Michael Deasy (‘09) is part of an extraordinary group of former scholars.
He was able to enjoy academic and extracurricular opportunities offered by West Virginia University, thanks, in large part, to the scholarship he received from the Alumni Association’s Loyalty Permanent Endowment Fund (LPEF).
Deasy received a full scholarship to attend WVU through the Fund and graduated from the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering.
The scholarship allowed him to focus on excelling in the classroom while gaining valuable experience in his field of study during the summer. In addition to his scholarship, he was able to secure a stipend to participate in a summer internship where he gained valuable, real-world experience. His coursework and internships prepared him for his current role as a petroleum engineer for Range Resources in Canonsburg, Pa.
“If my experience with the LPEF is any indication of how other recipients have been treated, I would guess that this will only be the beginning of many more successful years for WVU students,” he said. “The feeling of the group as a smaller, more private part of the WVU Alumni Association also has the effect of making one proud to be a part of the LPEF. The opportunities at WVU are endless, and I’m grateful to the Alumni Association for helping me gain the experience and knowledge to be successful.”
This year the Fund is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Since its inception in 1937, the Fund has provided academic support – more than $5 million—for more than 3,800 West Virginia students attending WVU.
To celebrate this historic milestone, the Fund will be awarding approximately $450,000 in scholarships to more than 400 outstanding students representing every college within WVU. The fund currently has more than $11.3 million in assets. The WVU Alumni Association will host an open house celebration for this year’s recipients and families from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 at the Erickson Alumni Center. For more information, visit: http://alumni.wvu.edu/awards/lpe.
“We are constantly amazed at the unbelievable talents of these students, academically, through extracurricular school activities and their involvement in a wide variety of community activities – always with distinction,” said retired Gen. Earl Anderson, USMC, chairman of the LPEF Trust Committee.
Funded completely from unsolicited donations, the LPEF requires no legal obligation of repayment, only a moral one to “pay your education forward” and help students have the opportunity to attend WVU.
“The uniqueness in the fact that all contributions are unsolicited is responsible for the widespread acceptance of the LPEF scholarship program, especially in an environment where individuals are being asked daily to contribute to a multitude of funds,” Anderson said.
To qualify for a scholarship, students must be West Virginia residents, have a minimum grade point average of 2.75, and demonstrate financial need, leadership and good citizenship proven through their extracurricular activities.
Scholarship recipients are selected by the LPEF trust committee, which includes Anderson, James H. “Buck” Harless and James C. Gardill. Steve Douglas, WVU Alumni Association president and CEO, serves as the trust committee’s executive secretary.
For more information, visit http://alumni.wvu.edu.
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CONTACT: Tara Curtis, WVU Alumni Association
304.293.0972, tecurtis@mail.wvu.edu
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