Category: Foundation News

Marshall University’s Southern Coalfields alumni chapter has made an impact on Marshall for several years. This past year, they were recognized for their lifetime giving and welcomed into the Marshall University Foundation’s President’s Circle, which recognizes those who have given $100,000 to $249,999 to help the university rise.

“We are always excited when a group of alumni come together to keep their love of Marshall alive,” said Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall University Foundation. “When they rise to set an example of giving back at this level, we are truly moved by their encouragement and support for our students.”

One of the chapter’s main areas of support is through their scholarship, the Southern Coalfields Scholarship Fund, which supports full-time, undergraduate, incoming freshmen who are residents of Raleigh, Summers, Fayette or Wyoming counties in West Virginia and demonstrate financial need per Marshall’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

In 2020, the chapter committed to raising another $25,000 over the next five years so that the scholarship can provide additional support to students.

Tim Cyrus, vice president of the Southern Coalfields chapter, said his degree from Marshall opened many opportunities for him and his family.

“Helping Marshall rise is helping my friends and neighbors, along with my state, rise up to become more than we currently are. Giving back to the university and the future Marshall graduates through fundraising and scholarships is very important as we move into the future,” Cyrus said.

Many chapter members are inspired to give because they see the direct impact Marshall has on southern West Virginia, as well as the entire state.

“Marshall is an integral part of the glue that holds this state together. I am very proud of the fact that U.S. News & World Report ranked Marshall in the top tier of our nation’s universities two years in a row. The growth in our business and engineering programs is so impressive. The School of Medicine and College of Health Professions continue to grow, expand and support our state in all disciplines of medicine, providing everything from rural health care providers to athletic trainers for West Virginia and beyond,” said chapter member Becky Cyrus. “There are so very many exciting things happening at Marshall right now with the new aviation degree, pharmacy school expansion and sports programs. How could you not be excited to support these things?”

The Southern Coalfields alumni chapter has two upcoming events to raise funds for their scholarship. “Thunder in the Alley” will be held on Sunday, April 25, at Pinheads Bowling Center in Oak Hill, West Virginia, from 1 to 6 p.m. The chapter’s 31st annual Big Green golf outing, “Golf for Jane Ann,” will be held Monday, May 24, at Grandview Country Club in Beaver, West Virginia. Registration will be open from 10  to 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at noon.

“It is rewarding to help Marshall rise and see the vast opportunities available to students. As Marshall rises, so do the opportunities, which will help keep our students in state,” said club secretary Amanda Ashley.

For information on joining the Southern Coalfields alumni chapter or any of their events, please visit their Facebook page @ Marshall University Southern Coalfields Alumni and Big Green Club, or contact chapter president Doug Leeber at 304-266-8766.

Marshall University alumna Jennifer Bailey recently established the Harry and Barbara Raczok Scholarship to honor her late parents.

Harry Raczok graduated from Marshall in 1964 with degrees in biology and health and physical education. He also completed his master’s at Marshall and was pursuing a Ph.D. in plant physiology at the University of Maryland in the 1960s. After circumstances required him to abandon that pursuit, he joined the faculty of Marshall as an associate professor of biology.

Barbara Raczock enrolled at Marshall and caught Harry’s eye. The couple married in the Campus Christian Center on June 30, 1974. At that time, Barbara decided to focus on her role as a wife and mother. Eleven years later, she returned to Marshall and completed the remaining three years of her degree in just one and a half years, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1987. She returned in 2004 to complete a Master of Arts in reading education.

Harry Raczock resigned from Marshall’s biology department in 1978 and began his career as a public-school biology and life science teacher. His career ended at Buffalo High School in Putnam County, West Virginia. Barbara Raczock taught at Kellogg in Huntington, then for a few years at Byrd Elementary in Graniteville, South Carolina, and then returned to West Virginia and taught at Buffalo Elementary School.

“My parents both truly believed in education, whether ‘traditional’ higher education, career and technical education, or pursuit of certifications, as the best path for students to reach their full potential. My mom always had a passion for kids. She just absolutely loved them. She took tremendous joy in nurturing them and helping them learn, and her heart broke for the kids who struggled,” said Bailey, who graduated from Marshall University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in flute performance in 1996.

“Because of the role Marshall played in our lives, establishing a scholarship in their names felt like the best, most natural way to perpetuate not only their memories, but also enable a new generation to write their own Marshall stories.”

The Harry and Barbara Raczok Scholarship is a renewable award that assists full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students who demonstrate need per the standards of the Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance. First preference is to West Virginia residents who are studying in Marshall University’s College of Education and Professional Development, with second preference to any student in the College of Education and Professional Development.

For today’s students, Jennifer said her parents would encourage them to demonstrate their enthusiasm and how that was of greater importance than the success of specific content knowledge.

“I believe my parents would emphasize the importance of caring for and building relationships with students, while having a sense of humor and being genuinely enthusiastic about the content to be taught.”

For information regarding the Harry and Barbara Raczok Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

Harvey J. and Kimberly Austin recently established the Harvey J. and Kimberly Austin Family Scholarship, which supports graphic design or video production students in Marshall University’s College of Arts and Media.

Harvey Austin graduated from Marshall University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and serves as the vice president and managing director of video and creative production for Syneos Health. Kimberly Austin graduated from Marshall University Joan C. Edward School of Medicine in 2001 and is now a physician at OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio. Together, they have one daughter, Aja.

Harvey Austin says he learned many lessons during his time at Marshall but believes the ability to lead a team and invest in the growth and advancement of others has been most beneficial in his career.

“Art and design have always been important to me. When I was entering college, the idea of having a career in the arts was always a dream of mine,” he said. “There have been so many technical and creative advances in the industry within the last two decades. Those advances are attracting many students who never thought about studying design and production in college. I think it’s more important to encourage careers in the arts and give financial assistance to students aspiring to make the world a more creative place.”

Student recipients of the Harvey J. and Kimberly Austin Family Scholarship must be in good academic standing and demonstrate financial need, per Marshall University’s Office of Financial Assistance. First preference is given to Cabell County, West Virginia residents, with second preference to a resident of West Virginia (beyond Cabell County), Kentucky or Ohio.

“The greatest advice I was given while at Marshall was to make the most of your time in college, both from an educational and social stance. Expand the knowledge and skills you are gaining in the classroom into internships, volunteer opportunities and part time work within the creative field while still in college. Network as much as you can with professionals and peers in the industry. Focus on leaving a legacy where every person, group and organization is more productive and purposeful because of your presence and contributions,” Harvey Austin said.

For information regarding the Harvey J. and Kimberly Austin Family Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

Through their 2020 fundraising efforts, Marshall University’s Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Chapter made a $30,000 gift to the Marshall University Foundation.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Chapter, which serves Marshall alumni from Wood County, West Virginia, and the surrounding areas, has supported the university through scholarships and gifts to the Big Green Foundation for numerous years. Despite the pandemic, creative chapter members found ways to raise support.

Having already received funds for their annual scholarship fundraising dinner, the chapter requested that those businesses, organizations, and individuals who had contributed to the spring event allow the chapter to apply those dollars to their scholarships. Less than $1,000 of the $15,600 raised was all that was returned.

The chapter then contacted those who attended their fundraising dinner over the past three years and asked if they would like to support the scholarships again, an effort that resulted in nearly $10,000 in gifts.

In early summer, the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter hosted an online auction of 40 Marshall-themed items, many of which were provided by the Big Green Foundation. Many other items were donated from the estate of Tom Jamison, a Marshall alumnus and lifelong supporter, by his family. This effort generated $7,000.

“We were no different than many other organizations when we were faced with the reality that our only means of fundraising was cut off. With no in-person scholarship fundraising dinner and no Big Green Rally by the River, we had to think outside the box to do what we have always done in the past–provide scholarships to Mid-Ohio Valley students who would be attending Marshall University in the fall of 2020,” said Ed Hofmann, chapter treasurer, who saw an increase of students applying for scholarships through the chapter. “We had to put a heavy emphasis on scholarships and ended up providing $1,000 scholarships to 14 students from the Mid-Ohio Valley, along with contributions to other programs.”

The chapter’s $30,000 contribution was distributed among several funds, including the Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Thundering Bison Club Scholarship Endowment for upperclassmen, which now stands at $28,000; the Parkersburg Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Club Scholarship for freshmen; the Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Thundering Bison Scholarship for the College of Arts and Media; Marshall University Alumni of the Mid-Ohio Valley Thundering Bison Club School of Medicine Scholarship; the Big Green Foundation; Marshall University’s H.E.L.P. program and the Marshall University Alumni Association.

Jill Parsons, the chapter’s vice president, believes their success was possible because of community engagement.

“It was all about the relationships and engagement within the community,” she said. “The online auction started at a good time. Everyone was getting bored at home and needed to take their mind off pandemic news.”

The Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Chapter is dedicated to the prosperity of students who wish to attend Marshall University. They were welcomed into the Marshall University Foundation’s President’s Circle in 2018. The President’s Circle recognizes individuals and organizations that have a lifetime giving ranging from $100,000 to $250,000. It is the chapter’s hope that students pay it forward to Marshall University in the future.

“I hope that students realize that people care and want to help them achieve a higher education at Marshall University,” said Laurie Martin, chapter president. “Hopefully at some point in their lives, they can pay it forward, and not necessarily in monetary terms. Paying it forward can also be accomplished by volunteering time to Marshall or by working with an alumni chapter to help raise funds for scholarships or other programs that need additional support.”

For information regarding the Mid-Ohio Valley Alumni Chapter scholarships, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

The Herschel C. Price Educational Foundation recently established the Charles William Wright Memorial Accounting Scholarship to honor their late advisor, Bill Wright (left).

Wright received his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting at Marshall at the age of 19. He became a certified public accountant (CPA) in 1966 and became one of the founding partners of Trainer, Wright and Paterno in 1972. Wright devoted his career to developing future leaders in the local accounting profession and developing lasting relationships with his clients. Playing a key role in the early development of the Herschel C. Price Foundation, Wright served as an accountant and advisor from 1975 until his death in 2018.

The Charles William Wright Memorial Accounting Scholarship was created to help a full- or part-time, undergraduate or graduate student who is majoring in the College of Business, home of the Brad D. Smith Schools of Business, and has need per the standards of Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

“This award is being established to honor the memory of Mr. Wright,” said Jonna Hughes, a trustee of the Herschel C. Price Educational Foundation. “We hope to carry forward his goal of encouraging future students of accounting.”

For information regarding the Charles William Wright Memorial Accounting Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

Those who wish to contribute to the Charles William Wright Memorial Accounting Scholarship may visit www.marshall.edu/foundation, or mail a check to the Marshall University Foundation Inc., 519 John Marshall Dr.,  Huntington, WV 25703. Please provide the scholarship name on the memo line of the check.

Marshall University alumnus Julian Bell and his wife, Robin, have created the Julian and Robin Bell Scholarship to help full-time undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing and who demonstrate financial need, per Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

First preference will be given to a resident of Fayette County, West Virginia, who is majoring in a degree program within the Lewis College of Business. Second preference is to a resident of Fayette County, West Virginia, majoring in any other college. Third preference is to a resident of any other county in West Virginia who is majoring in the College of Business.

Julian Bell, a native of Fayette County, West Virginia, received his Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and economics in 1976 and has navigated a successful career in health care finance and administration for more than 40 years, thanks to the education he received at Marshall.

“We are inspired to give to Marshall University because of the impressive growth in academic programs, including the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, over the many years since I attended Marshall,” Bell said. “More importantly, however, is the realization that my successful career journey began with earning my bachelor’s degree from Marshall. My experiences prepared me to begin and to excel in the public accounting profession, which I ultimately transitioned into a lengthy career in health care finance, which continues today.”

Although Bell did not receive any scholarships as a Marshall student, he recalls tuition being significantly less, and is thankful that he was able to pursue higher education.

“I grew up in Fayette County, West Virginia, and while I have lived in Ohio for many years, I still try to stay connected to my old home area. Robin and I want to assist West Virginia students to obtain and take advantage of, the same academic opportunities that I was afforded when I graduated from high school,” Bell said.

“These opportunities are critical for new students to be able to obtain their full potential in life, and to go forward to strengthen the state of West Virginia, other parts of the country and world. I want a few more young people to have that chance to succeed.”

For information regarding the Julian and Robin Bell Scholarship, please contact Marshall’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

Pete and Barbara Chiericozzi have recently established the Chiericozzi-Bruce Scholarship at Marshall University to support full-time undergraduate students.

First preference will go to students who are first-generation students and residents of West Virginia who are starting their sophomore year of study in good academic standing and demonstrate both drive and need for one academic year, per standards of Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Pete Chiericozzi, a native of McDowell County, West Virginia, came to Huntington to study at Marshall and received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1966. He had a long and successful career in the paper industry and retired from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. His wife, Barbara, a Huntington native, graduated from Miami University with a degree in nursing. The couple aspires to provide students with opportunities to advance and enhance their life’s potential while also honoring the Chiericozzi family and Wallace Bruce, Barbara Chiericozzi’s late father.

“There are many chapters in one’s life – church, family, where one grows up, schools, the path and profession one follows when they finish their education, community involvement – they are all important as they contribute to who one is,” Pete Chiericozzi said. “We have chosen to invest and support each of these. With this in mind, we chose to support Marshall University for its role in opening opportunities for me after graduation.”

The Chiericozzis encourage students to commit to graduation, appreciate people on the journey, be willing to hear all sides of issues and encourage civil debate. They want students to know John Marshall’s history and the role he played in the separation of powers, to become lifelong learners, encourage others’ dreams, be active in the community and realize that as citizens of the United States, engagement is essential for the country’s welfare.

“The fact that the scholarship recipients are first-generation students to attend college says a lot about their family–their parents or grandparents either chose or did not have the resources to attend college. These students have made the choice to attend; part one accomplished,” said Pete Chiericozzi. “Part two is that a scholarship may provide the necessary funds to allow them to attend. The student then takes their place in society, better equipped to contribute to a better world and to provide opportunities for themselves and others.”

For information regarding the Chiericozzi- Bruce Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.

Ohio Valley Bank is one of 13 new members welcomed into the Marshall University Foundation Inc.’s President’s Circle Society this fall.

Recognizing individuals and organizations that have lifetime giving ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, the President’s Circle is one of six lifetime giving societies that the foundation recognizes.

“Ohio Valley Bank continually supports Marshall University’s growth. They are dedicated to providing opportunities so that students can obtain a higher education and they continue to support our facilities because they understand the impact they have on our communities,” said Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall University Foundation. “We are grateful for their continued partnership and loyalty to educate our next generation.”

Earlier this year, Ohio Valley Bank made a $50,000 gift to support the new College of Business facility. In 2013, they established the Ohio Valley Bank Scholarship, which supports sophomore, junior or senior students from Mason County, West Virginia, and Gallia and Meigs Counties in Ohio who attend Marshall University’s Mid-Ohio Valley Center in Point Pleasant. They have supported School of Medicine initiatives and the Marshall University Alumni Association, as well.

“On behalf of the 300+ community bankers at Ohio Valley Bank, I want to thank Marshall University and President Gilbert for this incredible honor. We work every day to put Community First. We look at every donation as an investment, an investment to improve the communities where we live and work,” said Ohio Valley Bank Chairman of the Board and CEO Tom Wiseman. “This commitment to Marshall University is our investment in the next generation of community leaders that will help our hometowns not only survive but thrive. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your success. Go Herd!”

There are 497 individuals and organizations across the six societies. Lifetime giving is calculated at the end of each fiscal year. To view all of the Marshall University’s lifetime giving societies and members, please visit www.marshall.edu/foundation.

The Marshall University Foundation Inc., hosted its first holiday card design competition in conjunction with Marshall University’s School of Art and Design.

With the task of drawing their favorite place on campus for the foundation’s annual holiday card, students created vibrant autumn scenes and spectacular hues of hope to send warm visuals of gratitude to the university’s donors.

“For the students who participated, this is a real-world, working artist situation,” said Frederick Bartolovic, interim director of the School of Art and Design. “Students were asked to develop an artwork that depicted a seasonal fall theme and were presented with a deadline for when they needed to complete the project, using virtually any medium or material. For students, this was an opportunity to have a piece of artwork published, a moment when they can get their name out there and build their student portfolio with a project that will make a lasting impression. We are thankful to everyone who participated in this year’s holiday card competition.”

The School of Art and Design narrowed down the entries and sent them to the Marshall University Foundation to choose the winners. The top three choices were awarded a monetary prize.

Tia Walkup, a sophomore art education major from Greenbrier County, West Virginia, was named the first-place winner. Her design, “A Cultured Autumn” depicted the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center and Playhouse, as she believes it is “one of the most unique places to be in the cold, fall months because of the beautiful foggy windows and lights inside.” Walkup’s design will be featured on the annual holiday card for the Marshall University Foundation.

Second place winner Ali Smith, a junior art and psychology major from Portsmouth, Ohio, designed a piece called “Stained Glass” to remind others that “even during hard times, there is still beauty.” After reviewing Smith’s design, the Office of Annual Giving chose to feature it on its holiday card.

Baylee Grueser, a sophomore who is undecided within the School of Art and Design and a native of Racine, Ohio, received the third-place prize for her submission titled “Gather.” Featuring a Celtic knot border for the lack of starting and finishing points, Grueser’s work reminds others that “we can always find loyalty, faith, friendship and love.”

The Marshall University Foundation is hopeful to make the holiday card competition an annual event and is thankful for the students who participated.

“We were elated to see the concepts that students submitted in our first holiday card competition,” said Kristin Rhodes, program director of foundation communications. “With the goal of taking campus to our donors in a year where many were unable to visit, we believe that the images our talented students created will remind others of how grateful our Marshall family is for one another and the importance they play in helping us rise.”

For information about the Marshall University Foundation, please visit www.marshall.edu/foundation. For more information about the School of Art and Design, please visit www.marshall.edu/art.

Jim’s Steak and Spaghetti House has been well known and highly regarded in the Huntington community for numerous decades. Recently, Larry and Cheryl Tweel, on behalf of the entire Tweel family, which owns the restaurant, established a scholarship in memory of one of the two most important people responsible for its success, C.M. “Bunny” Gray.

The C.M. “Bunny” Gray Scholarship benefits underserved and underrepresented minorities in Huntington and the Tri-State area. Specifically, it will assist first-generation, incoming freshmen who are in academic good standing and demonstrate financial need, per the Office of Student Financial Assistance. The award is renewable for four years, as long as the student remains in good academic standing.

“We chose to honor Mr. Gray through the establishment of a scholarship because he was an inspiration to the Tweel family, as someone who was dedicated to his family and to his work and gave full effort to see that both prospered. He always had his family and Jim’s employees’ best interests in mind when leading either his family or the employees of Jim’s. He treasured the pursuit of higher education and encouraged his family and those in his community to pursue it,” said Larry Tweel.

Gray graduated from Douglass High School in 1942 and entered the U.S. Navy during World War II. In the Navy, he served as a First Class Petty Officer until he was honorably discharged in 1945.

When he returned to his hometown of Huntington, he applied for a job at Jim’s Restaurant, where he had worked part time while in high school. Jim Tweel, the owner and operator, interviewed Bunny and offered him a job. Bunny’s one condition upon accepting was that there would be no impediments in his way of moving up within the business.

“In approximately ten years, Bunny became the general manager at Jim’s Restaurant. Mr. Gray was in charge of the food preparation, as well as eventually assisting Mr. Tweel with the management of personnel. Along with my father, Jim, Mr. Gray is responsible for the success of the restaurant,” said Larry Tweel. After a long and successful career, Gray retired at age 81 due to deteriorating health.

Bunny and his wife, Marion T. “Bunche” Gray, had two children, Oliva Gray Stewart, now a resident of Washington, D.C., and C. Michael Gray of Huntington, West Virginia, who obtained his law degree from the University of Wisconsin and taught business law at Ohio University for many years. Bunny and Bunche Gray have three grandchildren, all of whom are college graduates.

Described as a tireless worker and loyal supporter of his church, First Baptist Church in Huntington, West Virginia, Bunny Gray served as a mentor to the young African American community and was a strong supporter of social justice issues.

The Tweels say they hope that all students, particularly those who receive this scholarship, study hard and participate in extracurricular activities while at Marshall University. “Cheryl and I are first-generation college graduates and are fully aware of the advantages of higher education,” said Larry Tweel. “There are still, in our community, members of families with no college-educated members. We need to fund scholarships for those people who need help financially to pursue their dream of a college education. We are blessed to have this opportunity to help Marshall students.”

For more information about the C.M. “Bunny” Gray Scholarship, please contact Marshall University’s Office of Student Financial Assistance at 304-696-3162.