Angela Wowczuk, a service assistant professor in the School of Pharmacy, has been awarded the Ethel and Gerry Heebink Award for Distinguished Extended State Service in recognition of her exceptional service to the University, students and community. 

The service award recognizes a faculty or staff member who has provided distinguished service to West Virginia for more than eight years.

Since 2019, she has served as the director and then administrative director for the Rational Drug Therapy Program. Her work integrates clinical pharmacy, public health and statewide health system collaboration, providing improved care for over 825,000 West Virginia residents covered by Medicaid, the Public Employees Insurance Agency and the West Virginia Children’s Health Insurance program.

Wowczuk has contributed extensively to education and public health initiatives across the state. She teaches in the West Virginia Rural Health Association’s HIV Academic Mentoring Program, where she trains general practitioners to manage HIV care for patients who face barriers to access in underserved areas. She also contributed to the national sexual health curriculum as a section leader with the American Academy of HIV medicine and received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and the West Virginia Department of Health to develop statewide treatment guidelines for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. 

Her work has resulted in over 1,800 encounters with physicians, social workers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and teachers on such topics as ADHD, pain treatment and stigma related to substance abuse.

Under Wowczuk’s leadership, the RDTP delivers critical clinical services statewide. The program conducts approximately 1,700 medication reviews on weekdays and 250 on weekends — evaluating drug safety, effectiveness and appropriate use. 

Wowczuk also leads the Safe and Effective Management of Pain Program, which implements CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. Since the program began, SEMPP has halved the amount of opioids prescribed to West Virginia patients on PEIA and Medicaid — reducing adverse events, hospitalizations and unnecessary costs. The SEMPP program has proven effective in proactively preventing substance use disorder before it starts.

Woczuck is also an effective steward of resources, growing RDTP contracts funding by almost 50% since 2019. Her work exemplifies impactful, statewide service that has improved health care quality, access and outcomes for the state of West Virginia.

As the 2026 Heebink Extended Service Award recipient, Wowczuk will receive a $3,000 professional development honorarium.

“Dr. Wowczuk exemplifies the purpose of and meaning behind the Heebink Award,” Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Kreider said. “She and her work are stellar examples of the distinguished service we value as West Virginia’s land-grant institution.”

Award recipients will be recognized during a faculty and staff awards reception at Blaney House in April.

Read more about this award and others.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (Gray DC) – — Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $4 billion in private investment to build data centers across West Virginia, but the plan faces pushback from residents concerned about rising electricity costs and resource consumption.

The West Virginia State Legislature opened the door for data center development in 2023, with a plan promising 30% of funds would stay in host counties.

“We have a framework that will help make West Virginia not only the best state to open a data center… but best for consumers as well,” Morrisey said.

Resource and cost concerns

Critics say each data center will consume between 1 and 5 million gallons of water daily, employ fewer than a dozen people and strain the power grid.

Morrisey said the law bars passing costs to consumers.

However, a Carnegie Mellon report shows electricity costs in communities around data centers are expected to spike nearly 25% by 2030. The explosion of data centers nationwide will drive up electricity bills by an average of 8% even for those not near a facility.

Limited lifespan

The lifespan of a data center averages 15 years. By year 25, they are considered obsolete.

There are currently plans for eight data centers across West Virginia. Morrisey said he is listening to those communities.

West Virginia’s welcome signs were changed from “Wild and Wonderful” to “Open for Business” in 2006.

Copyright 2026 Gray DC. All rights reserved.

The Department of Biology invites the community to join its spring ephemeral wildflower walk Sunday (April 12) at the Core Arboretum.

The free guided walks will begin at noon, 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. 

The walks will take place each Sunday in April.

Find more information and register to attend.

Last year, more than 45 species of plants were seen in bloom over the course of the wildflower walks.

Individuals are also welcome to visit and see the flowers on their own. Information on how to find and  identify the flowers are available at the kiosk.

Those who wish to schedule a group tour outside of the regular schedule or would like to become a volunteer guide, should contact Zach Fowler, WVU Core Arboretum director, at zfowler@mail.wvu.edu.