Shepherd University

Travis "Big T" Arrington of Shepherdstown, W.Va., knows all about cancer. In a matter of four years, Arrington, a Mississippi native, lost three relatives to the disease in addition to others throughout his life.  Searching for answers and a way to cope, the hip-hop artist turned to his music. Arrington recently released his single "Tribute" on iTunes in honor of loved ones who died. With the recent iTunes release of the song, Arrington will be donating 80 percent of the profits from the song's revenue to cancer research.  "The ups and downs, I was part of it until their last breaths and it sticks with you," Arrington said.

The following Washington County students were named to the dean's list for the fall semester at Shepherd University: Boonsboro - Shannon E. Anderson, Erin E. Artz, Jennifer A. Fedele, Taylor B. Parrish, Kandis S. Stoy Hagerstown - Paige E. Albert, Nathan J. Arch, Chad A. Bikle, George J. Ferenz, Danielle N. Gesford, Rachel E. Grimm, Darren W. House, Hannah E. House, Casey N. Moser, Daniel B. Powell, Shane C. Santell, Ryan D. Stewart, Travis H....

Saturday, February 9, 2013 MEN'S BASKETBALL CUMBERLAND, Md. - Ricky Moseley scored 40 points and David Jones added 30, as Allegany's tough 1-2 combination ultimately knocked out Hagerstown Community College 99-98 in overtime on Saturday. Allegany scored on an offensive tip with 0.8 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and force overtime. The Campers had the lead when the Hawks (22-4) had the final possession, but Kervin Rameau's shot at the buzzer rimmed out. Antonio Jenifer led HCC with 29 points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Rameau had 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals.

Shepherd University junior Darren House believed his time volunteering Monday at the Martinsburg Boys & Girls Club was “a small step” in helping the community. “I think it would be nice to do more throughout the year,” said House, who took part in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day service project to teach young children about healthy lifestyles and helping others. A member of the college's Multicultural Leadership Team, House and more than two dozen other Shepherd University students partnered with the Burke Street Promise Neighborhood Initiative and the Catholic Campus Ministry at Shepherd University to help children at the club learn the following: • Cooking with herbs • How to stuff and tie no-sew pillows for an infusion clinic • Assemble “necessity” kits containing travel size toiletries for area homeless.

During the Vietnam War, the mother of a West Virginia soldier was notified that her son was missing in action. She wrote to then U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., for help. Byrd looked into it and learned the soldier was back in his unit. He wrote to the mother telling her that her son was safe. The soldier, now in his 70s and living in Florida, is trying to find that letter. A good place to look is among the more than 2 million Byrd's private papers and records stored in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd University.

Greencastle, Pa., resident James W. Klein has been hired to direct Shepherd University's new Martinsburg Center for Graduate and Professional Studies. Klein was selected from a field of 20 applicants, said Diane Melby, director of advancement at Shepherd. The new school will open in August for the fall semester at 261 Aikens Center, a three-story vacant building off Edwin Miller Boulevard. Shepherd is leasing half of the building. “We'll be using two-and-a-half floors on the right side,” Melby said.

Shaw Hall, a student residence, opened on the west side of W.Va. 480 about 40 years ago to mark the beginning of Shepherd University's West Campus. More than four decades of separation between the East and West campuses ended Monday afternoon with the dedication of a new pedestrian underpass that marries both campuses into one seamless university. “The East and West campuses are gone,” University President Suzanne Shipley said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $5.65 million underpass.

A key point of a proposed, 10-year master plan for Shepherd University is an effort to recruit more students to live on campus. One goal would increase the number of students living on campus to half of the school's student population. Currently, about 30 percent live in dormitories. John M. Sherwood, chairman of the 19-member master facility planning committee, said the committee needs to figure how the campus might look in the years ahead. The committee consists of faculty, students and members of the community.

A CD by Adam Booth, adjunct faculty member at Shepherd University and professional storyteller, has been juried into Tamarack in Beckley. "Mingo Black" is a collection of four original stories by Booth that reflect his Appalachian heritage and upbringing. Three are his creation, and the fourth is a family story that has been passed down seven generations. "It's pretty incredible for me because I have been working a long time to get to this point," Booth said.  "I've been telling stories in this capacity for 10 or 11 years.