Submitted photo The Leadership Randolph Graduating Class of 2025 is shown at Graceland. Front row, left to right, are Chamber Director of Educational Programming Lisa Wood, Carrie Allender, Brandi Cunningham, Jennifer Morgan, Samantha Fox, Chassity Pennington, Shanna Poe and Chrissy Hall; back row, Robert Ennis, Maria Bray, Wendall Wagler, Savannah Bodkin, Jennifer Riggleman and Chamber Executive Director Karrah Washington.

ELKINS — The Elkins-Randolph County Chamber held the graduation ceremony for the Leadership Randolph Class of 2025 last week as applications for the Class of 2026 open.

The Leadership Randolph graduation was held on May 15 on the veranda at Graceland Inn & Restaurant. The Class of 2025 consisted of 15 participants who completed the program, which runs from September through May. This was the third class to complete Leadership Randolph.

In attendance alongside the graduates were family, friends, Chamber Board members and staff, as well as program sponsors, session facilitators and ambassadors. Ambassadors, according to the Chamber, are graduates of Leadership West Virginia residing in Randolph County “who serve as the steering committee for the program.”

Over nine months, the class members participated in sessions focusing on economic development, agriculture, tourism, government, healthcare, education, hardwood manufacturing, housing and nonprofit service, the Chamber said in a release.

The Class of 2025 selected class member Jennifer Morgan, an attorney at Busch, Zurbuch and Thompson, PLLC, to speak on their behalf at the ceremony. Morgan’s speech, entitled Leading in Randolph County – Cultivating Community, Empowering Future Generations, “eloquently explained the essence of the Leadership Randolph program,” the Chamber said.

In her speech, the Chamber said Morgan provided three ways that leadership shows up in Randolph County: serving, building and inspiring.

“Through Leadership Randolph, we’ve made real connections, learned from every corner of the county and seen the power of community leadership in action,” Morgan said in her speech. “This program has shown us what’s possible when we invest in people. Let’s keep that momentum going. Let’s keep nurturing growth, collaboration and leadership – so that together, we can create a stronger, more vibrant future for all of Randolph County.”

Sponsors for the Leadership Randolph Program include Citizens Bank of WV, Davis Trust Company, FirstEnergy, Mountaineer Insurance Services, and the Randolph County Development Authority, Common Door, Davis & Elkins College, Kristie Vandevander, CPA, Vandalia/Davis Health System, the Randolph County Housing Authority and Woodlands Development & Lending.

Applications for the Elkins-Randolph County Chamber’s Leadership Randolph Class of 2026 are now open. To apply, visit https://shorturl.at/scGP5 or call the Chamber for more information.