2 Faculty Awarded Emeritus Status

BETHANY, W.Va. – Bethany College recently bestowed emeritus status on two longtime professors who are retiring from full-time service to the college.

Provost and Dean of Faculty Joe Lane congratulated Dr. Wilf Csaplar, Jr., and Professor Jan Forsty during Bethany’s 181st commencement ceremony.

Csaplar, professor emeritus of economics, joined the Bethany faculty in 2002. He has taught 18 course titles at Bethany.

“Dr. Csasplar is a devoted instructor whose attention to detail, devotion to the art of teaching, and constant commitment to staying current in his field have served Bethany well,” Lane said.

Csaplar will continue to serve Bethany as a part-time instructor.

Forsty, professor of physical education and head softball coach emerita, joined Bethany in 1987. In addition to her teaching, she has chaired the Department of Physical Education and coached softball, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, and tennis at Bethany. She retired as the head softball coach in 2018.

“When reading her list of accomplishments, it is difficult to credit the idea that one person could have coached multiple teams in different sports to almost 20 PAC championships and the third-highest win total for NCAA Division III softball wins, while teaching hundreds of Bethany students in over 20 distinct courses, chairing the Department of Physical Education, senior women’s administrator, and faculty athletic representative,” Lane said. “Her classes are memorable and widely praised, her advice, and mentorship have been cited as transformative in the lives of many Bethanians, and her reliability and devotion to others in the community are unparalleled.”

Lane also recognized Kathy Shelek-Furbee, a professor emerita of social work who retired in 2020. She was recognized as West Virginia’s social worker of the year by the state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

Last year’s Bethany commencement was shifted to a digital format, and the college recognized the classes of 2020 and 2021 at this year’s in-person ceremony.

ABOUT BETHANY COLLEGE

Bethany College, founded in 1840, is the oldest private college in West Virginia. The Bethany experience focuses on academic excellence in the area of liberal arts and prepares students for a lifetime of work and a life of significance.