A longtime supporter of undergraduate scholarships at West Virginia University has shifted his philanthropic interest to support for graduate students. Jerry Brooks, an alumnus of WVU’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design and a resident of Lewisburg, has created a one-year graduate fellowship for students in the Davis College’s reproductive physiology program.

For many years, Brooks provided financial support to the Three Little Pigs Scholarship for West Virginia undergraduates. With that fund in good shape, Keith Inskeep, professor of reproductive physiology in the Davis College, suggested to Brooks that he might consider making a gift to support graduate education.

Brooks’ former employer, Merck Pharmaceuticals, matched a portion of Brooks’ gift, enabling him to provide a stipend for a one-year period for either a doctoral or master’s student. Tuition will be waived for the selected student.

Brooks earned his Bachelor of Science in animal science, and returned to earn a master’s degree in animal nutrition under the late Gerald C. Anderson, after serving in the military. In his 25 years with Merck, Brooks focused on the development of pharmaceuticals related to human and animal reproduction and androgen-related diseases of the prostate.

Applicants for the Brooks Fellowship were asked to complete an essay on how a research-based education can help make a contribution to the well-being of animals and human beings. The fellowship has been awarded to Elizabeth Bowdridge, a doctoral candidate in reproductive physiology.

“Research was something I stumbled onto as an undergraduate student who decided, despite years of planning and preparation, that veterinary medicine was not my future,” wrote Bowdridge in her application essay. “I was extremely fortunate to have a mentor who was as passionate about research in reproductive physiology as I have ever seen, and it was contagious.

“She made me realize that research and service go hand-in-hand. It’s easy to forget on a daily basis, but helping to make this world a happier and healthier place is the heart of research,” she wrote. “I think this is one of the reasons I get such a deep satisfaction from being an active part of research.”

Bowdridge earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

“As long as Elizabeth needs this support, and as long as I’m able to provide it, I will continue to do so,” Brooks said. “I would consider it a responsibility of alumni to help current graduate students at WVU to continue with their studies.”

Brooks’ gift was made through the WVU Foundation, a private non-profit corporation that generates and provides support for WVU. In June, the Foundation launched A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University. The $750 million comprehensive campaign runs through December 2015.

Supporting professional and graduate education is a major priority of A State of Minds. It is also a core goal of WVU’s 2020 Strategic Plan for the Future.

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CONTACT: David Welsh, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
304-293-2394, david.welsh@mail.wvu.edu

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