Recognizing individuals and organizations that have a lifetime giving ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, the President’s Circle is one of six lifetime giving societies that the Foundation recognizes.
“The Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter is always looking for opportunities to help students attending Marshall from Wood County and the surrounding area. Their dedication to raising funds for student scholarships is just one example of why this chapter stands out and is frequently recognized by the Marshall University Alumni Association as Chapter of the Year,” said Matt Hayes, executive director of alumni relations.
“We are very proud of our chapter,” said Laurie Martin, chapter president. “Our chapter laid dormant for many years, but we have built our numbers and strive to be the face of Marshall in our community. We have worked to provide as many scholarship dollars as we can each year and this past May, we endowed our first scholarship. This is particularly exciting for us because our first endowment has reached and exceeded the level it needed to be invested, meaning we can help local students into perpetuity.”
“Annually, we recognize many individuals for their lifetime giving achievements, but the fact that the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter has reached this level of giving is truly a testament to their passion for the university,” said Dr. Ron Area, chief executive officer of the Marshall University Foundation. “We are excited to welcome them as members in this society and hope other alumni chapters notice their dedication and follow the example they have set.”
With scholarships supporting incoming freshmen, students in the College of Arts and Media and a first year student at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, the recently completed endowment will support juniors or seniors of any major. The chapter also purchased one new band uniform during the Marching Thunder’s 2015 campaign.
Since 2009, the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter has provided scholarships to 72 Mid-Ohio Valley freshman students for a total of $73,500 in tuition support. The chapter also has a $17,000 endowed scholarship for upperclassmen, provided $16,000 to the Vision Campaign, provided $47,800 for Big Green Scholarship support and $11,900 towards other programs at Marshall University, for a total of $166,200 in student support. The Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter is made up of members from Wood, Pleasants, Tyler, Ritchie and Wirt Counties in West Virginia and Washington County, Ohio. Students from these counties are eligible to apply for the chapter’s scholarships.