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Photo of Josiah Richardson at an awards function

It Merits a Mention

It Merits a Mention

Some students find their purpose in college. Others find it long before they set foot on campus. 

One month before the start of his fall semester, freshman Josiah Richardson of Princeton, West Virginia received a significant, and very rare, honor at the 2023 Boy Scout Jamboree. An Eagle Scout and member of Troop 1 in Princeton, he was awarded his 139th merit badge – out of 138. 

Thanks to a technicality in which a badge he’d already earned was discontinued and replaced with another, Richardson was able to surpass the official 138-badge total. In the 113-year history of the Boy Scouts, only 600 Scouts are estimated to have earned every badge, and Richardson may be the first to go beyond that lofty achievement. 

Richardson is now studying Organizational Leadership at the Chambers College. 

Something in the Air

A paper coauthored by Economics Professors Brad Humphreys and Jane Ruseski has been chosen by its journal of publication, Sports Economic Review, as its best paper of the year. Their research suggests that cities with professional sports teams bear increased flu mortality rates. Read the paper on Sports Economic Review.

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Economics, Gentrification and Crime

You often don’t think of gun violence, gentrification and drug crime when thinking about business education. But one recent economics alumnus found a research niche on that topic. 

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Just Say 'No'

Rejoice introverts and, generally, anyone who wants to decline a social invitation. Recent research by Julian Givi, assistant professor of marketing, shows that it's ok to decline party invitations. His research has gained national and international coverage: https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/resources/how-to-say-no

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The Future is Innovative Females

In an effort to reach innovative and entrepreneurial females throughout the state, the WVU Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab hosted its Second Annual Women Innovate Pitch Competition. Ten women entered the virtual competition in October in hopes of winning prizes up to $5,000 to turn their idea into a reality. The contestants had to consider every aspect of their pitch – everything from production to advertising – and field questions from the all-female panel of judges. First place went to Anna Cummings, a business management major and entrepreneurship minor from Ashburn, Virginia, whose pitch identified an unaddressed need for a device to help earring-wearers attach their earring backtracks. “The Women Innovate Pitch Competition is an important opportunity for women entrepreneurs,” said Carrie White, executive director of the Morris L. Hayhurst LaunchLab. “The LaunchLab is here to provide support to all student innovators. However, historically we have seen fewer female clients as compared to male. This event is designed to level that field. The first year we held it, we saw our female entrepreneurs increase by 20 percent. We want to provide encouragement to all WVU students who wish to create something new!” 

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Chambers' Campus Cameo

Our business students were energized by College namesake and proud West Virginia native  John Chambers, who visited campus with his wife, Elaine earlier this semester. He inspired our Entrepreneurship classes and student fellows by sharing his lessons learned from 20 years of leading Cisco Systems as CEO.

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