ABOUT THE WVU ALUMNI BOONE COUNTY CHAPTER

Facts about the chapter:

• Established in 1986 - formally organized in 1988
• Official Name: Boone County Chapter of the West Virginia University Alumni Association
• Also Known As: "Boone County WVU Alumni & Friends"
• Current President: John Abbott; Vice President: Charles Piccirillo; Secretary/Treasurer: Todd Mount
• Past Presidents: Jim "Fess" Parker, A.J Hatfield, Dave Hill, Richard Stephens, George "Dan" Blizzard, Norman White, Harry "Burr" Hatfield, Harry "Chip" Shaffer, Dr. Joe Atkins, Dr. Bob Atkins, Dr. Ron Stollings

• Organizing Board of Directors: Dr. Bob Atkins, Chuck Byrnside, Pat Conaway, Carol Javins, Charles Piccirillo, Micky Protan, Louise Ratliff, Lee Schlaegel, Sarah Shaffer, Dr. Ron Stollings, Bill Stone, Norman White
• The Chapter has awarded in excess of 200 scholarships.

Mission Statement and Purpose

The purpose of the organization shall be to promote, support, and provide assistance to West Virginia University, its affiliated entities and its Boone County students; to unite those individuals who desire to dedicate their efforts to the betterment of West Virginia University by such activities, and to encourage closer fellowship and establish better understanding between the University, the alumni, students, former students and friends of West Virginia University in this area.

The Boone County Chapter is recognized throughout our state and the nation for its preeminent academic scholarship program. It currently endows scholarships with the West Virginia University Foundation, Inc. The chapter has three named scholarships: The “Buster” and Geraldine Atkins, the Gus and Mary Lee Shaffer, Jr., and the Dennie Lee and Judy Hill. The lifetime gifts made in our name by two of our benefactors: H. G. “Gus” and Mary Lee Shaffer and Dennie Lee and Judy Hill will provide $1 million for our future Boone County WVU students.

The Chapter awards academic scholarships to deserving Boone County students attending WVU. Four years ago, along with honoring our scholarship winners, it instituted a program of providing a $50 textbook voucher to every Boone County West Virginia University student attending our signature event. The tradition still continues. The vouchers are redeemable at The Book Exchange in Morgantown and The Bookstore at WVU Tech.

In addition, the Chapter has endowed an athletic scholarship, which will be awarded to a Boone County WVU athlete, however, we continue to honor its pledge that this award is funded out of private contributions to insure that its academic scholarship funding is never used for this initiative.

Several years ago, the Chapter was pleased to assist a group of Boone Countians to endow and award a scholarship in honor of their former teacher, Mr. Karl E. Williams. The group raised more than $11,000 and invested it with the WVU Foundation as a sub-fund of our Chapter. It was honored to assist the “Friends of Karl E. Williams” and to provide matching funds for their first annual scholarship.

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