FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Dr. Michael Davis, the new president at Fairmont State University, will host an “Open Mike” event on Wednesday, July 19.
Davis encourages the Falcon community to attend an informal discussion at The Joe at 323 1/2 Adams Street from 1 to 2 p.m.
“For the foreseeable future, every week I’ll be doing open office hours where individuals can come tell me things they’re excited about, opportunities for partnerships, or just have a conversation,” Davis said.
Davis, a first-generation college student, was previously at James Madison University (JMU), where he served as the Chief of Staff. He managed presidential priorities and directed matters of policy of institutional importance, including strategic planning, institutional research, and accreditation. Davis also served as a faculty member and director of debate in JMU’s School of Communication Studies.
“A lot of presidents do listening tours, and those listening tours go for a couple of months, then they end,” Davis said. “I wanted to create something that was a permanent opportunity for feedback and connection.”
Building relationships to tackle the issues important to the community, student body, and staff is the hope of this and similar events. The relationships provide the springboard for open and honest communications that lead to viable solutions.
“Help maximize our resources, both monetarily and our human resources; I think that’s what we really want to find in these conversations,” Davis said. “So, I hope people leave hopeful and ready to work.”
The topics for discussion are completely open, according to Davis. Fairmont State University and the community depend on each other for sustained growth and an improved quality of life. These events help bring those issues and potential solutions or ideas to the surface.
“I think people are going to come and share the things they are passionate about, or maybe even the things they’re concerned about,” Davis said. “What I really want them to take away is that there is someone up on the hill that hears them, and there is an entire community of people that want to work with them.”
“Open Mike” events are planned at various locations during the year, and the public is encouraged to submit suggestions for possible meeting sites. In fact, Davis seems open to receiving input about the community and institution in nearly any forum.
“Even if it’s something that not a public session, it’s a place where someone wants to tell me about what their organization or their sector is doing and ways we can connect,” Davis said. “I hope people will reach out and really see me as a person who can be their advocate at Fairmont State University.”