Faculty & Advising
Welcome to the Faculty & Advising Page
Welcome to the Faculty & Advising Page
Please contact the Program Coordinator to schedule a time to meet and discuss the best model of courses to complete.
Phone or Text with an introduction to 304-367-4367
Get to know the design instructors below!
Get to know the design instructors below!
2024 SPRING Advising Hours: January 22, 2024 - May 11, 2024
Monday 4:00 - 5:30
Tuesday 4:00 - 5:30
Wednesday 1:00 - 3:00
And by arranged times
2023 FALL Advising Hours: August 14, 2023 - December 8, 2023
Monday 4:00 - 5:00
Tuesday 3:00 - 4:00
Wednesday 4:00 - 5:00
Thursdays 12:00 - 1:00
ATC RM 112A
Please feel free to email for arranging times
to meet outside of office hours
40 Years of instruction
40 Years of instruction
Our faculty have a diverse background and knowledge of foundational principles used in all areas of visual design.
From textiles to architecture.
Mrs. Rachel Beach
Mrs. Rachel Beach
Applied Design Program Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Applied Design
Interior Design & Fashion Merchandising
Interior Design & Fashion Merchandising
Dr. Beth Newcome
Dr. Beth Newcome
Adjunct Professor Emiratis
Former Dean of the School of Human ServicesTextiles, Fashion and Interiors
Textiles, Fashion and Interiors
Mrs. Fonda Hawley
Mrs. Fonda Hawley
Clothing & Culture from 2007 - 2022
Mrs. Fonda Whanger Hawley has served Pierpont and Fairmont State University as an adjunct faculty member since 1977 and has made significant contributions with her expertise in content and teaching, as well as her constant support of her students. She has a bachelor's degree from Concord College and a master's degree in Vocational Education from West Virginia University. She is a retired Family and Consumer Sciences teacher from Mannington Middle School, where she taught consumer education. As a teacher, she received the West Virginia Middle School Consumer Educator Award in 1991 and the West Virginia Outstanding Teacher Award from the West Virginia Family and Consumer Sciences Association in 1995. For Pierpont's School of Human Services, she taught lab-based classes. Today she now teaches online classes. Her online classes are considered "best practices" in action and used as a model by other faculty members. Her teaching style is engaged and effective. She was awarded the Rousseau-Wolfe Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award in 2008-2009.
"Fonda maintains high energy for teaching and has embraced new technologies." Former President of Pierpont, Blair Montgomery said. "She typifies the commitment of our community college adjunct faculty workforce, so necessary to keeping the doors open and the programming fresh. She represents all of the expertise, the commitment, and dedication so critical to the delivery of the community college curriculum. She typifies the best of our adjunct faculty."
In 2017, Fonda received the 2017 WVCCA Outstanding Contributor Award for Pierpont.
Mrs. Katie Hotard
Mrs. Katie Hotard
History of Design
Art Appreciation
Clothing & Culture 2023
Kathleen Hotard is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a Bachelor’s in Art History. After studying on fellowship at the University of Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany, she returned to Baton Rouge to teach Fine Arts Survey at her alma mater. While there, she developed a comprehensive four year curriculum for Fine Arts Survey. In 2008, she and her husband moved to West Virginia, where she is an adjunct instructor in the School of Human Services teaching Applied Design Concepts and History of Modern Design. Katie has contributed her art expertise and teaching skills to develop our program's online design history courses.Kathleen has also studied abroad in Italy and France and had the wonderful opportunity to teach undergraduates in the galleries and museums of Paris. She was awarded the Pierpont Community & Technical College's Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award in 2012-2013. Kathleen received her Master’s of Arts in Teaching as well as an additional Masters in Education from Fairmont State University in May of 2015. Katie also enjoys skiing and the outdoors. Our program is proud of Katie's teamwork with the Morgantown Vixens Roller Derby League and her work at the Marion County Public Library System during the day.
Mrs. Bethany Vangilder
Mrs. Bethany Vangilder
Construction Details & Design
Contract Design
Design in Interior Furnishings
Bethany was born, raised, and still currently resides in Monongah, West Virginia. Being the youngest child of 3, she spent Saturdays with her father, a contractor, picking up supplies, traveling to multiple jobsites, or staying home and watching Bob Villa. Her interest for construction started early!
In 2002, she started a 2 + 2 Program in Applied Design specializing in Interiors and also started in a 2 + 2 Program in Architectural Engineering Technology. Bethany graduated in 2006 with a double major with a B.S. in Architectural Engineering Technology and a B.S. in Applied Design specializing in Interior Design. While in school, Bethany worked for the Alumni Center at Fairmont State and also worked for Mountaineer Cabinet Company in Fairmont, WV. She designed multiple kitchens and baths using 20/20 and perspective drawings.
Bethany graduated and went to work for Omni Associates - Architects in Fairmont, WV from 2006-2007. She left Omni to further her education in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bethany attended the University of North Carolina - Charlotte from 2007-2009. In 2009, she graduated with a Masters Design in Architecture.After graduation, Bethany returned to Omni Associates - Architects in Fairmont, WV and worked as an Intern Architect until 2013. She worked on multiple projects while at Omni.
Bethany married her high school sweetheart, Matt VanGilder, in 2012. They purchased their first home in Monongah, WV in December 2012.Fall 2013, Bethany started teaching Construction Design and Details for Pierpont Community and Technical College. She has taught the class every fall since.Bethany and Matt had their first child, Drake Matthew VanGilder, December 26, 2013. Their second child, Liviana Cecilia VanGilder, was born July 29, 2017.
Bethany accepted a part-time job as a Project Engineer for Yates and Sons Construction Company work on a 300 million dollar construction project for WVU Medicine in Morgantown, WV. The part-time job turned into so much more. Bethany is currently acting as BIM Champion for Yates Construction, Nashville Division. BIM also known as Building Information Modeling, is a vital part of Yates construction. Yates performs clash detections with architectural, MEP, FP, Civil, Site 3D models prior to the start of construction. They also require 4D schedules that link the 3D model to the construction schedule. Though only naming a few, has numerous BIM practices that are required on all their projects.
Bethany really enjoys her job at Yates with the Construction Management team. She loves being around construction on a daily basis. She also really enjoy teaching Construction Details and Design for Pierpont. Her strong passion for construction started early on in life and loves passing on her knowledge and experience to students.
In 2020, Bethany was promoted to associate and Project Manager!
University of North Carolina at CharlotteMaster of Architecture, Architecture 2007 – 2009
Fairmont State UniversityBS, Architecture 2001 – 2006Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc), Interior Design 2001 – 2006
Pierpont Community & Technical Colleg(formerly Fairmont State Comm & Tech College)Associate of Science (A.S.), Architectural Engineering Technology/Technician 2001 – 2006Associate of Science (A.S.), Family and Consumer Sciences - Interior Design 2001 – 2006
In 2002, she started a 2 + 2 Program in Applied Design specializing in Interiors and also started in a 2 + 2 Program in Architectural Engineering Technology. Bethany graduated in 2006 with a double major with a B.S. in Architectural Engineering Technology and a B.S. in Applied Design specializing in Interior Design. While in school, Bethany worked for the Alumni Center at Fairmont State and also worked for Mountaineer Cabinet Company in Fairmont, WV. She designed multiple kitchens and baths using 20/20 and perspective drawings.
Bethany graduated and went to work for Omni Associates - Architects in Fairmont, WV from 2006-2007. She left Omni to further her education in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bethany attended the University of North Carolina - Charlotte from 2007-2009. In 2009, she graduated with a Masters Design in Architecture.After graduation, Bethany returned to Omni Associates - Architects in Fairmont, WV and worked as an Intern Architect until 2013. She worked on multiple projects while at Omni.
Bethany married her high school sweetheart, Matt VanGilder, in 2012. They purchased their first home in Monongah, WV in December 2012.Fall 2013, Bethany started teaching Construction Design and Details for Pierpont Community and Technical College. She has taught the class every fall since.Bethany and Matt had their first child, Drake Matthew VanGilder, December 26, 2013. Their second child, Liviana Cecilia VanGilder, was born July 29, 2017.
Bethany accepted a part-time job as a Project Engineer for Yates and Sons Construction Company work on a 300 million dollar construction project for WVU Medicine in Morgantown, WV. The part-time job turned into so much more. Bethany is currently acting as BIM Champion for Yates Construction, Nashville Division. BIM also known as Building Information Modeling, is a vital part of Yates construction. Yates performs clash detections with architectural, MEP, FP, Civil, Site 3D models prior to the start of construction. They also require 4D schedules that link the 3D model to the construction schedule. Though only naming a few, has numerous BIM practices that are required on all their projects.
Bethany really enjoys her job at Yates with the Construction Management team. She loves being around construction on a daily basis. She also really enjoy teaching Construction Details and Design for Pierpont. Her strong passion for construction started early on in life and loves passing on her knowledge and experience to students.
In 2020, Bethany was promoted to associate and Project Manager!
University of North Carolina at CharlotteMaster of Architecture, Architecture 2007 – 2009
Fairmont State UniversityBS, Architecture 2001 – 2006Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc), Interior Design 2001 – 2006
Pierpont Community & Technical Colleg(formerly Fairmont State Comm & Tech College)Associate of Science (A.S.), Architectural Engineering Technology/Technician 2001 – 2006Associate of Science (A.S.), Family and Consumer Sciences - Interior Design 2001 – 2006