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Category: Grants

The Marshall University Foundation announced it received a $25,000 grant from Truist West Virginia Foundation to support need-based scholarships at Marshall University.

“We are appreciative of the long-standing support and generosity of the Truist West Virginia Foundation,” said Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall Foundation. “Because of Truist, Marshall students will be able to better navigate their college careers without serious financial stress.”

The grant will support scholarship recipients who are full- or part-time students, residents of West Virginia and have need, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Scholarship aid has increased by 44 percent over the last several years due to the Marshall Rises comprehensive campaign with 500 more students receiving aid annually.

“We are pleased to support Marshall University Foundation’s admirable commitment to helping students attend Marshall University” said Jacqueline Keene, executive director for the Truist West Virginia Foundation. “The grant from the Truist West Virginia Foundation will help make a difference in the lives of many, which aligns with Truist’s purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities.”

The Marshall Foundation maximizes continuous financial support for Marshall University and its students by soliciting, receiving, investing and administering private gift support. The Marshall Foundation is committed to providing professional service to Marshall University, its students and donors.

Truist and Truist West Virginia Foundation’s relationship with Marshall pre-dates the merger of One Valley Bank and BB&T in 2001. Truist provided a 10-year commitment toward the establishment of what is now called the Truist Center for Leadership at the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business. Truist was a sponsor of the 2022 and 2023 Business Leadership Symposiums at the Truist Center for Leadership at the College of Business.

The Truist West Virginia Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Since 2000, the foundation and its predecessors have been making strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. The Truist West Virginia Foundation’s grants and activities focus on economic development, education, arts, health care, social services and financial literacy. Learn more by contacting Jacqueline Keene at TWVF@truist.com.

The Marshall University Foundation is pleased to announce the Maier Foundation has pledged $1 million to establish the Sandra D. Thomas Scholarship Fund at Marshall University.

Sandra D. Thomas, a Raleigh County native and 1977 graduate of Marshall University, was a former member of the Marshall University Board of Governors and an 18-year board member of the Maier Foundation. After a courageous battle with cancer, she passed away in 2022. The scholarship fund will benefit need-based undergraduate students from West Virginia, with preference to students from Raleigh County.

Bradley Maier Rowe, chairman and president of the Maier Foundation, said Thomas was a champion for bettering the education of West Virginians, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for all that she did for the state.

“Sandy had a steadfast commitment to improving higher education throughout the state of West Virginia,” Rowe said. “The Foundation is honoring her legacy by creating the Sandra D. Thomas Scholarship Fund at Marshall University. This endowment will make it possible for Raleigh County students to follow in her footsteps and pursue their education at her alma mater.”

In addition to her time with the Maier Foundation, Thomas was also appointed to Marshall’s Board of Governors in 2019 by Gov. Jim Justice. She served on the Athletics Committee, Investment Committee and was vice chair of the Finance, Audit and Facilities Planning Committee.

“Sandra was a valuable member of the Marshall family,” said Brad D. Smith, president of Marshall University. “We are pleased that she is being honored by providing the gift of an education to a Marshall student. We applaud our friends at the Maier Foundation for recognizing Sandra with this generous gift in her name.”

Patrick Farrell, chair of Marshall’s Board of Governors, added that Thomas was a hard worker and was committed to the betterment of Marshall University as a nationally recognized institution of higher learning.

“The legacy of a great leader is not just the impact they make in their lifetime, but the lasting impression they leave on the institutions they serve,” Farrell said. “The Sandra D. Thomas Fund is a testament to the remarkable contributions of a beloved member of our board. Sandy’s unwavering dedication to Marshall University and our students is an inspiration to us all. As we honor her memory through this fund, we are reminded of her commitment to putting students first and ensuring that their success is at the heart of our mission. The Sandra D. Thomas Fund will serve as a beacon of hope for generations to come, embodying the values and vision of a true champion of education.”

Thomas built a successful 40-year career as a CPA in Charleston, West Virginia, and was widely credited as the first woman to achieve partner status at a major accounting firm in the state. She was also dedicated to non-profit work both in Charleston and across the country, serving as national vice president for the Garden Club of America, chair of the CAMC Foundation, president of the Fund for the Arts, as well as serving on the boards of other area charities. Thomas was also an elder and trustee for The First Presbyterian Church in Charleston.

The Sandra D. Thomas Scholarship Fund is generously supported by the Maier Foundation, a private, non-profit, charitable corporation that is dedicated to the furtherance of higher education in West Virginia and the higher education of West Virginia residents attending colleges and universities elsewhere. The fund will provide each students’ cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, room and board, books and other educational expenses. The scholarship is renewable for four years pending the student maintaining good academic standing.

For more information about this fund, or to make a gift to Marshall University, please contact the Marshall Foundation at (304) 696-6264. For news and information about the Marshall Foundation and Alumni Association, follow us online at www.marshall.edu/foundation.

Marshall University’s Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) has announced Friday, Oct. 6, as the date for the 10th annual West Virginia Makes Festival, the state and region’s largest maker fair. Officials say this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever thanks to a sizeable STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation.

The Foundation, the charitable arm of American Water, parent company of West Virginia American Water, has awarded $14,000 to the Marshall University Foundation to support RCBI’s annual community-based event that promotes innovative West Virginia-based STEM entrepreneurship.

“Our future leaders in West Virginia are significantly better off and will be more prepared for their careers with strong STEM skills thanks to access to the outstanding programming provided by community partners such as RCBI,” said Robert Burton, president of West Virginia American Water.

The annual Makes Festival attracts hundreds of students and innovators of all ages from across the region, providing them the opportunity to demonstrate their own creations, compete for prizes and engage in STEM-focused activities during the annual celebration of creativity and ingenuity in all forms.

“Thanks to the tremendous generosity of the American Water Charitable Foundation, people of all ages will have the opportunity to demonstrate their creations and ingenuity, engage in hands-on STEM activities and revel in the joys of discovery during the 2023 West Virginia Makes Festival – our 10th anniversary – set for Oct. 6 on the campus of Marshall University,” said Derek Scarbro, RCBI deputy director. “This support is another example of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s and West Virginia American Water’s commitment to strengthening our communities by investing in those they serve.”

Registration is now open for makers of all ages, exhibitors and groups that want to attend the free event this fall. Details at www.rcbi.org/wvmf23.

The Marshall University Foundation announced it received a $25,000 grant from Truist West Virginia Foundation to support need-based scholarships at Marshall University. 

“We are grateful for the long-standing partnership between the Marshall University Foundation and the Truist West Virginia Foundation,” said Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall Foundation. “Increasing scholarship aid is a top priority for the university, and this grant will ease the financial burden for a number of students.” 

The grant will support scholarship recipients who are full- or part-time students who are residents of West Virginia and have need, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance. Scholarship aid has increased by 44 percent over the last several years due to the Marshall Rises comprehensive campaign with 500 more students receiving aid annually.  

“We’re pleased to support the Marshall University Foundation,” said Jacqueline Keene, executive director for the Truist West Virginia Foundation. “Truist is committed to our purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities, and we believe the Truist West Virginia Foundation contribution to Marshall University will help make a difference in the lives of many.” 

The Marshall Foundation maximizes continuous financial support for Marshall University and its students by soliciting, receiving, investing and administering private gift support. The Marshall Foundation is committed to providing professional service to Marshall University, its students and donors. 

Truist and Truist West Virginia Foundation’s relationship with Marshall pre-dates the merger of One Valley Bank and BB&T in 2001. Truist provided a 10-year commitment toward the establishment of what is now called the Truist Center for Leadership at the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business. Truist West Virginia Foundation has a long-standing history of support towards Marshall University student scholarship grants. 

The Truist West Virginia Foundation is committed to Truist Financial Corporation’s (NYSE: TFC) purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities. Since 2000, the foundation and its predecessors have been making strategic investments in nonprofit organizations to help ensure the communities it serves have more opportunities for a better quality of life. The Truist West Virginia Foundation’s grants and activities focus on economic development, education, arts, health care, social services and financial literacy. Learn more by contacting Jacqueline Keene at TWVF@truist.com.