Category: Foundation News

In a broken world all-too-often filled with tales of heartache and despair, every once in a while comes a story so powerful and full of hope that it has to be experienced to be believed.

That is the story of one Lester Hicks.

Hicks’ tale is one of overcoming unimaginable odds to rise above and reach heights that many, including himself, never thought possible. It is a story of perseverance, determination and sheer willpower that propelled a young man from the heart of rural Georgia to an award-winning career as a safety engineer at world-renowned security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin, and achievements as an accomplished author and athlete that was part of one of the greatest sports stories ever told.

And he has done it all with a gracious heart, taking the life lessons taught to him by his family and friends and applying them in everything he does in life.

“The secret to my success is sweat equity and determination against all odds when failure is not an option,” a proud Hicks said. “I was determined not to allow anyone to outwork me in the classroom, in the workplace and on the football field and basketball court. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to see if I am caught up in a dream because my accomplishments are so unlikely for a person of my background. But I always remember and embody these words, ‘Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything that you need.’”

Hicks’ story begins in impoverished southern Georgia in the early 1950s in a two-room shack with no running water or heat source outside of an old, black potbellied stove that was the main attraction on cold winter nights. Hicks was the 12th of 14 children and four grandchildren raised by uneducated sharecropper parents surviving on a $2.50 weekly income.

Hicks likes to point out that he got to where he is today because his parents had, what he likes to call, P.H.D.s. “We survived because they were poor, hungry and determined,” Hicks said with a smile.

Still, despite the challenges that he and his family faced, he remembers a caring home where he was showered with love and taught the values of servanthood every day of his life.

He lived in that two-room home in Georgia before moving to Steubenville, Ohio, as a boy. And that, Hicks will admit, is where his story really began.

“We took poor to a whole new level,” Hicks said. “My father couldn’t read or write at all, and he was identified by an ‘x’ as his signature. My mother had a fifth-grade education. But both were hardworking, spiritual and honest people who didn’t have the benefit of electricity, water or heat. I was the first and only person in my family to attend college. Although we didn’t have much, my success is a reflection on their hard work.”

As Hicks began to grow into his large, lanky frame, he began to find interest in various sports. He was a defensive lineman and tight end for the mighty Big Red football team at Steubenville High School. He was also a basketball star and a sprinter, high jumper and distance runner on the track and field team.

Because of that success, Hicks began getting calls from major universities all around the country. Nebraska, Notre Dame, Iowa, Iowa State and many of the colleges in and around Ohio gave a long look at the talented multi-sport athlete from eastern Ohio. But while fast, the one thing Hicks could not outrun was his grades. Before long the offers dried up and Hicks found himself attending Ellsworth Community College in Iowa as a last resort.

It was there that Hicks’ path took an interesting turn that led him to a little town on the banks of the Ohio River to play for the Thundering Herd.

“I couldn’t capitalize on my talents in high school because I didn’t apply myself in the classroom. Thankfully, it was in junior college that I learned how to become a student,” Hicks said. “I had extraordinary success at the junior level, and I attracted offers from several notable and prominent blue-blood suitors from every major conference except the Southeastern Conference because they didn’t recruit black athletes during that era of college football.

“Eventually, because of the racial tension in Iowa, I asked coach Johnny Majors if I could decommit from Iowa State and accept an offer from coach Jack Lengyel for me to attend Marshall University. Initially I had declined his offer, but he was crafty and persistent and eventually I gave him a chance.”

On Easter weekend in 1971, coach Lengyel suggested that Hicks accept a free trip from Iowa to Huntington to enjoy spring break at his home in Steubenville while also spending some time on campus at Marshall University. When he arrived, Hicks was immediately struck by the story of the plane crash that had nearly wiped out the Marshall football program one year prior and how he could help. But, Hicks recalled, Lengyel did not sugarcoat what he was getting himself into.

“I was emotionally touched by the Marshall story and some of the players, especially Scottie Reese and others who I would later vicariously play in memory of. Coach Lengyel and my position coach Andy Nameth pried me away from the lure of playing for Notre Dame or the University of California, but they were very honest. He pulled me aside and said, ‘Les, we are not going to win a lot of games or play for any championships. Will you accept the challenge to help me rebuild Marshall football?’” Hicks said. “I couldn’t say no. So, I became a member of the second edition of the Young Thundering Herd in 1972.”

Hicks recalls that his first year on campus was unlike anything he has experienced in his life. “It was still a very grief-stricken campus and community. It was a very sobering experience for a young man to walk into,” Hicks said.

Once on campus, Hicks immediately made friends with Reggie Oliver and other members of the now-famous 1971 Young Thundering Herd and got to work. He recalls nights running up and down flights of steps in Twin Towers East and long hours of what he referred to as “hell” at Fairfield Stadium.

“The old Fairfield Stadium felt like two degrees from being in hell. It was not player friendly,” Hicks recalled. “The turf field was positioned in a low basin that was surrounded by a high concrete wall and the seats were aluminum. All of that meant radiant heat. At times the temperatures reached 115 degrees. We had a rule that if you lost five or more pounds during practice, you weren’t allowed to practice again that day.”

Despite the challenges and the naysayers, Hicks was determined that this team could win games.

“I had never been on a losing team until attending Marshall,” Hicks said. “I took every loss extremely hard because I detested losing. It was very difficult to attract blue chip athletes due to Marshall’s reputation as a losing program. Because of that, we were signing a lot of undersized guys who were not highly recruited at the D1 level. Most of the time, we were giving away around 30 pounds per man on both sides of the ball. And we were always hurt because of substandard nutrition and facilities. I personally was slowed with a torn deltoid muscle in my left shoulder.

“Despite those barriers, I earned a starting defensive end position. I held it until my body simply wore out. When my body became tired, I ran with my heart. Despite my health and injury struggles, I only missed one practice session due to heat exhaustion during my two-year stint with the team.”

The Thundering Herd went 2-8 during that 1972 season, Hicks’ first with the team, before improving to 4-7 in 1973. While it wasn’t exactly what he expected at the time, that experience playing for the Herd during a pivotal moment in Marshall’s history has stuck with Hicks his entire life.

Hicks went on to earn two degrees from Marshall, proudly making the dean’s list every semester while on campus. Hicks also met his future wife, Della, while at Marshall. They met while pledging for the Greek community during an event for underserved youth. After four years of dating, the pair eloped and were married in December 1977.

While his athletic journey could have taken him anywhere in life, Hicks is quick to point out that what he gained while at Marshall far outweighs anything he could have earned elsewhere.

“She knows that if I had made a detour to attend Notre Dame or Nebraska, I would be wearing a national championship ring. However, I am quick to acknowledge that the ring that she gave me is the best I’ve ever won,” Hicks said. “Marshall University was the last place that I envisioned being. But God had already ordained a wife for me in Huntington. She has been my best friend, my confidant and my ultimate supporter ever since.”

After Marshall, Hicks enjoyed a successful career in the environment, safety, health and human resources profession. Before retiring from Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems Company in Marietta, Georgia, Hicks was an environmental staff safety engineer for 32 years. He earned 21 awards from the state of Georgia for his pollution prevention and community service efforts during an eight-year period.

He was appointed as Lockheed Martin’s Safety Coordinator for the north and south campuses where he decreased the incidence rate and property damage significantly while driving down the worker’s compensation cost.

Hicks has been on the front page of the Atlanta Business Chronicle twice and has been featured in national news, television and advertising publications. He served on speaker panels at environment, safety and health conferences in Texas, Colorado, and Georgia. He lectured undergraduate and graduate engineering, nursing and safety students at Marshall University.

In 2005, Marshall University named Hicks as one of its 125 Most Impactful Black Athletes during the 20th century including all sports and, in 2016, he was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award, the highest honor of the Marshall University Alumni Association. He also received the prestigious Pathfinder Humanitarian Award from Steubenville, Ohio, and was a keynote speaker at Steubenville High School in 2016 where he talked about all that he accomplished in life despite graduating with a 1.8 GPA. In addition to that, he was honored with a community service and sports award from Lockheed Martin.

Hicks is also the author of “Against All Odds – 4th Down and Forever” detailing his life and the inspiration he drew from the single worst air tragedy in NCAA sports history.

Hicks and his wife, Della, currently reside in Powder Springs, Georgia, and they have three children and four grandchildren who have also earned multiple college degrees with honors. They remain active in their community, serving as mentors to troubled youth, Sunday school teachers and on their local literacy council, all while continuing to share their unique life experiences with the world.

Hicks is also still active at Marshall, serving as a member of the executive committee with the Marshall University Alumni Association board of directors.

“The national and local recognition that I have received over the years has been way beyond what I could have ever imagined growing up,” Hicks said. “Although I achieved innumerable successes in life, I never looked down on my humble beginnings. Moreover, I used them as fuel.”

From that small two-room shack in rural Georgia to national awards and recognition, all while helping a community heal through his time on the gridiron, Hicks has never forgot where he came from and admits that his time at Marshall helped shape who he is today and set the stage for an unforgettable journey that he takes the time to share every opportunity he can.

“Looking back, I think a lot about coach Lengyel’s sales pitch of, ‘A lot of schools want you, but we need you.’ As my life has unfolded, I have discovered that I needed Marshall far more than Marshall needed me,” Hicks said. “I cashed in on my football talent to earn two degrees. I personally learned during my time there that life is fragile. The loss of those players taught me to never take anything for granted, regardless of age. I felt privileged to be a Marshall University football player, and I felt an obligation to play through frustration, fatigue and injury.

“More than anything, I learned not to complain because millions would love to have the good and bad of my life. I treat every day as if it is my last. As a result, I accomplish what I can by not leaving anything for tomorrow. My conviction is that I am going to work as if I am going to live 100 years and pray as if I am going to die tomorrow.”

The Marshall University Foundation has announced that Michael J. Farrell and Tamela J. Farrell have pledged a gift of $100,000 in support of the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University.

“We, as a couple, feel the need to invest in our community and we do it through many different avenues, but the university has always been the one that we felt most passionate about,” Michael Farrell said.

The facility, which is to be built in the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue and scheduled to open in January of 2024, is expected to be 77,000 gross square feet, and will house classroom space, a forum and auditorium, computer and science labs, office space, meeting rooms and study spaces for students. It will be the center for economic development in the region, with the capability of hosting both small and large business gatherings.

Michael Farrell was interim president in 2005 following the departure of Dan Angel. He previously served on Marshall’s Board of Governors and is also in the Lewis College of Business and Brad D. Smith Schools of Business Hall of Fame.

“When I was on the Board of Governors before I became president, we developed the master development for Fourth Avenue and this is the first step,” Michael Farrell said. “Of course, President Smith’s tremendous gift of $25 million has been the catalyst that’s made all of this happen. This is, quite frankly, the dream that has come true and will set Marshall’s business school and our campus apart its competitors.”

Marshall students will have access to a first-class education in a dynamic environment that will enhance and encourage various types of learning and collaboration. The facility will serve as the hub for student centric activities, providing students not only with instructional resources but also facilitating the practice and expertise that will prepare them post-graduation.

“We are appreciative of the Farrells’ generosity and their continued support for the university,” said Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall Foundation. “It is with their contribution to the new business school that Marshall students will excel, and our footprint in the region will be larger than ever before.”

The Farrells are attorneys and members of the Huntington-based law firm Farrell, White & Legg PLLC. The Farrells have a long-standing history of giving both professionally and personally to the university.

“Any of us who have the wherewithal need to be able to say thank you in a meaningful way whenever we have an opportunity,” Michael Farrell said. “This is that opportunity for me and my wife.”

The Marshall University Foundation today announced that Marshall Rises, the largest and most ambitious fundraising campaign in Marshall University history, has raised more than $176 million in support of the university.

More than 50,000 gifts were recorded during the campaign spread across 1,300 different designations at the university, ensuring that a wide range of programs and projects were directly touched by the campaign.

Marshall Rises publicly launched in October 2019 with a goal of raising $150 million, after having already secured more than $100 million during the quiet phase that began July 2016. By May 2021, the campaign reached its $150 million target, eventually topping $176 million when the campaign formally concluded earlier this year.

The conclusion of the campaign is being celebrated throughout the week on campus during the larger Thank A Donor Days celebration honoring those who make an impact at Marshall through giving.

“Marshall Rises has been a game-changer for Marshall University, the surrounding region and the state of West Virginia. Through this campaign, we have been able to touch so many different areas of campus, from the incredible programs offered, to the buildings and classrooms, to the students within those walls, and it is all thanks to the generous support of our dedicated and loyal Marshall family,” said Ron Area, CEO of the Marshall Foundation. “Working side-by-side with the university, we set a goal to raise $150 million nearly six years ago to help Marshall rise to new heights and we have surpassed that goal ahead of schedule. Through this campaign, we are helping take Marshall University to the next level as a leading institution of innovation and discovery.”

The impact of Marshall Rises is found in five pillars for success chosen to represent the most important facets of Marshall University. The campaign was to enhance the student experience; expand academics and grow the university’s reputation; create an environment of innovative learning; form a foundation of research and creative discovery; and deepen community partnerships.

The five pillars of progress ensure that students at Marshall will graduate from one of the nation’s most distinguished and dynamic universities.

“The Marshall University community celebrates the fantastic success of Marshall Rises, which is propelling our institution forward,” said Marshall President Brad D. Smith. “I want to commend Ron Area and everyone at the foundation who worked so diligently, through a pandemic no less, to ensure our students and university are provided the necessary funding for the future. And for everyone who contributed to the effort, we appreciate you.”

One of the areas most directly impacted by this campaign is student support, with more than 500 additional students receiving scholarship aid annually than before the start of the campaign. In total, scholarship aid increased by 44% during Marshall Rises, with $5 million in scholarship aid awarded annually over the past three years.

The campaign also generated an unprecedented response from the alumni community and supporters of the university, with one-third of all gifts given during the campaign generated by first-time donors. The university also saw a strong outpouring of support from the campus community, with gifts from Marshall faculty and staff nearly doubling over the past six years.

Marshall’s endowment, an important source of funding designated for specific purposes according to donor intent, grew dramatically during Marshall Rises. Prior to the campaign, the endowment value stood at $110 million. As of the conclusion of the campaign, the endowment was $205 million, an 86% increase.

Donors were able to make an impact through a variety of giving programs at the university including the annual fund, a yearly giving program targeting various areas of need, the Family Campaign, encouraging giving among faculty and staff, and planned giving for benefactors documenting gifts through wills and estate planning intentions.

“The support we have seen from alumni, faculty, staff and community supporters of Marshall during Marshall Rises has been unprecedented. It shows that the Marshall community cares deeply about the future of this university as a prosperity platform for the underserved,” said Joe Allwood, COO at the Marshall Foundation. “Through this campaign, we have been able to help more students than ever before reach their full potential through scholarship aid and financial support. We have felt the impact on campus, with major renovations to existing facilities, as well as the construction of new centers for learning. This is truly an exciting time to be a part of this university and I am already looking forward to our next chapter to further build upon this success.”

Through Marshall Rises, life-changing and cutting-edge research has expanded thanks to increased philanthropic support of faculty research in elevating Marshall’s reputation as a student focused R2 research university.

Over the past six years the university has also seen more in-demand programs for students and state-of-the-art facilities being erected like the Bill Noe Flight School and the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation.

With a goal to impact the lives of more students, to improve the community and the alumni within it, and make a positive mark on the world through action, Marshall Rises has set the stage for a future of endless possibilities.

And the transformational level of support of Marshall Rises ensures that the university will continue to be impacted by this campaign for years to come.

“I am proud and honored to be a part of this university during this unique and special moment in its history,” Area said. “This campaign was just the beginning; we already have plans in the works for bigger and better things in the very near future. After what I saw from this campaign, I believe that together, we can achieve anything at Marshall.”

The Marshall University Foundation has announced that Jenkins Fenstermaker PLLC has pledged a gift of $75,000 in support of the new Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation at Marshall University.

The facility, which is to be built in the 1400 block of Fourth Avenue and is scheduled to open in January of 2024, will serve as an economic hub in the region while bolstering business connections among area professionals. Marshall students will have access to a first-class education in a dynamic environment that will enhance and encourage various types of learning and collaboration.

“As part of this community for almost 100 years, we are proud to support the Marshall University Lewis College of Business, the premier training ground for future business leaders and innovators in our community and beyond,” said Steven Wellman, managing member for Jenkins Fenstermaker. “Many of our attorneys and staff attended Marshall University, and we are excited to play a small part in the future growth and success of the Lewis College of Business. We believe that our partnership with Marshall University will benefit both institutions for many years to come.”

The facility, expected to be 77,000 gross square feet, will house classroom space, a forum and auditorium, computer and science labs, office space, meeting rooms and study spaces for students.

The gift pledged by Jenkins Fenstermaker will support the Leadership Lounge in the new building. The Leadership Lounge is part of the Truist Center for Leadership. The Truist Center for Leadership empowers students through training, workshops and networking opportunities while also developing the next generation of leaders.

“As a business attorney that is passionate about economic development, I have always recognized the importance of Marshall University and its business school to our region,” said Stephen Golder, member for Jenkins Fenstermaker. “The new facility for the Lewis College of Business will be a game-changer for our downtown and for Marshall University. Witnessing progress spearheaded by the Marshall team is exciting for our team to participate in.”

Jenkins Fenstermaker, with offices in Huntington and Clarksburg, West Virginia, provides representation in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. The firm celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2023. Clients can find experienced, accomplished attorneys dedicated to quality, detail-oriented representation in business and commercial law; wills, trusts and estates; litigation; and labor and employment law.

Marshall University Foundation, Inc. CEO Dr. Ron Area today announced that Matt James has been named the new executive director of alumni relations at Marshall University.

James was previously the assistant dean of intercultural and student affairs at the university.

“Matt is an exceptional leader who has dedicated his professional career to helping advance the goals and objectives of Marshall University,” Area said. “From his time as a student to today, he has been an advocate for student advancement, and I am confident that he will continue that great work with our strong network of alumni around the world.”

A native of Bluefield, West Virginia, James is a two-time graduate of Marshall, graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in 2009 and earning a master’s degree in school counseling in 2011. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in higher education leadership and administration.

James, a former student body president at Marshall, has served the university in multiple roles since 2009. He has served in his current position as assistant dean of students since 2015. For his work, James has also received numerous recognitions including being named as one of West Virginia’s Top 40 under 40 by the State Journal in 2022.

Throughout his career, James has been a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, and has devoted his career to helping students at Marshall succeed. Through that experience, James is excited to begin this next chapter as an ambassador for Marshall and looks forward to bringing alumni together for the common goal of advancing the university.

“I’m thrilled to join the MU Foundation team and begin this new journey,” James said. “In my 18 years on campus, as a former student leader and administrator, there has never been a more exciting time to be a member of the Marshall family. With the incredible leadership of President Smith, and the current excitement surrounding athletics, it’s perfect timing to grow our engagement efforts with Herd alumni across the country. I’m confident my experiences and relationships provide me with a unique perspective to succeed as the new executive director of alumni relations.”

James was named to the position after a nationwide search. He will begin in his new role on October 10.

James currently resides in Huntington with his wife, Sara, daughter Saylor, and two dogs Chip and Charlie.

College is a momentous occasion for every student. It is often the beginning of the rest of their lives. What unfolds between the stately buildings, late night study sessions, and lifelong friendships that shape their futures, can many times spur inspiration for the generations that follow.

Three Marshall University graduates have such a story. Susan Popp, Kim Wellman and Sydney Wellman all received their degrees from Marshall. They are also grandmother, mother and daughter.

“Three generations is kind of a long time, so we all experienced something different,” Sydney said. “We definitely bond over that. And it’s also a matter of respect in a way, we all recognize that we’ve put in the work to receive our degrees from the same college and we have this level of respect for each other.”

Sydney is the most recent Marshall graduate in their family, earning her bachelor’s degree in biomechanics in May 2022. She is now a graduate student in Marshall’s School of Physical Therapy.

Their legacy is made possible thanks to Marshall’s Alumni Legacy Scholarship. The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is awarded to non-resident, first-time freshmen whose parent or grandparent graduated from Marshall. The student’s parent or grandparent must also be donors of the university.

Susan has donated to Marshall consistently for more than 30 years, and it is because of Susan’s generous contributions to the university that Sydney, who lives across the river in Chesapeake, Ohio, was able to attend Marshall at an affordable rate. However, none were aware of the scholarship beforehand.

“I was completely surprised by the scholarship opportunity,” Kim said. “That was a real blessing. It has made me realize how important donations are to the university. That’s something I’m going to start doing is donating to the Marshall Foundation for that reason. It was so helpful for Sydney to get her bachelor’s degree. I’m grateful my mom donated, and that she could have that opportunity.”

But for Susan, college was not a part of her original plan.

“My future husband was already at Marshall,” she explained. “My father asked me if I wanted to go, and he gave me some money. He wanted me to go to school.”

Susan married her late husband, Larry, who graduated from Marshall in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in music education. The two then moved to Virginia, thus putting Susan’s college career on hold.

“We moved to a southern part of Virginia and there were no colleges there, so there was no opportunity to go back,” she said.

Nearly a decade later, the family moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, as Larry graduated with his master’s degree from Radford University. This allowed Susan to return to the classroom before the family moved back to Huntington a year later.

With another move across state lines, Susan knew she would have to wait a year before she could enroll again to pay the in-state tuition rates. Or so she thought.

“My mother saw an article in the newspaper that they had a program for women returning to college,” Susan said. “So, she dragged me to Marshall and before I left there that night, I was enrolled again.”

Susan’s educational journey crafted some of Kim’s earliest memories and began her love for their shared alma mater.

“I can remember going to Marshall with my mom when she was signing up for classes and standing there in those long lines with her while she was paying her tuition when I was a little girl,” Kim said.

In 1983, Susan earned her bachelor’s degree in library science and social studies. After graduation, Susan went into teaching, first as a long-term substitute teacher before taking a full-time position at St. Joseph Central Catholic High School in Huntington as the librarian. Susan worked there for 29 years and retired in 2018.

For Kim, she always knew she would attend Marshall. Both of her parents were Marshall graduates, and it was never a question as to where she would complete her degree. She also knew from a young age what her major would be.

Larry Popp passed away in January 1990 during Kim’s freshman year. He battled with heart disease for many years, which included an open-heart surgery when Kim was around 9 years old. It was her father’s health struggles that led Kim to become a nurse.

“I remember sitting in the lobby of the old St. Mary’s Hospital for hours waiting for him to have heart surgery and I was just inspired by the nurses there,” Kim said. “If I could have the opportunity to provide that care to someone else’s family, I just wanted to be able to do that.”

Kim earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in 1991 from Marshall. She then took all her prerequisite classes at Marshall before attending St. Mary’s School of Nursing, which she graduated from in 1996. In 2005, she received her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Marshall.

Larry’s passing had a profound impact on the entire family. With Kim just beginning her time at Marshall and Susan only mere months into her job at St. Joseph, Susan wanted to find a way to honor his memory.

“Every year after my husband died, I’d send a little money to the Foundation in his name,” Susan said. “Marshall gave him the opportunity to have a career for 24 years in what he loved to do, which was teach music on a high school and middle school level.”

“He was a wonderful man who loved Marshall,” Kim echoed. “Sydney knows he’s a powerful influence in my life, even still. I think that influence carries on to her and my other daughter, as well.”

What began as a way to honor a beloved husband and father, became a significant source of financial reprieve for Sydney. As someone who grew up around the university and watching Marshall sports, Sydney was always interested in attending college close to home as part of the Herd.

“That’s where my mom and nana went, and they always spoke so highly of it,” Sydney said. “It also worked out that what I wanted to do was at Marshall, too.”

Sydney began her Marshall journey as a nursing student, like her mother, but soon felt her academic career was leading her down a different path.

“I found the biomechanics program in the School of Kinesiology and started that my junior year,” Sydney said.

Sydney said she has always loved studying math and the human body. Biomechanics, which is the study of human movement, encapsulated everything she was interested in. Her graduate program in physical therapy will help her reach her dream, which is to work as a pediatric neurology physical therapist.

“I want to work with kids and young adults who have gone through a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury and work with them to rehab them to get better,” Sydney said.

Three Marshall alumna. Three vastly different majors. Three stories, bound by a deep appreciation for the college they love.

On the day of Sydney’s graduation, the three stood proudly outside of the Mountain Health Arena and commemorated the occasion with a photo as they each held a Marshall Alumni T-shirt that Susan had gifted Kim and Sydney.

“I hope to be able to pass my desire and my gratitude for Marshall to my future children,” Sydney said. “And hopefully, there will be a fourth generation.”