West Virginia University senior Sam Stalnaker arrived on campus with limited physics knowledge. But thanks to strong mentors and faculty relationships, he’s become a trusted member of the undergraduate physics and astronomy research team and is on his way to reaching his full potential.
Though she used to be one, Madison Clayton, West Virginia University Mountaineer Athletic Club director of donor relations and communications, says she will have no problem rooting against the Pitt Panthers in the “Backyard Brawl.”
After a scholarship enabled Siti Suwanda to leave Indonesia to pursue a degree abroad, she landed in Morgantown thanks, in part, to her fandom for Wonder Woman. The West Virginia University logo reminded her of that superhero’s famous emblem, she said, convincing her to apply to the doctoral program in marketing at the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics.
West Virginia University undergraduates Shelby Cavender and Tyler Jeffries started small, collaborating to sell fashion finds on social media — WVU gear, graphic tees, sneakers and more. Then their resale operations grew. And grew. And grew.
West Virginia University supporters Gary McKown and Jill Meuser have contributed nearly $100,000 to West Virginia University over a span of more than two decades, providing scholarship support for nearly 30 students within the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences and the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
Jessie Barclay has a knack for spotting potential where others might see uncertainty. As the student experience manager at the West Virginia University Purpose Center — the first of its kind at a university — she spends her days helping students uncover their strengths, clarify their goals, and find a sense of purpose on campus and beyond.
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.
Moving to a college campus can be nerve-racking not just for the students, but for their parents who leave them behind. Lisa Hanselman, director of the Mountaineer Parents Club, is determined to help make the transition to West Virginia University easier.
At age 22, Keenan Coley, who earned his master’s degree in sports management from West Virginia University in 2025, has been hired as the head basketball coach at Oxford Preparatory School in North Carolina.
During his 36 years at West Virginia University, Jeff Haught has witnessed significant shifts in what students bring with them and how they set up their living spaces across the Morgantown Campus at the start of new academic years.