Beckley, W.Va. – West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) has announced the 2024 Presidential Leadership Award winners. One graduating student from the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering and Sciences and the WVU School of Nursing Beckley Campus were selected for demonstrating extensive involvement in campus and community activities, representing the college and university in local, regional and national forums and achieving academic excellence.
This year’s winners are Carmen Camino Falcon from the Leonard C. Nelson College of Engineering and Sciences, Makenzie Holley from the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences and Paige Shafor from the WVU School of Nursing Beckley Campus.
From left to right: Makenzie Holley, Carmen Camino Falcon and Paige Shafor
Carmen Camino Falcon
Carmen Camino Falcon from Puerto del Rosario, Spain, is graduating with a degree in mathematics. She also holds a degree in civil engineering, which she completed last May. She has been on the cross country and track and field teams since she began at Tech in the fall of 2019 and currently volunteers as an assistant coach. She was involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers, is President of the Space Club, and member of the engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi. She has served as a student tutor in math and helped with the Academy of Engineering and Sciences Bridge Program to assist students during the summer. She also has been a Resident Assistant in the residence halls. Additionally, Falcon holds school records in nine total events in indoor and outdoor track and has been an NAIA Nationals Qualifier twice.
Makenzie Holley
Makenzie Holley from Sophia, West Virginia, is graduating with a degree in accounting and minors in sport management and fraud examination. She served as President of the Accounting Leaders of Tomorrow club for three years and was previously the treasurer of the Society for Human Resource Management club. Holley also played softball for the Golden Bears. During her college softball career, she received the River States Conference Scholar Athlete award, the NAIA Scholar Athlete award and the Champion of Character award. She’s served as a tutor in accounting, economics, finance, business and math courses since fall 2022. She is a member of the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants and has maintained a 4.0 GPA all four years of college.
Paige Shafor
Paige Shafor from Pottstown, Pennsylvania, is graduating with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Shafor was a member of the cheerleading team from fall 2022 to spring 2024 and a member of the Student Nurse Association, the Rural Community Health Scholars Program and the Sigma Thea Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. She’s worked as a nurse extern at Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania since 2022, and worked in numerous other patient care positions while at Tech. She’s also completed many research projects and is a peer coach for the Student Outreach and Resilience program.
“These Golden Bears represent the best of our students. We are so proud of the Presidential Leadership Award recipients this year and cannot wait to see what they do in their careers as they graduate from Tech,” comments WVU Tech President T. Ramon Stuart.
Falcon, Holley and Shafor will speak at WVU Tech’s commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. at the Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center.