westliberty.edu.