West Liberty University’s newest class of students enrolled in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program began their studies by accepting the official white coat of their profession recently.
“I am especially pleased to welcome our fourth class of physician assistant students to campus. As they enter the field of medicine and work hard to complete their studies at Campbell Hall of Health Sciences, they serve as an inspiration to us all,” Interim President Dr. John McCullough remarked. “We are proud of them and wish them well.”
New PA students include: James Bartyzel, Avon Lake, Ohio; James Burress, Wheeling; Courtney Cira, Morgantown, W.Va., Brianne Clark, West Liberty, W.Va., Hannah Crewdson, Cross Lanes, W.Va., Elizabeth Denniston, Sewickley, Pa., Jonathan Finkel, Sewickley, Pa., Alexandra Higginbotham, New Martinsville, W.Va., Ross Keffer, Grove City, Pa., Leanne Mazzella, Wellsburg, W.Va., Nathan Musser, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Annisce Ramanna, Aliquppa, Pa.; Diana Remenar, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Nicole Rucinsky, West Liberty, W.Va.; Andrew Stegman, Wheelersburg, Ohio; Kayla Strimel, Morgantown, W.Va.; Amara Waturuocha, San Antonio, Texas and Katherine Wilson, Weirton, W.Va.
The formal introduction of the PA class occurred during the White Coat Ceremony, held last Friday in the R. Emmett Boyle Conference Room. Family, friends, faculty and staff joined the future PAs for the ceremony and a reception.
Program Director Dr. William A. Childers, Jr. welcomed the students and offered advice and congratulations to both them and their families. The students also took the Physician Assistant Oath during the ceremony.
The new class also heard from a member of the second year class, Amanda Mace of Pittsburgh, who is on course to graduate with her master’s degree in spring 2016. She encouraged the new students and shared her personal experience with them. Mace is currently completing her first of nine clinical rotations, this one at the Allegheny Health Network.
More than 900 undergraduates applied for the 18 spots in the master’s program, which accepts admission applications from qualified undergraduates every fall. The application deadline for the current admissions cycle is Nov. 1, 2015.
Four members of the new class of PAs earned their undergraduate degrees at WLU, Burress, Crewdson, Mazella and Rucinsky.
The other members of the class represent undergraduates from the following schools: Duquesne University, Marietta College, Mercyhurst University, Middle Tennessee State University, Ohio Northern University, Seton Hill University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Texas, Washington and Jefferson College, West Virginia University and Wheeling Jesuit University.
