A major gift to support the Pride Practice Facility from alumni couple Amy and Donal Hall builds upon a family legacy that began in the Mountaineer Marching Band. (WVU Photo/Garrett Cullen)
A West Virginia University alumni couple is building upon a family legacy that began in the Mountaineer Marching Band with a major gift to support the Pride Practice Facility.
Amy and Donal Hall, of South Chesterfield, Virginia, met as trombone players for “The Pride of West Virginia” and married after graduating with their bachelor’s degrees in the 1980s. Daughter Keeley Hagans followed in their footsteps — literally, as a trombone player — three decades later, demonstrating the family’s shared passion for the Pride.
“The family legacy of Don, Amy and Keeley is very special, and it’s only right that their names should be on this field,” WVU College of Creative Arts Dean Keith Jackson said. “It’s remarkable how significantly the marching band experience impacts students’ lives, and Don and Amy are a great example of that. We are so grateful for the Halls’ investment in the future of the marching band.”
The Pride Practice Facility will provide a weather-protected, dedicated rehearsal space for the marching band in Evansdale, at the former site of Hawley Field. Although the COVID-19 pandemic, associated supply chain issues and inflation-related cost increases have delayed the project, progress is being made toward a groundbreaking. About $4 million is still needed for the second phase of the project.
The Halls recall practicing outdoors in the worst of weather conditions — first at the old Mountaineer Field and later in the WVU Coliseum parking lot, where the band still practices today. While those experiences made them resilient performers, they believe a covered practice facility will make playing in the band safer and more accessible for future generations.
“It takes a lot of dedication to be in the band,” Don Hall said. “The vision of the Pride Practice Facility will help make it much, much better for everyone who comes after us to be a little bit more comfortable, especially on bad weather days, and still get a really good practice in so that the quality of the performance on game day stays up.”
A native of Grafton, Don Hall was drawn to WVU for its excellent engineering programs. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1987. He said his WVU education helped him build a successful career in safety management, working for Hercules, Alliant Techsystems, Honeywell and now DuPont Spruance Plant, Kevlar Division.
Amy Hall grew up 45 miles north of WVU in Washington, Pennsylvania. Although she was initially interested in the University’s music programs, she earned her degree in social work. She battled child abuse and neglect professionally for many years before shifting her focus to food. She is now the owner of a catering business, kitchen manager for the local American Legion, a food safety educator for ServSafe and an instructor at the Chesterfield County Jail in partnership with the National Restaurant Association.
While their careers led them in different directions, the Halls remain united by a lifelong passion for music. They continue to play in the WVU Alumni Band and at their church along with Hagans, who graduated from WVU with a bachelor’s degree in public health in 2021.
Prior to moving to Chesterfield, the Halls played in the Blacksburg (Virginia) Community Band for 25 years, and Amy Hall now plays with the Chesterfield Jazz Ensemble and Chesterfield Concert Band.
“I try to keep up with it,” Amy Hall said. “Even when I’m having a bad day, if I go to band practice, I know I’ll feel better when I’m done.”
The Halls said their gift was influenced by the lasting friendships they made in the Pride. Former bandmates urged them to give, and they know their former bandleader, Director of Bands Emeritus Don Wilcox, supports the project.
“We’ve been blessed,” Amy Hall said. “WVU was good to me — not just the band, but through friendships and employment. The next generation will never know what we went through, but it made us stronger. It’s good to give others advantages when we can and to motivate others: ‘We did it, so can you.’”
The Halls have generously supported the Pride of West Virginia for many years and previously established a namesake scholarship to benefit chemical engineering students at WVU.
To make a gift in support of the Pride Practice Facility, visit give.wvu.edu/pridepracticefacility or contact Jennifer Jordan, director of development for the WVU College of Creative Arts, at jennifer.jordan@mail.wvu.edu or 304-293-4331.
Gifts to the Pride Practice Facility are made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
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cr/05/30/23
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