BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College awarded honorary degrees to two individuals who have made a lasting impact on the College.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, of the West Virginia Annual Conference, received a Doctor of Humane Letters.

Steiner Ball was ordained Deacon and Elder by Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of The United Methodist Church. She was elected to the episcopacy by the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference (NEJ) in 20212 and was assigned to the West Virginia Area. Steiner Ball also currently partners with Bishop Moore-Koiko to provide episcopal coverage for the Susquehanna Conference in Pennsylvania.

“She is the epitome of a true servant leader,”  Vice President of Advancement Kristi Wilkerson ’99 said. “Because of her dedication to West Virginia and to West Virginia Wesleyan College, we are all better because she has been a part of us for the past 12 years.”

Steiner Ball is a graduate of Dickinson College, Duke Divinity School and Wesley Theological Seminary.

Dr. Cynthia Brissey, retiring Associate Dean of Faculty, also received a Doctorate of Humane Letters from WVWC.

Brissey’s commitment to teaching and learning has taken many forms, teaching biology at secondary and college levels, serving in student support positions and then supporting faculty.  Brissey’s relationship with WVWC began as a lab coordinator and instructor in the biology department. Her involvement on Assessment Council ultimately impacted the remainder of her service to WVWC. The College’s Title III federal grant allowed her to focus on faculty support through the Center for Teaching and Learning. Participating with faculty in the assessment of the General Education program led to coordinating the College’s assessment program and serving on three accreditation steering committees. Following the conclusion of the Title III grant, the Center for Teaching and Learning joined the Dean’s Office, allowing her to support the broader work of Academic Fairs.

Brissey began her journey in higher education at Salem College, earning a Bachelor of Science in biology and then earned a Master of Science in biology from West Virginia University. She pursued graduate studies in science education and higher education curriculum and instruction.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.