Andrew S. Good, a generous WVU alumnus who places high importance on serving and giving back to his community, earmarked his namesake scholarship funds for undergraduate students who also share a demonstrated commitment to community service. (WVU Photo)
A West Virginia University student is continuing on the path of service he started while in high school — as a volunteer for community canned food drives, trail maintenance and garbage cleanup projects — thanks to private scholarship support.
Izaak Whetsell, an Elkins native, is among 24 students to benefit from a recent $100,000 gift made by WVU alumnus Andrew S. Good. His namesake scholarship goes to full-time West Virginia undergraduate students with a minimum 3.0 GPA and financial need who have demonstrated a commitment to community service.
Whetsell is a junior majoring in computer science, computer engineering and electrical engineering. He receives several scholarships that cover the cost of his tuition and living expenses, allowing him to get involved through WVU student organizations.
“The scholarships I’ve been granted have allowed me to not focus on money as much, as far as needing a part-time job or anything while I’m here at college,” Whetsell said. “It’s allowed me the opportunity to do all the clubs and maintain my grades because I don’t have to spend the extra hours each week to work a job. It’s been a great help.”
Whetsell is involved with the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers, the Amateur Radio Club and the University Rover Challenge Team. He also volunteers his time with the WVU-affiliated Appalachian Prison Book Project, a nonprofit organization that provides books and education to incarcerated people and educates the community about legal and prison systems.
“I think volunteering is a way to give back to the people who helped kind of raise me, in a sense,” Whetsell said. “I was always taught to respect your neighbors and be kind to those around you, and I feel like this is one way I’m able to give back in a meaningful way.”
Good, of Plano, Texas, said he hopes his scholarship will encourage more students to volunteer their time and appreciate the benefits of community service. A native of Wheeling, Good attended Virginia Tech for one year before earning two degrees from WVU — a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering and a law degree. He spent most of his career as in-house counsel for North American Coal Corp.
Good began volunteering after he effectively retired in 2008, and he now divides his time among five different volunteer roles. He helps with food pickups for a homeless shelter, does minor repairs and maintenance for people who are elderly or disabled, works with the Plano Police Department’s victim services program, assists Plano’s neighborhood services department and serves as a hospital advocate for a rape crisis center.
“I feel that I have gained a lot personally from volunteering, and I think it’s important to give back,” Good said. “Granted, I don’t expect college students or college-bound students to do anywhere near as much volunteering as I do, but I think that it is good to have that sense of community and the desire to help others.”
Kristi Wood-Turner, assistant dean for community engagement and director of the WVU Center for Community Engagement, said service leads to personal and professional growth that helps students succeed.
“Community engagement in higher education is more than service; it’s an essential pathway for students to connect their academic knowledge with practical skills,” Wood-Turner said. “By working alongside community partners, students gain hands-on experience, build leadership and problem-solving abilities, and develop a sense of purpose that prepares them for meaningful careers.”
WVU freshman Audrianna Shifflett shares Good’s commitment to community, seeking opportunities to give back whenever she has free time.
“I just generally like volunteering,” Shifflett said. “If I’m not doing anything on a Saturday, I don’t really see why I can’t go, meet new people and do something for my community.”
Shifflett, of Craigsville, began volunteering as a high school student in Nicholas County. Like Whetsell, she remains engaged at WVU through student organizations, including the Pre-Med Club, Neuroscience Club, Mental Health and Addiction Studies Club, and more. She also works with the American Red Cross and assists with research at WVU.
Grants and scholarships — including the Andrew S. Good Scholarship — have enabled Shifflett to continue her education and service despite financial challenges.
“Not having to worry about money is a major stress reliever,” she said. “I definitely would not be able to attend college if I did not have these opportunities.”
Shifflett plans to continue her service to the Mountain State after completing her bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and psychology. She said she hopes to go on to medical school and specialize in psychiatry, with the goal of addressing West Virginia’s mental health needs.
Good’s scholarship gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
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