The Massey Foundation has pledged $250,000 to create the Massey Foundation Professorship in Mining Engineering at West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
A non-profit organization, the Massey Foundation is dedicated to providing financial support in medical and engineering research. It was founded in December 1957 by William E. and Evan Massey. Descendents of the founders, William E. Massey Jr. and E. Morgan Massey, are the president and secretary and vice president of the Massey Foundation.
The Massey Foundation is a long-time supporter of the mining program at WVU . This latest gift demonstrates the foundations commitment to the Universitys mission of teaching, research and service.
“We have been yearly supporters of the Mining Department of WVU ,”said E. Morgan Massey, CEO emeritus of A.T. Massey Coal Co. Inc.”Many WVU mining graduates have become senior officers of A.T. Massey Coal Co. or its subsidiaries. We are pleased to have a place to recruit such highly qualified engineers.”
Massey was elected to the inaugural class of the West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame housed at WVU in 1998.
“WVUs Mining Engineering program has been producing graduates for over a century,”said Syd Peng, department chair.”At this time when the nation is facing a serious shortage of qualified mining engineers, we are committed to continuing our tradition of producing industry leaders. That is why we are grateful to the Massey Foundation for helping us to maintain production of the engineers that will become the next leaders of the industry.”
The Massey Foundation pledge has been made in conjunction with the Building Greatness Campaign: West Virginia University, a University-wide initiative being conducted by the WVU Foundation to raise a minimum of $250 million in private support. The Foundation, a private non-profit corporation, is the designated agency to receive and administer gifts from private individuals and organizations for the benefit of West Virginia University.
For more information about the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and the Department of Mining Engineering, visit the college Web site athttp://www.cemr.wvu.edu.