The Marshall University Foundation has announced a grant of $39,798 from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust to benefit the HELP Program’s summer prep program, which will launch in July.
“We are honored to support Marshall University HELP Program and the important work it does for students. The James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust is excited to help begin this summer prep program and hopes these scholarships will encourage more visually impaired students to pursue higher education and realize their potential,” said Shelley Adkins, executive director of the Teubert Foundation.
The grant will support the HELP Program with funding to create a skill-building summer prep program designed to include and support blind and low-vision high school graduates across West Virginia.
The four‑week residential program will serve to alleviate the hardships resulting from blindness by providing intensive training, education and real‑world practice in the academic, technological, mobility and independent‑living skills required for a successful transition to college. Students will live on campus, receive structured orientation and mobility training, learn to navigate both the physical environment and digital systems of higher education, and earn three college credit hours while receiving individualized academic support.
“The HELP Program is deeply grateful to the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust for this generous support, which opens new doors for blind and low‑vision students across West Virginia,” said Dr. Hillary Adams, director of the HELP Program at Marshall University. “This investment will change lives, expand access and ensure these students can thrive at Marshall University. This partnership strengthens our mission and fuels our excitement for the transformative opportunities ahead.”
The HELP Program, housed within the College of Education and Professional Development, is a nationally recognized center of excellence that has supported students with specific learning disabilities (SLD), ADHD, and related disorders for over 40 years. Founded in 1981 by Dr. Barbara Guyer, the program has grown from a small basement office into a comprehensive academic support center housed in Myers Hall, serving as a lifeline for students who learn differently and need structured, individualized support to thrive in higher education.
The James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust was established in 1987 from the estate of C.J. Teubert by the order of the Circuit Court of Cabell County, West Virginia. The James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust has the principal purpose to support activities that serve to correct, cure or prevent blindness or alleviate the hardships resulting from blindness.
For more information about the summer prep program, contact 304-696-6316.