GSC STUDENTS NAMED STATE STUDENT INNOVATORS OF THE YEAR - Roane County's Greathouse And Fetty Honored

(02/07/2014)

(L-R) Glenville State College President Dr. Peter Barr
meets with Racheal Fetty, Caleb Greathouse, and GSC
Associate Professor of Vocational Business Cinda Echard
about the students 2013 Student Innovator of the Year Award

Glenville, WV - Glenville State College's third place West Virginia Statewide Business Plan contestants continue to be honored for their accomplishments. GSC students Racheal Fetty and Caleb Greathouse received an award for Student Innovator of the year award at the recent TechConnectWV Inaugural Spirit of Innovation Awards.

The team invented the EZ Reader, which is an electronic voting machine ballot reader. Fetty and Greathouse won a ten-thousand dollar investment offer for their 2012 innovation making them the first ever in GSC student history to make it that far in the competition.

"We were honored to be nominated for the award. There were some great people and ideas nominated so we were even more honored upon winning," said Greathouse.

"TechConnect is doing a great thing by recognizing young innovators across the state. You put so much time and effort into something hoping that it will get noticed. TechConnect is stepping in to make sure you are recognized," said Fetty.

In addition to the Student Innovator of the Year Award, the 2013 TechConnectWV Spirit of Innovation Awards event also included winners in four other categories: StartUp Innovation of the Year Award, Outstanding Woman in Technology, Innovator of the Year, and the Investor Recognition of the Year Award. Fetty and Greathouse were nominated for the Student Innovator of the Year Award by GSC Associate Professor of Vocational Business Cinda Echard.

"It was an honor to nominate such deserving students for the Student Innovator of the Year Award. Winning this award recognized not only their spirit of innovation for the EZ Reader but their entrepreneurial spirit as well. We are very proud to have them as Glenville State College students," said Echard who was a mentor to Fetty and Greathouse during the West Virginia Statewide Business Plan competition.

Fetty and Greathouse were unable to attend the event due to prior engagements. However, Echard attended in their place and accepted the award on their behalf. Fetty said, "She was the perfect person to do that considering she helped us all the way to the final round of the competition with our EZ Reader!"

Fetty and Greathouse both graduated from GSC in December 2013. Fetty majored in accounting and business management. She is the daughter of Steve Fetty and Barbie Fetty both of Spencer (Roane County), West Virginia. Greathouse majored in accounting as well as computer information systems. He is the son of Bob and Sue Greathouse of Spencer (Roane County), West Virginia. Fetty and Greathouse are now working in Charleston at Gibbons & Kawash, Certified Public Accountants.