The Division of Student Life will posthumously recognize Doug Skaff Jr. as the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award and induct Michael Ellington and Sonja Wilson into the 2025 Hall of Fame during a ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. Monday (Oct. 6) in the Mountainlair Ballrooms.
Tapping into the power of optics, the West Virginia University skyline will become brighter with planned improvements in the coming months for the iconic University Water Tower on the Evansdale area of campus.
Getting in formation, members of the West Virginia University Mountaineer Marching Band officially cut the ribbon for the new Pride Practice Facility with President Michael T. Benson, representatives from the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media, WVU Foundation and WVU Division of Student Life, and other supporters Friday (Aug. 29).
Drawing on expertise from both inside and outside of West Virginia University, President Michael T. Benson is shaping his core leadership team to work together across the WVU System by incorporating fresh ideas with institutional knowledge.
Four promising West Virginia University doctoral students are continuing their academic journeys with support from the Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows program.
West Virginia University graduate Doug Skaff Jr. embodied the Mountaineer spirit as an alumnus, business leader and public servant. Following his death, his family is honoring his legacy with a scholarship gift to benefit future students at the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics.
The 2025 Hazel Ruby McQuain Graduate Scholarship recipients — Samantha Moon, Zachary Ellis, Leah Peck, Birkely Richards and Leah Rogers — are drawing upon firsthand experiences for motivation to make a difference in West Virginia. Each has been awarded the competitive scholarship which provides $20,000 annually for up to three years.
West Virginia University supporters gave $260.7 million over the past year, making it the third highest year of giving in the University’s history. Their gifts will benefit education, health care and prosperity to make a positive impact across the Mountain State and beyond for years to come.
Michael T. Benson, the 27th president of West Virginia University, never planned on trading beach breezes for the hills of Morgantown. But life — and leadership — has a way of pulling people toward places where they’re most needed. He has already begun to fully immerse himself in campus life, with plans to meet as many members of the WVU community and residents of the Mountain State as possible in his first few weeks on the job.
J. Wayne Richards will serve a two-year term as chairman of the West Virginia University Foundation Board of Directors. The 1981 mining engineering alumnus is president and CEO of GR Energy Services based in Sugar Land, Texas.