Scholarships drive WVU student creators, developers and researchers on paths to success
WVU students Ben Golden, from left, Jayla Boyd and Reese Allen have been able to explore career paths and immerse themselves in research without financial obstacles thanks to scholarship support. (WVU Graphic)
West Virginia University scholarship recipients Ben Golden, Jayla Boyd and Reese Allen could never have imagined how philanthropic support would lead to unexpected opportunities that would shape their college careers and professional goals.
As a Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship recipient, Golden found he could study more than general business; he could fine-tune his studies down to a music business and industry degree. And, through donor support, Golden discovered he could do even more.
“Giving is important because it enables the recipient to completely focus on their studies and on the things that matter most to them rather than having to be weighed down by expensive costs,” Golden, a junior with a second major in music composition, said. “You can take on more classes. For me, I’m taking on two degrees. So, it’s enabled me to do twice as much.”
Ben Golden is a Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship recipient majoring in both music business and industry and music composition. (WVU Photo/Garrett Cullen)
WVU is a land-grant university dedicated to serving West Virginia and making college accessible and affordable for students across the state and beyond. During the 2025 fiscal year, the WVU Office of Financial Aid awarded over $156 million to more than 16,000 students in partnership with the WVU Foundation.
Jayla Boyd, a junior neuroscience major from Charleston, has received multiple scholarships.
“The WVU Foundation Scholarship has allowed me to immerse myself in research, extracurriculars and focus on my academics,” Boyd said. “I haven’t had to worry about having a part-time job or finances. If I’m able to afford my books, I can sleep easier at night.”
Jayla Boyd is a WVU Foundation Scholarship recipient studying neuroscience. (WVU Photo/Garrett Cullen)
Allen, of Bridgeport, is a senior studying mechanical engineering and data science.
“I am lucky and grateful to be the recipient of the Neil S. Bucklew Scholarship, Engineering Excellence Scholarship and the Promise Scholarship,” Allen said. “They help to remove any obstacle between me and my studies.”
Reese Allen is a scholarship recipient majoring in mechanical engineering and data science. (WVU Photo/Garrett Cullen)
As creators, researchers and developers, the three Mountaineers have been driven by discovery and possibilities since stepping on campus.
Boyd, who attended Brain Camp at WVU when she was in high school, now volunteers for the program when she isn’t in the lab.
“I was able to start research from the beginning of my time as a freshman. They really immersed me in it,” Boyd said. “Neuroscience is such a growing field in the state of West Virginia. We have the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and a blossoming undergraduate neuroscience program. For me, it was a no-brainer. I could be at home. I could help my community. I could have fantastic education.”
Golden and Allen are also pressing forward with real-world experiences at WVU.
“Now that I’ve been here, I’ve made enough connections with directors, game developers and professors that I’ve gotten a few gigs,” Golden said. “Right now, I’m working on a game with one of my colleagues and I’m scoring short films.”
Allen is among a group of WVU engineering students who have caught the attention of NASA.
“What we’ve made is a lunar contact sampling device, which is designed to help astronauts take samples on the moon,” Allen said. “We had the opportunity to take our device down to the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas, and have one of their divers test our device underwater and get real samples of simulant and made sure that our device is usable on the moon.”
There is a common theme among scholarship recipients — the gifts mean more than financial support.
“To potential donors, your support is a way of telling somebody ‘I believe in you’ and for us students who often feel lonely in our homework, our projects, our day-to-day classes, that kind of support gives us confidence,” Allen said. “It’s hard for me to tell anybody that I can’t do whatever I dream about if I can be confident that people believe in me.”
Learn more about the academic pursuits of three Mountaineers. (WVU Video)
Scholarship gifts are made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Sunshine Wiles
Communications Specialist
WVU Foundation
304-284-4018; swiles@wvuf.org