BETHANY, W.Va. (Sept. 11, 2026) — Bethany College officially opened the 2026-27 academic year Thursday with its annual Fall Convocation, bringing the campus community together to celebrate the start of a new academic year, recognize members of the Bethany community, and welcome distinguished alumnus and biomedical researcher Dr. Robert M. Brosh, Jr. ’85 as keynote speaker.
Held in historic Commencement Hall, the ceremony featured remarks from Bethany President Dr. Jamie Caridi, music, prayers, and the presentation of the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts honor, among other awards.
The ceremony was opened by reflecting on the beginning of a new academic year and welcoming students, faculty, and staff back to campus. Caridi encouraged the Bethany community to approach the year with a spirit of “grateful confidence,” by embracing what is possible while remaining mindful of the people who helped pave the way.
Caridi highlighted recent accomplishments across the Bethany community, including student and alumni achievements, new academic programs, the continued growth of graduate education, and the success of Bethany’s esports program. He also encouraged students to embrace the opportunities available to them through their relationships with faculty.
“To our students especially, I want you to know that you are meant to be here. Your talents are needed. Your insights will spark new ideas. Your engagement will inspire others to join you,” Caridi said.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts to Dr. Michael Mihalyo, recognizing his nearly three decades of contributions to Bethany College as a musician, educator, mentor, and academic leader.
Mihalyo first came to Bethany in 1995 as the College worked to restore its music program. During his early years at Bethany, he helped restart the wind ensemble, established a pep band, developed private piano lessons and piano classes, taught courses, accompanied the choir and fellow faculty members, and led numerous performances.
“Michael really became the face of music at Bethany, both on campus and in the surrounding community,” Caridi said.
Throughout his career, Mihalyo has also served in significant academic leadership roles, including as a professor, provost, chancellor, and college president. After building a career beyond Bethany, he chose to return to the College and continue working with students while helping advance the visual and performing arts.
Caridi noted that Mihalyo’s impact extends beyond the programs he helped build to the students, colleagues, and alumni he has mentored throughout his career.
“An endowed chair is one of the highest honors we can give a member of our faculty, and the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts is particularly fitting for Michael,” Caridi said. “It recognizes an accomplished musician, teacher, and academic leader, but it also recognizes something that is much harder to capture on a résumé — the influence a great educator has on people over the course of a career.”
The ceremony also welcomed Dr. Robert M. “Bob” Brosh, Jr., a 1985 Bethany alumnus, accomplished biomedical researcher, and newly appointed professor and chair of Bethany’s department of biology, as the 2026 Fall Convocation keynote speaker.
A Wheeling native, Brosh earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Bethany before continuing his education at Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to spend three decades conducting research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where his work focused on DNA repair, genomic stability and helicases, and molecular motors that play important roles in maintaining chromosomal integrity.
During his career at the NIH, Brosh also mentored more than 70 research fellows and interns, including students from Bethany College. Many have gone on to careers in medicine, biomedical research, bioethics and biotechnology.
Brosh now returns to his alma mater as a member of the Bethany faculty, where he will continue his research and mentor the next generation of scientists.
“I want to share three biological truths that serve as a blueprint for your academic and personal success,” said Brosh while speaking to the students. “Number one, embrace stress and the power of repair. Number two, with a cellular network you cannot survive in isolation. Number three, cultivate curiosity to solve local and global challenges.”
Bethany College looks forward to a year of continued learning, collaboration, service, and growth as students, faculty, and staff begin the 2026-27 academic year together.
BETHANY, W.Va. (Sept. 11, 2026) — Bethany College officially opened the 2026-27 academic year Thursday with its annual Fall Convocation, bringing the campus community together to celebrate the start of a new academic year, recognize members of the Bethany community, and welcome distinguished alumnus and biomedical researcher Dr. Robert M. Brosh, Jr. ’85 as keynote speaker.
Held in historic Commencement Hall, the ceremony featured remarks from Bethany President Dr. Jamie Caridi, music, prayers, and the presentation of the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts honor, among other awards.
The ceremony was opened by reflecting on the beginning of a new academic year and welcoming students, faculty, and staff back to campus. Caridi encouraged the Bethany community to approach the year with a spirit of “grateful confidence,” by embracing what is possible while remaining mindful of the people who helped pave the way.
Caridi highlighted recent accomplishments across the Bethany community, including student and alumni achievements, new academic programs, the continued growth of graduate education, and the success of Bethany’s esports program. He also encouraged students to embrace the opportunities available to them through their relationships with faculty.
“To our students especially, I want you to know that you are meant to be here. Your talents are needed. Your insights will spark new ideas. Your engagement will inspire others to join you,” Caridi said.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts to Dr. Michael Mihalyo, recognizing his nearly three decades of contributions to Bethany College as a musician, educator, mentor, and academic leader.
Mihalyo first came to Bethany in 1995 as the College worked to restore its music program. During his early years at Bethany, he helped restart the wind ensemble, established a pep band, developed private piano lessons and piano classes, taught courses, accompanied the choir and fellow faculty members, and led numerous performances.
“Michael really became the face of music at Bethany, both on campus and in the surrounding community,” Caridi said.
Throughout his career, Mihalyo has also served in significant academic leadership roles, including as a professor, provost, chancellor, and college president. After building a career beyond Bethany, he chose to return to the College and continue working with students while helping advance the visual and performing arts.
Caridi noted that Mihalyo’s impact extends beyond the programs he helped build to the students, colleagues, and alumni he has mentored throughout his career.
“An endowed chair is one of the highest honors we can give a member of our faculty, and the Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair in Visual and Performing Arts is particularly fitting for Michael,” Caridi said. “It recognizes an accomplished musician, teacher, and academic leader, but it also recognizes something that is much harder to capture on a résumé — the influence a great educator has on people over the course of a career.”
The ceremony also welcomed Dr. Robert M. “Bob” Brosh, Jr., a 1985 Bethany alumnus, accomplished biomedical researcher, and newly appointed professor and chair of Bethany’s department of biology, as the 2026 Fall Convocation keynote speaker.
A Wheeling native, Brosh earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Bethany before continuing his education at Texas A&M University and the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to spend three decades conducting research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where his work focused on DNA repair, genomic stability and helicases, and molecular motors that play important roles in maintaining chromosomal integrity.
During his career at the NIH, Brosh also mentored more than 70 research fellows and interns, including students from Bethany College. Many have gone on to careers in medicine, biomedical research, bioethics and biotechnology.
Brosh now returns to his alma mater as a member of the Bethany faculty, where he will continue his research and mentor the next generation of scientists.
“I want to share three biological truths that serve as a blueprint for your academic and personal success,” said Brosh while speaking to the students. “Number one, embrace stress and the power of repair. Number two, with a cellular network you cannot survive in isolation. Number three, cultivate curiosity to solve local and global challenges.”
Bethany College looks forward to a year of continued learning, collaboration, service, and growth as students, faculty, and staff begin the 2026-27 academic year together.
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