Larry Crum, Author at Marshall University Foundation and Alumni Association

May 26, 2023

As students return home for the summer, Marshall faculty, staff, alumni and community partners are once again joining forces for the second annual Community Cares Week: Giving Back to the Herd from May 23-26.

In the event’s inaugural year, 451 volunteers contributed a total of 1,240 hours of service doing landscaping, painting, pressure washing, deep cleaning and completing other special projects.

Marshall University President Brad D. Smith said the event is all about pitching in time and effort to help the university we all call home.

“Last summer, our campus and community came together to embrace the idea of seeking creative ways to support worthwhile causes by donating our time, our talent or our treasure,” Smith said. “The idea emerged to tap into the amazing talent in our community and enlist an investment of time to assist us with completing some projects across our campus. Our first Community Cares Week was born, and it was an amazing success.”

Matt James, executive director of alumni relations, said the event truly encompasses the idea of the Marshall family, so it’s especially important for alums to take part.

“Events like these are critical because our alumni are the lifeline of our Marshall family,” James said. “As President Smith says, ‘Marshall for all, Marshall forever!’ Our alumni are forever a part of our family, and they play a pivotal role in helping us achieve our institutional goals. We need ‘all hands-on deck’ for this year’s Community Cares Week—specifically, from our Herd alumni network around the world.”

Southern Coalfields Chapter

The Marshall University Alumni Greater Annapolis Area Chapter formed earlier this year and has hit the ground running with its involvement in Community Cares Week being the chapter’s second event. The first event was a meet and greet on April 22.

“It was really important for our chapter to participate as our leadership team felt it was an opportunity for us to support the university by giving back to the community even many miles away,” said Megan Barbour, chapter president. “The Marshall family cared about each of us during our time at the university so it’s our turn to show we care about the community of Marshall.”

The Annapolis chapter will volunteer at the Kenneth R. Dunn Municipal Pool at Truxtun Park, which is gearing up for its summer season.

“The pool we are volunteering to clean at is always full of high school students and we hope our volunteering there continues to spread the word of Marshall and encourages young persons to be curious, explore their educational options and maybe find their college family in Huntington at Marshall,” Barbour said.

Down in the South, the Marshall University Alumni Association Raleigh-Durham Chapter will provide travel kits to its local USO, based at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in Morrisville, North Carolina. The chapter is also encouraging local teachers to send artwork or notes from their students to share with the military personnel.

“North Carolina is home to several military bases, including Fort Bragg, the largest military base in the country,” said Barbara White, chapter president and chair of the chapters committee of the Marshall University Alumni Association board of directors. “For many of us, we want to give back to people who make so many sacrifices for our country, and as Marshall grads, we realize that some of these members are from our home state, or perhaps even Marshall alumni given that we have an active ROTC program. It’s a small way to say, ‘thank you for your service.’”

Marshall University Black Alumni Association

White said Annette Green, a member of the MUAA board of directors, identified the need for the travel kits and shared the idea with the chapter leadership team. Green is a USO volunteer at the RDU Airport and is spearheading this project in addition to her regular activities as a USO volunteer.

Members of the chapter’s leadership team will collect funds to purchase, assemble, transport and deliver the items to USO officials.

Back home in Huntington, the Marshall University Greater Huntington Alumni Chapter will contribute to an array of projects on Marshall’s campus.

Jill Jackson, co-president of the chapter alongside Melissa Blatt, said it was essential for the recently reestablished chapter to take part in Community Cares Week.

“It’s been my goal since I joined the MUAA board to relaunch the chapter,” Jackson said. “For this to be one of our first projects is just the perfect opportunity to be together. I want this chapter to be the flagship chapter as Marshall is right in our backyard and as such, we need to be involved with events like this.”

Other contributing alumni chapters include the Marshall Alumni of the Mid-Ohio Valley, Myrtle Beach Marshall Alumni Chapter, Marshall University Black Alumni, Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni & Big Green Chapter, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Alumni Chapter, Eastern Panhandle Alumni Chapter, and Society of Yeager Scholars Alumni Chapter. More than 80 volunteers from among the chapters will participate.

Huntington Chapter

Impact of Giving

Joining an alumni chapter

Alumni chapters are a vital cog in the wheel of success at Marshall University. Each alumni chapter provides its members with the means to stay connected to Marshall, while offering unique events and opportunities to give back to the university.

Alumni chapters are about supporting the goals and objectives of Marshall University, representing Marshall in a positive light in your community, spreading the good news of Marshall to students in your area and fostering a strong bond between alumni and your chapter.

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April 26, 2023

There are many reasons an individual decides to give back to a university.

From their personal experience at the institution as a student, to gifts of impact designed to change the lives of current and future generations of alumni, gifts of any kind are as personal and unique as the individuals that give them.

And then there are some gifts that come about just to say thank you.

When Sarah Shepherd was busy working on her thesis for her M.S. in library science and M.A. in history at Simmons University in Boston, Massachusetts, she reached out to Marshall University’s renowned Special Collections Department for assistance and what she got in return was more than she could have imagined.

“I am very impressed with Marshall University’s Special Collections and have used several collections, such as their amazing oral histories that are available online,” Shepherd said. “I became interested in Lucille Todd, one of the first women lawyers in West Virginia, and searched Marshall’s digital collections. There was a wealth of material from the Mirabilia yearbook to the Longview newsletter from the Owen Clinic Institute. Listed as well was the finding aid for the Nancy Voiers Whear Papers. Whear ran a research project funded by the West Virginia Humanities Foundation in 1985 on ‘History-Making Women of Huntington.’ Lucille Todd was one of the women featured.

“I emailed Special Collections asking for a scan of the folder, ready to pay a significant sum as scanning can be very labor intensive depending on the size of the folder. I’ve had to wait six weeks before for scans at different institutions and yet three days later Jessica Lowman, assistant professor and archivist at Marshall, sent me the entire folder without charge. I was astounded and immediately donated in gratitude.”

Shepherd is currently a graduate student at Simmons University and works as an archivist at the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library. Previously, Shepherd worked at the Greenbrier Historical Society in Lewisburg, West Virginia, giving her ample knowledge about what it takes to operate libraries and archive facilities. As a former West Virginia resident, Shepherd also recognized the value of supporting institutions from her home state and was proud to make a gift to the department.

Founded in 1971, the Marshall University Special Collections Department is home to the university’s archives, manuscripts, rare books, audiovisual materials and other unique items. The department is charged with collecting, preserving and making accessible all of its collections to support the university’s administration, teaching and research goals. In addition to financial contributions, individuals can donate select items to be housed in the archives, as the department includes many rare and unique items that showcase the history of Marshall and the region that have been donated through the years.

Heading the Special Collections Department is Lori Thompson, an alumna with a passion for preserving the history of our university. She shared that gifts of any amount can go a long way in the mission of her department, which is not only meant to archive, but share that history with the public.

“Much of our work is spent organizing, sorting and inventorying materials in the hopes that just one person will find what they need,” Thompson said. “That could be the voice of a grandparent they never met through our digitized oral history, a photo of an ancestor that attended Marshall, or the missing piece of information to solve a historical mystery. I take great satisfaction knowing that my work can directly impact the happiness of others. It is such a great compliment to myself and team when someone believes in our work so much that they feel compelled to give back.

“Our work requires a lot of resources in time and money. Materials don’t just jump into boxes on their own. When we receive a financial gift, it allows us to purchase archival supplies to store materials in, to upgrade our equipment, especially digitization equipment that changes frequently, to pay for student labor, or attend continuing education courses. These resources directly impact our ability to select, preserve and make accessible the unique and historical materials of Marshall University and the surrounding community.”

Thompson shared the unique nature of her department means that no two days are alike, and that anything can come in the doors of her office at any time. While the primary focus of Special Collections is to collect material related to Marshall, the Huntington region and surrounding areas, they do collect diaries, letters, photographs, business records and personal pages that document the community and people of the area.

Because of the wide range of items housed within their office, Thompson said that many of the materials are used by students for projects such as thesis papers, dissertations, documentaries and artwork. She has also provided materials to ESPN, CBS, PBS, The History Channel and others for historical projects.

“Every day is like Christmas,” Thompson joked. “You never know what will show up. Each box, each item, each patron has a story to tell. As a lover of history and all things Marshall, I have the most rewarding job. I get to share that excitement and experience with each person that requests items or donates materials.”

So what are some of the more unique items that have been donated to Marshall’s Special Collections? Thompson shared that her department has been gifted everything from an entire archive of WSAZ film dating back to the 1950s, artifacts from Chuck Yeager and his time in the military, props from the ‘We Are Marshall’ movie, and even the diaries of Huntingtonian Charles F. Frampton from his time serving in World War I. But there are a few items, not of historical value, but of personal value, that really stand out to Thompson.

“I personally enjoy the items that shed light on an average person’s life experience,” Thompson said. “We have a scrapbook from a female student in the 1920s that I joke was the 1920s version of Instagram where she documented her travels and her friends through photos and mementos.”

Shepherd said the work Thompson and her team provides is invaluable, not just to the university, but to individuals around the country. And the helpful nature of the team is noticed and should be commended.

“The Special Collections at Marshall helped me immediately and graciously with my research,” Shepherd said. “I was inspired to give because of their kindness and support. I hope that my donation will help in paying archivists and librarians so they can continue doing incredible work.

“Libraries and special collections are a vital resource. As an archivist, I understand deeply all the labor and funding required to keep our libraries and special collections running. I always try to give, no matter how small an amount, to support these necessary institutions and I encourage you to do the same!”

Marshall’s Special Collections department is open to the public Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

April 25, 2023

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.