Kenneth F. Haines

Kenneth F. Haines has dedicated his life to teaching the students of West Virginia University’s Potomac State College.

Haines was employed as teacher of Foreign Languages from 1952 until his retirement in 1996. During his 44 years of service, he taught French, Spanish, German, and English. Upon retirement, he was granted the designation Professor Emeritus of Modern Languages. A Keyser, West Virginia native, he graduated from Keyser High School and earned an Associate of Arts degree from Potomac State in 1950. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952 and Master of Arts degree in 1953, both from West Virginia University. He also studied at La Sorbonne, via a Fulbright Fellowship, Indiana University, Laval University, and McGill University.

His distinguished service to Potomac State College and the greater Keyser community included active membership in the American Associations of Teachers of French, German, and Spanish, Phi Delta Kappa, the Modern Language Association, the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages, and the West Virginia Foreign Language Teachers Association. He has been a faithful member of the Keyser Presbyterian Church and the Keyser Rotary Club, and served over 20 years as secretary-treasurer and president of the Potomac State College Alumni Association and secretary of the Potomac State College Foundation, Inc. He also served as president of the Faculty Club, was faculty sponsor of the Student Government Association, and served as faculty advisor for 28 years to the Sigma Phi Omega honor society.

He is a master teacher who cares deeply about service, the success of his students, and the craft of teaching. This dedication has been recognized with an Outstanding Professor Award, a Distinguished Service Award, and the W.E. Michael Community Citizen Award. He has given back with the Kenneth Franklin Haines endowed scholarship fund for students majoring in the arts and sciences and the Dr. Nancy M. Miller scholarship fund to provide tuition and fee assistance. He has named Potomac State College as the primary beneficiary to his estate, with specifically prescribed allocations to further enhance his scholarship endowments and fund the construction of a unique capital project that will provide aesthetic as well as functional utility on the Potomac State campus.

West Virginia University presents Kenneth F. Haines with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for his sustained support of Potomac State College and for distinguished leadership and service in his community.