West Virginia University’s (WVU) Student Life team has a program — Mountaineer Connections — aimed at addressing student loneliness and providing engaging late-night programming on campus. While one long-standing event series has been successfully held at our downtown campus for several years, the geographic spread of WVU presents challenges in reaching students residing on other parts of campus. 

To help bridge this gap, WVU Campus Recreation was tasked with launching a new initiative during the spring semester to better serve students at a separate campus location. Leveraging available space and our programmatic strengths, we introduced Midnight Mountaineers, a monthly event series designed to offer dynamic and inclusive activities for students. 

Each Midnight Mountaineer event featured a variety of high-energy, organized activities such as archery tag, laser tag, dodgeball, climbing wall and inner tube water polo. To appeal to students seeking a more relaxed experience, we also hosted pop-in activities including bracelet-making, Nintendo Switch gaming, canvas painting and poolside movie screenings. Additionally, students had the opportunity to participate in a community-focused art project by painting bowls for Empty Bowls — a local fundraiser that supports food insecurity initiatives in Morgantown. 

To further enhance student engagement, we offered free food and held raffle giveaways every 30 minutes throughout the night. 

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Each event attracted over 200 students with participation spanning across residential areas and academic levels from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates. Many students expressed appreciation for having large-scale events to look forward to outside of our traditional Up All Night programming on the Downtown campus. 

To continually improve the experience, we conducted brief surveys after each event to gather feedback and assess overall satisfaction. Below are some of those testimonials: 

“The Midnight Mountaineer event was a new exciting experience for me to get involved at Campus Rec and indulge in electrifying activities with my friends. No greater feeling than getting a walk-off arrow catch in archery tag to win the game!” 

“I really love midnight Mountaineer! It’s such a cool opportunity to spend time playing games with friends, get moving, and spend your time doing something good for your body and fun. I like that there are games and crafts, and the food is always a plus!” 

“The Midnight Mountaineer series has been an incredible way to build community and unwind with fellow students. One of my favorite parts of the Midnight Mountaineer series was the simple joy of relaxing in a hammock. Playing bingo with everyone brought unexpected fun and laughs, especially with the quirky prizes and friendly competition. Please keep organizing these events! They offer a unique blend of fun, connection and relaxation that’s much needed in the academic hustle.” 

“I loved the food at Midnight Mountaineer. It was so good. I also loved the hot tub being open later with a movie option. This is seriously one of my favorite activities that I have attended as a WVU student.” 

“I loved getting to meet new people! Having club sports run the games made it almost more inviting and helped me make new friends” 

“I really enjoyed the Midnight Mountaineers event. It was a great way to take a break from classes and connect with other students. One of my most memorable moments was just relaxing by the pond with friends, listening to music and hanging out in the hammocks. It created such a chill and welcoming atmosphere. I also liked how many different activities there were. Everyone could find something they enjoyed, whether it was playing games, making crafts or joining the raffles. It felt like a good balance of fun and community, and I even met a few new people during the event. I definitely think WVU should keep doing this series. It helps bring students together in a positive way and gives us something fun to look forward to during the semester.” 

We were thrilled with the positive outcomes of the Midnight Mountaineer event series. WVU Campus Recreation — in collaboration with Student Life — is excited to continue this initiative after witnessing firsthand the meaningful impact it has had on our students. Feedback from participants highlighted not only increased student engagement and physical activity, but also the development of social connections. Students shared that these events provided a fun and welcoming environment to spend time with current friends while also meeting new people, helping to foster a stronger sense of community across campus. 

AUGUSTA, GA — The Peach Belt Conference has released the 2024-25 women’s Track & Field Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College.  The team is a part of the PBC’s larger initiative to celebrate the academic achievements of PBC student-athletes.  This team includes both indoor and outdoor track & field athletes.

To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team’s events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.

Barnes & Noble College currently operates more than 1,400 campus bookstores and their school-branded e-commerce sites, serving more than 6 million college students and faculty nationwide. As a strategic partner, Barnes & Noble College is a retail and learning company. The company is headquartered in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

 

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Augusta University men’s track & field placed 14 student-athletes on the 2024-25 Peach Belt Conference Team of Academic Distinction, presented by Barnes & Noble College. The list includes sophomores Gabriel Best, Michael Chatman, Eli Corn, and Michael Meriweather; juniors Joseph Elbert, Andrew Helfers, Noah Shepherd, and Shahzeb Rashid; and seniors Avery Jaynes, Ryan Lee, Brandon Martin, Matthew Moore, Patrick Motes, and Andrew Todd. All were recognized across the league for their academic excellence and contributions in competition.

Best, from Peachtree City, Ga., is an Accounting major with a 3.87 GPA. Chatman holds a 3.90 GPA in Cybersecurity, while Corn, from Dallas, Ga., is majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a 3.95 GPA. Meriweather, a Biology major from Augusta, Ga., owns a 3.51 GPA.

Elbert, from Dallas, Ga., carries a 3.96 GPA in Cybersecurity. Helfers, a Kinesiology major from Newnan, Ga., holds a 3.59 GPA. Shepherd, from Midland, Ga., owns a 3.89 GPA in Kinesiology, and Rashid, from Hoschton, Ga., is majoring in Cell and Molecular Biology with a 3.82 GPA.

Jaynes, a Sport Management major from Brooklet, Ga., and Lee, a Cell and Molecular Biology major from Lilburn, Ga., both maintain a perfect 4.00 GPA. Martin, from Commerce, Ga., is majoring in Biology with a 3.64 GPA. Moore, from Newnan, Ga., holds a 4.00 GPA in Cybersecurity, while Motes, from Rome, Ga., carries a 4.00 GPA in Communication. Todd, a Kinesiology major from Lilburn, Ga., also holds a 4.00 GPA.

To be eligible for the PBC Team of Academic Distinction, student-athletes must compete in at least half of their team’s contests as a starter or significant contributor, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and have completed at least one academic year at their current institution with sophomore athletic eligibility. The program is overseen by the league’s sports information directors and celebrates excellence in both the classroom and competition.

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CHELMSFORD, Mass. — A Massachusetts high school student arrested on his way to volleyball practice last weekend was scheduled to appear before an immigration judge Thursday.

Marcelo Gomes da Silva, 18, who came to the U.S. from Brazil at age 7, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Saturday. Authorities have said the agents were looking for the Milford High School teenager’s father, who owns the car Gomes da Silva was driving at the time and had parked in a friend’s driveway.

The teen faced a hearing in immigration court in Chelmsford.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said earlier this week that ICE officers were targeting a “known public safety threat” and that Gomes da Silva’s father “has a habit of reckless driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour through residential areas.”

“While ICE officers never intended to apprehend Gomes da Silva, he was found to be in the United States illegally and subject to removal proceedings, so officers made the arrest,” she said in a statement.

Gomes da Silva initially entered the country on a visitor visa and was later issued a student visa that has since lapsed, said his attorney, Robin Nice. She described him as deeply rooted in his community and a dedicated member of both the school marching band and a band at his church.

A federal judge considering Gomes da Silva’s request to be released while his immigration case proceeds has given the government until June 16 to respond and has ordered that Gomes da Silva not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours’ notice given to the court. The government sought permission Wednesday to move Gomes da Silva to a detention facility in a different New England state, Nice said, a move his lawyers opposed because they feared it would delay the immigration hearing. A judge quickly denied the request.

“I love my son. We need Marcelo back home. It’s no family without him,” João Paulo Gomes Pereira said in a video released Wednesday by his son’s attorney. “We love America. Please, bring my son back.”

Students at Milford High staged a walkout Monday to protest his detainment. Other supporters wore white and packed the stands of the high school gymnasium Tuesday night, when the volleyball team dedicated a match to their missing teammate.